The beach is our favorite place to be during the summer, but it’s also a place filled with hair extension perils. Between the intense sunlight, accompanying heat, dry air, and harsh seawater, your extensions can leave a day at the beach looking ragged--or worse--showing actual signs of damage. Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize beach hair damage that won’t get in the way of your summer fun. Here are a couple of our favorite tips to get your started:
Use UV protection. We’ve mentioned this tip before, and for good reason. Protecting your hair from the sun’s UV rays is the bare minimum for long-lasting, healthy locks. Make it your haircare starting point, regardless of the season, or find products that multi-task, like serum with UV protection included.
Pack in the leave-in conditioner. You hair needs extra moisture during the summer months to counteract sun and heat-related drying, and it needs even more to counteract salty ocean water. The key is to saturate your hair before getting into the water--especially at the ends--so that your hair has a barrier that prevents it from losing moisture or absorbing ocean water.
Wear your hair up. Once you’ve applied your Argan Oil, we recommend that you tie your hair up in a protective style, so the ends of your hair are not exposed to the elements. This helps to minimize the amount of hair that you’re exposing to sun, sand, surf, etc., and keeps the most vulnerable parts of your hair from excessive drying.
Cover your head. Whether it’s with a swim cap, a sunhat, or a pretty scarf, covering your hair ensures that your hair is protected to-the-max. This is especially important for hair extension-wearers, as the heat from the sun can compromise the integrity of extension bonds. It’s also important for preventing heat stroke and fatigue, as the shade over your head will keep your beautiful brain as cool as possible. Bring at least one head cover in addition to your umbrella for versatility.
Correct damage in the shower. We recommend that you shower immediately after spending time in ocean or pool water to clean your hair of the mineral buildup that accompanies it. Left unchecked, these minerals can damage the hair’s protective layer, cause hair breakage, and even alter the color of your strands. Use a sulfate-free clarifying shampoo to get the job done, then follow up with more conditioning around your midshaft and ends. If you’d like, you can even pre-emptively color correct with lavender or gold-tinted products.
Dry your roots. As an extension-wearer, you know that wet bonds are no good for hair extensions. That’s why it’s important that you dry your hair after getting it wet. Apply some heat protectant to your roots before hitting it with a blowdryer, and make sure you get your entire root and bond area sufficiently dry.
Re-condition your ends. Once again, you want to make sure your hair stays hydrated after a long day in the sun, so coat the ends in another round of leave-in conditioner so they can soak up as much moisture as possible!
If you follow these tips, we guarantee that your next-day beach hair will be as beautiful as your glowing beach-trip skin!
For more summer hair extension reading, check out the following posts:
Donna Bella’s Summer Favorites!
Overcoming Hat Hair
When in Maui…
Have a question? Leave it in the comments below!