Summer Hair Care tips.

So it's summer time, the humidity is high and you have your lovely hair to deal with.  Whether short, medium or long length; curly, wavy, thick or fine straight texture, your hair has to withstand and maintain the extreme sun, heat and humidity it has to face.  Along with weather, there's also the possibilities of being in the pool (or ocean water if on vacation) as well as your own body heat from daily activity that can be a challenge to your hair. 

Just because it's summer time it does not mean that you should not keep your hair healthy by keeping the ends trimmed. Every 6-8 weeks max is when your ends should be trimmed on your hair- period.  The difference is simple terminology.  I didn't say get a hair cut which sounds like getting a new look- I'm stating simply trimming your ends.  The summer weather is just as harsh as the winter weather: extreme sun, extreme heat, being in chlorine from the pool and/or salt-water from the ocean can bring damage and breakage to your hair.  So it's important to keep your ends in tact and healthy.  Another way of keeping your hair healthy is to reduce the amount of additional heat you place on your hair with blow drying and hot tools: curling irons, flat irons etc.  The more additional heat you place on your hair the additional damage you place as well.  If you do any type of coloring and/or highlights to your hair, ask your Stylist to use an option of less chemical intensity to achieve the same result.  For example, I don't always (for a lack of better words) bleach my clients for their highlights on each visit.  One visit I may use lightner to lift and/or bleach but for the next one I will use just color in the same tone to help blend/even out the new growth.  Again, your hair is already dealing with enough on it's own, why add more stress to it.

Let your hair rest.  Try new natural styles.  Try using hot rollers for a quick lift, body and curl to your hair.  Braiding is one of my FAVORITE things and looks!  For one braiding is a fun, flirty, youthful look but you can also use braiding to set your hair into curly/wavy styling as well.  The night before bed, shampoo and condition your hair.  You can even leave the conditioner in your hair- don't rinse out and simply braid your hair and go to bed.  You can also keep the conditioner in the hair, place into a ponytail then twist into a top knot, pin the knot and call it a night.  In the morning, take out the braids and/or top knot, let it air dry and go on with your day.  The key to maintaining the look and style is to simply leave it alone.  Once you take the hair out, reduce how much you play with your hair with your hands and fingers- unless you want your hair to be bigger .  Otherwise you run the risk of hair being flat.  You have natural oils on your hands and fingers and the more you play with your hair the more those natural oils will make your hair lifeless and simply limp.  A favorite product of mine when you braid your hair or place in a top knot is to spray it with Salon Grafix Touchable Hold Spray to help set the look.  When you take the look out, lightly fluff the hair with your fingers.  If you're wanting more volume- dry shampoo is the best!  Salon Grafix Dry Shampoos in different colors (including clear) works amazing.  Dry Shampoo is also a great alternative to shampooing your hair.  Also you don't have to shampoo your hair everyday.  Try using conditioner and just rinsing out.  Your hair and scalp needs the natural oils it produces.

If you plan on going in the pool or ocean, use conditioner and before and after the water to keep it moisturized and free from damage from the chemicals from the water.  Use olive oil every other day as an option for shine and smoothing- it also helps reduce fly-aways. 

The bottom line is in the summertime, less is more so try these options and enjoy your hair and enjoy your summer!

Thanks for stopping by!  Got a question and/or Hair/Skin/Makeup topic you would like me to blog about?- please email me: brian@brianchawkins.com.