New Jersey Summer Hair Care Tips from a Marlton Salon

Summer in South Jersey Is Rough on Hair

Between the humidity that rolls in off the Delaware, weekends down the Shore, backyard pools, and stronger UV, summer is the hardest season of the year on your hair. We see it every August at Lotus Salon in Marlton, NJ — clients walking in with faded color, straw-like ends, and frizz that will not quit.

The good news: most of the damage is preventable with a few small habits. Here is what we tell our Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Medford, and Mount Laurel clients before Memorial Day weekend.

1. Rinse Your Hair Before You Get in the Pool or Ocean

This is the single most important tip in this article. Hair acts like a sponge — if it is already saturated with clean water, it cannot absorb as much chlorine or salt water.

Before you jump in the pool or wade into the ocean at Long Beach Island, Ocean City, or Wildwood, soak your hair with fresh water from a rinse station or bottle. You will pull far less chlorine and salt into the cuticle, which means less dryness, less breakage, and — for blondes — less green tinge from copper in pool water.

2. Use a Leave-In Before Sun Exposure

UV breaks down the proteins in your hair the same way it burns your skin. Color-treated hair fades faster in direct sun, brunettes go brassy, and blondes turn yellow.

Before you head to the beach or spend a Saturday at a Phillies game, work a UV-protective leave-in through mid-lengths and ends. We carry a few options at the salon that double as heat protectant and frizz control — a single product covers three problems.

A hat helps too. It is not a bad look.

3. Take Humidity Frizz Seriously

South Jersey humidity does not play. If your hair frizzes the moment you walk out of the house from June through September, you have two levers:

Smooth the cuticle in the salon. A Milbon smoothing treatment or a gloss adds a layer of protection that reduces how much moisture your hair pulls from the air. It is not a chemical straightener — your hair still moves — but it behaves in humidity.

Change your finishing routine at home. Skip the alcohol-heavy hairsprays that dry hair out further. Use an anti-humidity cream or serum on damp hair before you blow-dry, and finish with a light oil on the ends. Product order matters more than product cost.

4. Refresh Color Every 8 to 10 Weeks, Not Every 12

If you stretch your color appointments to 12 weeks in the winter, tighten that window during summer. Sun and chlorine accelerate fade — especially on balayage, copper, and vibrant reds.

We recommend a glossing appointment between full color services from June through August. A gloss is quick, adds shine, and refreshes tone without committing to a full color session. Think of it as a tune-up.

5. Protect Extensions in the Water

If you wear tape-in or sewn-in extensions, chlorine and salt water can dry out the bonds and shorten wear time significantly. Two rules:

• Braid your hair loosely before you swim — a low fishtail or single braid keeps everything tangle-free.
• Rinse and condition immediately after you get out. Do not let salt or chlorine sit in your hair while you tan.

We also recommend a silk pillowcase for extension clients year-round, but especially in summer when hair is more fragile.

6. Wash Less. Rinse More.

Washing every day strips your natural oils, which are already working overtime to protect your hair from summer stress. Try to stretch to every other day, or every third day if you can.

Between washes, rinse your hair with cool water after a workout or a beach day. It removes sweat and salt without stripping the oils that keep your ends healthy. Follow with a leave-in on the ends only.

7. Get a Trim Before the Fourth of July

We are big believers in a preventive summer trim. A quarter to a half inch off in late June removes the ends that are about to split anyway, which stops the damage from traveling up the shaft. It is the difference between coming into fall with healthy hair and coming in needing three inches off.

8. Rethink Your Blowout Schedule

In peak humidity, a fresh blowout can go flat within an hour of walking outside. Instead of fighting it, some of our Marlton clients switch to air-dry-friendly cuts and treatments for July and August, then come back to their usual routine in September.

A one-hour consultation with your stylist can map out what makes sense for your specific hair and lifestyle.

What We Carry for Summer at Lotus Salon

We keep the following at the salon year-round because they are the products that actually solve summer hair problems for our clients:

• Milbon smoothing and repair treatments (in-salon and take-home)
• UV-protectant leave-in sprays
• Anti-humidity creams and serums
• Silk pillowcases and scrunchies
• Sulfate-free shampoos for color-treated hair

We are happy to talk through what your hair needs at your next appointment. There is no upsell script — we recommend what we would use ourselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does chlorine really turn blonde hair green? It is not the chlorine itself — it is copper in the water reacting with the chlorine that binds to blonde hair. Rinsing your hair with fresh water before you swim, and washing with a clarifying shampoo after, prevents most of it. If it happens, come in and we can neutralize it with a gloss.

Can I color my hair in the summer? Yes. In fact, glossing appointments become more important in summer to refresh tone between full color services. We just space color services strategically around vacations and sun exposure.

How often should I get a trim in summer? Every 8 to 10 weeks for most hair. If you swim a lot or spend heavy time in the sun, closer to 8. Consistent trims are what keeps summer hair from feeling straw-like by August.

What is the best way to protect hair at the Jersey Shore? Wet your hair with fresh water before swimming, wear a hat when you can, rinse and condition immediately after the beach, and braid your hair loosely for the drive home. It sounds like a lot but it becomes a routine after one weekend.

Do I need different products for summer versus winter? Not entirely different, but you probably need to add a UV-protectant leave-in and an anti-humidity product to your summer routine. Everything else — shampoo, conditioner, treatment mask — can stay the same as long as it is right for your hair.

Book Your Summer Refresh at Lotus Salon

If your hair needs a summer reset — a trim, a gloss, a smoothing treatment, or just a plan — we are here Tuesday through Saturday.

Lotus Salon is at 36 West Route 70, Suite 212, Marlton, NJ 08053, serving Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Medford, Mount Laurel, Moorestown, Haddonfield, and the surrounding South Jersey area.

Call or text (856) 574-4377 to book.

Lotus Salon — Marlton, NJ | Hair care that lasts, in every season.