I know you're slathering your sunscreen on from head to foot every day, RIGHT? But, do you count your hair in that, too?
The harsh sun can damage the hair, too. Even if your hair can't get a sunburn, UV rays can destroy the protective protein layer around your cuticles, leaving you with a dry and frizzy head of straw.
If you then take a dip in the pool or go for a swim in the ocean, the drying effects of chlorine and salt will only worsen the damage. There's no way around this one, ladies. If you want to keep your locks soft and lustrous during the hot season, protecting your hair from the sun is a must.
While gently applying a broad spectrum sunscreen on your scalp is a good way to start, there are less greasy ways to keep your hair safe from sun damage:
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Wear A Hat
Remember when your mom used to tell you never to go out in the sun without a hat? She was trying to protect you from sun damage to your skin, but unknowingly to her, the hat also kept your mane silky soft. The trick is to choose a wide-brimmed one that covers your entire hair and shadows your face to boot.
Hats are cute! I'll always take an excuse to wear a hat.
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Put Your Hair Up
If you can't stand wide-brimmed hats, you can limit the damage to your tresses by wearing them up in a bun or braids. Get creative. Any style that doesn't expose too much hair to the sun's harmful UV rays will do. Bonus points if you wear a baseball hat on top.
Now your hair's up, you won't need a huge hat to cover it all up.
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Use A Leave In Conditioner
The sun, sea and sand are a lethal combination for your locks. While you're out there having fun, they suck all the moisture out of your hair, leaving it as dry as straw. That's when a leave-in conditioner comes in. Slather it all over your tresses both before and after sun exposure.
Before, it will prevent the sun from drying it out too much. After, it will replenish the moisture it has lost under its warm rays. Moroccan Organic Argan Oil is a wonderful natural after sun treatment for dry hair. Not only it adds moisture to hair, it also tames frizziness and makes it shine like a diamond!
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Soothe The Itchiness With Aloe Vera
Your scalp is not technically hair, but that's not a good excuse to ignore it. If the sun's dried out your locks, chances are your scalp is feeling all dry and itchy, too. One of the best things you can do to relieve the itch is use an aloe vera gel, like Babyface's Pure Organic Aloe Vera Gel. It's an all-over multitasker that soothes itchiness and dryness, fights dandruff and alleviates sunburns, too.
Goodbye, summer bad hair days!
