Summer hair care - tips, tricks and cosmetics

The sun causes hair to fade, lose its shine and start to break. Especially if your hair is thin and rather dry. How do you care for your hair in the summer? First of all, you should use hair cosmetics with UV filters. It is also important to moisturize your hair after coming back from the beach. 

 

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Despite its undeniable advantages, summer is quite a difficult season for our skin, body and hair. What's more, while in the case of skin care we are already properly sensitized and aware - we remember about adequate protection and protection in the form of sunscreen, we often forget about taking care of the proper condition of our hair. In this article, we will focus on how to take care of your hair in the summer, how to properly protect it and how to support its regeneration when it is damaged. 

The wind, chlorinated or salty water and, above all, the sun are the factors that cause the condition of our hair in the summer to deteriorate significantly. Especially vulnerable are hair, which by nature are thin and delicate, but also those that have less melanin, so blond, gray, bleached or dyed (artificial pigment does not protect as well as natural). 

Why is hair lighter in the summer but visibly damaged and drier? The natural shield that protects hair from the sun is melanin, a pigment found in the cortical layer. The more melanin, the better the protection. Therefore, dark hair is more resistant to UV rays than blonde, bleached, colored or gray hair. 

How does the sun damage hair? 

When you are lounging in the sun, hiking in the mountains or swimming, ultraviolet rays damage your hair. The sun slowly unseals the hair cuticle, which is made up of overlapping scales," says Dr. Urszula Kozlowska, dermatologist at Melitus in Warsaw. - This process is analogous to that which occurs during colouring. The opened scales expose the hair cortex, and the UV rays destroy the hair proteins. This causes irreversible damage, resulting in hair breakage.

 

After a few days in the sun you will notice that your hair color becomes lighter. This natural coloration looks beautiful but is unfortunately a sign of hair damage. The UV rays oxidize the melanin, turning it from brown to beige. The damaging effect of the sun is intensified by sea water or water from a swimming pool. Its particles act as a lens - they focus ultraviolet rays. After swimming in the sea or a swimming pool your hair becomes hard, rough and does not comb easily. This is the effect of salt or chlorine. To eliminate it, you need to rinse your head thoroughly in the shower after each exit from the water. 

On sunny days you need to protect your hair just as much as your skin. This calls for hair products with sun filters. In drugstores you will find a whole range of products, which are specially formulated for use in the sun. Such products contain not only sunscreen but also moisturizing, nourishing, and regenerating ingredients, for example, ceramides, vitamins A, B, E, F, and H, jojoba oil, marine collagen, and macadamia oil. During the day you should have a spray mist handy - you should spray it regularly every few hours or after getting out of the shower. 

In case you forgot to bring such a product with you, you can also rub some of the protective cream left on your hands into your hair. When you have applied the sunscreen, be sure to put a hat or a bandana on your head as the warmer temperatures underneath will allow your hair to absorb more of the ingredients. 

Remember not to dry your hair directly in the sun, as this will only damage it even more. With wet head it is best to sit under an umbrella or in the shade for a few minutes. Do not twist your hair to squeeze out the remaining water. Once your hair is dry you may want to pin it up, especially if it is long. Be careful not to use thin scrunchies as they will damage your already stressed hair. Terry cloth or plastic clips are much more suitable. 

Gels, Sprays, and Foams with UV Protection 

Hairstyles combed by the wind look best in summer. For those who cannot live without styling aids during all seasons, manufacturers have developed cosmetics with UV filters. These products make hair easier to style, give hair more shine and prevent pigment loss. 

Hair Care After Returning from the Beach 

Once you have returned from the beach, wash your hair and scalp thoroughly with the best shampoo from the Sunshine range. Then apply a regenerating conditioner to the hair itself and not to the scalp. Use warm water for shampooing to remove grease and cosmetic residues but cool water for rinsing to close the hair cuticles. 

Colouring Hair Increases Sun Sensitivity 

It is best not to colour or bleach your hair just before you go on vacation. This always makes hair more or less dry and therefore less resistant to the sun. Besides, if you are going to spend all day at the beach, the color will fade slightly anyway, so it is not worth wasting time and money. However, once you have colored your hair, remember that artificial pigment does not provide the same protection as natural pigment, even if you have opted for a dark color. Therefore, cosmetics with UV filters are an absolute must for the beach. You can wash your hair using a traditional shampoo for colored hair, although special after-sun serums for colored hair are now available at drugstores.