Summer is coming and with it we love to get our bathers back on and get out there and catch some rays.
Whilst many of us love the sun, sand and sea we are reminded to cover up and apply the sunscreen but at times we forget about our hair.
Conditioning alone is not the answer. The more time we spend in the sun the more damage we do to our hair. So, there are some essential things we should be doing to protect our hair to ensure it looks good well into our later stages of life.
Going Out in the sun.
Cover up with a hat or scarf. This not only protects your hair but your scalp, especially for women with fine hair. By providing extra UV protection It helps prevent your scalp from drying out. The wind is another hair killer. We all know what split ends look and feel like, apart from trying to get the tangles out. A hat reduces damage caused by wind, especially if your hair is prone to tangling, and protects colour-treated hair. Being out in the sun causes more than just damage to your hair but can result in melanomas. This type of cancer kills too many people each year in this country, so be careful out there.
Loose plats and braids
Sometimes just throwing your hair into a loose plait or a braid can help keep it under control minimising sun and wind damage. Try to avoid tight hair braid styles if you are suffering from a dry scalp.
Wash Less often
Washing your hair too often can strip the scalp of essential oils making it feel dry. This can result in the over production of oils which then sets up a vicious circle. Sometimes all you need to do is give it a rinse to wash off the salt or chemicals from swimming pools. Towel it off gently and avoid the hair dryer where possible.
Hair Dryers
What would we do without them? As summer usually brings with it the heat, try letting your hair dry naturally and then use the hair dryer on a lower setting to obtain the styling you need. And keep the iron to a lower temperature setting on your hair.
Condition always
A great natural conditioner is apple cider vinegar, diluted in water. Shae butter and/or coconut oil can be used lightly to straighten out any frizz.
No more swimmer’s hair
Now if you’re not a natural blonde then you know the pool is going to make you look like an alien. There is a simple answer and no you don’t have to lie in the sun for hours to bleach it out. Whilst the hair is still wet rinse it with 50mls of apple cider vinegar in 400mls of water. This usually does the trick and get your hair wet before going into the pool as this helps the hair absorb less of the pool chemicals.
Avoid the brush
You should know by now that brushing wet hair damages it. So, the best way to get it under control is a wide tooth comb/ They are gentler to the hair and the scalp.
Often people complain that leaving their hair to air dry leaves it lank and without body, especially those with fine hair. An easy answer to this is try the htz Hot Teaze. This revolutionary product allows you to add volume back to the hair with minimal damage and what’s more the results can be that terrific, you won’t want to wash your hair for the next three days.
This takes us back to an earlier point of not washing so often. Problem solved.
There is an endless list of products, potions and remedies to all hair types, but the most important thing is to look after what you have