Hair & Scalp Therapy

Summer Can Leave Hair Damaged. These Tips Can Help

We hope your summer was full of opportunities to enjoy the amazing weather and relax in the sun, whether you chose to spend your time lounging at the beach or by the pool, or you preferred to fill your calendar with outdoor adventures (camping and paddleboarding and kayaking, oh my!).

Now you may be finding that all that time spent indulging in summer fun has wreaked havoc on your hair. For example, spent your days at the pool? You might now be dealing with chlorine hair damage. More of a beach person? That salt water can leave your hair super dry (and in desperate need of some hair hydration tips). Spent a lot of time outside? UV rays can lead to sun-damaged hair. can leave your strands looking (and feeling) dry, brittle, and lackluster. But the good news? There are ways to protect your hair; all you need is the right post-summer hair care strategy.

Summer Hair Damage: What You Need to Know

So what, exactly, does the ideal after-summer hair care routine look like? Let’s take a look at some healthy hair tips to keep your hair looking and feeling its best as we head into fall.

First things first. Before we jump into how to navigate hair damage repair, let’s quickly touch on why summer is so hard on your hair in the first place.

The surface of your hair and scalp is covered with a protective layer called hydrolipidic film. Think of it as a barrier, protecting your hair and skin from the outside environment.

When the hydrolipidic film is in good shape, the hair is healthy and hydrated. But environmental factors can cause this protective layer to break down. A compromised protective layer can put hair at higher risk for damage—and all the side effects that go along with it, including:

● Dryness

● Hair breakage

● Lack of shine

● Brittle hair texture

Tips to Protect Your Hair During & After Summer

You don’t have to choose between making the most of your summer and having shiny, healthy hair. With a few simple strategies and the right hair care routine, you can shield your hair from seasonal hazards—and still enjoy your time in the sun.

Let’s take a deep dive (pun intended!) into the healthy hair tips you need for summer hair maintenance and post-summer repair:

Prevent damage before you dive in…

As mentioned, both chlorinated water and salt water can damage your hair. If you plan to swim at the beach or pool, make sure to protect your hair before getting in the water.

If you have a swim cap, wear it. The cap will keep your hair from touching the water. This is the best way to protect your hair. If you don't have a swim cap or prefer not to wear one, apply conditioner to your hair before swimming. This can help protect your hair from salt and chlorine, reducing the risk of damage.

...and after you take a dip

Protecting your hair before you swim in chlorinated or salt water is important. But what you do after your dip is just as important—and a critical part of pool or beach hair care.

After your swim, rinse your hair with fresh water, which will remove salt or chlorine residue. Then, give your hair a little summer hair treatment by combing a leave-in conditioner through your strands, which will help reduce tangles and lock in nourishing moisture. Look for a product with UV protection if you plan to dry off in the sun.

If your hair is now feeling the effects of a summer spent swimming, replace your regular conditioner with a hydrating hair mask for the next few weeks or so. This strategy can help restore hydration and reverse the drying effects of chlorine and saltwater.

Embrace the shade

The best way to prevent sun damage to your hair is by not exposing it to the sun. If you are going to be outside, try to stay in the shade as much as possible. Seek shade under an umbrella or a tree. You can also avoid exposing your strands to the sun by covering up with a chic summer hat or headscarf.

If a summer spent in the sun has taken its toll on your hair color, visit your colorist for a fall touchup. Ask for a gloss treatment; a type of color service that can correct brassy tones and add shine. A clear or tinted gloss can make your hair look vibrant without damaging it, unlike permanent color or bleach.

Style strategically

Heat damage is a major risk during the summer. To reduce heat exposure, try to avoid using hot styling tools, especially in summer and as we move into fall. Skipping the blow dryer or flat iron can help protect your hair.

But just because you’re not using heat doesn’t mean you can’t have styled hair! Braids and twists are casual—but chic!—looks that require zero heat styling. Or, if you prefer to wear your hair down, you can hop on board with one of the hottest trends in the hair world—heatless curls.

There are many ways to curl your hair without using heat. For example, before bed, you can wrap wet hair in a headband for classic curls. You can also style your hair in two braids for relaxed, beachy waves. Then, when you wake up, just ditch the headband or undo your braids and—voila! Curls that will last all day—no heat required.

If you want to try the heatless curl trend, go to YouTube. You will find many tutorials on different methods. These tutorials show the products you need for each method. They also explain which method works best for your hair type, whether you have thin or thick hair. You can choose a method based on the type of curl you want.

Hydrate your body….

