As the sunny season reaches its end, you might have noticed that all that fun in the summer sun has done a number on your strands. Sun exposure has a drying and bleaching effect while swimming in chlorinated pools or salty oceans only exacerbates your hair’s dehydration. The result? Strands that are brittle and break easily, with a sun-faded hue that mutes your natural tones.
It can be easy to throw up your hands and give up, but we’ve got good news for you. Unlike hair damage caused by heat styling, bleaching, or harsh chemical hair treatments, the damage caused by your summer fun is largely fixable, once you know the right tips, techniques, and products to reach for. Read on to learn how to get your strands back on track.
Add a Hair Health Boosting Serum to Your Routine
The best way to help your hair repair itself is to make sure it has all the macronutrients and vitamins it needs to thrive. Your summer hair is likely depleted of these hair health essentials, making any environmental damage you might have been exposed to even worse. To get your hair back on track, you need to re-up on the support your strands need to thrive.
Get stocked up with this beloved hair serum from the cult beauty brand VEGAMOUR. Packed with vegan bioactives like turmeric, red clover, and mung bean, fans online swear by this serum’s ability to transform even the most damaged strands.
Don’t believe us? Check out the nearly 15,000 positive reviews (!) from users who love this serum’s ability to help them grow thicker-looking, stronger-feeling strands. Simply apply to your scalp in the morning and evening, and watch the hair health magic happen. It’s the boost you need to get your hair’s post-summer mojo back.
Let Your Hair Down…Literally!
Aside from all that sun, sand, and surf, one of the biggest causes of summer hair damage is, ironically, the protective styles you use to keep your strands off your neck and out of the water.
That go-to high pony, top knot, or tightly braided style you used to keep your hair off your neck might have been great for beating the heat, but once temperatures start to drop it’s time to let your hair down. They’re essential in the summer, but once summer ends you need to give your hair a much-needed break. The damage will be worse if you use a rubber band or hair tie with a little metal closure that can snag and pull out hair at the roots.
Even with a hair-healthy tie, these high and tight styles are stressful for your strands, pulling at follicles and causing friction that can lead to breakage over time. Wearing your hair loose and taking a break from these high-stress styles allows your scalp and roots to recover and your strands to relax.
Nourish Strands from the Inside
They say you are what you eat, and that’s definitely true when it comes to hair wellness. Summertime is the season when many of us are eating our worst, and unfortunately, your hair may bear the brunt of these nutritional decisions.
In the summertime it’s easy to rely on quick grab-and-go snacks and fast food standbyes, and with temperatures so high you’re more likely to be dehydrated, leaving your strands deprived of the nutrients they need. Adding a daily hair wellness biotin gummy to your routine is hands down the easiest, and tastiest, way to ensure your hair is getting the nutritional support it needs to thrive.
Packed with biotin, folic acid, and vitamins A, B-5, C, E, 6, and 12 to help maintain scalp wellness and neutralize follicle-damaging free radicals, these tasty strawberry gummies are just what the doctor ordered. For bonus points, wash your gummy down with between 3-4 liters of water per day to make sure your hair and body are hydrated.
Beat the Heat
After all that summer sunshine, the last thing your hair needs is more heat exposure. If you’re in the habit of using hot styling tools on your strands, now is the time to take a break from heat styling every day.
Consider switching to heat styling alternatives like heatless curlers, hair wrapping, or sleeping in protective styles like braids to help your hair maintain its desired texture. You can also make the switch to a silk pillowcase to keep strands smoothed and tame.
If you must heat style occasionally, make a habit of using protective products and use a heat styling tool with a temperature gauge so you can monitor your hair’s exposure to minimize damage to your strands. Ideally keep heat styling reserved for special occasions, when your hair needs a little extra oomph, and keep it heat-free on a daily basis.
Cut Your Losses
Last but not least, one of the best things you can do for dry, damaged strands is to get a trim. Even during cooler months, experts say that regular haircuts are an essential hair wellness tool, preventing split ends from spreading and keeping hair damage at bay.
This is especially true towards the end of summer when your heat, chlorine, and salt exposure have likely left the end of your strands brittle, thin, and splitting. Give your hair a much-needed reset by making an appointment with your stylist for an end-of-summer trim.
For bonus points, share your hair wellness goals while you’re there for a crash course on heat-free styling and other tips and tricks that’ll help keep your hair happy and healthy for many months to come.
So there you have it—our guide to getting your hair back on track from summer damage. We hope it helps you reclaim your happiest, healthiest, and best-looking strands yet.