Hot weather means it’s time for special care for our hair and scalp. Both suffer from stress brought on by a number of factors. But summer does not have to be the season of bad hair days.
Preparation: Prepare your hair for summer by getting a trim. It is very important to trim your locks every two to three months to keep it healthy so that it grows longer.
Cover up: Sun damage is caused by ultraviolet light, which breaks apart the melanin pigment in the hair and fades the hair colour.
Wearing a hat is the best way to protect your hair while looking stylish at the same time. Hair can also be protected by covering it with a cap, scarf or a big umbrella.
Treatments: Using treatment products throughout summer prevents sun abuse, which causes dull, dry and brittle hair. Night-time is the best time to treat your hair. Before heading to bed, shampoo your hair twice and instead of a conditioner, apply a deep moisturising mask on towel-dried hair.
Wrap your hair in a towel or a plastic cap and leave it on all night. In the morning rinse your hair and voila! Your hair will be soft, smooth and shiny again.
This method can also be used before heading to the beach, by rinsing the hair with normal tap water to wash off the sea water and applying the mask or a leave-in conditioner repetitively. In this manner one protects the hair not only from UV light but even from the salty seawater and chlorine.
Scalp protection: An effective tip to protect the scalp is for women to wear their hair in a ponytail without any partings. This is done to prevent the scalp from being exposed to the sun and is also stylish and comfortable.
Products: Hair contains 10-15 per cent of water. On hot summer days, part of this water evaporates, so it is vital to compensate for this moisture loss with suitable products.
These products consist of extra-strong shampoos, conditioners and sprays or oils that remove chlorine and saltwater easily. They also moisture and protect the hair from breaking.
Products are best bought from professional hair salons and recommended by your hairstylist, who would know best which are the right products for your hair type, thus avoiding costly mistakes.
Marisa Grima is a managing partner at Aura Hair and Beauty Salon, a stylist and image consultant.