14 Summer Hair Care Tips For Your Healthiest Locks Yet
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When summer rolls around, everyone wants to lay back and relax. However, through this carefree attitude, our hair falls victim to improper care. Summer activities like swimming and laying out in the heat can wreak havoc on your hair. From chlorine damage to frying your hair with heat to keep it from frizzing outside, your summer plans can be harsh on your locks.
What Summer Means for Our Hair
When it gets lighter outside, we want our looks to express that same brightness. This can lead to more bleaching and lightening in the summer months. This trend is fun, but can be damaging if you don’t take good care of your strands. Despite all this, there’s no need to panic! Follow these tips to keep your hair nice and healthy throughout the warmest months of the year.
Deep Condition Regularly
It seems like the first thing to leave your hair during the summer months is moisture. Deep conditioning can be a great way to lock in moisture and keep your hair healthy and shiny throughout summer activities. Consider deep conditioning like a step up from your classic conditioning routine.
With deep conditioning, the product is left in the hair longer than a typical wash. This can be for 15-20 minutes or overnight, depending on the product and desired outcome. You also don’t deep condition with every wash; everyone is different with the number of times they feel comfortable deep conditioning. On average, 2-4 times a month should do the trick. However, if your hair is drier from lightening your hair or swimming every day, a deep conditioning treatment every week may be necessary.
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Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask
Briogeo
Perfect for anyone with damage, dryness, frizz, or breakage, this ultra-hydrating deep conditioner uses rosehip oil for hydration and B vitamins to improve texture, add shine, and nourish hair.
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No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
Olaplex
This is more than just a deep conditioning treatment. No.5 uses Olaplex’s patented Bond Building Technology to repair broken bonds to create stronger, healthier hair in a way that hydration alone can’t!
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Bust Your Brass Mask
Amika
If you’re a blond that is suffering from brassy or damaged hair, this rich treatment is proven to reduce those unwanted tones while nourishing and repairing hair at the same time!
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Pre-Wash Scalp Oil
Kitsch
Using rosemary and biotin, this pre-shampoo oil works on all hair types to loosen unwanted product buildup. Argan, jojoba, and castor oils also combine into an antioxidant blend that nourishes the scalp, resulting in stronger, healthier hair from root to tip.
To level up the conditioning routine, sit in the sun for a bit. At the salon, you may have to sit under a steamer to get the full activation of the deep conditioner. Use the sun to your advantage and sit outside with the oils in your hair for a bit. This will activate the conditioner and leave you with silky, smooth hair.
It’s a good idea to get a deep conditioner that has oils in it to add extra moisture to your hair. These can be products with argan oil, avocado oil, macadamia oil, or whatever speaks to you. Deep conditioners range in time left in the hair, so pick a product that works well with your schedule. You can also look up homemade deep conditioners that use products you probably already own.
Watch Out for Pool Chemicals
One of the easiest ways to damage your hair is by swimming during the hot summer months. Still, swimming is one of the most popular activities of the summer and shouldn’t be avoided just because you don’t want to damage your hair. Chlorine and other chemicals, such as salt, in pools can dry out your hair immensely. It’s important to wash your hair at least with water after swimming. That way, the chemicals don’t sit on your hair and continue to dry it out over time.
It’s also a good idea to put a leave-in conditioner in your hair both before and after you get out of the pool. This will add a barrier between you and the water when you go swimming and keep a good level of moisture locked in afterwards. Continue to deep condition your hair, as needed.
Take a Cold Shower
Cold water helps lock your strands into place, sealing the ends off from splitting, and helping your hair hold onto nutrients. If you can’t bear an entire cold shower, that’s okay! Leave the last minute of your shower dedicated to the cold water. Also, this way you’ll be less cold when you step out. It’s a win-win.
Avoid Hot Tools
Hot tools, like straighteners and curling irons, can severely damage your hair so lay off the heat in the summer. After all, your hair will most likely frizz up from the humidity with or without putting heat on it beforehand!
