Summer Survival Tips
The start of summer means longer and warmer days, more time spent outside, and summer holidays, but it is also important to consider the impact the summer elements can have on your hair. Learn why during summer it is more important than ever to take care of your hair and scalp, and follow our top Summer Survival Tips to make sure your hair endures the season, and makes it to September!
How does summer impact the hair - The Good Bits
The winter months can deplete your body’s Vitamin D levels, triggering excessive hair fall, fatigue and depression. The summer sun’s UV rays help your body to synthesize Vitamin D and promote the growth of hair cells. The summer can often help lift our mood and reduce stress, which is known to cause hair shedding in certain individuals.
How does summer impact the hair - The Bad Bits
Unfortunately, the good news stops there. You may think that because the sun’s rays are ‘natural’ they aren’t damaging. However, your hair can burn just like your skin – you simply cannot feel it. The amount of damage depends upon how long you spend in the sun, and the intensity of the UV rays. Being by the beach and in the water also increases damage, as rays are reflected, doubling exposure.
How quickly does sun-damage happen to the hair?
A soon as your hair is exposed to the sun, its protein structure starts to change. These changes weaken the hair, and the more your hair is exposed, the more severe the damage is. If you add all the summer elements together, UV rays, salt water, chlorine and wind, this can leave the hair in very poor condition.
What are common symptoms of sun damaged hair?
Sun damaged hair behaves and feels very much like hair that has been damaged by bleach or other chemical processes. Hair will usually be dry and brittle and lack elasticity and lustre. It may also be less manageable, less able to hold a curl, tangle easily and get progressively lighter in colour.
How can I protect my hair and scalp?
As the scalp can burn just like skin, it is vital to protect your parting when you are in the sun. If you have thinning hair, this is even more important as more of the scalp will be exposed. Top Tip - apply sun protection cream to a cotton bud and apply directly to the parting. To protect the hair without ruining your style, spritz Sun Shield all over hair to give a lighweight veil of protection. The invisible, smoothing spray helps fight-frizz whilst guarding hair from colour fade, dryness and damage caused by UV rays, chlorine and salt-water. For extra protection when in the water, use Swimcap cream to stop discolouration and damage, whilst deeply conditioning the hair.
What happens if I do burn my scalp?
Just as you would apply an 'after-sun' to your body, you can apply our After-Sun Scalp Mask to the scalp to soothe and hydrate the skin. Enriched with hydrating Aloe Vera and soothing Chamomile, the rich, soothing treatment delivers instant relief and re-hydrates the skin to help prevent redness, flaking and irritation. Top Tip - use all year round to keep the scalp healthy and supple and create the optimum environment for healthy hair growth.
How can I style my hair to help reduce damage?
Summer is the perfect time to put down those heat stylers, and let the hair air-dry naturally, helping to reduce damage caused by high heats applied to the hair. Tousled, beach waves are one of the most coveted summer looks, and although a dip in the ocean is a great way to get the look, the salt-water can be highly damaging, drawing the moisture out of the hair and leaving it dry, tangled and crispy. Our new Instant Beach Texturzing Spray saves the day! With flexible hold polymers, conditioning Elastin and Meadowfoam Oil the texturizer provides soft, touchable and tousled waves as if you've just stepped out of the sea, whilst conditioning the hair and leaving it healthy and nourished.