Summer is right around the bend. For a lot of us, this is the time of year for sand, sea, swimming pools, and basking in the sun. As much as these activities bring us joy, summer’s activities and conditions also means your hair is going to be dry, brittle, by fall if you fail to take special care of it over the coming months.
Luckily for you, expert hairdressers in Clapham care about your hair, and we have put together their 10 tips to help you keep it healthy over summer!
But before we dive right into our tips for healthy summer hair, let’s take a look at why our hair gets so damaged during the season. The more time we spend outdoors, the more our hair is exposed to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Typically, we associate those rays with sunburn and their effects on hair are almost always overlooked. We are here to tell you today that exposure to the sun dries out our hair, most especially if we’ve had it chemically treated.
Styling tools and appliances, which many of us regularly use frequently throughout the summer with the abundance of all those parties and social events, also do a lot of damage to our hair. The sun’s harmful rays intensify that damage. Furthermore, 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.
By all means, we are not trying to convince you to stay indoors and miss out on all of the summer fun for the sake of keeping your hair in great condition. Thanks to these 10 summer hair tips, you will know exactly what to do to enjoy summer’s activities and preserve your hair’s health in the coming months.
- Cover Up with a Scarf or Hat
This may come off as more of a fashion tip rather than a hair care tip, but wearing a cute hat, or chic scarf protects your hair from being damaged by exposure to sunlight. But, if you can’t bear the thought of covering up your hair, be sure to apply a generous amount of conditioner to your hair before your outdoor activities. For good measure, you can always go the extra mile and visit your favourite Olaplex treatment salon to rejuvenate your hair’s health.
- Avoid Using Heated Hair Tools
Your hair has already sustained enough damage from the sun and humidity and further damage from heated hair tools like curling irons, blow dryers, and straighteners are a no-no during summer. Make a conscious effort to embrace the natural texture of your hair or ask your local hair salon Clapham about gentler ways to style your hair this coming season.
- Refrain From Washing Your Hair Daily
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, hair oils help keep your scalp and hair healthy, moisturised, 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 moisturised than if you dry it out by washing it every day.
- Wash Your Hair with Cold Water
We know that hot showers can be very relaxing, but this summer and every summer, your hair will thank you if you use cold water. 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.
- Choose Comfortable And Loose Hairstyles
When you are looking for the best haircut deals in Clapham this summer, ask you stylist about a comfortable and loose style you can sport. It is best to avoid tight hairstyles during summer because the tension can pull and tear hair, and the risks are much higher when your hair is already dry and damaged. A loose style will also minimise how much of your hair is directly exposed to sunlight.
- Apply a Weekly Hair Mask
Doing this once a week will nourish and moisturise your hair. If you have thick and dry hair, we would recommend using a hair mask twice a week.
- Protect Your Hair When Swimming
The way you would protect your skin before going under the sun, the same can be done for your hair before you soak in the ocean or in a pool. 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. You can also take the extra precaution and wear a swimming cap, which is effective at keeping out the sun’s UV rays and prevents your hair from getting wet, resulting in minimal damage from chlorine or seawater.
- Use a Wide-Toothed Comb for Wet Hair
Your hair is more at risk of breaking when it is wet, so it is best to use a wide-toothed comb instead of a fine-toothed one when your hair is wet. Combs with wide teeth are less likely to snag, or break hair strands and they provide the gentlest way to untangle wet hair.
- Choose Products to Hydrate Your Hair
There are plenty of hair products that are made with natural ingredients that offer intense hydration for your hair. Some of these include, almond oil, avocado, and argan oil, which will protect your hair from dryness and give it liveliness.
- Refrain From Colouring Your Hair
Summer is not the ideal time to colour your hair, especially if you are somebody who is very lax about aftercare for your newly dyed hair. Skipping those extra precautions that we mentioned above coupled with newly coloured hair will result in your hair drying out at an abnormal rate.
If you absolutely have to, choose the healthiest dyes that are ammonia free, and religiously apply the prescribed aftercare products.
If you follow these ten summer tips for healthy hair, you’ll keep your tresses looking great all season long.