Keep Hair Out of the Sun
Keeping your hair out of the sun is also a good idea when you’re out in the summer heat. Just like the hot tools, the sun itself can damage your hair. Keep your hair under a scarf or a wide-brimmed hat to avoid those damaging UV rays.
Get a Trim
Leave the winter behind by getting a trim at the start of summer. According to dermatologist Dr. Alan Parks, your hair is more likely to grow faster in the summer. Don’t worry about those inches you lose from your trim because, odds are, you’ll grow it all back by the time winter comes around.
Getting rid of the split ends and damaged hair at the start of summer can set a good precedent for the rest of the season. You’ll feel lighter, healthier, and can keep up on taking care of your fresh locks for the rest of the season.
Loosely Put Hair Up
During summer, your hair may be up a lot more. There is nothing is worse than hair touching a sweaty neck and back. However, make sure your hair isn’t kept in a tight bun or ponytail all throughout the season. Try out braids and opt for scrunchies and clips over traditional hair ties. These will leave less of a chance for your hair to be pulled and ripped.
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Large Claw Clips
LuSeren
Claw clips are a great way to get your hair out of your face without having to pull it tightly back with a hair tie. Even better, you can coordinate the clips to match your outfit to create an entire aesthetic.
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Spiral Hair Ties
TizzyT
If you want the tight hold of a hair tie but without the damage, these spiral ties can secure any hair type. The spirals help to prevent pulling on hair by evenly distributing tension across your entire ponytail, and they also avoid creasing. Plus, this set of 18 is under $10!
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Satin Hair Scrunchies
Kitsch
Satin scrunchies are the ultimate no-crease hair ties. Not only will they not pull on hair or break your strands from unnecessary tension, but they will provide gentle frizz-free hold for your hair all day.
Wash Your Hair Less
It’s important to not wash your hair in every shower, every day. Shampooing your hair too often strips your hair of its natural moisture and leaves it drier than before. Even if you have naturally oily hair, try washing your hair every other day. Your hair will actually stop producing as much oil when you let it breath for a day in between washing. From there, work up to washing it even less.
Spray on Moisture
Just like how face mists keep our skin plump and hydrated, hair sprays can do the same. Create your own hair mist with coconut oil or your preferred hydrating oil and water. Spritz this on your hair throughout the day to keep moisture locked in and your hair looking healthy and smooth.
Put on Sunscreen
A good way to protect your hair from heat damage is by putting sunscreen on it… yep, you heard that right! You probably know the importance of putting sunscreen on your body, but why not on your hair? However, your hair would feel majorly greasy and gross if you lathered sunscreen into it before stepping outside, so avoid that! Instead, after you’re done applying sunscreen to your body, run your hands through your hair and on the part of your scalp that’s vulnerable to the sun. This will coat your hair with a light amount of sunscreen that will protect it from the harmful UV rays outside.
Try Out Oils
We talked about the importance of moisturizing and deep conditioning above. Many of these products come with oils infused that work wonders for your hair. However, to up your moisturizing hair care routine, you can add the oils into your hair either after you shower or in between shampooing and conditioning.
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Ghost Oil
Verb
This weightless oil not only tames flyaways and frizz, but it also uses moringa oil to moisturize strands, while the bamboo extract strengthens the hair follicle, retaining moisture. We love a product that can do double duty!
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No. 7 Bonding Hair Oil
Olaplex
Like Verb’s Ghost Oil, Olaplex’s No.9 also uses moringa oil in combination with sunflower seed oil to keep hair moisturized, frizz-free, and shiny. Sunflower seed oil’s other benefit? It provides heat and UV protection up to 450 degrees!
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Hair Oil
Ouai
Another heat and UV damage protector, this oil does it all by smoothing split ends, reducing frizz, and adding shine for glossy, sleek hair with just a couple drops.
Use a Comb
Being gentle with your hair is one of the pillars to keeping your hair nice and healthy. Instead of using a brush on your wet hair, try out a comb. This is gentler on your hair and will avoid any ripping or splitting of your ends.
