What a glorious day! I hope you all got out to enjoy the nice weather!
Not to put a damper on things but now that the summer season is upon us, all that sunshine, heat and chlorine can sure do a number on your hair (and skin). We all know sunscreen is important and that weather can definitely affect our hair (hello humidity and frizz!)...so what's a girl to do?
Here are 10 really great summertime, haircare tips to help protect your hair from overexposure to the sun's harmful UV rays, dryness, breakage, frizz and general bad hair days!
1. Wear a hat. Or a cute scarf wrapped around your hair. Protection and prevention is key here. And you can look really stylish while you save your hair. Have a little fun with your choices and save your hair at the same time!
Not to put a damper on things but now that the summer season is upon us, all that sunshine, heat and chlorine can sure do a number on your hair (and skin). We all know sunscreen is important and that weather can definitely affect our hair (hello humidity and frizz!)...so what's a girl to do?
Here are 10 really great summertime, haircare tips to help protect your hair from overexposure to the sun's harmful UV rays, dryness, breakage, frizz and general bad hair days!
1. Wear a hat. Or a cute scarf wrapped around your hair. Protection and prevention is key here. And you can look really stylish while you save your hair. Have a little fun with your choices and save your hair at the same time!
2. If a hat or scarf is not your thing, spray on a hair sunscreen with UV filters before you go outside, especially if you are out working in the garden or hitting the beach. Longer exposure times for your hair take a toll, just as they do for your skin. We recommend AVEDA's Protective Sun Veil which is a water-resistant UV defense mist. It's easy to use (just spray it on!) and small enough to throw into your beach bag so you're always prepared! AVEDA's Sun Care line which also includes a hair and body cleanser to wash away chlorine and product build-up and after-sun masque to treat your hair after all day exposure to the sun.
3. Washing your hair with a clarifying shampoo is important for a number of reasons. Clarifying shampoos are especially important in the summer when we tend to be in chlorinated water and we perspire more. They are also very effective at removing product build-up (oh, those lazy days of summer) and also hard water/mineral deposits on the hair. It just gives a nice clean slate and we recommend it after hanging out in chlorinated pools or hot tubs or the lake. It's not a bad idea to use it every 4-5 washes as part of your regular shampoo routine, since we live in an area with pretty hard water. One of our absolute favourites is the Clarifying Shampoo from Monat. It is effective at gently removing chlorine, hard water and product build-up but is completely safe for colour-treated hair.
4. Use a deep conditioning masque. Deep conditioning masques are one of my favorite things to suggest to people because they provide instant gratification and long term results. One super trick is to put it on BEFORE you go into the sun or pool or lake to help protect your strands from damage. Put it in your beach bag and apply it while you are sitting in the sun. Let the heat from the sun act as a healthy hair treatment instead of damaging your hair. Alternatively, you could wait until your home, and use after your clarifying shampoo. For extra hydration, you can even sleep with a deep conditioning masque in your hair and rinse it out in the morning. We have so many amazing masques from Aveda and Monat for every hair type and texture and issue at The Cat's Meow Salon, available for you to take home or try as an intensive treatment in the salon. Book an appointment for that HERE.
5. Avoid brushing your hair when it is really wet. When it is still wet your hair is already stretched and pulling it on it while it's in this fragile state can lead to breakage and split ends. Towel dry it gently by squeezing out the extra moisture (rather than rubbing it. Using an old t-shirt to dry it or wrap it in is even better than a terry towel. Apply a leave-in conditioner/detangler (try the Junior Detangler from Monat...it's not just for kids!) then comb gently with a Wet Brush or a wide tooth comb working in small sections from the ends up! Split ends can be helped with Monat's Rejuvabeads or Aveda's Damage Remedy split end repair. These products work wonders but the best thing to prevent split ends is gentle styling and regular trims.
6. Avoid excessive heat styling. Use an air dry cream and let your hair dry naturally. We recommend Monat's Air Dry Cream. It works great if you braid your hair, or twist it into ringlets then shake it out when it's dry for a beachy textured look. If you must use heat, make sure your tools are turned down to low settings and use a heat protectant like Aveda's Damage Control or Monat's Blow Out Cream or Thermal Protect Styling Shield. You hair is like a fabric - you wouldn't iron your silk blouse on the denim setting or you'd end up with holes in your blouse. Same goes for your hair!
7. Use Gel AND Curl Cream together to lock in curls and repel the frizz. The two of these together work like magic to create really soft, bouncy curls without the frizz. Technique is also important! Making sure you are putting them on when your hair is still quite wet (fresh out of the shower!), mix the two products together in your hair, then apply in a praying hands motion (rather than raking it through) then SCRUNCH! You want to fully saturate the hair with product to help clump your curls. Put the product in and then let it dry naturally (no touching!) or with a diffuser on low heat. Our number one cocktail is AVEDA's Confixor liquid gel with AVEDA Be Curly Curl Enhancer. Sharon will be happy to teach you how to make the most of your curls (and banish the frizz!) at your next appointment!
8. If your hair is medium to long, pull it back gently using Invisibobbles, scrunchies, hair bands, or scarves. Alternate how you wear it, not just for fun with all the amazing hair accessories that are available now, but to save stressing your hair out in the same place all of the time. Try a low chignon, a high messy bun, a loose ponytail or a soft braid. The possibilities are endless. Check out my Everyday Hair Pinterest board for tons of inspiration!
9. Extend the time between washing your hair, saving you time and energy, by using a dry shampoo and getting creative with how you style your hair (see # 8). We absolutely love Monat's The Champ Conditioning Dry Shampoo for its weightless texture and its ease of use. It smells amazing (that's important) and is wonderfully effective at absorbing excess oil and perspiration without leaving buildup. Sharon is addicted...ask her how many days she can go with out washing her hair and it still looks, feels and smells great!) As always, our recommended products are cruelty free and have no toxic ingredients!
10. Schedule an appointment with Sharon for an AVEDA colour gloss that adds tons of shine, brightens your sun-faded color and nourishes the hair. It is essentially damage-free colour! And if all else fails, sometimes you just got to come in for a trim or chop it all off! And to help you achieve your best summer hair ever, when you book a colour and cut through our new online booking system you receive an in-salon deep conditioning masque treatment for FREE (see # 4)! How awesome is that?
Now that you are equipped with the right tools, products and techniques it's time to get out there and enjoy the sunshine! Hope to see you soon in the salon. We promise to make you look and feel like the cat's meow!
Now that you are equipped with the right tools, products and techniques it's time to get out there and enjoy the sunshine! Hope to see you soon in the salon. We promise to make you look and feel like the cat's meow!
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