‘Tis the season for bright hair hues and sun-kissed highlights. The hair color scene is always changing, and this summer is bringing plenty of new styles and trends along with it.

“There are always new hair color trends and popular client requests that emerge each season,” says Gigi Pogosyan, master hair colorist and owner of Balayage By Gigi, a boutique salon hideaway in West Hollywood, California.

Balayage and Candy Colors

Unsurprisingly, balayage is leading the pack this summer, just as it has for years now. Balayage’s trademark freehand painted-on highlights create a rich, multidimensional look. For such a polished result, balayage is very low maintenance, making it the perfect style for a carefree summer in the sun.

Another major trend this summer is candy-colored rainbow hair. “Bold and vibrant hair colors, such as pastel pinks, blues, purples, and neon shades, continue to be popular among those looking to make a statement with their hair color,” says Pogosyan. “Some people choose to dye their entire head of hair in a pastel or vivid color for a bold and eye-catching look,” Pogosyan notes. “This can be a fun way to make a statement and show off your colorful personality.”

Others, she says, go for a more subtle and dimensional look with highlights or lowlights in either soft pastel shades or more vibrant hues. “This can be a great option for those who want to add a pop of color without fully committing to all-over color.”

Stylists use a wide range of techniques to get this look, so if you’re opting for rainbow hair, there isn’t necessarily one particular method. “The choice of how to incorporate pastel and vivid colors into your hair is a personal one, and you can get creative and experiment with different placement and techniques to find a look that suits your style and personality,” Pogosyan notes.

How to Maintain Hair Color and Prevent Fading

No matter what color you dye your hair, it’s important to maintain its vibrancy with extra care. “Maintaining hair color after leaving the salon is essential to prolong the vibrancy and longevity of the color,” says Pogosyan. She recommends choosing color-safe haircare products. That often means looking for shampoos without parabens, sulfates, silicones, or alcohol, all of which can cause color fading or worsen dryness caused by color treatment. She also suggests washing colored hair less frequently and using lukewarm water.

If your hair is feeling dry after a color treatment, reach for a bond builder. These powerful products work by strengthening broken bonds in the hair’s protein structure. “Olaplex and K18 are great bonding products,” she adds.

To maintain color between visits, stock up on color-depositing shampoos and conditioners, hair gloss, glaze, or even color-refreshing sprays or mousses.

Avoid Heat Styling Damage

When it comes to styling your hair, avoid heat tools whenever possible. Hair dryers, straighteners, and curling irons can make for great looks, but they can make your color fade faster. Instead, opt for air-drying when possible and dry out no-heat styling methods.

Even the sun can do a number on color-treated hair, so you’ll want to keep it protected from UV rays when you can. “I recommend using a leave-in conditioner with UV protection to help protect your colored hair from the damaging effects of the sun,” advises Pogosyan. “My go-to is Kerastase Nectar Thermique.” She also suggests choosing a hair spray with UV protection. “It's also important to wear a hat or scarf when spending prolonged periods of time in the sun to further protect your colored hair.”

Color-Friendly Hair Products

Use color-safe products to keep your color vibrant and healthy looking. Reach for any of these pro favorites…

NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Repair Leave-In Conditioner & Detangler

This Beautytap favorite is perfect for preserving color and healing dry, damaged hair. Spray it onto tangles or dry strands for soft, detangled, flyaway-free tresses. The formula’s plant proteins and botanical oils include camelia, argan oil, ginger root extract, and bamboo extract. Along with soothing your hair, Perfect Repair can also protect against heat damage.

Iles Formula Finishing Serum

Created by celebrity hair stylist Wendy Iles and praised by fellow top hair stylists, Finishing Serum is a quadruple threat designed to protect hair from heat styling, UV damage, humidity, and color fading. Silicone free and formulated with deeply nourishing, sustainable nut oils and vitamins this miracle worker helps transform dry hair to a soft, silk spun finish when activated by heat and may also be used on dry hair to help reduce frizz.

Olaplex Bond Treatment System

These Olaplex power players work together in a multi-step system to repair damaged hair at the deepest level. The system includes bond-building treatments, strengtheners, and moisture masks that work to heal damage for shinier, healthier hair.

K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask

This four-minute leave-in treatment actively reverses damage in hair that’s been colored, exposed to sun, or been through harsh chemical treatments. K18’s formula includes a special peptide that mimics the structure of the hair and repairs bonds. Most people who try it see epic results even after one use.

Amika Dream Routine Overnight Hydrating Hair Mask

Maintain your color and keep your hair moisturized with this lush hydrating mask. Wake up with smoother, softer locks and thanks soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, coconut water, blue algae, and sea buckthorn.

7Seconds Masque

Protect color-treated hair with this lush conditioning mask that includes shea butter, amber extract, and vegetable proteins for shinier and softer locks. The treatment just takes 10 minutes, so it’s perfect for a quick boost between salon appointments.

Kerastase Nectar Thermique Heat Protecting Cream

This leave-in cream will preserve radiance, ward off frizz, and most importantly, protect your locks from damaging heat. This cream can keep your tresses safe from temps as high as 450°F while also strengthening and adding shine.

Amika Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Repair Shampoo and Conditioner

Pogosyan notes that Amika color-safe shampoos and conditioners are some of her go-tos. If you have a blonde, grey, or silver mane, this purple conditioner – and its adjoining shampoo – is for you. “Purple shampoo…helps to neutralize yellow and brassy tones in blonde hair,” she says. “Look for a purple shampoo that is specifically formulated for blonde or highlighted hair. I love Amika’s purple shampoo. Additionally, using a purple conditioner or toning mask once a week can help maintain the cool tones in your blonde hair.”

This Amika power duo helps eliminate brassiness while preventing breakage and strengthening your hair thanks to the ultraviolet pigments, quinoa protein, and plant butter in its formula. This conditioner even works for natural blondes who want to keep their brassiness on lock in the sunny season. Purple shampoo and conditioner can be powerful, so be sure to do a strand test, and start slowly when easing into a routine with it!

Moroccanoil Protect & Prevent Spray

“[This spray] is great, especially since summer is upon us,” says Pogosyan. Moroccanoil’s leave-in spray infuses argan oil into the hair and helps keep strands safe from environmental damage that can cause brassiness and fading. It’s packed with antioxidants to help ward off free radicals from pollution, UV rays, and other environmental factors. This protective formula also includes sunscreens to protect against summer sunshine.

R+Co Gemstone Pre-Shampoo Color Protect Masque

Turn to this lightweight mask if your colored hair is damaged or dry. Gemstone does its work before shampoo even hits your hair. With amino acids, white oak bark, soy protein and more, this formula strengthens and seals the hair’s cuticle while adding a boost of softness. It even contains the novel conditioning polymer Chromohance, which protects color and keeps hues bright – and the foamy consistency makes it a joy to use.

No matter how you choose to color your hair this summer, honor your mane’s own one-of-a-kind traits. “Remember that everyone's hair is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another,” says Pogosyan. “It's essential to listen to your hair's needs, communicate with your stylist, and establish a personalized hair care routine to help maintain your hair color and keep it looking its best.”