Make Your Own Sea Salt Spray
Love the look of your hair getting out of the ocean but hate the dryness that sticks around from the salt? Gain the look without the damage by crafting your own sea salt spray made of salt, water, and coconut oil for moisture.
DIY Sea Salt Spray Recipe
If you want to achieve beachy, effortlessly textured hair without actually stepping foot in the sand, creating your own sea salt spray at home is the way to go. This easy and budget-friendly DIY recipe will help you achieve those desirable waves without subjecting your tresses to harmful chemicals or heat styling. Here's how to make your own refreshing sea salt spray in the comfort of your own home:
Ingredients:
1 cup of warm distilled water
1 tablespoon of sea salt
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
1 teaspoon of leave-in conditioner or hair gel (optional)
5-10 drops of essential oil (optional, for fragrance)
Instructions:
Pour the warm distilled water into a clean, empty spray bottle, making sure to leave space at the top for remaining ingredients.
Add the sea salt to the warm water, and shake well until dissolved completely. Sea salt, as the name implies, is the main ingredient helping to create the characteristic texture and wave-enhancing properties of the spray.
Next, add one tablespoon of coconut oil. Coconut oil helps to prevent dryness and will maintain the moisture in your hair.
For added definition or hold, you can add a small amount of leave-in conditioner or hair gel. This step is completely optional and can be skipped if you prefer a lighter, more natural hold. Note: Make sure to thoroughly shake the bottle so that the conditioner or gel doesn’t clog the spray nozzle!
If you want to customize the spray further, you can incorporate a few drops of your favorite essential oil, such as lavender, jasmine, or citrus. Again, this step is entirely optional!
Once you have combined all of the necessary ingredients, secure the spray bottle's cap tightly before giving it a vigorous shake. This ensures that all the ingredients are thoroughly combined (and keeps your spray inside the bottle!).
That’s it! Spray it onto damp or dry hair, using your fingers to scrunch or twist sections to create beach-inspired waves. In order to avoid greasy hair, start with a small amount, and add more as needed, depending on your hair's length and thickness.
Use a Hair Mask
Buy a hair mask to add even more moisture and shine to your hair. This is similar to a deep conditioner, but can work on other factors aside from moisturizing. You can find hair masks that help lessen oil production, improve shine, boost volume, and basically take care of any hair need you have.
You can also make your own hair mask. There are many hair masks that use common ingredients like avocado, honey, and more to add necessary oils and ingredients to the structure of your hair.
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Acidic Bonding Concentrate Mask
Redken
Perfect for dry or damaged hair, this ultra-conditioning mask is for those who are in need of true hydration. Featuring Redken’s unique Conditioning Care Complex, it not only nourishes hair, but it also strengthens hair while it detangles.
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Follicle Strengthening Deep Repair Mask
Keranique
While this mask is great for all hair types, it’s ideal for those with dry, damaged fine hair. B vitamins help to gently nourish, while restructuring ceramides strengthen and repair the hair’s cuticle. Keranique’s proprietary Keratin Amino Complex also thickens each hair shaft, giving fine hair more volume. The result is more manageable softer, thicker-looking hair!
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Thick Hair Treatment Masque
Ouai
Thick hair? No problem! This mask works on wavy, curly, or textured hair to heal split ends and make hair stronger after just one use. OUAI also makes this masque for all hair types for a customized treatment to fit your hair’s needs.
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Triple Bond Complex Leave-In Treatment
Living Proof
This weekly treatment is a bond-building mask that makes hair 8 times stronger against styling damage and helps to prevent future damage. It also provides heat protection up to 450 degrees!
Care for Your Hair Year-Round
Hair care is important year-round, both in the summer months and in the dry winter months. Keep these tips in mind when your hair needs an extra boost. Prevention is key and following these tips can ensure that your hair stays in pristine condition while you have fun in the sun.