Wellbeing
Protect your hair this summer
Just pause for a moment and think. We take a lot of trouble to
put our sun cream on our bodies at this time of the year, and
of course make sure we have an even higher spf for the face
(hopefully) but what about your hair? Hair feels the effects of
the sun, humidity, sea and chlorine and also needs special
attention in summer – here are some natural methods to keep
your crowning glory safe.
or being at the beach. Also it is worth trying a natural dry
shampoo such as cornstarch to put off washing with shampoo.
Another tip is to soak a cotton pad in witch hazel and dab it
along your scalp to dissolve excess natural oils.
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 hair
straighteners and flat irons too, they will further damage dry
hair.
Natural hair is the way to survive summer! Now is the time to
ditch those perfect, sleek looks and be more natural. Learn
how to protect
your hair from
the heat, sun, and
humidity without
turning it into an
endless battle.
Next consider
something to
spritz or spray on
to your hair for a
leave-in
conditioning feel.
These can be
expensive to buy
so why not make
your own? Try
mixing your
regular
conditioner with
water and
spraying on the
hair before you
go out, or
whenever your
hair looks a bit
out of control.
You could also
mix water with
your favourite essential oils. Or try water mixed with argan oil.
The most
effective way is to
cover your hair
with either a hat
or a scarf when
you’re out in the
sun. This will help
reduce damage
from the sun and
the wind as well
as protecting
colour-treated
hair. And if you
have fine hair will
also stop the sun
burning your
scalp!
Tight styles can pull your hair causing it to break – especially if
it is already dry from the sun. Instead of leaving long hair
down, why not try a loose ponytail or plait – this will also
minimise sun exposure. And if you’re on the beach applying
suncream to your body, run your hands through your hair at
the end, to get the last bit off your hands and on to your hair
to smooth and protect.
Always condition your hair after shampooing – for a natural
version try rinsing with apple cider vinegar diluted in water.
Once your hair is nearly dry try smoothing in some shea
butter or coconut oil (sparingly – you don’t want it to look
greasy). Or once a week use more generous amounts of
coconut oil or shea butter as a mask, leave it on for 15 minutes
before shampooing.
Frequent washing can rid your scalp of natural oils, this
stimulates additional oil production and makes you feel like
washing it more. Try to wash your hair less instead, for
instance you could just rinse it in the shower after swimming
Follow all or some of these tips and you can concentrate on
enjoying summer and stop worrying about having to repair the
damage later – there won’t be any!
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