Summer can be the cruelest season of all for hair – Summer humidity, pool chemicals, ocean breezes and falling behind on your regular trims — who has time when you’re having fun? — can take a major toll on your locks. So before hitting the sun, surf, or swimming pool this summer, don’t just apply SPF to your skin: Be attentive to your hair’s special needs as well.
We caught up with hair stylist Stephen Knoll and asked him how to take good care of our hair while enjoying the summer at its fullest.
Will my hair be affected by sun as skin is?
Like skin, sun exposure depletes hair of its natural moisture and leaves it looking and feeling dry and dull. The Sunlight (UVA/UVB) exposes hair to free radicals that break down protein structures, such as melanin and keratin, which make up the hair structure and damage your hair’s natural protective film. After just a few days of sun exposure, the hair cuticles that cover each individual hair shaft begin to pull off. This makes your hair dry, dull, fragile and brittle, and leading to color fading.
How should we prep our hair for summer? You should start by getting a deep conditioning treatment to prep and help protect hair from the damaging effects of sun, salt and chlorine while enhancing color tonality and shine. My Deep Treatment Hair Mask seals the hair cuticle to maintain moisture, while adding body and helping reduce breakage caused by damage to the hair strand. To keep your hair’s strength during the warmer month, it is imperative to create a barrier of protection against the damaging elements of the summer elements.
How can you prevent flat hair from going limp in humid weather — and conversely, How can you prevent frizz if you have curly hair? What makes flat hair to go limp is the moisture in the air that weighs the hair down. To avoid humidity overload, prep hair with a shampoo and conditioner that add body and use a styling product that enhances volume and creates texture. My must-have styling product for defeating limp hair is my Shape Memory Gel, which provides long lasting volume, lift, and texture.
Curly hair responds differently to the moisture in the air — it creates more frizz and flyaways and the key to preventing frizz is to use styling products that act as a barrier between hair and humidity. I recommend, depending on the amount and length of your hair, to mix 3-4 squirts of my Super Smoothing Lotion to a dime-size amount of Shape Memory Gel: The Lotion will coat and condition the hair to seal in its natural moisture, giving curls structure and blocking out excess moisture in the air, while the Gel give the curls more definition. The result is smooth, frizz-free curls all day long.
What’s the ONE most important hair product for summer? I actually need to recommend two products. First and foremost: a good deep conditioning, such as my Deep Treatment Hair Mask, to keep your hair healthy and beautiful. Deep conditioning adds moisture back into the hair that is removed by daily activities and some styling products. This is extremely important in the summer and I have found the best way to replenish lost moisture is to do a weekly deep conditioning treatment.
Second, a leave-in conditioner, like my Hydro Repair Mist. This mist is a multi-purpose product, and you should not leave home without it in your purse. It work exceptionally well to prevent wind tangles (when applied before) and help you gently comb out knots (when applied after). You should apply generously over your entire hair before entering the pool or ocean — By filling your hair’s cuticle with the Hydro Repair Mist, as it will act as a barrier and less chemicals will seep in, combating the damaging results.