Summer equals hair havoc, especially for the curlies. The warmer months mean dry, frizz, and limp, lifeless hair. But that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the good weather outdoors. A little preventative care and quality must-have products will combat the heat and keep your hair healthy.
Summer hair care must-haves include clarifying shampoos, UV sun hats, detangling hairbrush, Olaplex treatment, deep conditioning masks, humidity control gel, keratin reconstructor, claw clips, teleties, microfiber towels, scalp and hair sunscreen, bandanas, anti-humidity spray to combat the heat.
While enjoying yourself during these warmer months is necessary, most people forget that summertime elements and factors can negatively affect your hair. We will discuss summer hair care tips to keep your locks healthy and beautiful all season.
How Does Summer Affect Your Hair?
The sun, chlorine, and saltwater can all affect your locks, leaving them dry, damaged, and frizzy. But don’t worry; I’ve got you covered with a compiled list of the finest hair products and accessories to keep your hair healthy and hydrated during summer and beyond.
Below is a list of summer hair care must-haves that will help you keep your hair looking its best all season long!
The 15 Must-Haves for Summer
1. Righteous Roots Clarifying Shampoo
You can reduce the drying effects of chlorinated water and the sun by switching to a hydrating, clarifying shampoo and conditioner formula during summer. The Righteous Roots Clarifying Shampoo doubles as a chelating shampoo to remove build-up from products, hard water, and the effects of the pool and beach water.
2. Righteous Roots 2 in 1 Conditioner
Righteous Roots 2-in-1 Conditioner is also an excellent choice for summer hair care. It is a protein-free, all-natural formula that contains shea butter, baobab oil, and glycerin to hydrate and combat the humidity by locking the moisture into your hair and providing shine.
3. Tangle Teezer
A wide-toothed comb or detangling brush helps to reduce tangles from wet, fragile hair that requires extra care. I suggest the Tangle Teezer, Felecia Leatherwood, and Wet Detangler brushes, which are specifically designed for use on wet hair and work on all hair types.
These are especially great after swimming to remove knots or when you’re in the shower. A wide-tooth comb also gently detangles your strands, which helps prevent breakage and split ends.
4. Olaplex No. 3
This Olaplex hair treatment is necessary for frizzy, dry, and damaged hair. It repairs your hair bonds, resulting in hydrated and healthy locks. It holds over 78,000 five-star reviews on Amazon.
5. Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair!
A deep conditioning hair mask is fantastic to apply one to two times a week to repair damaged hair, restore moisture, provide nourishment, and prevent future damage. This Briogeo one works for all hair types and is free from all chemicals and sulfates.
6. Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Stronger Hold Gel
This humidity-resistant gel provides a strong hold without the crunch. It keeps your curls in place all day and prevents frizzy summer hair.
7. ApHogee Intensive 2-Minute Keratin Reconstructor
The ApHogee Intensive 2-Minute Keratin Reconstructor is a protein treatment that helps to protect and repair your hair from damage. It only takes two minutes to work its magic, so it’s perfect when you need a quick fix and for busy folks on the go.
8. TOCESS Big Hair Claw Clips
These large hair clips are perfect for summer updos and can be used to keep your hair out of your face while you’re sweating it out at the gym or running errands and even for styling your hair in an updo when you want it out of the neck and away from your face.
9. TELETIES
The teleties are the ideal hair accessory for anyone. It is an all-in-one hair tie that works as a fashionable, stackable, colorful bracelet. You can create various hairstyles, whether you want a ponytail, braids, a half-updo, or to tie your hair before swimming.
10. San Diego Hat Company Packable Ribbon Crusher Hat
Summer hats are a must-have to protect your hair from the sun’s harmful rays. I love the hats from San Diego Hat Company, which are 100% cotton and have a UPF 50+ rating.
11. YoulerTex Microfiber Hair Towel Wrap
This ultra-absorbent microfiber towel is perfect for wrapping your hair after a shower. Microfiber towels are much gentler than traditional cotton towels and help reduce breakage, frizz, and hair fall.
12. Sun Bum Original SPF 30 Sunscreen Scalp and Hair Mist
Contrary to what you might have thought, sunscreen for your hair exists! I recommend the Sun Bum Original Sunscreen Scalp and Hair Mist, which contains SPF 30 and protects your hair and scalp from UV damage.
13. Coolibar UPF 50 Sun Bandana
A summer scarf is the perfect accessory for any summer outfit and doubles as a headwrap to protect your hair from sun overexposure. This one has UPF 50 to block 98% of the sun’s UV rays. It allows only two percent (1/50th) to pass through, thus lowering your exposure considerably.
14. amika The Shield Style Anti-Humidity Spray
A good hair spray is essential in the summertime, especially if you’re spending time outdoors. I recommend the amika anti-humidity spray. This restorative hairspray spray will protect your hair from heat styling and humidity for more than 24 hours.
15. Design Essentials Reflections Liquid Shine Humidity-Resistant Spray
The sun can cause your hair to lose its luster, so use a shine spray or serum to keep your strands looking healthy and shiny. The Design Essentials Reflections Liquid Shine is a lightweight, oil-free product that transforms dry, dull, and lackluster hair with its state-of-the-art blend. It also provides thermal protection.
How Does UV Radiation Affect Your Hair?
