6 must-dos to keep your hair healthy this summer
How to keep your hair happy, shiny and healthy as the weather heats up.
It’s hot, it’s humid – so here are the tips and tricks to take on board these holidays.
Summer styling
Between humidity and sun damage, your hair in the summer is already parched enough without adding heated tools into the mix.
Instead of blow-drying your hair, try braiding it when wet and let it dry naturally overnight.
Take your hair out in the morning and use your fingers to unwind into beautiful waves.
Damage control
Sun exposure can dry out your hair, especially if it’s chemically treated.
Not only can UV rays make your hair porous and more likely to split and fade (whether you colour it or not), but they also cause free-radical damage to the hair follicles embedded in your scalp.
Investing in a great shampoo and conditioner with UV filters will protect the hair from becoming brittle and will keep the colour intense.
When heading to the beach or spending any time in the sun, spray your freshly shampooed hair with a lightweight leave-in conditioner that contains UV filters.
Slick your hair into a ponytail with a low side part and you’ll not only look amazing, you’ll be protecting it from colour fade and UV rays.
- Related: Help! I’m losing my hair
Keep it wet
Before going into the ocean or the pool, wet your hair.
This saturates the cuticle with water so that fewer chemicals can enter and damage your hair’s integrity.
Clarify for colour retention
It pays to invest in a clarifying shampoo – it is not only blondes that have to worry about chlorine, salt, and sun going to town on hair colour.
Using a clarifying shampoo weekly will help tone your colour and remove product build-up while cleansing your hair.
Fight the frizz
Humidity fills hair with moisture, forcing the cuticle to bulge causing that fuzzy look.
Unruly frizzy hair can also be caused by a lack of moisture.
After using a good moisturising shampoo and conditioner, apply a leave-in product and work through damp hair from ends to roots.
Next, take chunky sections and twist hair loosely – this will give you control, bounce and definition while adding much needed moisture.
A good tip to fight the frizz is to rinse your hair in cool water after washing and conditioning; this makes it look shinier because it closes the cuticle and enhances the shape of your curl.
- Related: 5 steps to perfecting your blow dry
Time for intensive healing
If your hair is sun-singed and salt-seared, try this hair-healing remedy:
- Comb a nourishing hair mask through damp hair.
- Zap a dampened towel in the microwave until warm and wrap it around your hair to help the product penetrate.
- After the towel cools, shampoo and condition.
Written by Nikki Yazxhi.
