When you are lying on the beach under the warm sun, pina colada in hand, wearing your favorite sunnies, it can be hard to consider the damage the sun is doing to your hair. That’s why we chatted with celebrity hairstylist, Lacy Redway to give us a few tips on how to keep hair healthy during and after the sunny summer months.
“All types of hair can get sun damaged”, says Redway “but we see it more prevalent in women who have chemically treated hair”. If your hair is chemically treated it is important that you pay careful attention to your hair’s needs. Sun damage and heat damage have similar symptoms like excessive dryness, split ends, brittleness, and breakage. “If you have color in your hair it might be best to reduce heat styling in order to avoid your color from fading,” Redway explains.
If you want to prevent sun damage…
1. Use SPF! Use hair products with SPF in them, they will coat the cuticle in order to shield from harsh rays. Be sure to use a clarifying shampoo once a week to get rid of any build up.
2. Try Shower Filters! Some of our showers have chlorine in them, try adding a shower filter for when you are washing your hair. The chlorine will strip hair of the moisture it needs to stay healthy.
3. Rinse With Cold Water “After you condition or co-wash, rinse with cold water to close the cuticle, that way nothing can penetrate the cuticle to damage the hair,” says Redway.
4. Add Accessories! Don’t be shy about rocking a hat during the warmer days. It protects your hair and looks chic. Redway is also the spokesperson for Alcon AIR OPTIX COLORS contact lenses and suggests natural looking contact lenses to take the pressure off of the perfect hair day and focus on your enhanced eye color.
If you want to repair your hair…
1. Treat It! Use a hair masque and hot oil treatments every two weeks or once a month.
2. Cut It! Cutting your hair is the only way to insure you are nurturing your hair back to health. If you have really bad sun damage and you see split ends it’s best to cut it and start over. If not, the split ends will travel up the hair shaft forcing you to do a big chop later on.
3. Sleep With Silk! Invest in a silk pillowcase or a silk bonnet. Cotton pillowcases can tug on the hair and cause tangling and/or breakage. Using a silk pillowcase keeps hair soft and holds in shine.