UV radiation from the sun can cause dry and brittle hair. It affects the overall strength of your hair, making it more susceptible to damage. It can also fade the color of your hair, making it look dull and lifeless.
If you put furniture in front of a window and the sun beats down on it, the fibers break down and change color. If you have dyed or bleached hair, the color will likely change or fade if your hair is exposed to the sun for a long time.
Keratin is a sulfur-rich protein with cystine amino acids forming disulfide bonds, the backbone of hair’s mechanical strength. Hair comprises protein, and keratin makes up most of the protein mass of hair fiber. Keratin loss has long-term consequences of UV exposure on hair, leading to thinning, breakage, and overall weaker hair.
Your scalp can also be affected by the sun’s harmful rays. It can damage the hair follicles, leading to hair loss and weak new growth.
These are all the more reasons to beef up your summer hair care regimen to preserve your hair and scalp this summer!
How to Reduce the Risks of UV Hair Damage
There are a few things you can do to help reduce the risks of UV hair damage:
- Avoid direct sunlight as much as possible. Wear a hat or scarf to cover your hair if you must be in the sun.
- Keep your locks away from ocean and pool water as much as possible. Chlorine and salt water are two elements that can harm your hair and cause changes in its proteins. Wear a swimming cap, but if your hair gets wet, wash it immediately after swimming to avoid damage.
- If you don’t want to use a swimming cap, follow the hydrophobic coating method, where you apply a deep conditioner, mask, or oil before swimming to act as a barrier and reduce the porosity of your strands.
- Add summer hair care products with built-in SPF to protect the hair and scalp. These can help to create a barrier between your hair and the sun’s harmful rays.
- Use a deep conditioner or mask once weekly (or as needed). This will help to keep your hair hydrated and prevent it from becoming dry and brittle.
- Use products that offer UV protection. Many leave-in conditioners, hair sprays, oils, and sun hats contain SPF. Be sure to look for products specifically labeled to provide UV protection.
Products That Protect Your Hair from UV Ray Damage
To protect your hair from the detrimental effects of UV radiation, you’ll need to use a sunscreen specifically designed for hair and follow treatments that include natural emollients, oils, and butter to boost hair smoothness and protect the outer layer against UV damage.
The products below are must-haves to add to your summer hair care arsenal:
Righteous Roots oils provide exceptional protection against photo-induced hair damage.
Coconut oil is an excellent oil for protecting hair from the sun. Coconut oil, alone among oils, has been found to prevent protein loss in both healthy/damaged hair. I prefer the unrefined version of this oil.
Shea butter is another great option for summer hair care. It’s a natural emollient that can help to protect your hair from the sun’s harmful rays.
Avocado oil is also rich in vitamins and antioxidants, making it a fantastic choice for summer hair care.
Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil
Besides providing a UV filter, the oil also boasts numerous advantages, such as softening and lustering hair, detangling, and protecting against breakage.
Summer Hair Care Repair
Don’t worry if you’re already seeing the effects of UV radiation on your hair! The impact can be reversed with the appropriate treatments depending on the damage.
Here are a few hair care tips to repair summer damage:
Deep conditioning treatments
Once a week, give your summer-ravaged hair some extra love with a deep conditioning treatment. Look for a treatment that contains protein to help repair damaged hair.
Olaplex treatments
Olaplex is a product that can be used at home or in the salon to help repair summer hair damage. It works by rebuilding the disulfide bonds broken down by UV radiation.
Protein treatments
Protein treatments can also help to repair summer hair damage. Protein treatments help replenish the proteins lost when hair is damaged by UV radiation.
Trim your hair ends
If your summer hair damage is extensive, you may need a trim (or even a chop!) to eliminate the damage, like dry, dead, or split ends.
Reduce sun exposure
Prevention is key to avoiding damage from the sun’s rays, but don’t despair if you’ve already started to see the effects of summer on your hair. Reducing additional sun exposure while nursing your hair back to health is essential. That also means reducing time in chlorine and seawater.
Products That Repair Sun-Damaged Hair
While working on nursing and repairing your sun-damaged hair, you will need products you can use at home to help you rebuild your hair’s strength and restore moisture, sheen, and nourishment. Here are some of my recommendations:
Kerastase Crème UV Sublime Hair Cream
Aside from keeping your locks healthy, this creme minimizes frizz, prevents hair breakage, and provides sun protection. If you want to reduce the impact of UV radiation or heal damaged hair, it is a fantastic option!
Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair!
This deep conditioning treatment from Briogeo is formulated with biotin, keratin, and ginseng root extract to help repair summer hair damage.
Kerastase Resistance Masque Therapiste
This protein-rich mask from Kerastase helps to rebuild summer hair damage and prevent future breakage.
Aphogee Two-Minute Reconstructor
This Aphogee treatment helps repair summer hair damage with protein and amino acids.
This mask from Redken is formulated with proteins and ceramides to help summer-damaged hair recover.
So, there you have it! These are just a few products to repair summer hair damage. If you’re having trouble deciding what is ideal for your hair, speak to your stylist about which treatment would be best for your summer hair care.
Summary
Summer season is full of life, excitement, and fun times. But remember that your hair can take a beating. Stock up on the must-have products to keep your hair healthy and follow the hair care methods to protect your hair against damage.
