Summer’s almost here. For many of us, that means sand, sea, swimming pools, and soaking up the sun. Of course, that also means your hair’s going to be dry, brittle, and faded by fall if you don’t take care of it over the next few months. Don’t let summer wreak havoc with your hair. Use our ten tips to keep it healthy!
Before delving into our summer healthy hair beauty tips, let’s take a quick look at why our hair gets so damaged during the season. One of the biggest problems is that we expose our hair to more of the sun’s harmful UV rays by spending more time outdoors.
We usually associate those rays with sunburn, but they also dry out our hair, especially if we’ve had it chemically treated. Styling appliances, which many of us regularly use throughout the summer (think of all those parties and social events), also damage our hair. The sun’s harmful rays intensify that damage.
What’s more, the chlorine in swimming pools and the high salt content of seawater also damage hair. In addition to dehydrating hair, chlorinated water and seawater cause the cuticle of the hair’s outer layer to swell, which causes damage. Allowing your wet hair to dry in the sun repeatedly through the season adds to the damage.
Does this mean you need to stay indoors and forget about all that summer fun if you want to keep your hair in fabulous condition? Not with our summer beauty tips for healthy hair, it doesn’t. Without further ado, let’s find out what to do.
This might sound more like a fashion tip than a hair care tip, but you’ll be doing your hair a favor. Wear a cute hat, a beautiful scarf, or even a headband to protect your hair from being damaged by exposure to direct sunlight.
If you can’t face the thought of covering your hair, apply a good amount of conditioner to your hair before going outdoors. Leave the conditioner in to help rehydrate and nourish your hair.
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Heated hair tools such as straighteners are a no-no during summer. Your hair already has enough sun damage and humidity to deal with, so embrace your natural texture or find gentler ways to style your hair. The same goes for that trusty blow-dryer. Keep it for the cooler months.
Your scalp produces a natural oil for a reason, and washing your hair daily strips away that natural oil. Stick to washing your hair twice a week during summer.
Known as sebum, hir oils help keep your scalp and hair healthy, moisturized, and protected. Sebum forms a barrier on your scalp’s surface to protect it against oxidative damage and the elements, and it travels down the hair shaft for further protection. The barrier created by sebum also helps keep many disease-causing microbes out of your scalp and hair. By leaving your natural sebum to do its thing, your hair will look more moisturized than if you dry it out by washing it every day.
Related Post: How Often Should You Wash Your Hair to Keep it Healthy.
Use cold water when you wash your hair during summer. As wonderfully relaxing as a hot shower can be, hot water can strip away your hair’s natural oils, weakening it in all sorts of ways. Wash your hair with cold water to seal in moisture that will help keep it in good condition.
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Avoid tight hairstyles during summer, as they can pull and tear hair, especially if your hair is dry. Choose a comfortable, loose style such as a messy braid. This will keep your hair under control while not pulling it, and the style will help minimize how much of your hair is exposed to direct sunlight.
Apply a hair mask once a week to nourish your hair. If your hair is thick and very dry, you might need to use a mask twice a week.
An array of good-quality commercial hair masks is available, but you can make your own at home by crushing avocados and adding enough organic olive oil to make a paste. Wash your hair as usual and work the avo-olive oil mask mix through your hair using your fingers. Wash your hair with shampoo (and conditioner, if required) again after leaving the mask on for an hour.
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Is the ocean or the pool screaming your name? Make sure your hair’s protected before you go swimming. Use a sunscreen developed for hair, a nourishing oil or spray with SPF, or simply run your fingers through your hair after applying sunscreen to your body. While vitamin D is good for your hair, prolonged sun exposure can do more harm than good.
You can also go all-in and wear a swimming cap. This keeps out the sun’s UV rays and prevents your hair from getting wet, which means little to no damage from chlorine or seawater.
Forget about using a hairbrush or fine-toothed comb on wet hair, as they’re likely to snag, pull, tear, and break hair strands. Your hair is more susceptible to breaking when wet, so use a wide-toothed comb instead. Combs with wide teeth are the gentlest way to untangle wet hair.
Choose hair products enriched with almond oil, argan oil, avocado, and other natural ingredients that offer intense hydration for your hair. This will help protect your hair from dryness and keep it glossy, nourished, and soft.
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Hair dye and summer aren’t the best combinations, especially if you’re a little too relaxed when it comes to aftercare for your dyed hair. If you don’t take extra precautions such as covering up outdoors, using moisturizing and nourishing treatments, and products with SPF, your hair will dry out even more than usual.
Hair dye and summer aren’t the best combinations, especially if you’re a little too relaxed when it comes to aftercare for your dyed hair. If you don’t take extra precautions such as covering up outdoors, using moisturizing and nourishing treatments, and products with SPF, your hair will dry out even more than usual.
Choose the healthiest dyes (opt for those that are ammonia-free) and after-care products for dyed hair, and make sure you get rid of any split ends.
By following these ten summer beauty tips for healthy hair, you’ll keep your tresses looking good all season.
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