New to Van Clarke? Subscribe to our newsletter for 15% off your first order. Start your haircare journey today.

Holiday Hair Care

July 04, 2025

Holiday Hair Care

Too much sun wrecks your skin. We know that. For two generations we’ve been told about the protective qualities of SPF sun cream, and we use it. Humid beach weather and sea salt can make hair seem thicker and full of body, enhanced by our glowing tan.

But we know the sun damages hair too as these effects are temporary and disappear very quickly on returning home. Hair is left dull, dry, colour-faded and difficult to manage. 

Little has come to market to practically prevent holiday hair damage. The few available sun-oils for hair, may or may not have provided protection, but were heavy style-killers so people rarely used them. Wear a hat, wear an oil slick or stay indoors! Those were the choices, until now.

 

LifeSaver UV Leave-in Styling Treatment amazing protective properties are a breakthrough. It protects from thinning, drying, and colour fade.

The Maldives Hair Test on Blonde and Brown hair - Day 7. Left hand wefts are protected. Unprotected hair on the right. becomes thin and faded.

In our 7- day test, wefts of blonde and brown hair were cut in half and pinned to a dock in the Maldives. One of the blonde wefts and one of the brown wefts were protected twice a day with LifeSaver UV, the other left unprotected in the sun. Additionally all of the wefts were dipped in seawater twice daily.

The LifeSaver UV Leave-in Styling Treatment gives a great beach surfer-style effect whilst protecting the hair. Other salt styling sprays actually corrode the hairshaft. At the end of day seven the differences were astonishing; illustrating just how permanently damaging sun and sea can be on the unprotected hair that was now faded, brittle and distinctly thinner.

Hair shrinks and wastes away under these conditions. Long hair would take 3-4 years to fully replace the damage at the ends, and in that time would likely have had this punishment repeated a dozen times on successive holidays. LifeSaver UV Leave-in Styling Treatment is the new sun-cream for hair.

We repeated the test this summer for 7 days in Negev Desert. One weft of hair cut in half and only one side protected with LifeSaver UV which was applied to the hair twice daily. Each weft had swimming pool water poured on once a day. 


In just 7 days the unprotected hair on the left is noticeably faded, dry and thinner.

So make this the year of gorgeous summer hair? We’ve listed our four top tips to help you achieve luscious beach waves and shiny, glossy locks that look great on holiday and last even after you return home.

TIP ONE
Always protect your hair in the sun. Why not bring hippy chic to the beach and keep hair covered with a hat or scarf.

TIP TWO

Stay UV Protected. If you prefer your hair to be free, then LifeSaver UV Leave-in Styling Treatment is simply the best for protecting colour and condition against sun damage. Leave in the treatment for a semi-wet look that also gives you the best beach waves you’ve ever had! Wash off in the evening when you’re ready to go out and hair will be silky smooth.

TIP THREE
Have your highlights a week before your holiday to give them time to settle. You could go a shade darker or warmer with your lights so that the sun doesn’t over lighten the hair.

TIP FOUR
Replenish your hair daily with regular treatments. Holidays are an ideal time to treat your hair to the full deep conditioning treatment. LifeSaver Pre-wash Treatment is perfect as it both protects and nourishes. This clever leave-in treatment works on your hair from the inside out. Apply in the morning, leave in all day, shampoo off and condition in the evening.

Hair grows 6 inches per year and badly damaged hair can never be permanently restored until new hair grows through. Whilst using a quality system such as Van Clarke Hair Care can help damaged hair, prevention is always better than a cure, so follow our top tips to make bad hair days a thing of the past!

 Michael Van Clarke





Also in Blogs

Gaby's Bakery - Nanaimo Bars
Gaby's Bakery - Nanaimo Bars

March 06, 2026

The texture is the magic with a base that has crumb, chew, and crunch from biscuit, coconut, and nuts. The middle is silky and soft. The top is smooth chocolate that gently cracks when you bite it. 

 

Continue Reading

Salon Spotlight - Bryn: Colour Director
Salon Spotlight - Bryn: Colour Director

March 06, 2026

Welcome to Salon Spotlight, our new series where we go behind the chair to get the inside scoop from our talented team. This week we're chatting with Bryn to uncover his favourite styles, the colour's he's loving, and the must-have products he swears by. Get to know the faces behind the salon and find the perfect inspiration for your next appointment!

Continue Reading

In the Chair - Real People Real Hair - Saffy
In the Chair - Real People Real Hair - Saffy

March 06, 2026

People with curly hair suffer more with frizz. It’s the nature of the texture, but what many people don’t realise is how frizziness can be exaggerated by the haircut and the drying process. Shelf-like step layers make frizz much worse as...

Continue Reading