Why Your Hair Hates Chino Weather (And How We Can Fix It)

Last June, Elly came in for a color correction looking defeated. She'd gotten a beautiful honey balayage in March, and by June it was nearly gone, faded to brassy yellow with dry, crispy ends.

"I don't understand," she said, showing me photos from March. "It looked amazing for like six weeks. Now it's destroyed. Is my colorist bad?"

I'm Danielle from Rock Paper Scissors, and I've spent over 16 years helping Chino clients figure out why our weather has such a strong personality when it comes to hair. Let me show you what Elly and Rachel learned about fighting back.

Elly's Summer UV Battle

I examined Elly's hair. "Your colorist did beautiful work. This is sun damage. Do you spend a lot of time outside?"

She listed her summer routine: walking her dog at Ruben S. Ayala Park every morning, teaching outdoor yoga twice a week, errands around Chino in the afternoon sun.

"That's hours of UV exposure daily," I explained. "The sun is literally bleaching out your color and drying your hair. Are you using heat protectant with SPF?"

"Heat protectant?" She looked confused. "I thought that was just for blow dryers."

"UV protectant," I clarified. "Your hair needs sunscreen just like your skin."

Elly had no idea sun was doing that much damage. She wore SPF 50 on her face every day but never thought about her hair.

We started her on Amika's The Kure line with UV protection and gave her a leave-in spray with SPF 30 for hair.

"Use the spray every morning before your park walk," I instructed. "And after washing, always this conditioner. It's designed to seal the cuticle against UV damage."

Three weeks later at her trim appointment, she was amazed.

"I'm still doing the same routine, park, yoga, errands, but my hair looks completely different. The color hasn't faded at all. And my ends actually feel soft."

She pulled out her phone to show me photos from her yoga class. Bright sun. Hair still glossy honey.

By late August, three months into her new routine, she came in for her next color refresh. "Usually by now I need a full correction. This time? Just a few face-framing highlights to refresh. The base color is still perfect."

Her Verdict

"I had no idea sun was doing that much damage," Elly said. "I put SPF on my face every day but never thought about my hair. Now the UV spray is automatic. It takes literally 10 seconds and saves me hundreds in color corrections."

She's maintained this routine for over a year. "Summer used to mean trashed hair. Now I just plan for it."

Rachel's Santa Ana Wind Nightmare

In September, Rachel came in frustrated and embarrassed. She worked at an office near the Chino Airport, and her commute plus the windy parking lot were destroying her hair.

"Look at this," she said, pulling her hair tie out. Her mid-back length hair was a mass of tangles at the nape. "Every single day. I brush it in the morning, and by lunch it's like this. The wind just shreds it."

I examined the tangles. Severe dryness, lots of breakage, ends splitting up the shaft.

"The Santa Ana winds are brutal," I said. "That dry air is sucking all the moisture out. Then when your hair whips around, it tangles and breaks. You're losing length every day from breakage."

"I've tried everything," Rachel said. "Oils, serums, nothing works."

"Because you need a two-part solution: moisture and containment. The products create a barrier, but the styling prevents the damage in the first place."

I set Rachel up with a leave-in conditioner that adds weight and protection, then taught her three wind-proof styles: sleek low ponytail, top knot, and a simple braid.

"Pick one every morning," I said. "Your hair can't tangle if it's not loose in the wind. And the leave-in will stop the dryness."

"But I like wearing my hair down," she protested.

"Do you like constant tangles and breakage more?" I asked gently. "From September through November, protect it. December when the winds die down, wear it down again."

Two weeks later, she texted a photo. Sleek low ponytail, standing in the windy parking lot, hair perfect.

"Zero tangles today. ZERO. I can't believe I suffered through this for three fall seasons before figuring this out."

Her Verdict

By late November, Rachel came in for a trim. The tangled, broken sections from September were gone. Her hair was smooth, healthy, and actually longer because she'd stopped losing inches to breakage.

"I rotate the three styles now," she said. "Monday ponytail, Wednesday braid, Friday top knot. It's so easy, and my hair has never looked better during fall."

"This year when September hits, I'm ready. Leave-in, protective styles, no more tangles."

What Elly and Rachel Taught Me

Elly and Rachel show two critical Chino weather lessons. Summer UV damage isn't just fading, it's destroying hair structure, costing hundreds in corrections. But daily UV protection products, Elly's 10-second spray, prevent the damage entirely.

Fall Santa Ana winds aren't inevitable torture. They're manageable with moisture barriers and protective styling. Rachel's three rotating styles saved her from three months of daily tangles and breakage.

The key? Don't fight Chino weather. Plan for it with seasonal adjustments.

From our salon window here in historic downtown Chino across from City Hall, I watch the weather change throughout the year. The winds whip through in fall. The sun beats down all summer. Our clients from Chino Hills to Corona to Eastvale deal with the same challenges.

Your Seasonal Hair Strategy

• Summer (June-August): UV protection daily, color-safe products, consider Brazilian Blowout for humidity control. The frizz during humid days is exhausting for so many clients. A Brazilian Blowout seals the hair cuticle to block out humidity while keeping body and movement.
• Fall (September-November): Leave-in conditioners, protective styles during wind season, extra moisture. The dry air creates tangles and static.
• Winter (December-February): Hydrating products for indoor heat dryness, deep conditioning treatments. The contrast between cool outdoor air and dry indoor heat can leave hair dull.
• Spring (March-May): Transition routine, repair any winter damage.

We customize this for your specific hair during consultations. Products from brands like Amika, Aluram, and Keratin Complex are formulated to be effective yet lightweight, delivering moisture and protection without weighing down fine hair.

Your Next Step

If you're in Elly or Rachel's position, fighting Chino weather and losing, let's create your seasonal strategy.

Every great hair journey at Rock Paper Scissors starts with a conversation. During complimentary consultations, we talk about your hair type, lifestyle, and goals. We explain exactly why each product is the perfect fit for you.

You can find us at Rock Paper Scissors Hair Studio at 5222 D St., Chino, CA 91710, right in that beautiful historic brick building. Give us a call at (909) 707-9553 or check out our services online.

Stop fighting the weather. Start planning for it. Book your consultation online now!