sauna and colour-treated hair: what we know, and what we don't

A question we hear often, usually from someone who has just spent money at the hairdresser: what does the sauna do to my hair?

We’re not hairdressers, so here’s what we know, and where we’d send you for the rest.

what we know

Heat rises, so your head gets hot first. On the top bench, the air around your head is the hottest in the room, and your hair is sitting right in it for the whole round.

Wool slows that heat down. A wool hat puts a layer between your head and that air, which is why people have worn them in the sauna for so long.

what we don’t know

We can’t tell you what sauna heat does to your colour, or promise that a hat will change it. We haven’t tested it, and we’d rather say so than guess. If you’ve just had your hair coloured, your hairdresser is the right person to ask how long to wait and what to do.

the simple version

If you’re unsure, wear a hat on the top bench, or sit a bench lower for the first round. Neither needs a rulebook.

if you’d like a hat

Ours are 100% wool, made by hand in the foothills of the Himalayas, in small numbered drops. Have a look at löyl bloom.