‘Is your highlighted hair frazzled post-summer? Here’s how I reset mine’

While I am diligent at applying SPF to my skin, I’m weirdly negligent about protecting my hair from the sun’s rays. Sorry, hair. So come this time of year, my highlighted blonde bob has a highly un-chic Worzel Gummidge vibe – horribly dry, with all the colour bleached out. It’s not just me: hairdressers see this kind of damage among their client base, every September without fail, once the holidays finish.

So I asked three top London stylists how to conduct an autumn hair reset for bleached and highlighted hair – here are their seven top tips for getting your colour and condition back on track.

Hair experts (left to right): Jordanna Cobella, Sam Burnett, Siobhan Haug

1. Switch up your shampoo and conditioning routine

“The first step is to switch to more nourishing products – change your usual shampoo and conditioner for something more hydrating and restorative,” says Sam Burnett, celebrity stylist (he’s styled the likes of Dua Lipa, Jessie J and Charli XCX) and founder of the London-based salon Hare & Bone. He rates Davines OI Shampoo and Conditioner, £44, for this task: “packed with roucou oil, these help to restore moisture and add shine without weighing your hair down”.

Siobhan Haug – an award-winning colourist and co-founder of Haug London Haus in Fitzrovia – recommends a double cleanse. “Start with a clarifying shampoo to purify your hair such as Schwarzkopf Professional Bonacure Scalp Soothing Shampoo, from £17, removing the toxins and metals that have built up over a summer of swimming and being outside. Follow this with a second more nourishing shampoo, like Schwarzkopf Professional Bonacure Peptide Repair Rescue Micellar Shampoo, £9.59, that will replace the moisture into the hair.”

We also recommend trying one of the 14 of the best hair masks for every hair type and budget, to reboot the condition of your hair.

2. Get a cut asap

“It feels like our hair grows at super speed during the summer, due to all that extra vitamin D we soak up, so September is the perfect time for a cut,” adds Haug. “This will remove any dry and damaged bits, reducing split ends – and stop them from continuing to split along the hair shaft”.

3. Hold off on highlights – but go for it with toner

If you have highlights, give your hair a break from the bleach for at least a few weeks post-holiday, says Jordanna Cobella, the creative director at Cobella in Kensington and the British Hairdressing Awards’ London Hairdresser of the Year: “Your hair will be too compromised from the sun acting as a bleaching agent.” But you can use a toner (either at home or in the salon) straight away to revitalise colour: “Toners are more gentle. They don’t lift your hair, they’re adding pigment.” Cobella is a fan of “really nourishing” Wella Professionals Color Care Fresh Semi-Permanent Color Masks for an at-home colour and condition top-up. I often go pale pink at this time of year to hide over-cooked highlights – Cobella recommends Rose Blaze, £11.81, for me.

4. Say yes to the salon bond-building treatment

During a salon colour service is the best time to have a bond-building treatment, adds Cobella. “The colour opens up the hair shaft so the treatment will penetrate much deeper than it would do at home.” So summer damage is more effectively repaired.

If you want to do bond-building top-ups at home between salon appointments, Cobella rates Living Proof – try its Triple Bond Complex, £30.95, a leave-in treatment and mask once a week. Check out our pick of the other best bond repair treatments to heal damaged hair.

5. Hair extensions need special attention

“Extensions can take a beating over the summer so now’s the time for some TLC”, says Burnett. He recommends a deep-cleansing shampoo – eg Davines Solu Shampoo, £20.50, and a super-nourishing conditioning treatment, such as Oribe’s Signature Moisture Masque, £63. This contains keratin to repair damage, sunflower seed extract for shine and macadamia nut oil to smooth. It’s an investment, yes, but will transform damaged hair. Plus, he suggests “getting the extensions checked over by your stylist for any necessary maintenance”.

(NB: Be better prepared next year and bookmark this – how to look after your hair extensions in the summer.)

6. Don’t bin off blowdrying

It sounds counter-intuitive, but blowdrying your hair can improve its condition. “Blowdrying can help lock and seal in moisture if it’s done correctly,” explains Cobella. “When hair is wet, it’s in its most vulnerable state. Gentle blowdrying closes down the cuticle layer. Use heat protector, use your fingers, don’t put it on a high heat, and don’t use a nozzle as that’s too directional.” She recommends starting off with Professional Sebastian Dark Oil, £31. “This has got everything – UV protection, heat protection, it’s a nourishing oil – and it’s suitable for all hair types. It’s hard to overdo and glides on the hair beautifully.”

Step away from the straighteners though: “Minimise your use of heat tools during your rehab period to give your hair a break,” says Burnett. A couple of weeks should do the trick, a month if you can bear it.

7. Upgrade your aftercare

Post-rehab, you’ll soon get back into your hair tool habit, and then it’ll be time to turn the central heating back on… It’s easy to see how your hair’s condition can go downhill again. But Schwarzkopf Osis Super Shield Multi-Purpose Spray, £15.80 is Siobhan Haug’s hero product: “If you buy one thing, buy heat protection. It evens out the porosity of the hair and helps seal in moisture.” Plus it won’t break the bank (or your hair cuticles). Understood, now excuse me while I check into autumn hair rehab – see you on the other side!

Haug London Haus, Cobella, Hare & Bone