It's Summer time and that means all of the water activities are in full swing. Everyone is going to the lake, pool, beach, or overseas and the chlorine and salt water can take a toll on your hair.. so what should you do?
Here are four ways to keep your hair healthy this summer.
1. Wet Your Hair BEFORE Swimming and/or Apply Leave In Conditioner
This keeps your hair from soaking up as much chlorine and helping to keep the salt water from drying it out. I try to twist my hair up or put it in a hat when I'm at the pool or the beach to keep it from getting wet, but sometimes you just need to jump in the pool or get soaked by beach waves. Try wetting it down ahead of time and coating it in a leave in conditioner like Untangled or if you want to do a treatment masque try the Hydrate Masque for a more intense hydration.
2. Use A Clarifying Shampoo AFTER The Pool
So the pool water in particular can be problematic if it is a chlorine pool and you are submersing your hair constantly throughout the summer. A good way to combat any damage or unwanted color change is by using a color safe clarifying shampoo. My two go-tos are Redken's Cleansing Creme and Kevin Murphy's Maxi Wash. This cleanses your hair of any chemicals without damaging your hair or hurting your color. You would then follow this by using a hydrating or repairing wash and rinse such as Kevin Murphy's Hydrate or Repair.
3. Add A Deep Conditioner To Your Weekly Routine
Along with the tips above, you should consider adding a repairing or hydrating deep conditioner such as the Kevin Murphy Hydrate to your weekly routine to combat any dryness or damage that occurs from the water or from constantly throwing your hair up. I know down here in the South we see 100 degree temps constantly in the summer time and my hair is clipped up or in a pony most of the time. This can cause weakness to your hair strands that can lead to breakage especially in blondes. Adding a deep conditioner wouldn't only combat dryness from water activities, but also repair any damage from your hair being up often.
4. NEVER Brush Your Hair Out Half Wet or Half Dry. Pick one of the other.
Okay, hear me out, when your hair is half wet and half dry it's very brittle and its easy to pull and cause breakage. Letting it dry all the way and then slowly brushing it out from bottom to top or by wetting it down with leave in conditioner or completely washing it and conditioning it twice should help with brushing it out safely. Always use a wide tooth comb or wet brush and always brush from bottom to top. When it is half wet I choose to go in with Kevin Murphy's Untangled, but when it is all the way dry I use his Shimmer Shine Spray for instant hydration and slip. If it's already wet, my absolute favorite go to is the Blonde Angel Wash. It amazes me with its power to detangle my hair and extensions and make my hair feel so soft and silky after a day on the boat.
5. Bonus Tip: My Favorite Way To Style My Hair For Summer Water Activities
My go to style is parted down the middle in braids with a hat on. I can ride in the boat, or be in the pool, or at the beach and not have to worry about my hair being a tangled mess at the end of the day. Its easy to brush out and even if it gets wet I don't have to deal with many tangles. An extra bonus is if you wet it down and then braid it before getting in the water or on the boat, but my normal go to is dry. This is an easy style I can do anywhere and it takes me less than 5 minutes while protecting my hair and keeping the sun off of my scalp and face.
