Products to nourish your hair this summer

Summer can be both a blessing and a challenge for hair care., especially when the warm weather encourages outdoor activities and fun in the sun. Still, it also brings a host of environmental factors that can stress and damage your hair. It’s important to understand how the season affects your hair and how to adopt a specific care routine that addresses these challenges to keep your hair healthy during the summer months.

One of the primary concerns during these months is sun exposure. The sun’s UV rays can damage the hair’s cuticle, the outer protective layer, leading to dryness and color fading, especially for those with dyed or highlighted hair. Prolonged sun exposure can also weaken the hair shaft, making it more prone to split ends. To protect your hair, it’s essential to use products for your specific type of hair that have between ingredients UV protection, wear hats or scarves when outside for extended periods, and consider leaving in conditioners or serums that offer extra protection.

Another common hair issue is humidity, which can lead to frizz and unruly hair, particularly for those with naturally wavy hair. Humidity causes the hair shaft to swell as it absorbs moisture from the air, disrupting the hair’s natural texture. Combatting humidity-induced frizz requires a hair care routine focused on maintaining moisture balance, using anti-frizz serums, hydrating shampoos, and conditioners that minimize exposure to the elements can help keep your hair manageable.

Another component that compounds the damage caused by summer, is heat styling tools. While it may be tempting to use curling irons, straighteners, or blow dryers to style your hair, these tools can exacerbate the drying effects of the sun and humidity. During summer, it’s advisable to minimize heat styling. Instead, embrace air-drying and experiment with heatless hairstyles like braids or buns, or apply a heat protectant spray to minimize damage with the lowest effective temperature setting.

Finally, hydration and nourishment are crucial for maintaining healthy hair in the summer. The combination of factors such as sun, humidity, and heat can leave your hair parched and depleted of essential nutrients. By protecting your hair from the sun, managing frizz, safeguarding against the effects of swimming, minimizing heat styling, and maintaining hydration, you can enjoy all that summer has to offer without compromising your hair’s health.

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What to do during the summer to avoid hair damage?

Here are four activities that won’t harm your hair, along with explanations of why they are beneficial:

1. Swimming with a Swim Cap: A swim cap will protect your hair from chlorine and saltwater, both components that can dry out and damage your hair. It creates a barrier that minimizes the amount of water and chemicals that come into contact with your hair at the time of swimming.
2. Wearing a Lightweight Scarf or Bandana: Tying a lightweight scarf or bandana over your hair not only adds a stylish touch to your outfits but also protects your hair from the sun and wind. This helps maintain moisture levels and reduces the risk of tangling and damage while you do outdoor activities.
3. Scalp Massages: If it is practiced regularly gentle scalp massages promote blood circulation to the hair follicles, which can stimulate healthy hair growth. This activity is soothing and stress-relieving, making it beneficial for both hair and mental health.
4. Wearing Protective Hairstyles: Opt for protective styles like braids, buns, or twists. These styles minimize hair exposure to environmental elements like sun and wind, reducing the risk of breakage and frizz while keeping hair neatly tucked away. It also can be a fun activity to do indoors on very warm days, especially if you are going to be outdoors later.

Some products that will nourish your hair during these warm months

During the summer is vital to give extra care to our hair, here are ten products that will help to reduce hair damage during these days:

• Moroccanoil Treatment: A versatile and complete hair oil that deeply hydrates the scalp and hair, reduces frizz, and protects against sun damage with argan oil. Suitable for all hair types.
• Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment: A deep conditioning mask treatment that repairs and strengthens dry, damaged hair with a moisture-rich formula. It could be used in dyed hair as a restoration treatment, especially for hair in light tones.
• SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Protein-Strong Treatment: A nourishing treatment that restores moisture and strengthens hair with manuka honey, yogurt, and proteins. Most of their components are natural and focus on repairing and hydrating the hair from the root.
• Amika The Wizard Detangling Primer: A lightweight primer that detangles, nourishes, and protects hair from heat and environmental damage. It´s silicone-free and infused with squalane
• Davines OI All in One Milk: A leave-in treatment that provides moisture, shine, detangling, and heat protection with the power of roucou oil. It is a wonderful multipurpose treatment that tames frizz and flyaways, and it softens the hair.
• Philip Kingsley Elasticizer: A pre-shampoo treatment that deeply conditions and strengthens hair, ideal for combating dryness caused by sun and saltwater. Elasticizer is the award-winning hair mask for all hair types, including dry & damaged hair.
• Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Hair Mask: A deeply moisturizing mask made with shea butter, coconut oil, and macadamia oil to nourish and repair dry, damaged hair. Works on all hair textures.
• DevaCurl SuperCream Coconut Curl Styler: A rich cream that defines curls, tames frizz, and provides moisture and protection against humidity. Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic, this multitasking, ultra-rich cream is formulated for those with sensitivities to fragrance, essential oils, dyes, or gluten.
• IGK Thirsty Girl Coconut Milk Leave-In Conditioner: A hydrating leave-in spray that nourishes and protects hair from humidity and UV rays with coconut milk and hyaluronic acid.
• Olaplex №3 Hair Perfector: A reparative treatment that rebuilds broken bonds in the hair, strengthening it from the inside out.

Resources:

• Elias, A., & Rivard, C. (2019). Seasonal changes in hair care: The importance of UV protection and hydration. Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, 9(3), 189–195. https://doi.org/10.5826/dpc.0903a10
• Patel, N., & Singh, S. (2017). Hair care in summer: Tips and tricks for healthy hair. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 16(2), 200–206. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12318