I am in full sun protection mode right now that summer is in full swing. And I need everything to stay hydrated – the skin, the internal body and the last thing that many my forget about…your hair. Keeping your hair hydrated during the summer is super important because the sun can be so damaging to it. I’ve been on a major healthy hair journey this past year because my hair has become very thin and lackluster so I am doing everything I can to keep it healthy. Dry hair can be dull, brittle and more prone to damage. Ensuring your hair is hydrated can be confusing and not always as straightforward as keeping your skin and body hydrated.
I’m going to share some effective and practical strategies (and hair care products) to keep your hair hydrated and add moisture back in. It’s better to set up a good hair care routine at the beginning of summer rather than trying to repair all the damage at the end of summer.
How To Keep Your Hair Hydrated
When my hair is well hydrated, it is easier to style and looks better. And since the humidity is very high where I live, the constant struggle to keep my hair frizz-free is not fun. Having it healthy and in great condition always helps with keeping my frizz minimal. There are many things that can cause dry or damaged hair so it’s important to be aware of these causes and do what you can to avoid them or minimize the effects. Some issues may be out of our control, but there are definitely steps you can take to help your hair stay hydrated throughout the summer.
What Causes Dry Hair
Sun
This is the most obvious cause during the summer. The sun dries out any and everything especially our hair.
Excessive Heat Styling
Heat styling with hair dryers or a curling iron is always going to be hard on the hair, so ensuring you keep it to a minimum during the summer.
Chemical Treatments
This could be either coloring, bleaching or straightening your hair – all of these things cause some type of damage to the hair making it more prone to getting excessively dry during the summer.
Climate
How dry or humid your environment is can be a big factor in how dry your hair will be. I live in a humid area which you think may help with dryness but often the side effect of humid weather is frizzy hair. LOL
Washing Your Hair
Honestly, this is going to be different for everyone so try and find a washing schedule that is best for your hair type (curly hair, straight hair, fine hair, thick hair, etc). That could mean every day or every few days. Overwashing your hair can dry it out significantly so it’s trying to the perfect balance between keeping it clean and keeping it healthy. Personally I wash my hair twice a week (Wednesday and Sunday) and find that works really well for me. On the days I don’t wash it, I swear by this dry shampoo.
How To Hydrate Hair
There are many ways to keep your hair hydrated during summer and one of the best ways is using products that will help with this. From deep conditioning masks to scalp oils, I have a great roundup of products that really help keep my hair healthy.
Use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner
Obviously this will depend on your exact hair type, but if you find that your hair is very dry especially during the warmer months use a shampoo and conditioner that helps to put moisture back in. A few shampoos and conditioners I personally love: the Colleen Rothschild Quench and Shine Shampoo and the Colleen Rothschild Replenish and Shine Conditioner, Kerastase Bain Chroma Absolu Shampoo and Absolu Strengthening Conditioner, the Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner. One that has been recommended to me so many times but I have not yet tried is the Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner.
Use heat sparingly
The more heat styling and hot tools you use on your hair, the more damage and dry it will become. One of the best tools that I have found which has significantly reduced the heat damage on my hair is the Zuvi Halo Hair Dryer. I have an entire review on it and have been using it for a few years now. There are so many blow dryers on the market so it can be confusing when deciding which one to get so I always like to share this recommendation based on my own personal experience. I like to style my hair most days but if I want to skip a day using my curling iron then I will opt for a cute headband or fabulous baseball cap!
Apply a heat protectant
Before you blow dry your hair or heat style it, apply a heat protectant to ensure your hair receives as little damage as possible. I am currently using this one from Kerastase and love it. However I want to try this next because I have heard amazing things!
Deep condition at least once a week
Since I only wash my hair twice a week, one of those days I will use a deep conditioner to ensure my hair gets a full moisture treatment. I swear by this one from Colleen Rothschild to help add moisture back into the ends and lower half of my hair.
Oil your scalp
This is something that I just started doing about 6-8 months ago because I heard that applying an oil to your scalp once a week can provide so many great benefits. It helps to nourish your scalp and promote hair growth. There are natural oils from the scalp that you want to maintain and not strip away. I tried a few scalp oils before finding the one that works really well for me. I use the Anablue Treatment Oil and love how healthy my scalp feels now! (my Anablue discount code is MAREE15)
Apply a hair oil to your ends
I was so skeptical about using hair oils in general because so many would weigh my fine hair down and make it look greasy and piecey. I knew it was worth using one to help hydrate my ends and keep them healthy so I kept trying until I found something that worked. And especially during the summer, I apply one every single day to my ends because the sun dries them out instantly. Here are a few that I use and love: the Sisley Rituel Hair Oil, the Anablue Hair Serum (code: MAREE15) and the Kerastase Elixir Ultime Hydrating Hair Oil.
Wash your hair with lukewarm water
I LIVE for a very hot shower but honestly I know that super hot water is not good for my hair, skin, etc. And especially during the summer I try to shower with lukewarm water to contribute to keeping my hair more hydrated and retain moisture.
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