The warm weather’s rolling around. Soon we’ll have tuck away our thick winter skincare products and bring out the sunscreen. The summer sun can be immensely drying on your skin, so make sure you keep your skincare routine for dry skin going. Summer is also when you need to start giving your hair that extra attention it deserves to protect it from the damaging effects of the sun.
How Does the Sun Damage Hair?
The first place on your body that the sun rays hit are your head. The UVA and UVB rays can damage the outside cover of your hair strands (also known as the cuticle) which makes it rough. It also means that the damaging effects of heat are allowed to penetrate the inner layers of your hair which can lead to brittleness. The effects are even harsher on bleached or coloured hair.
Strong sun can also damage your scalp as your hair doesn’t form as protective a cover as we’d like to think. The skin on your scalp is prone to similar damage from the sun as the rest of your body, not to mention the build up of dust and sweat that causes dandruff.
No, summer isn’t kind to our tresses at all. Thankfully, there are a lot of natural ways that we can beat the frizz and put the moisture back into our locks. Read on for our top tips on how to protect your hair from the unforgiving sun this summer.
- Cover Up
The simplest solution can often be the best. Cover your hair with a hat or a scarf when you know you’ll be spending long hours in the sun. A silk scarf won’t dry your hair out (and looks so chic too!) while a broad brimmed hat not only protects your hair from the sun but the rest of you too. A parasol can do the trick too and protect you against sudden summer showers as a bonus.
- Deep Moisture Treatments Are Your Friends
There’s no such thing as too much moisture for your hair in summer. Protect the cuticles on your hair by nourishing each strand from the root to the tip. Deeply hydrating treatments replenish and lock in the moisture in your hair making it feel soft, luxurious, and (most importantly) healthy.
Northern Beauty’s Healing Hair Treatment moisturizes, repairs, and strengthens your hair. It’s full of hydrating and protecting ingredients like rice bran oil, rice protein, argan oil, avocado oil, and more. You can use it as a post shampoo treatment for five minutes or keep it in for longer for deep hydration.
- Choose the Right Shampoo and Conditioner
As strange as it sounds, water dries your hair out. Shampoos are designed to cleanse, which means they can strip your hair of its natural moisture too. So, wash your hair only once or twice a week if you can manage it and use shampoos and conditioners that are designed to lock moisture in. Otherwise, if you do feel sweaty after a long day out or a workout, then simply rinse your hair out with cool or lukewarm water and use a little conditioner to detangle the ends if necessary.
Our Natural Deep Repair Shampoo & Conditioner contain the ingredients your hair needs to cleanse your scalp and hair gently without stripping it of its natural protective proteins and leave your hair feeling soft and manageable. The shampoo also contains Pro-Vitamin B5 to repair damaged hair and improve elasticity.
- Eat the Right Foods
While the right products can make a huge difference to how your hair looks and feels, remember that it gets the most nutrients from your body. Eating the right foods can make a huge difference when it comes to fortifying your hair. Foods high in protein like chicken, nuts and legumes are great to prevent brittleness while oily fish like salmon and mackerel and plant sources like avocado, pumpkin seeds and walnuts provide Omega 3 fatty acids that nourish your hair from within. Orang or yellow-coloured vegetables like carrots and pumpkins which are high in beta-carotene help your body synthesize Vitamin A to prevent itchy, dry scalps.
- Avoid Additional Heat
Avoid using your heat tools to style your hair. It’s already hot outside. Use your blow dryer on a cool setting if you must.
Browse natural, clean, and cruelty-free haircare products specially formulated to restore your hair to its natural health and lustre on Northern Beauty today.