AF Blog

Summer’s in full swing, Fox, and while we know you love to rock your colored hair, we also know you love pool days just as much. I mean, who can say no to a cool dip on a steamy day? So here we are with the FULL pool day hair care routine that you absolutely cannot skip before you take that dip. 

The obvious culprit to dry, brittle hair and fading color is….. you guessed it…. Chlorine. Salt water can also damage your hair by stripping it of color and leaving it dull and dry. Not all hope is lost for our bright and bold babes! Giving your hair as many layers of protection as possible between those precious strands and salt or pool water, will help you maintain soft, healthy hair and vibrant color. 

We’ve got the FULL lineup, so let’s dive right in! 

1. Beat it to the plunge

Before you take that cannonball into the pool, wet your hair thoroughly with cold water. This will keep your hair from absorbing more pool or sea water than it should and give it that extra layer of protection. As soon as you get out of the pool, rinse out your hair again to prevent chlorine from sitting too long on those strands. If you’re spending all day in the sun, make sure to wet your hair in between tanning sessions to avoid having your hair dry out. Rinse, dip, repeat - as many times as it takes! 😎💦🌞

2. Lather up

No, we’re not talking about shampoo or conditioner. If you’re looking for that extra step to really protect your locks, opt for a hair mask, (hey, Pool Party!) to lather up your hair and give it even more love and protection before ducking underwater. Did we mention she smells absolutely AH-mazing?! She’s also packed with antioxidants, omegas, and natural oils to really get in there and moisturize every stand. Yeah, this is DEFINITELY a party you wanna RSVP to! 

3. Don’t forget the SPF!

Yes, babe, your hair needs it just as much as your skin. Intense sun rays can dry out your hair and lead to just as much damage as heat tools. Spritz on a GENEROUS amount of our OG Hair Perfume and UV Protectant to fend off the summer rays before and after you take a dip. Plus, your hair will smell sooo GRAPE!

4. Put your hair up 

A simple but super effective remedy for minimizing every strand getting coated with Chlorine or salt water, is to put up your hair in a bun or braids before you go for a swim. This protects your strands from being totally soaked while you’re having fun in the sun and also gives you the chance to try a new super-cute ‘do! We love a simple remedy.

5. Hit the showers

Don’t skip the post-swim shower! The sooner you can hop in the shower after your swim and wash out all the chemicals or salt water from your hair, the more your strands will thank you, and the better chance you have at keeping your color. Opt for our color-safe and sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner and resurrect your strands with a formula that’s just sooo hydrating. Washing your hair thoroughly right away will minimize damage and make sure that chemicals and salt water don’t totally soak through your hair. As a bonus step, finish with another mask of Pool Party for a post-pool day hair treatment!

6. Refresh, anyone?

My favorite AF tip is to keep an extra bottle of hair dye on hand to add into your conditioner whenever you’re feelin’ like you could use a touch up. If your hair is looking a little dull after your fifth pool day this week, add in a few drops of your current color when you’re conditioning your hair for a quick refresh. With this trick, you can keep that stunning color all summer long! 

If you haven’t heard the good news yet, here it is… SUMMER HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN! 🥳☀️ Question is, have you decided on how you’re going to color your summer yet? Maybe you’re stuck between a couple of really great shades and just can’t decide? Well I’ve come prepared with some summer mixes, just for you 😉 

When I think of summer, I think HOT 🔥 So let’s crank up the heat with these orange and red focused mixes first. Sunset Orange is a wonderful base for this, so let’s get to mixing in some other shades.

Sunset Orange + Poison + Cosmic Sunshine 🥵 

@theeglamnaija

Sunset Orange + Wrath 🧯

@a.dragon.soul

Sunset Orange + Violet Dream  🌶️ 

@evelina.forsell

Unreal, right?! Why don’t we cool things down a bit with a few blue mixes 💧 Let's dive right in (pun intended 😏).

Poseidon + Aquamarine 🌊

@jessicamoralemusic

Aquamarine + Periwinkle + Transylvania 💙

@billiedawningle

Aquamarine + Phantom Green 🐚

@arisa_hair

Arctic Mist Diluter + Aquamarine 

@salinesimon

When you think back to how you colored your summer, what shade is going to forever bring you that summer nostalgia feeling when you see it? Is it blue? Is it pink? Maybe it’s green! ✨

The beauty of ‘color your summer’ could mean a lot of things but color expression is definitely one of them 🎨 You may be wondering “well, when I think of summer, I think of a beautiful sunset to end the perfect day with my favorite people”. To be completely honest, I couldn’t agree more. So let’s settle things down with a couple of sunset inspired mixes! 🌅 

Electric Paradise + Poison 🌺

@tamaracamps

Cosmic Sunshine + Frosé ☀️ 

@itslauren.jpg

Periwinkle + Purple AF 

@_gumshoe_

After a long day of laughter, heat and good vibes; It’s time to reminisce on the core memories you’ve built and get ready to make more during those long summer nights 🌌 Nothing says “summer nights” more than this last mix.

