Many enjoy getting a tan during summer. However, exposing your hair too much to the sun’s UV rays might cause damage, especially if you have a color-treated hair. Dyed hair that is damaged often result to split ends, dryness and frizz and brittleness. What’s more, the sun and humidity are your worst enemies as they might lead to fading or changing of hair color.
In this article, we will talk about five essential tips that you can do to protect your hair from the sun’s harmful rays.
1. Cut your hair short.
Go to your most trusted salon for hair-dressing services. Keep in mind that longer hair means getting more chances of it to be exposed to the sun, so the shorter, the better. If you want to keep your hair long though, at least trim the damaged ends of your hair during summer to enjoy the sun without worrying much about potential damages.
2. Wear protective accessories.
By hair accessories, you can use a hair tie, hair band, bandanna or a hat. Tying your hair in a bun, knot or ponytail and covering it with a hat will surely help in avoiding direct sunrays. Make sure that your hair scalp has enough air circulation by tying just enough and not too tight.
3. Use shampoo designed for dyed hair.
Many regular shampoos sold in the market contain strong chemicals which might strip away hair dyes. Plain and easy, choose one that is especially for made and formulated for treated hair. Better is the one which has UV protection so read the labels carefully. By applying this type of shampoo, your hair will be moisturized and even look shiny and vibrant under the sun. It will also help retain color and lessen the chances of uneven color appearances in your hair dye.
Color-treated shampoos could be more expensive though. If budget is a problem, try using baby shampoo instead. Designed for babies’ use, it contains fewer and more gentle chemicals which will not sabotage or affect your hair color in any way.
4. Shower with cold water.
Most of us shower with hot water else we’ll shiver on the bathroom floor like crazy. If you can’t stand the cold, stick to lukewarm water. This is because the heat not only dries out hair and the scalp and leaves it dull, but it also makes dye leach faster thus making the hair dye lose its color. Cold water, in contrast, keeps your hair shiny and healthy. A good advice is to get a bowl of cold water and rinse only your hair in it. Then protect your hair with a shower cap (or a plastic bag) when taking a body bath. Another is to get a handheld showerhead, to have control where the water hits you.
Be careful not to wash every day though because water is proven to be one of the biggest factors why colors fade. In sum, wash your hair with cold water and less frequently.
Also be wary of swimming in pools with high chlorine for extended periods of time. Even without the sun, chlorine will bleach your dye out!
5. Use mild conditioners.
Use a color-protecting mild conditioner after rinsing your hair from shampoo. Choose the one which contains keratin, jojoba oil and other natural ingredients for deep conditioning and increased elasticity.
On damp hair, you may also opt to apply leave-on hair moisturizers or extra conditioning hair treatment creams and wrap your hair in plastic at least 30 minutes to an hour before showering. You may also sleep on it to allow more time for the conditioner to soak in.
In connection to the previous tip, for no-wash days, you may opt to spray light mists of silk and protein sprays or apply a leave-on moisturizer just to keep the oil for hydration. The effect is a softer, less-damaged hair.
Dyed hair or highlighted hair appears to have the illusion of summer-kissed hair. However, its texture becomes more delicate than untreated hair, so it is important to take more maintenance measures to keep it protected during summer from Mr. Sunshine.
Author bio:
Alexis Thompson is a Beauty and Wellness addict, former Mountain Backpacker and a 26 year old mother of 2 daughters, Sophie and Rhian. She is into almost all types of Music especially The Fray and Hillsong. She also has a passion in Singing and Scrap Booking. Follow her escapades on her Twitter.
