Summertime is a wonderful time to spend outdoors doing the things you love with the people you love. But too much time in the sun can not only damage your skin, it can damage your hair too. Saltwater and chlorine can also take a toll on your hair. I am sure I’m not alone in wanting to have healthy hair all year long.
So, what happens to summer hair? Well, hair that was shiny and easy to manage a few weeks ago now looks and feels fried, literally. According to Jessica J. Krant, MD, MPH, a New York dermatologist, UV rays of the sun actually “cook the hair shaft.” leaving your hair dry and rough. This is even more obvious on color-treated hair.
So, dry summer hair may not sound so bad but the dryer the hair, the more likely it is to do that thing we all dread: frizz.
Why Swimming Damages Your Hair
As fun as it is being in the pool, chlorine strips your hair of its natural protective oils. This may be especially bad for blondes because chemicals in the pool can take on an unflattering greenish hue.
If you’re in the ocean, saltwater draws water out of your hair leading to dry hair.
Tips for Gorgeous and Healthy Hair This Summer
Don’t think you’re doomed with bad hair days just because it’s summer. Here are some tips from Krant and Julia Papworth, celebrity hairstylists and a few of my own.
- Get a trim, ideally when summer begins. Doing so will get rid of split ends and give you a fresh look for summer. You may need another trim mid-summer since hair grows faster in the summer.
- Protect your hair from the sun. While you can apply products to your hair that contains UV filters (either in spray, gel, or cream formulas), I recommend a wearing a hat. That will not only protect your hair but your skin too. Did you know that your scalp and ears are vulnerable to skin cancer?
- Wet your hair with clean water or a leave-in conditioner before taking a dip. It will help your hair from absorbing more saltwater or pool chemicals, Papworth says. It’s also a good idea to try to rinse your hair after a swim. If you can’t shower easily after a swim, you can just use a spray bottle filled with fresh water.
- Use a natural moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. You may find yourself washing your hair more frequently because with summer comes sweat and grime. Papworth also suggests using a clarifying, or anti-residue, shampoo once a week to clear away product buildup and chemicals. Just be sure to follow with a deep-conditioning treatment.
- Give your hair a break from blow dryers, flat and curling irons at least 1-2 times a week. Papworth recommends that you wash your hair at night and put it in a braid or ponytail before going to bed so “When you wake up, you’ll have a nice beachy wave,” she says.
- Outwit the frizz by using a drop or two of argan oil in your hair or products with argan oil in them. Just make sure they are natural by checking labels of known toxins like paragons, phthalates…
Pick Natural Products for Healthy Hair
- You can safely get any products from my store XLvita.com.
- You can also look for products with seeds and oils from avocados, shea, argan, olives and jojoba. They give your hair shine without an oily buildup. Vitamin B aka panthenol thickens follicles and retains moisture. Citric acid is another safe bet because it lowers pH balance in shampoos and keep your hair cuticles flat. picking out your products can save both your hair and your health from some of the nastiest effects of the chemicals found in many commercial hair care products.
- Check the labels and make sure to avoid:
- Sodium laurel / laureth sulfate (SLS and SLES)
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Proplyene glycol (PG)
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG)
- DEA (Diethanolamine)
- MEA (Monoethanolamine)
- TEA (Triethanolamine)
Whatever you do, don’t let hair or any frizz take away from you enjoying and making the most out of the summer months. They go by so fast anyway.
Sources
http://www.webmd.com/beauty/sun/hair-care
http://www.livestrong.com/article/171916-ingredients-to-avoid-in-hair-products/