When warm weather hits, many women want a more summery hair look via highlights or a complete color change. But to keep your crowning glory both attractive and healthy, it’s important to protect dyed or tinted tresses from the sun. To shield your hair from sun, sea and chlorine, the Telegraph offered the following tips online.

Get highlights done before you go away. “The sun will lighten the hair further, so it’s important to ensure the color is slightly darker in tone so it will be naturally lightened to just the right shade,” said Oscar Mercaldi, art director of Aldo Coppola salon in London.

Use hair treatments. Sun exposure can rob hair of its soft texture and glossy appearance, but treating the hair with a silicone wrap after you coloring it will help create a protective barrier, Mercaldi told the Telegraph. You can get added protection by using products with ultraviolet light filters, colorists recommended, and you can avoid scalp and skin irritation from the sun by using more natural products.

Rinse hair with fresh water after swimming in the pool or ocean. This removes chemicals (chlorine) and salt, Mercaldi said. It is very important to wash and condition your hair with sun-protection products too, he added.

“Remember to treat your hair as you treat your skin when away,” Mercaldi stressed.

Click here to find out how hair dyes may soon go green.