Sunny days are back, and the spring season has just given us a little taste of warmth—cos we’ve got the Victorian cold breeze, right? But the summer temperatures rise will hit our shores very soon, and it’s the perfect time to get ready for enjoying your best hair this summer.
Natural hair rules in the summer! Now is the season to let go of perfect, sleek hairdos and embrace that loose, natural look. Learn how to protect your hair from the heat, sun, and humidity without turning it into an endless battle.
A good summer hair care routine, includes the right hair care products, hair enhancing foods (read more in our article Hairlicious Food), hair masks and other hair care habits to keep your hair healthy and silky.
1. Cover up!
Use a scarf or hat to cover your head when you’re out in the sun. Not only does this provide extra UV protection, but it also helps your scalp to retain moisture. A hat reduces damage caused by wind, especially if your hair is prone to tangling, and protects colour-treated hair. But do not overuse hats to keep your scalp cool, and choose natural and breathable materials to allow air flow.
2. Put your hair up in loose, comfortable styles
A messy bun is ideal for keeping your hair under control and minimising exposure to the sun. Tight hairstyles can be damaging because they tend to pull and tear hair, especially if your hair is dry from the summer heat.
3. Choose the right shampoo
Frequent washing with harsh detergents strips your scalp of its natural oils, which in turn stimulates additional oil production and/or dandruff, making you feel the need to wash it even more. Try using shampoos with only non-ionic surfactants that are mild and plant-based, like in our Botanical Shampoo or our Hair& Body Wash Bar that has been designed having frequent washing in mind.
Try just thoroughly rinsing in the shower after a day at the beach or pool and see if that gets rid of some extra oil. Use a homemade or natural dry shampoo, in place of regular shampoo, to go a bit longer without washing. Mix 2/4 corn-starch, ¼ arrowroot and ¼ rice flour for a homemade dry shampoo.
4. Reduce the heat
Try to blow-dry your hair as little as possible. It is already exposed to a significant amount of heat on a daily basis in the summer, and it will probably air-dry quickly anyway, so give the blow-dryer a break and go au naturel if you can. Avoid flat-irons, too, as they will do further damage to already-dry hair. Plus, a sleek hairstyle only makes that frizz stand out more.
5. Spritz & Seal
Make a concoction of water, aloe vera juice, and avocado oil. Keep it on hand to spritz whenever a bit of moisture and/or control is needed. Another good option is argan oil mixed with water. Considering that oils are insoluble in water, you will need to give a good shake before spraying. Alternatively, you can use our Wellbeing Mists that smell divine and contain betaine, an amino acid that acts as a moisturising agent or humectant. Betaine can improve the mechanical hair properties, such as strength and elasticity. It also improves shine by helping maintain the integrity of the cuticle surface.
6. Always condition your hair
There are many possibilities to condition your hair. Rinse with apple cider vinegar diluted in water for a quick natural conditioner. Use some coconut, argan oil or shea butter (careful with this, since it can be heavy) to smooth, de-frizz, and moisturise your locks after washing. The oil will give some shine and, if you have wavy hair, create natural, air-dried curls. Try a natural deep conditioning treatment once a week to get that extra bit of moisture into your hair. For extra nourishing care, try our Intensive Repair Hair Mask with a high dose of plant protein, lipids and moisture.
7. Avoiding swimmer’s hair
If you’re a blonde who turns green after a dip in the pool, try rinsing out your wet hair with 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 cups water to get rid of discoloration and dullness. It also helps to get your hair wet before entering the water because then it won't absorb as much chlorine.
8. Try a warm oil mask
Coconut, argan, jojoba, olive, and avocado oils are good at penetrating the hair shaft. Warm slightly any of these oils (blended or on their own) and work the oil/s from ends to roots. Massage your scalp and leave it on for as much time as you can (4-6 hours is ideal). You can seal it with some wrapping film around the head. Shampoo hair as usual at least twice. Rinse, then condition as usual. Your hair should feel very soft and moisturised afterwards, but not greasy. I do it every summer, it is one of my fave masks!
9. Not been at the beach yet?
You can fake a beach look with the simplest homemade sea salt spray. You just need 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp coconut oil, mixed with water in a small spray bottle. Spray and scrunch to get that desirable wavy beach look. The coconut oil will counteract the dryness of the salt. You can also find a scrumptious sea salt spray recipe I shared in this blog post Glow With 9 Luscious DIY Recipes You'll Love.
10. Use a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush
Avoid pulling anything through your hair when it’s wet, since that’s when it’s most susceptible to breaking. Wide-tooth combs are most gentle for untangling hair, as brushes can pull and tear when they snag strands. A detangling and moisturising serum will also help to make it smooth and easy to comb.
Keep your hair happy and healthy all summer long using these natural, chemical-free methods.
And glow naturally,
Sonia x
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