Hair Sun Protection NZ: Scalp Sunscreen, Chlorine and Salt Water

Updated November 2026. Prices are our live online prices.

New Zealand summer UV is strong, and Wānaka summers mean lake swims, boats, pools and long days outside. By February we see the same things in the chair every year: blonde that's gone brassy or slightly green, brunette with a red-orange cast, ends that feel like straw, and the odd sunburnt part line. Most of it is preventable with a few small habits.

Does the sun damage your hair?

Yes. UV breaks down the protein and pigment in hair, the same way it fades a beach towel. Hair goes dry, rough and dull, coloured hair fades faster, and lightened hair turns brassy. Fine and blonde hair shows it first. Unlike skin, hair can't repair itself, so the damage builds up until it's cut off.

Scalp sunscreen: do you need it?

If you have a visible part, thinning hair, or short hair, yes. The scalp burns easily and it's easy to forget. The simplest protection is a hat. Otherwise, a spray or powder sunscreen made for the scalp goes on the part without leaving the hair greasy; you'll find them at the pharmacy. We don't stock scalp sunscreen, so we'd point you there. Change your part now and then over summer, too. A sunburnt scalp can flake for a week, which looks like dandruff but isn't.

Hair sunscreen: products with UV protection

Hair "sunscreen" is a leave-in with UV filters. It won't have an SPF number like skin sunscreen, but it slows down the fading and drying.

Another option: evo Happy Campers ($38.25) is a leave-in with UVA/UVB filters that sprays as a mist or pumps as a cream. And if you use mousse, Sebastian Mousse Forte ($49.24) has UV protection built in.

Swimmer's hair: how to protect hair from chlorine

Chlorine strips the natural oils from hair and leaves it dry and tangly. In some pools, copper in the water also tints blonde hair green. Hair is like a sponge: if it's already full of fresh water and conditioner, it soaks up much less pool water.

1. Wet your hair with fresh water before you get in. The shower at the pool is for this.
2. Comb through a leave-in. Sebastian Potion 9 Leave-In ($60.35) works well, or any leave-in from our leave-in conditioner guide.
3. Tie long hair up or wear a cap if you swim laps.
4. Rinse as soon as you get out. Don't let pool water dry in your hair.
5. Wash and condition the same day. Then a clarifying wash once a week if you swim often.

Regular swimmers with blonde hair should clarify weekly and use a purple shampoo the next wash. If it's already gone green or orange, our brassy hair guide covers the fix.

Salt water and lake water hair

Salt water dries hair out as it evaporates and leaves it rough and tangly, which is why beach hair looks good on day one and feels like straw by day five. Rinse with fresh water after the beach and condition the ends. Lake water is gentler, but rinse anyway. It carries minerals and sunscreen from everyone else.

Our tap water in Central Otago is hard too, so mineral build-up is a year-round thing here. Our hard water guide explains it.

Two ways to reset hair after a summer of swimming

Première's Bain Décalcifiant uses citric acid to lift calcium build-up from hard water, then repairs the fibre. Hydre is simpler: a moisture routine for hair that's just dry. For a full clean before a colour appointment, see our clarifying shampoo guide.

Kids' hair in summer

Kids spend the most time in pools and the sea, and their fine hair tangles fast. A spray-in leave-in before swimming and a rinse after does most of the work. Comb from the ends up with a wide-tooth comb while conditioner is in, never on dry salty hair. And hats, every time. Our detangling guide has the gentle method.

If your kids have swimming lessons every week, the same pre-wet and leave-in routine works for them, and a gentle clarifying wash once a week stops the chlorine smell hanging around.

After summer: when to trim

By the end of February, most hair that's been swimming and sun-bleached all summer has a few centimetres of dry, rough ends. Products make them softer and less obvious, but a trim is what gets rid of them. Book it for March, after the last swim, rather than before Christmas. Then put a weekly mask back into your routine for autumn.

Summer hair care for coloured and blonde hair

• Book your toner or gloss after your holiday, not right before it. Sun and pools will fade a fresh toner in days.
• Use a UV leave-in every day you're outside, not just beach days.
• Use a colour-safe or purple shampoo once or twice a week. More in our guides to bleached hair and making colour last.
• Heading away? Travel sizes save you from the hotel shampoo. See our Christmas and travel-size guide.

Questions we get asked

Do you need sunscreen on your scalp?

If you have a visible part, thinning or short hair, yes. The scalp burns easily. A hat is the easiest protection; otherwise use a scalp sunscreen spray or powder from the pharmacy on the part line.

How do I protect my hair from the sun?

Use a leave-in with UV filters, such as Sebastian Dark Oil, before you go outside, wear a hat for long days, and rinse and condition after swimming. Blondes can use Kérastase Blonde Guard, which shields against UV, chlorine and salt water.

How do I protect my hair from chlorine?

Wet your hair with fresh water and comb through a leave-in conditioner before you swim, tie it up or wear a cap, rinse straight after, and wash and condition the same day. Clarify once a week if you swim often.

Why does chlorine turn blonde hair green?

It's mostly copper and other metals in pool water binding to porous, lightened hair. Prewetting with fresh water and a leave-in reduces it. If it's already happened, a clarifying wash and a salon treatment usually fix it.

Is salt water good for your hair?

It gives great texture for a day, but salt dries hair out as it evaporates. Rinse with fresh water after the beach and condition the ends. For the beachy texture without the damage, use a salt texture spray instead.

Does hair sunscreen work?

Leave-ins with UV filters slow down fading and drying. They don't carry an SPF rating like skin sunscreen, so a hat is still the best protection on long days outside.

Can the sun lighten your hair?

Yes. UV breaks down pigment, so hair lightens and coloured hair fades. On lightened hair it usually shows as brassiness rather than a nicer blonde.

Everything we sell is genuine salon stock, bought direct from the brands' New Zealand distributors and shipped from our salon on Helwick Street in Wānaka. Free NZ shipping over $75.