Woman in Real Life: Don't Sweat It! Fixes For 4 Summer Hair Woes

Sun, sand and surf - summer is synonymous with outdoor fun. But summer fun also means perspiration, chlorine and harsh UV rays, and it isn’t always kind to your hair. Don’t sweat it! Colour specialist Sterling Williams, an artistic educator for Matrix Canada, offers up these fixes for four common summer hair woes.

1. Damaged, Dry Hair

Time spent in the blazing sun can lead to dry, brittle hair, split ends and frizziness. To minimize damage, allow your hair to air-dry rather than using hair dryers and other hot styling tools. “Embrace your natural texture,” Williams advises. The less-is-more approach applies to washing hair too. “I don’t feel like anybody needs to wash their hair every day,” she says. “It’s not necessary and it’s not good for your hair.” Wash your hair two to three times per week. Apply a leave-in conditioner or primer to towel-dried hair. “Look for a product that adds both moisture and UV protection,” Williams says. Use a hydrating hair treatment once a week to replenish lost moisture. Use silk scrunchies and a silk pillowcase to reduce friction and minimize breakage of hair strands.

Hair Helper: Maurizio’s Hydrating Hair Mask helps restore moisture and shine to damaged hair.

2. Swimmer’s Hair

Besides being drying, “Chlorine can change the colour of hair to a greenish tinge,” Williams notes. “The best thing would be to use a swim cap but a lot of people don’t like to.” The next best thing? Before swimming, wet hair and apply hair mask or conditioner from mid-shaft to ends. Then put your hair in a bun. “The product puts a coating on the hair and creates a barrier,” Williams says. After swimming, use a clarifying shampoo to remove mineral and product build-up. Follow with a hydrating conditioner or hair mask to add moisture back to the hair.

Hair Helper: The Wet Brush Pro Detangle Hair Brush reduces pulling and breakage when combing wet hair.

3. Colour In Crisis

“The sun lightens hair so you will notice more fading of both natural and coloured hair,” Williams says. Dark hair can turn brassy. Blonde hair tends to be more dry already and the sun only makes matters worse. “To lighten hair we strip it of natural colour, so it does make the hair more fragile,” Williams explains. Ask your colourist about treating your hair with a product that repairs broken bonds during the hair colouring process. Remember to look for a hair primer that has UV protection in it. Wear a hat or cover your hair with a scarf to best maintain colour when you’re under the sun.

Hair Helper: Bumble and bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer protects from sun damage and conditions dry hair.

4. Oil and Perspiration

Sweat is a summertime necessity - it’s your body’s built-in cooling system. Made up of water, salts and protein by-products, sweat can be cruel to your hair. Colour fading, damage and dry scalp can result. “If you find you’re sweating I would recommend a dry shampoo to absorb the perspiration and oil that comes along with it,” Williams says. Target sweat and oil after a workout or outdoor excursion to give your hairstyle longevity without shampooing. “Another reason to go with natural hair is summer sweat won’t ruin your style,” Williams points out. “This is the time of year when everyone’s going for that boho-beachy look so you can get away with it.”

Hair Helper: Hide greasy roots with a pretty patterned head wrap, a top-knot or a floppy hat.

Questions for you!

What are your main summertime hair woes? How do you cope? Do you wash and wear and maybe pop on a hat? Or is it all about styling tools?

Photo of Sterling Williams, by Vanessa Vitali

Contact Sterling

All hair styles/photos shown are by Sterling Williams. Find her at Maurizio’s Hair Studio in Newmarket, Ontario.

On Facebook: Style by Sterling and Maurizio’s Hair Studio
On Instagram: @sterlingwilliamshair and @mauriziohaircare

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