As mentioned, there are a ton of environmental factors that can leave your hair feeling dry and brittle during and post-summer. And while you can manage that with products and treatments (more on that in a minute), keeping your hair hydrated both during and after summer starts with keeping yourself hydrated.

Why? Because your hair and scalp are part of your whole body—and, as such, are affected by your overall hydration level. Make sure to drink plenty of water (according to the Mayo Clinic, the ideal fluid intake is about 15.5 cups per day for men and 11.5 cups per day for women), eat nutrient-dense foods, and avoid anything with a tendency to dehydrate you (like too much coffee). Not only will this help you look and feel your best, but it will help your hair look and feel its best as well!

…and your hair

In addition to general hydration, you’ll also want to focus on hair hydration tips specifically.

Make sure that you’re using hydrating treatments (like hair masks, oils, or leave-in conditioners) regularly—and especially if you notice your hair is starting to feel dry.

Don’t forget your scalp

Taking care of your hair during and post-summer is a must. But don’t forget about your scalp!

Your scalp health plays a major role in your hair health; if you want healthy hair, you need a healthy scalp. Make sure to give your scalp plenty of TLC during and after the summer. Get rid of any buildup by working a clarifying shampoo with scalp therapy benefits into your healthy hair routine.

Some of the environmental factors that contribute to summer hair damage include:

● Chlorine and saltwater: If you’re the kind of person that likes to get in the water—at the beach or at the pool—you’re increasing your risk for hair damage. Both chlorine and salt can strip your hair’s natural oils, leading to dryness and breakage.

● UV rays: It’s common knowledge that UV rays damage your skin—and you need protection (hello, sunscreen!) if you’re going to be in the sun. Well, the same is true for your hair. UV rays can break down your hair’s proteins and damage its cuticle, leaving it weakened, dull, and more susceptible to breakage and split ends. If you color your hair, UV rays may also fade your hair color. Wearing a hat can only protect part of your head, leaving the rest for potential damage.

Pollution and smoke can harm your hair. Air pollutants are often worse in summer. Smoke from campfires, firepits, and barbecues can also damage hair. This damage can make hair look dull and lifeless.

● Heat from styling tools or hot weather: When you think of summer, one of the first things you think of is probably heat. But excess heat—whether from the hair tools you use, like your blow dryer to battle summer frizz, or from the rising temperatures—can leave your stands extremely parched and brittle.

So, the question is, how do you combat all the summer hair stressors—and develop a hair care routine that protects and supports healthy hair into the fall and beyond?

What Not to Do

Now that you know how to take care of your hair during summer and beyond, let’s quickly cover what not to do:

● Don’t overwash. Washing your hair every day can strip your hair of its natural oils and damage both the hair and scalp. While it can be a challenge (summer = sweaty!), make an effort to only wash your hair when absolutely necessary.

● Don’t overstyle. Combing and styling your hair, particularly when it’s wet, can contribute to damage and breakage. The less you manipulate your hair, the better. Detangle your hair with a wide tooth comb to reduce damage and breakage.

● Don’t skip your hair care routine. Taking care of your hair is important all year long—but it’s especially important during and directly after summer, when the risk for damage is high. Commit to a regular summer-into-fall hair care routine (and stick to it!). Use hydrating, nourishing products and treatments to protect and support your hair. Avoid using shampoos and conditioners that strip the oils of your hair.

Your Perfect Routine for Healthy Hair All Year Long

As mentioned, a regular hair care routine (and regular trims) are a must. But what, exactly, does that look like?

Care for Your Hair & Love Your Fall Look

Summer can be hard on your hair. But now that you have these healthy post-summer hair tips, you have everything you need to keep your hair looking and feeling great all year long!

Hair Care Matters

No matter the season, your hair and scalp need the right ingredients to help them thrive. That’s why we carefully formulated the products in our Volumizing Hair Collection with hair health in mind:

THICKENING SHAMPOO

Our Thickening Shampoo features therapeutic ingredients to optimize scalp health while protecting hair from environmental stressors. Made without sulfate detergents, our shampoo cleanses hair of impurities (goodbye, damaging salt and chlorine) while fortifying the hair cuticle and improving hair shaft thickness.

THICKENING CONDITIONER

Give your hair the hydration and nourishment it craves after a summer spent at the beach or pool with our Thickening Conditioner. Our phyto-infused formula replenishes moisture and transforms hair to feel fuller, look thicker, and perform better.

VOLUME ENHANCING FOAM

If humidity or damage has left your hair falling flat or looking thin, our physician-developed foam can help. Our Volume Enhancing Foam features the same BioPeptin Complex® used in our best-selling lash and brow serums to boost hair’s vitality and intensify natural volume.