Sun. Chlorine. Salt water. The best parts of summer can leave our hair a complete mess come Labor Day. Our locks take a beating during the warmer months, leaving strands dry, color-faded, frizzy, and greasy.
So what gives? Is there any way to keep our hair healthy and still enjoy a dip in the pool? Luckily, there are plenty. We tapped New York City-based hairstylist Nathan Rosenkranz to understand what happens to our hair during the summer, what we can do to fix it, plus a few ways to rehabilitate our hair come fall.
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Lock in moisture
Sun exposure, salt water, and sweat can pull moisture from your strands, leaving them dry and prone to breakage. To avoid this, “start with wearing a nice wide brimmed hat to keep the sun off of your hair,” says Rosenkranz. This will help keep the sun’s rays off your hair, thus protecting your hair from dryness and preserving the color (with the added bonus of protecting your skin!). Double up by using a product that both moisturizes and shields your hair from UV rays.
Create a shield
"In the summer we're more frequently exposing our hair to the chemicals in pools, salt water, and spending more time in the heat, all of which will strip your hair of its beautiful color," says Rosenkranz. Before going for a swim in the pool or ocean, he recommends wetting your hair completely and thoroughly applying a leave-in conditioner. “Your hair will absorb the conditioner instead of the chlorine or salt water,” he says.
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Fight frizz
The key to combating frizzy hair is locking out the humidity. “Humidity is like Miracle Gro for flyaways,” says Rosenkranz, “so anyone who is prone to frizzy hair will be suffering extra during the humidity brought on by summer showers.”
Hide grease
A sweatier body leads to greasier hair. "When it's hot, your scalp sweats, transferring the naturally occurring sebum throughout the hair more, which can cause the hair to look greasy," says Rosenkranz. "Not a good look!
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Air dry the right way
Give your heat-styling routine the cold shoulder. “The intense heat from constant blow drying dries out your hair and sets it up for major breakage,” says Siobhan Quinlan, a hairstylist at Art + Autonomy Salon in New York City.
Have straight or wavy hair? "After showering, blot hair with a towel, then finger-comb to keep your texture intact,” says Vanessa Ungaro, a hairstylist and cofounder of Lauren+Vanessa salon in New York City. “Scrunch up strands pre-product to avoid losing natural texture, then apply a styling cream for soft, not crunchy, waves.”
If your hair is curly: "Brush with a wide-tooth comb while it’s soaking wet, then squeeze—don’t rub—with your towel," says Quinlan. Next, apply a moisturizer and a mousse or curl cream. Once your hair is totally dry (not a minute before, or you’ll create frizz), use your hands to separate curls.
Courtesy Health
So what gives? Is there any way to keep our hair healthy and still enjoy a dip in the pool? Luckily, there are plenty. We tapped New York City-based hairstylist Nathan Rosenkranz to understand what happens to our hair during the summer, what we can do to fix it, plus a few ways to rehabilitate our hair come fall.
[post_ads_2]
Lock in moisture
Sun exposure, salt water, and sweat can pull moisture from your strands, leaving them dry and prone to breakage. To avoid this, “start with wearing a nice wide brimmed hat to keep the sun off of your hair,” says Rosenkranz. This will help keep the sun’s rays off your hair, thus protecting your hair from dryness and preserving the color (with the added bonus of protecting your skin!). Double up by using a product that both moisturizes and shields your hair from UV rays.
Create a shield
"In the summer we're more frequently exposing our hair to the chemicals in pools, salt water, and spending more time in the heat, all of which will strip your hair of its beautiful color," says Rosenkranz. Before going for a swim in the pool or ocean, he recommends wetting your hair completely and thoroughly applying a leave-in conditioner. “Your hair will absorb the conditioner instead of the chlorine or salt water,” he says.
[post_ads_2]
Fight frizz
The key to combating frizzy hair is locking out the humidity. “Humidity is like Miracle Gro for flyaways,” says Rosenkranz, “so anyone who is prone to frizzy hair will be suffering extra during the humidity brought on by summer showers.”
Hide grease
A sweatier body leads to greasier hair. "When it's hot, your scalp sweats, transferring the naturally occurring sebum throughout the hair more, which can cause the hair to look greasy," says Rosenkranz. "Not a good look!
[post_ads_2]
Air dry the right way
Give your heat-styling routine the cold shoulder. “The intense heat from constant blow drying dries out your hair and sets it up for major breakage,” says Siobhan Quinlan, a hairstylist at Art + Autonomy Salon in New York City.
Have straight or wavy hair? "After showering, blot hair with a towel, then finger-comb to keep your texture intact,” says Vanessa Ungaro, a hairstylist and cofounder of Lauren+Vanessa salon in New York City. “Scrunch up strands pre-product to avoid losing natural texture, then apply a styling cream for soft, not crunchy, waves.”
If your hair is curly: "Brush with a wide-tooth comb while it’s soaking wet, then squeeze—don’t rub—with your towel," says Quinlan. Next, apply a moisturizer and a mousse or curl cream. Once your hair is totally dry (not a minute before, or you’ll create frizz), use your hands to separate curls.
Courtesy Health
