Table of Contents
- 1. Block the exposure to the sun!
- 2. Check the basics first before reaching for cosmetics!
- 3. Be careful with cosmetics!
- 4. Shampoo your hair with care and appreciate your conditioner!
- 5. Avoid heat!
- 6. Say no to alcohol, peroxide, lemon-based products and hair lightening products!
- 7. Repair and clarify your hair once every one or two weeks!
- 8. Be cautious of chloride while cooling off in the swimming pool!
- 9. Control frizz and think about trimming your hair!
- 10. Drink lots of fluids!
If you have mastered the rules for skin protection, do you know how to protect your hair from sun and other damaging elements? Sun’s damaging rays have the power to reach the inner structure of the hair, leaving your hair dry, brittle, with broken or split ends, weakened and thinning, frizzy.
Apart from the sun’s rays, even humidity and sweat are your enemies. Cooling off in a swimming pool, that is chlorinated water, can also be very harmful to the hair. Although it may seem as we always have to be on alert during warm months, protecting your hair from sun’s UVA and UVB rays, and other damage-causing factors, is in fact very easy and not so time-consuming, once you know what you need to do.
1. Block the exposure to the sun!
The best way to protect your hair from the sun’s rays is to keep the hat on! Most of the hats provide complete protection from the sun’s rays, whether you choose a baseball cap, boater hat, bucket hat, floppy hat, a wide-brimmed hat, or any other. However, if portions of your hair hang out of the hat, you need to protect that as well.
2. Check the basics first before reaching for cosmetics!
By now you should know the basics about your hair type (straight, curly, wavy, colored, treated, permed, straightened and more) and scalp type (oily, dry, dandruff, itchy, or a combination, and even medical condition). However, in time, some products may damage hair more and cause dandruff, or medical conditions, or increase the dryness of the hair. So even if you have found products that suit you the best, every summer you need to double-check their properties before applying them on your hair.
3. Be careful with cosmetics!
Although I prefer to use homemade and natural hair care products (we are going to cover this topic in some of our next posts), some chemical hair care products may be very beneficial. However, you need to understand that warm weather already causes damage and dries hair, so you need to go easy on chemical treatments. For instance, you may think twice before coloring your hair.
Be very careful with UV protection shampoos and conditioners. Many conditioners and shampoos have SPF in them, but the question is how high the SPF should be. The general consensus is to opt for an SPF of 10-15 in hair products. Many hair product manufacturers opt for SPF 12; this seems to be a very popular choice.
4. Shampoo your hair with care and appreciate your conditioner!
The most common mistake you should avoid is shampooing your hair every day; this, in fact, may do more harm than good to your hair. Too much shampoo can dry your scalp and hair even more. Mild shampoos are very good for the summer, especially if your hair gets greasy and sweaty easily.
When washing your hair you should shampoo your scalp, not the hair, because while rinsing your scalp you will also clean your hair. Rinse-out conditioner is crucial during warmer months because you need to restore the moisture in your hair. If you are going to swim, do not forget the conditioner.
5. Avoid heat!
Sun is already putting enough heat on your hair, so avoid the additional heat as much as possible. Do not use the blow dryer, or if you have to use it, go slow on it by washing your hair half an hour earlier so that your hair gets some time to air-dry. More importantly, avoid using the styling iron and curlers, and nurture your hair as naturally as you can.
6. Say no to alcohol, peroxide, lemon-based products and hair lightening products!
Stay away from hair products that contain high levels of alcohol or peroxide. These products will cause more damage to your hair, and dry out your hair even faster than direct sunlight. Also, you do not want to lighten your hair using lemon juice or other lightening products, because if you do, these treatments will only speed up the process of damage caused by the sun.
7. Repair and clarify your hair once every one or two weeks!
If you are using UV protection, do not forget to use a clarifying shampoo once a week or DIY rinse. All the products with SPF will create build-ups on your hair shaft, so, a clarifying shampoo will remedy that. Another option is to use a hydrating mask to repair your hair from build ups as well. Find the mask with argan oil or keratin or make one yourself.
As for DIY rinse or mask, you can make one with baking soda. Mix 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda with your regular shampoo, and let the mixture sit on your head for two to five minutes. Rinse it and repeat the treatment next week. Be careful with colored hair, because it can fade the color a bit.
8. Be cautious of chloride while cooling off in the swimming pool!
Image credit: 123rf.com
We all love cooling off in a swimming pool in summer; however, we need to protect our hair while swimming as well. First, you should never shampoo your hair before you go swimming, this will deprive your hair of all protective oils and your hair will be vulnerable to the chemicals and salt in the water.
Chlorine build ups can dry hair, and cause your ends to split, even more, leaving your hair dull. Wash your hair thoroughly with clarifying shampoo once you are out of the pool.
9. Control frizz and think about trimming your hair!
Control your hair from becoming too frizzy by tying it up; style your hair differently, from braids to buns, knots, and ponytails. Styling it differently will also protect your hair from frizz and reduce the sweating. If you see split ends and dry tops, consider giving yourself a new haircut; this way you will bring back life to your hair.
10. Drink lots of fluids!
Keeping yourself hydrated during the warm months is another thing you need to do to protect your hair. Getting recommended a daily dose of cooling liquids will help your hair. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet as well. This is the best protection for your hair in summer.
Also, here is a recipe for DIY Sun Protecting Hair Solution you can easily make.
1.) Mix 2 cups of water with a quarter cup of flax seeds in a pan, until you get a gluey mixture.
2.) Add rosemary oil or any other you prefer. You may add vitamins A, B and E since those are the vitamins that absorb UV rays and reduce the damage from the sun.
3.) Mix all ingredients well, put on your hair, covering it entirely and leave it on for 15 minutes.
4.) Then rinse your hair with lukewarm water.
Credit image: GetStencil.com
Last article update: 6/18/2019
