Ah, summertime!~ The time to get outside and enjoy the long days of sunshine. But then you remember…you have to protect your hair from the heat.
Do you struggle with more hair breakage during the summer months and no matter what you do, your hair just stays dry?
Did you know that you also need to protect your scalp and hair from UV rays just like the rest of your skin on your body?
I know, I know. More areas to protect from the burning sun.
In this post, we’ll dive into the essential steps to having long-lasting, moisturized hair and protecting it from heat damage.
Summer Hair Issues
Sun Exposure: Just like when you don’t protect your skin from UV Rays and get a sunburn, you could be damaging your scalp when you don’t protect it. The UV rays penetrate your hair cuticles which can cause your hair to become dry and lifeless.
Humidity: You might try to do the perfect hairstyle, only to have your hair decide its own path. Humidity can lead to you having a lack of control over your hair.
Chlorine: Chlorine does a lot of damage to the hair. It’s so drying and strips your hair of its natural oils. Knowing how to prevent damage from it is important.
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Protecting Your Hair
Wear a Hat or a Scarf
One way you can protect your hair from the summer heat when you’re outside for a while is by wearing a wide beach hat.
Use a Beach Umbrella
If you plan on sitting outside at the beach for hours, take a beach umbrella with you for extra protection in addition to your sunscreen.
I wish I would’ve had these when I was younger. I hated sitting in the sun for too long. It would start to burn my skin.
Use a Leave-In with UV protection or Sunscreen Spray
You want to use a leave-in with UV protection or a scalp & hair mist sunscreen spray on your hair to protect it from sun damage.
It’s really cool that you can use two-in-one products to moisturize your hair and use sunscreen at the same time. This is good to make sure the sunscreen evenly distributes throughout the hair.
It’s important to wear sunscreen on all areas that are exposed to sunlight.
Pour non-chlorinated water on your hair before getting into the pool
If you’re going to get in the pool, rinse your hair with non-chlorinated water. It will help protect your hair from absorbing too much of the chlorine.
You’ll want to wash your hair as soon as possible when you get home because the chlorine will damage your hair if it sits on it for too long.
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Hydrating and Nourishing
When it’s summer, you have to work on hydrating and moisturizing your hair more often or it will start breaking off more frequently.
To protect your hair from the summer heat, you have to change your wash day routine.
Decrease the frequency of washing your hair
A lot of people recommend using dry shampoo during the summer months.
If you have wavy, curly, or coily hair, I would look for dry shampoo that is made for that type of hair.
I still need to try dry shampoos for my hair type.
Try a Cowash
Personally, I use a cowash instead because I need the extra moisture because I have coily hair. My favorite so far has been the As I Am Coconut Cowash.
Use a hair masque
It’s important to deep condition your hair in the summer months.
If you have low-porosity hair, I recommend deep conditioning your hair once per month with the Shea Moisture Intensive Hydration Hair Masque. I have been using it and it smells really good.
And if you have high porosity hair, you should look for deep conditioners with protein like the Shea Moisture Hydrate + Repair Protein Power Treatment. Those with higher porosity can deep condition their hair more often.
Combatting Frizz
Oil Your Hair
Use a hair oil that will help you build your hair strength. I like the mielle rosemary mint scalp & hair strengthening oil.
Rosemary is good for those with dry or itchy scalps. This hair oil works well for those who want faster hair growth too.
Style Hair with Anti-Frizz Styling Product
The Color Wow Spray Anti-Frizz Treatment helps straight, wavy, and curly hair stay frizz-free for days while giving it a glossy look.
It is unscented, vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free and comes in recyclable packaging.
Use your microfiber towel or a t-shirt to dry your hair
Avoid using a regular towel to dry your hair because it will make it frizzier. A microfiber towel or using an old t-shirt would be better.
Got any t-shirts from college, volunteering, etc. that you never wear? Use that.
Protect Your Hair When Sleeping
Use a silk or satin pillowcase
Your pillow can absorb the moisture in your hair, so use a silk or satin pillowcase. You can also use a bonnet version too.
I’ve used both a silk pillowcase and bonnet because I get super dry hair as I have low porosity, coily hair and this is a must for me. I’ve definitely been able to retain the products I’ve put in my hair for longer.
Heck, I wear my bonnet all day when I’m in the house for extra heat protection.
Drink Water
Your hair is more likely to stay dry if you’re not drinking enough water. You need to be taking care of your health to have healthy hair.
If you struggle with remembering to drink enough water throughout the day, try a water bottle with a time tracker.
Final Thoughts
There are so many ways you can protect your hair from the summer heat. Focus on starting with something small like decreasing the amount of sun exposure.
Then take care of your health as the foundation. What you eat and drink will show up in your hair health.
What other things do you do to keep your hair moisturized during the summer?
