Did you know that your hair grows faster in summer? Or the fact that it sheds less in summer? And no, we are not joking. It's the truth! Now that might have got you thinking, "We have spoken a lot about skin in summer. From summer skincare routine to face creams for summer and more, but not enough about the hair." So here it is—your guide to summer hair care!
Just like your skin, your hair changes in summer. After all, it faces the heat of the sun, hot drying winds, and pollution like any other part of your body. As a result, summer hair care becomes essential.
A good summer hair care routine will protect your hair, help you maintain a balanced scalp, and protect your hair color from fading too quickly. Want to know more? Stay with us!
Understanding Sun Damage to Hair, Scalp, and Color
The sun is clearly ruthless during summer. The intense heat from the sun, particularly the UV rays, penetrates your hair cuticles. Thus creating a lot of issues for your hair. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect before we tell you what can be done for summer hair care:
Dryness
The UV rays from the sun suck all the moisture out of your hair, just like it does to your skin. As a result, you are left with dry and parched hair. This dryness is also a result of the loss of natural oils in your scalp during the scalp.
What happens next? Your hair becomes less flexible. It becomes rigid and more prone to breakage. Plus, it leaves you with split ends.
Brittleness
Brittle hair means hair that lacks moisture. Mind you, such hair is really easy to point out. Characteristically, such hair is:
- Dry
- Frizzy
- Lifeless
Moreover, brittle hair has split ends, lacks shine, and is challenging to style. All of the dryness and frizziness make the hair strands very fragile. Thus making your strands prone to breakage even if there's minimal stress.
Color Fading
You must have spent a good thousands on getting your hair colored. Unfortunately, those lovely cherry red, mermaid blue, and brown balayage hair can get damaged. Yes, you read that right.
Besides dryness, the sun increases the speed at which your hair color fades. Such hair is more sensitive to sunlight and tends to lose its color quickly, often resulting in undesirable hues. How?
Sunlight accelerates the fading process by breaking down the chemical bonds in hair dye. Over time, the color appears to be washed out, leaving your hair with a lackluster look. And if your hair is a shade of red and blonde, you have got to be more mindful.
Sunburned Scalp
Oh! And your scalp can get burned, too. Just like your skin, your scalp is vulnerable to sunburn when exposed to the sun for longer periods without protection. The bitter truth? The scalp often gets overlooked.
When exposed to the sun, the scalp can get inflamed, red, and tender. As a result, the scalp starts to feel uncomfortable. Moreover, it can cause peeling, flaking, and itchiness as the skin heals.
In severe cases, the sunburned scalp can lead to blistering. Mind you, it is particularly painful and may increase the risk of infection.
Weak Hair Structure
By now, it is clear that UV rays penetrate the hair shaft. When that happens, the UV rays damage the protein structure of your hair, particularly the outer cuticle layer.
The cuticle serves as a protective barrier for the inner layers of the hair shaft. When it is compromised, your hair becomes more prone to damage. This compromised cuticle also allows the pollutants and chemicals to enter the shaft and roots easily. Thus leading to potential hair loss.
Summer Hair Care
So what will help? Some practical hair care tips for summer that aim to bring back the lost moisture or cut down the exposure to the sun. So here are some tips that you must include in your summer hair care routine.
Tip 1: Use Sunscreen for Your Scalp
Our first tip for summer hair care is to invest in a good scalp sunscreen. Wait? A sunscreen but for the scalp? Yes. It's just like your sunscreen for the skin. It comes in various formulas like powder and spray.
So, where should you focus on? Usually, in areas with less hair coverage, then the nape of your neck and the area between your forehead and scalp. Other than this, focus on your hairline and your part line. Extra care needs to be taken by those who have thin hair.
Powdered sunscreen or spray sunscreens are both fairly easy to use. They often act like dry shampoo in your hair and leave no greasy residue behind.
Tip 2: Wear Protective Hairstyles and Accessories
Now, not everyone is going to be comfortable wearing sunscreen on their scalp. We know and understand it. This brings us to the second tip – protective accessories and hairstyles.
Certain hairstyles, such as braids or buns, gather and secure your hair. Thus keeping it away from direct sunlight and reducing overall exposure. Then there are accessories like hats, scarves, and head wraps. Here are some tips on how to choose the best ones for yourself:
Hats: Wide-brimmed hats are excellent for shading your scalp and hair. They are also very comfortable and do not put a lot of stress on your hair roots. However, you can choose other hats too. All you need to make sure is that they have a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rating for added defense against UV rays.
Scarves: Lightweight scarves are a versatile option that can be wrapped around your head or used to cover your hair and scalp. When choosing one, look for breathable fabrics such as cotton or silk to keep cool in the summer heat.
Head wraps: If you are looking for something cooler and more stylish, head wraps are available! Just make sure that they are in bright colors or patterns to keep your hair safe from the sun.
Tip 3: Hydrate and Moisturize Your Hair with the Right Shampoo and Conditioner
The underlying reason behind hair brittleness and breakage in summer is dryness. This means that you need to do something to restore the lost moisture. One way to do it is by investing in a hydrating shampoo and conditioner.
Our suggestion? Get yourself ILEM JAPAN's Gentle Shampoo and Gentle Conditioner duo! We will tell you why.
