Hair Care Tips for Summer

Summer means more time spent outside at the beach or sitting poolside. But while having fun hanging out, you also will be exposing your hair to some very serious damage.

Spending too much time out in the sun and swimming in the ocean can leave your hair feeling brittle and dull. Spending too much time in chlorinated water can leave your hair a different color or feeling rough and shapeless.

Before heading out for a swim there are a few adjustments you can make in your regular hair routine that can help your hair survive the summer. Try incorporating some of the following into your daily routine:

Reduce Time With Hot Tools: Instead of blow drying your hair every day, maybe use a hair dryer every other day or even less. On the off days, try letting your hair dry using a leave-in conditioner or serum to avoid frizz. Also cut back on the flat iron. If you are going to blow dry your hair, then don't use the flat iron - or vice versa. Also, instead of using a curling iron, try giving your hair more natural texture by pinning your hair up in small buns while it's still wet. When your hair is dry, undo the buns, and you will end up with more natural waves that didn't require heat to style them.

Hats: Hats can be good at protecting not only your hair, but your scalp from the sun. And with all the different styles out there, you can make a fashion statement at the same time without feeling like you're sticking out like a sore thumb at the beach or pool.

Braids: If you must put your hair up, avoid doing the messy bun thing which creates knots in your hair. Then, when you go to take your hair down, you end up pulling out your hair. Braids allow you to keep your hair out of your face, while avoiding the damage that can occur from overly tight elastic bands.
Additionally, when wearing your hair up in the pool, keep it simple. A sleek ponytail or braids will make it easy for when you are out of the pool and want to let your hair down (without creating a knotty mess).

Haircuts: Keep up with a regular haircut routine. You may not be one of those every six- to eight-week people, but during the summer try to make that a norm for you if you plan on spending a lot of time out in the sun. For starters, it takes a lot of the dead weight off your head as well as removes the ends that may be beyond repair from chlorine or the sun.

Be Gentle: When shampooing your hair, your approach may be to scrub your scalp, but you end up creating tangles and could be breaking off hair that is overly dry and damaged. So, when shampooing, gently rub the shampoo into your hair with lukewarm water (nothing too hot, which strips your hair of moisture).

And after you've attempted some or all of those tips, you'll probably also want to invest in a few good products that will aid in your putting up a barrier on your hair. The main types of products you'll want to look into are spray-in conditioners for all day protection, deep hair conditioners for repair at home and sunscreen for your hair.

Leave-in Conditioners

Budget: If you're pinching pennies (and who isn't), try mixing equal parts of your everyday conditioner with water in a spray bottle. Throughout the day while you are at the beach or the pool, spray the mixture into your hair to keep your hair moisturized throughout the day. Having a wide tooth comb handy will also help brush the mixture into your hair and avoid tangles.

Catwalk Fast Fixx Conditioner by Tigi: I like this as an everyday conditioner throughout the year, but this makes sense for a day at the beach or by the pool too. It leaves your hair shiny and soft. If you plan on styling your hair before heading out, spray this on damp hair before using a hair dryer or flat iron. It works with the heat to help style your hair.
Information: $10 at drugstores

KMS California Silksheen: I love the smell of this and the fact that it doesn't weigh down your hair or make it feel sticky or oily, is great.Just spray some in to your damp hair and use a wide tooth comb to brush it in. It also leaves your hair silky soft all day long.
Information: $14 at salons or beauty supply stores

Frederic Fekkai Marine Summer Hair Beachcomber: This has a beachy scent - how fitting. It's also light so it doesn't bog down your hair and is great to spritz on before heading out and after you've gone for a swim.
Information: $23 at sephora.com

Deep Hair Conditioning

Homemade: A lot of people swear by this, but if you've just come back from a nice swim and your hair feels like straw, rinse your hair with milk and then spray in a leave-in conditioner. Your hair will be left soft and moisture will be restored.

Silk Protein and Vitamin Conditioner by Nourish: This is a deep cream conditioner that is good for use a few times throughout the week (or, if you have really damaged hair, use every day). What's also great is that this contains UVA and UVB protectors. Special protein ingredients help strengthen your hair, which is a great preventative measure to avoid split ends.
While this is too thick of a conditioner to leave in your hair, try adding just a few dabs to the ends of your hair for the day. You'll end up with a cool, piecey style and you'll be protecting the most damaged portion of your hair.
Information: $16.95 at www.hairenergizer.com

Phytocitrus Mask by Phyto: This is actually made for people with color or permed hair, which means its extra strength can be just as good for moisture-zapped hair from the sun. Just wet hair and then leave the mask on for about 10 minutes, or dilute with water and brush into your hair for all day conditioning. If you're worried about weighing your hair down, just put your hair in a braid for that day.
Information: $38 at www.hairboutique.com

Queen Helene Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream: This is a good budget item because it can be found at any drugstore for cheap. I love the old school packaging, but this is great for not just sun and pool damage, but is often a good go-to for those that spent a little too much time playing with the bleach in their hair. Anyway, just rub this thick cream into your hair, let it sit for about 20 minutes and then rinse out.
Information: $3 at drugstores

Redken Color Extend Sun: This is a good conditioner to use everyday because it has a good block against UV rays (called Soplexyl). Plus, it leaves your hair smelling really great, always an added bonus.
Information: $16 at beauty supply stores

Sunscreens

Homemade: This solution is similar to the D.I.Y. conditioner treatment suggestion above. Just dilute some suntan lotion with water and mix into a spray bottle. Then spray onto your scalp and hair for protection from the sun. Makes sense, right? Considering the amount of time we talk about how important it is to wear sunscreen on your skin, I've yet to see a huge wave of products with UV protection for the scalp and hair.

Phyto Plage Protective Sun Veil: This non-greasy misting spray is great as not only a moisturizer for your hair, but it acts a block against UV rays from the sun. It doesn't make your hair feel greasy at all, which is great and you get beachy-looking hair without all the major products.
Information: $21 at discountbeautycenter.com

Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream: While most people use this as a styling tool that leaves hair silky and smooth, this is also great to run in your hair before leaving for the beach or pool. It actually has UVA/UVB sunscreen and does double duty as a protector from blow dryer heat. It smells great, and if you buy the travel size, it's good to tote with you for touchups.
Information: Travel size is $9 at sephora.com

Organic Hair Shield by Warren Tricomi: If you want a good leave-in product, try this. It too, has ingredients that filter out the damaging UV rays. At $30 a pop though, it may be best to try less expensive products first. This is great for both the pool and beach.
Information: $30 at ulta.com

Ultra Sheer SPF 45 Aerosol Sunscreen by Neutrogena: This is actually just a traditional sunscreen for the face and skin, but because this is a spray, I recommend using it on your hair as well. No one wants to put greasy suntan lotion in their hair, but this spray is so light, you can't even tell it is sunscreen. The best part is that it doesn't smell like sunscreen either. This is water proof and sweat proof, but easy enough to take along with you for throughout the day touchups.
Information: $10 at drugstores

Chlorine

Homemade: Before doling out money, try rinsing your hair with club soda after a swim in the pool. If you've allowed your hair to sit and dry with chlorine, this doesn't really work, however. It's best used right after a swim.

Apple Dechlorinating Shampoo by Philou: This has a really nice, but light, apple smell. The special ingredient, malic acid, is great at getting rid of the harsh chlorine and other chemicals that may be in your hair. And unlike some cleansers that don't have a lot of subs to rub into your hair, this does.
Information: $8 at hairboutique.com