Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (In The Sun)
We’ve had a taste of warm weather and sunshine, so now we’ve got our eyes on the prize: summer fun. Swimming in the backyard. Tanning on the beach. Boating down the Niagara River. Watching your kids play baseball. Browsing art festivals. Eating at food trucks. Summer concerts, festivals, and parades…oh my! There are infinite ways to spend your summer days and when the weather is nice, odds are you’re spending your days outdoors.
Before-Sun Hair Care
Don’t let your eagerness to be outside prevent you from practicing proper summer hair care. You should take precautions to protect your hair and scalp just like you do for your skin when you apply sunscreen to protect your arms, legs, ears, and nose (some of the most common places to get sunburned). The sun’s UV rays break down the keratin in your hair, causing weak strands and color fade.
Shampoos & Conditioners With UV Protection
As we mentioned in “Maintaining Your Perfect Red Shade“, shampoos and conditioners containing UV protect are not as reliable as they sound. In-shower products will mostly wash down the drain when you rinse, while post-shower products get diluted from wet hair or are unevenly applied, leaving significant sections of your hair exposed and unprotected. While you can work these products into your hair care routine, we recommend a more reliable method for UV protection.
Wear A Hat
Hats have come a long way in terms of style. The safest way to prevent your scalp from burning is to wear a hat! Take a cue from the Kentucky Derby fashionista and think “big and floppy”. (But maybe not Derby big.) Wide-brimmed hats are excellent for shielding your face as well. The perfect accessory for casual outdoor activities!
Try A Protective Hairstyle
Similar to wearing a hat, you can limit the amount of hair exposed to sunlight by wearing a protective hairstyle such as a braid, bun, or top knot. Style your hair to cover your part, using a headband or pins to hold your hair in place.
Apply Sunscreen To Your Scalp
You read that right. Sunscreen is designed to protect your skin against harsh UVA/UVB damage. Sunlight dries out hair, and if your scalp burns, you’ll be left with itchy, flaking skin. Applying sunscreen in a thin, even layer across your scalp and hairline, and switch your part often so that the same section of your scalp is not constantly exposed.
After-Sun Hair Care
Don’t forget that the sun’s damage continues even after the fun has ended. After a day in the sun, nothing feels better than applying a cooling lotion or aloe gel to relieve dry or burned skin. That’s because these products moisturize and hydrate your skin to replenish lost moisture and soothe agitations. The same should go for your hair.
Add a leave-in conditioner to your daily hair care routine to regularly moisturize, hydrate, smooth, and strengthen your hair. Use moisture-restoring conditioners, deep conditioners, or hair masks that both penetrate the cuticle and coat your strands. Deep conditioners and mask contains oils and emulsifiers to repair hair from the inside out.
Learn how to find the right conditioner for your hair type in “How To Choose The Right Conditioner.”
At LJ Hair Design we want your hair to always look and feel its best. Contact us today to schedule your next appointment in our Niagara Falls salon!
