Tracey Cunningham and Rodney Cutler’s Advice on Protecting Haircolor

Summer is officially here and clients are beach bound and lounging by the pool soaking up the rays and enjoying some fun in the sun. While being outdoors translates into sun-kissed skin and natural highlights, the UV rays and other environmental aggressors can damage hair and skin. As beauty pros, we need to provide our clients with the utmost care and protection for when they come in contact with sun, salt and chlorine. We turned to Rodney Cutler, owner of Cutler/Redken Salons and Tracey Cunningham, Redken's Creative Consultant for Color and co-owner of Byron & Tracey salon in Beverly Hills for some solid advice. Here’s what they had to say:

“At our salon in Miami, we often see clients with damaged hair from being out in the sun or water,” says Rodney Cutler, owner of Cutler/Redken Salons.  ”Many of them are not aware that they can protect and correct existing damage with the right products! It’s essential to protect your hair while out in the sun!”

As advised by Cutler, ultimate protection for hair is a must when under the sun, in water or all year-round when living in warmer climates. Damage to hair includes: stripping away of the hair cuticle by UV rays causing hair to become dull, rough and prone to frizz and flyaways, as well as color fading in both colored and virgin hair. In addition, pool chemicals and sea salts strip away healthy oils and bind to hair increasing vulnerability to the sun – this results in haircolor becoming brassy, grayish or even green and hair texture drying out.

“While our clients are not always on the beach or in the pool, they are constantly in the California sun,” says Tracey Cunningham, Redken's Creative Consultant for Color and co-owner of Byron & Tracey salon in Beverly Hills. “This daily exposure affects their haircolor and the quality of hair causing much dryness and brassiness. We always try to stress daily UV protection for hair, and now we can recommend specific products for our clients to use.”

What are Cutler and Cunningham’s go-to-products? Redken, but of course! Redken’s new Color Extend Sun solar screen SPF 12 offers patented UV protection for hair against the sun and environmental aggressors, while helping to correct and repair existing damage. The scalp is particularly vulnerable to both UVA and UVB rays, and sunburned scalp is often painful and can result in peeling of the scalp skin and the appearance of dandruff-like flakes in the hair. To prevent clients from saying “ouch” they recommend their clients apply Redken Color Extend Sun’s Solar Screen SPF 12 at least 30 minutes before sun exposure for optimum protection against the effects of damaging UV rays.

Did you know pool chemicals and sea salts can strip away hair’s healthy oils and bind to the hair intensifying the damaging effects of the sun? Yup—no joke. Encourage clients to apply Redken’s Color Extend Sun Sparkling Shield prior to swimming to preserve the integrity of the hair fiber and create a barrier that helps prevent chemicals and minerals from adhering to the hair’s surface.

UV rays are present year-round, even in the winter and on cloudy days and UVA rays can pass through windows to attack haircolor when your clients least expects it. Show them how to apply Redken Color Extend Sun’s Shimmering Defense before applying styling products as a lightweight leave-in conditioner to help protect hair from the damaging effects of the sun while also preventing dryness and replenishing moisture.

Pool chemicals and sea minerals can turn haircolor brassy, grayish or even green, and can penetrate the cuticle to accelerate haircolor degradation. Since you don’t want your clients singing, “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” get her to use Redken’s Color Extend Sun’s After-Sun Shampoo to remove salt, chlorine and minerals and keep her haircolor looking healthy and vibrant. The patented UV filter Mexoryl S.O continues to protect the hair even after the product is rinsed out, so using the shampoo prior to sun exposure will also help prevent UV damage

UVA/UVB rays strip away the cuticle causing hair to become dull, rough and prone to frizz and fly-aways. Before you know it, hair is left dry and brittle. To help reverse existing damage and resurface sun-stressed strands, get client’s to use the After-Sun Mask in place of a regular conditioner whenever hair has been exposed to damaging UV rays or drying pool chemicals and sea minerals. Just apply using a wide-tooth comb and leave in for 5-15 minutes depending on the condition of the hair. Yes, it is that easy!

Cutler loves the long-lasting effects of the products and the feel of hair after several uses: “It’s as if sun, salt or chlorine, hasn’t even touched the hair. Our Miami salon clients love the Sparkling Shield, since they can apply it throughout the day leaving their hair soft to the touch and shiny even while out in the sun everyday!”

All of Redken’s Color Extend Sun products are formulated with Hydra-Shield Complex and provide long-lasting broad-spectrum protection against UV rays while rebalancing moisture in sun-stressed tresses leaving hair shiny, silky and smooth. New patented UV filter, Soplexyl™ is responsible for giving hair substantive UV protection and remains effective even when formula is rinsed out. Mango Oil prevents dryness and offers intense replenishment and softness, while Ceramide penetrates the hair fiber to strengthen and repair damaged areas. In addition, Color Extend Sun is a perfect compliment to the Color Extend collection.