Summerize Your Body

Protect Your Hair Color

Why it fades faster in summer: Swimmers, take note. "Water is the principal cause of fading," says Christine Hall, research and development director at John Frieda. "It penetrates the hair and dissolves the dye, causing it to rinse right out." And if hair is sun damaged or overprocessed, it's even more likely that dyes will escape. Women who lighten their hair with permanent color have been known to struggle with another fade-related problem: brassiness. "The coloring process first lifts melanin from hair, and an orange-yellow shade results," says Hall. "It then deposits cool dyes on top, but they fade quickly, exposing the brassy tones."

The fix: A scarf, cap, or UV-shielding cream will protect hair from the sun. (Redken UV Rescue Brunette Guard or Blonde Guard color-saving swim creams, $13, block UVA/UVB rays and prevent hair from absorbing drying chlorine and salt.) But what should you do about water? A shower cap is a wise idea on days you don't shampoo. When you do, color-protecting shampoos and conditioners can help stop fading by laying down silicones to seal the hair shaft.