Using equal parts Periwinkle + Sterling with just a few drops of Blue Jean Baby and BOOM… You’ve created a masterpiece. 👩‍🎨🎨✨🤌

So how will YOU color your summer? 🌈 Let us know in the comments! And as always, if you have questions on how best to use any of our products, feel free to reach out to us at support@arcticfoxusa.com. Stay foxy! 🦊 

You know we’ve got Something for Everyone and manis that can rock any weekend plans in our What’s Your Weekend? Collection. We’re so excited to take you on a little road trip through the desert with down-to-earth neutrals, vibrant patterns, and playful prints, in our NEWEST Foxology Gel Nail Kit Collection, Desert Road Trip! This collection truly has every desert vibe you could dream of - from festival-ready manis no matter your music taste, to the classic neutrals we can’t live without, and bold colors designed into eye-catching patterns, we packed it all into Desert Road Trip, to truly let our Foxes run wild and express their style. 

This electrifying set is sure to keep all eyes on you! Play with vibrant patterns and bold accent nails in Checker Out’s design that’s festival ready AF.  

Talk about a set that brings the heat! Sunset Waves gives a classic retro flair drenched in two shades of bold orange. Pair with Sunset Orange and you’ll be glowing from head to hand! 

Let’s get groovy, baby! With checker prints, wavy yin-yangs, and winning smiley faces, Blues Grooves is guaranteed to rid your blues on any day and keep your nails lookin’ cool as ever.

Unleash your inner artist with this splatter paint design in neutrals that never go out of style. Blitz White is the perfect combo of expressive and bold, yet natural and subdued - a staple that’s anything but boring!

Yee-haw! Pinkerchief embodies the bandana trend with fresh florals and a delicate paisley design in a vibrant pink. We just know you’ll be obsessed AF! 

And that’s just the tip of the eye-catching prints and classic colors we’ve packed into our latest Gel Nail Kit drop. Browse the full Desert Road Trip Collection and fill your summer with manis that will ALWAYS take the center stage and keep you feeling bright n’ bold as ever. 

Split dye:

A split dye is when you use one color per side of your head, giving a two toned look. 

@Die4whitney in a Transylvania and Virgin Pink split dye

 How to create a split dye at home:

1. Pre-lighten hair if you’re planning on doing pastels or any AF colors that aren’t great for darker hair. See this blog for the best colors for unbleached hair if you don’t want to pre-lighten.
2. Part hair down the center of your head starting from the top all of the way to the base of your neck. 
3. Clip the half of your hair that you are dyeing second to one side starting from the base of your neck, using more clips as needed to make sure the hair is secure to one side. 
4. Take the other half of your hair and clip the top of your head, leaving only one small section, starting from underneath.
5. Apply dye section by section, roots to ends, until you have reached the top of your head. Make sure the last section you are careful to only apply product on the side of your hair you are dyeing. Go slowly here! I recommend using a small amount of dye applied with a brush and repeating until the last section is fully saturated.
6. Apply steps 4 and 5 to the other side of your head with your second color.
7. When you are ready to rinse, use cold water and lean your head to each side to prevent bleeding. Or if you have a detachable shower head, rinse each side at a time. 
8. Air dry or style from there and take a selfie or video of your new look and share it with us on Instagram!

Money Pieces

@pret_a_paisley in Wrath, Ritual, and Violet Dream Money Pieces

Money Pieces are dyed face framing sections for a fun color pop!

How to create money pieces at home:

1. Part from the middle of your scalp from the top of your head about 1-2 inches back depending on how chunky you want your money pieces to be.
2. Section each side from the end of that part, moving down the side of your head towards each ear. Clip or tie back the hair behind the money piece sections to make sure it is out of the way.
3. Apply dye to each side of the hair starting from the root to the ends. If you have thicker hair, do this in sections moving from underneath to the top. I recommend using a brush to do this. Be sure your hair is very saturated.
4. When it’s time to rinse, use cold water and keep the back of your hair clipped or pulled back. Lean your head forward and rinse to prevent any bleeding.
5. Enjoy your new fun look! 

Color Melts:

Color melts can be applied to any sectioned portion of hair, whether that is all over color, money pieces, peek-a-boos, etc., and can include as many colors as you want. Just make sure you are using complementary colors so when you blend them, they work together! A color melt is exactly what it is called- you are melting or blending each color into the next. 

@Ciarasikes created this rainbow color melt

How to create a color melt at home:

1. Section hair into the style you want to do the color melt on.
2. Take a smaller section of hair and clip up the rest, sectioning from the base of the section to the top of your head.
3. Apply the color you are using for the top of the melt at the root, making downward strokes with the brush. Apply as far down as you want for that color.  
4. With the second color, apply starting about a centimeter from the end of the previous color. If you are only using 2 colors, apply all of the way to the ends of each section. If you are using more than two colors, apply as far down as you want each color section to go, and apply the last color to the ends.
5. With a gloved hand or brush, blend the two colors filling in the gap. The colors will mix creating an ombre gradient so there is no banding in the melt.

AF pro tip: Make sure you are making each color block the same size for an even melt for each hair section for an even look! 

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Here is a video for multi-colored rainbow color melt!

There are so many color placements and mixes you can create using Arctic Fox, but these are some of the trendiest placements for the summer! You can even get creative with combining all of them, like a color melt on a split dye, split dyed money pieces, or a combination of all three! What color color placement are you going to try next?