Firstly, the shampoo and conditioner are silicone-free to protect the texture of your hair. Second, both of them are created following the Japanese philosophy of 'less is more' for hair care. Thus making them suitable for everyday use in your summer hair care routine without robbing your hair of its natural oils.
Third, their ingredients repair your hair strands, detoxify the scalp, and protect against pollutants. The gentle shampoo is formulated with the following ingredients:
- Japanese Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract: Antibacterial and hydrating ingredients that protect against pollutants.
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein: Protein and amino-acid-rich ingredients that repair damage and restore your hair.
- Japanese Passion fruit: Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, its essential fatty acids maintain the skin's moisture barrier while vitamins A and C neutralize free radicals.
- Rice Peptides: It contains small protein fragments that enhance the skin's moisture retention, reduce skin irritation, and protect the skin against sun damage.
To complement the shampoo, the gentle conditioner is infused with Sunflower Seed Extract and Pea proteins in addition to Kaki fruit and Soy protein. The sunflower seed extracts protect the hair cuticle and prevent color fading. Similarly, the Pea Protein enhances hair elasticity, preventing breakage.
Note.: Make sure to choose your shampoo and conditioner based on your hair and scalp type and needs.
Tip 4: Limit Heat Styling
There's already too much heat from the sun. And if your hair could speak, they would indeed say the following—"We do not want more heat. Please stop styling your hair."
Why? Because the heat from styling tools is only going to wick away whatever moisture is left. Plus, it can weaken your hair's protein structure and cause split ends. Yet, if you still want to use your tools, be mindful of the following:
- Apply a heat protectant spray or serum to your hair beforehand. This creates a barrier between your hair and the heat, reducing potential damage.
- Switch to lower heat settings on your styling tools to minimize damage.
Now, for those of you who are ready to give up their styling tools this summer, here are some simple alternatives:
- Allow your hair to air-dry after washing. Use a wide-tooth comb to gently detangle and style your hair as it dries.
- Want to create waves? Take some time and braid your hair while it's somewhat damp, and leave it overnight. In the morning, you'll have soft, natural-looking waves.
- Now for curls. Create curls or twists by sectioning your hair and twisting it into tiny buns. Leave them overnight and open them in the morning for defined curls.
- Here's another way to get curls. Wrap small sections of damp hair around your finger and secure them with bobby pins. Let them dry, and remove the pins for voluminous curls.
Tip 5: Rinse Hair After Swimming
Summer calls for a dip in the swimming pool or even the ocean. But you know what? All those possible pollutants in the ocean and the chlorine in swimming pools are damaging your hair.
The chlorine is taking away all the natural oils from the scalp, leaving your scalp and strands dry and brittle. If you have colored hair, you might even see a slightly greenish shade. Similarly, the saltwater is causing your hair cuticle to swell. Plus, it's leaving behind salt crystals in your scalp, which might be the reason you feel like itching your scalp.
That's enough of a scare! Here's what you can do to avoid all this mess:
- Wash your hair with fresh water and apply a leave-in conditioner or hair oil before swimming. This will create a barrier and protect your scalp, roots, and strands from chlorine and salt.
- Always swim with a swim cap on.
- Use a gentle shampoo and conditioner designed to hydrate your hair post-swimming.
- Invest in deep conditioning masks and apply them once or twice weekly for summer hair treatment.
Tip 6: Protect Hair Color from Fading
Until now, one thing is clear: Managing hair during summer is challenging. However, managing colored hair is even more difficult. But a few things can make it easier.
For instance, always wear a hat or a scarf when you are out and about in the sun. Or avoiding stepping out when the sun is too harsh. It will be good for your hair, skin, and body as well. However, if you happen to step out, then try including the following practices in your hair care for summer:
- Washing your hair with fresh water after swimming in a pool or the ocean. This helps remove chlorine or salt, which can strip hair color.
- Use cold water instead of hot water to rinse your hair. The cold water helps seal the hair cuticle, preserving color, vibrancy, and shine.
- Investing in a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner. Make sure to avoid sulfates since they fade the color.
Tip 7: Trim Regularly to Prevent Split Ends
This tip is more like a maintenance tip. It does not help heal your hair or scalp but instead helps to maintain how the strands appear.
Split ends are the result of damage that starts at the tips of your hair. Once split, the damage can travel up the hair shaft if not addressed. As such, regular trims remove damaged ends and prevent further splitting up the hair shaft. Plus, it improves the overall appearance of your hair.
Now, the question, "How often should you trim?" Every 6 to 8 weeks should be a good time. The frequency and duration between two trims will also depend on the speed at which your hair grows. So keep that in mind.
Conclusion
There's no chance you will want to skip your hair care for summer after reading this blog. After all, who does not love sporting healthy, picturesque hair?
We understand that summer can be a challenging time, but with a little more TLC and these hair care tips for summer, maintaining your scalp and hair health should not be a challenge. Remember to invest in good, hydrating shampoo, conditioner, and hair masks to bring back the lost moisture due to heat.
Try to control your use of styling tools and opt for more natural ways of styling your hair into waves and curls. Additionally, be mindful when you go take a dip in the pool or the ocean. Finally, do not skip on the scalp sunscreen. The concept may sound new to you, but it's not worth skipping.
With that, wishing you a very happy summer hair care!
