Ah, summer! The kids are out of school, the sun’s bright, and family vacation and outdoor recreation time is on the agenda. It’s been a great time for splashing and relaxing in the sunshine with your loved ones—but if you’re anything like us, all that summer fun might have taken a toll on your strands.
Swimming can stress out your strands, while sun exposure can lead to dehydration, cracking, and breakage. By August, we bet your hair isn’t exactly looking its best, but it’s not too late to get back on track. Here’s everything you need to know about protecting your hair for your loveliest locks yet.
Stay hydrated from the inside
We all know hydration is key for a healthier body and skin, but did you know it’s just as important for your hair? When you’re experiencing dehydration, your hair is more likely to become brittle, snapping, breaking, and tangling more easily, and leaving your mane in a mess, and after a long summer of hot weather we bet your body could use some replenishing.
Remember to make your water bottle the must-wear accessory, drinking at least one ounce of water daily for every pound you weigh. And don’t neglect hydration in your diet, either. Avoiding overly salty, processed foods and chowing down on moisture rich produce like cucumbers, melons, peaches, zucchini, lettuce and tomatoes is a wonderful way to make sure you’re getting the H20 your hair needs to thrive—and it’s tasty, too!
Make time for a trim
All those fun summer activities can lead to an increase in split ends, which may spread up your strand, causing further harm and breakage. Split ends can also contribute to a frizzy or fly away appearance, keeping you from feeling neat and put together. Making time for a post-summer trim is a great way to get your hair health back on track.
You don’t need to get a drastic new haircut in order to see the hair health boosting results. Just ask your hairdresser to take off a few inches of damage, which can help encourage new growth in addition to making your hair look sleeker and better put together.
Switch to moisture boosting hair care
Time for some bad news: those standard drugstore or Target run hair care products that many of us moms rely on might actually be doing more harm than good for your locks. Packed with harsh chemicals that offer a quick superficial fix, while often causing long term damage, they can increase hair dehydration and damage, instead of providing the support you need after a summer full of hair harming activities.
The solution? Switch to a hair care kit designed to nourish and support your hair’s hydration levels, locking in moisture from the inside. Complete with a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, deep moisture repair mask, and daily repair oil, it’s got everything you need to get your hair health and hydration goals back on track.
Even if you’re not ready to make the switch to a complete new routine, this daily weightless repair oil can be a game changer for on the go hydration. Strengthening, smoothing, and adding shine, it locks in moisture without weighing down your strands.
Don’t overwash
Speaking of that wash day routine, we know how tempting it is to make daily washing a habit when your hair isn’t feeling its best, but over washing can cause real damage to your scalp and strands. When you wash your hair more frequently, you strip your scalp of sebum, the healthy natural oil that makes your strands say soft and lush. Ironically, overwashing can also boost sebum production, making your hair look greasier than ever.
Hopping in the shower at the end of a long day is never a bad idea, but make sure to pin your hair up or put on a shower cap first. If you notice your hair is feeling unpleasantly sweaty and greasy between wash days, a light dusting of dry shampoo can be a real lifesaver. These formulas soak up excess grease and moisture without stripping sebum from your scalp, leaving you refreshed until your next wash day rolls around.
Protect your strands from strain
Last but not least, one of the best things you can do for damaged strands is to handle them with care and treat them as gently as possible while they regrow. This means avoiding harsh chemicals, staying away from heat styling, and gently taking a minimalist approach to your hair care routines.
Prevention is also worth a lot when it comes to preventing hair damage. Try using protective hairstyles like braids to keep your strands out of harm’s way during the day. At night, sleeping in a bonnet or on a silk pillowcase can help prevent micro tears that occur more easily in sun damaged strands.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to get your hair health back on track, now that the summer fun is beginning to wind down. Stick with a more gentle and natural approach, and I promise your hair will thank you!
