A Parisian hairdresser reveals exactly what to ask for at your pre-holiday appointment to keep hair flawless all summer
Every summer, countless people return from holiday to find their hair dry, faded and brittle – despite their best intentions. What most people overlook is that a single visit to the hairdresser before departure, if used wisely, can change everything. Gianni Coppa, founder of the salon R Factory Paris, shared exactly what to ask for at that appointment to protect your hair through weeks of sun, salt and chlorine.
Why Your Colour Needs Attention Before You Leave – Not Just Your Roots
Most people sit down in the hairdresser‘s chair before a holiday and ask for a root touch-up. However, Gianni Coppa says that is not the priority. The real issue is what the sun will do to your overall colour once you are on the beach.
His advice is clear: ask your hairdresser to darken your colour very slightly before you go. No matter how carefully you protect your hair, sun exposure will lighten it. By adjusting the tone one shade deeper beforehand, you arrive back with the colour you actually want – rather than a washed-out version of it.
“Ask your hairdresser to adapt your colour by making it very slightly darker, because no matter what – even with regular and meticulous care – it will lighten in the sun.”
There is, however, one firm limit to keep in mind. You should never go more than one shade darker than your current colour before leaving. Go beyond that and the result will look unnatural on arrival. Stay within one tone, and after just a few days of sun, your hair will settle at exactly the shade you are used to wearing.
The Fringe Question: Trim It or Let It Grow?
On the subject of cutting, Gianni Coppa challenges the common habit of trimming ends before a holiday. His position is that the best moment to cut damaged ends is actually after summer, at the start of the new season, when you can remove the lengths that have genuinely suffered. Before departure, a full trim is therefore not always necessary.
There is one exception, though. If you wear a fringe, the hairdresser recommends using this pre-holiday appointment to adjust it. Alternatively, if the heat makes a fringe feel heavy and uncomfortable, you may choose to let it grow out over the summer for a lighter feel on the forehead.
The In-Salon Treatment That Protects Hair for Up to Eight Weeks
Beyond colour, the pre-holiday hairdresser visit is the ideal moment for a deep in-salon treatment. Gianni Coppa specifically recommends a hair botox treatment for anyone planning to spend time in the sun, in the sea or by a pool.
According to the expert, this treatment deeply nourishes, protects and hydrates the hair fibre before it faces those damaging elements. Its effects last between 6 and 8 weeks, which means it covers the full length of most summer holidays. As Gianni Coppa puts it, “it is the guarantee of preserving your hair fibre.” That makes it one of the most practical services a hairdresser can offer at this time of year.
- Apply a solar protective treatment to your hair every day during the holiday.
- Use a mask after each wash to nourish and strengthen the hair.
- Use overnight hair treatments, which help regenerate the hair fibre through the night.
- Darken your colour by no more than one shade before departure.
- Choose hair accessories made from silk or cotton gauze to avoid breakage.
- Wait until after summer to trim damaged ends.
Overnight hair treatments also earn a strong recommendation from Coppa. These highly restorative products work while you sleep, helping to regenerate the hair fibre through the night. Used consistently during the holiday, they reduce the damage caused by UV rays, saltwater and chlorine before it becomes irreversible.
What Chlorine and Salt Actually Do to Your Hair
It helps to understand why summer is so hard on hair in the first place. Pool chlorine and sea salt both strip moisture from the hair fibre, leaving lengths dry and straw-like after repeated exposure. UV rays then compound the problem by weakening the fibre further, to the point where ends can break rather than simply split.
The lightening effect that sun gives to hair may feel like a bonus, but the structural cost is real. Therefore, a daily sun-protective product applied to the lengths – in addition to the in-salon treatment – gives the hair its best chance of staying strong throughout the trip.
Accessories That Protect Without Damaging Your Hair
Even with a thorough hairdresser appointment behind you and a good at-home routine in your bag, the accessories you reach for on holiday can still cause harm. Gianni Coppa is specific about which ones to favour: hats, headbands, caps and hair ties made from silk or cotton gauze. These materials do not damage the hair shaft the way rougher fabrics or tight elastics can.
The choice of hair tie matters more than most people realise. Silk scrunchies, in particular, hold the hair without creating friction or tension along the length. They also add a relaxed, polished quality to summer styling – a practical and aesthetic win at once.
So, the pre-holiday hairdresser appointment is far more strategic than a simple tidy-up. With the right colour adjustment, a targeted in-salon treatment and a clear sense of which accessories to pack, your hair stands a much stronger chance of lasting through the heat – and looking genuinely good when you return in September.
