Summer Kickoff: Essential Guide to Summertime Hair Care
While many of us remember to slather on sunscreen to protect our skin in the summer sun, we don’t always consider our hair needs. Now that we spend more time outdoors, our hair counts more than ever!
Chlorine, salt water, and sun are drying agents, so the keyword is moisture in summer hair. A lack of moisture in our hair can lead to split ends, breakages, dandruff, and an overproduction of natural oils to compensate for dehydration.
We’re here to talk about protecting, styling, and repairing your tresses in summertime.
Let’s get started!
Fun in the Sun at the Beach
Say hello to salt, sun, sweat, and sand. You may have dreams of gorgeous mermaid beach waves, but the sad truth is, more often than not, saltwater dehydrates your hair and scalp, stripping them of moisture and leaving your hair rough and frizzy.
Good news: A great day at the beach doesn’t have to mean your hair will be dry, rough, or even brittle afterward.
How to Protect Your Hair from the Sun, Sand and Saltwater
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Use a leave-in conditioner before going to the beach to boost your hair's moisture.
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Put down your hair straightener or curler, and let your natural tresses fly! Subjecting your hair to high heat before a day in the sun will do no favors. Plus, once you expose your hair to the sea air and saltwater, Mother Nature decides your new look for the day!
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Use our No Remorse Heat Protection & Taming Spray before heading to the beach to give hair an added level of protection from the heat while helping to keep frizz and flyaways at bay.
How to Style Your Hair for a Day at the Beach
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A hat will protect your scalp from the sun when you venture from the beach umbrella, while a swim cap will shield your scalp and locks from the harshest ocean salts.
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If hats aren’t your style, consider a hairstyle, like a top bun or braid, that protects your delicate strands from the salty air and your scalp from the scorching summer sun.
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Pack a microfiber towel or soft cotton T-shirt to dry off tresses after a dip in the sea. The rough material of beach towels will only further damage and stress out your locks, while cotton T-shirts are much more gentle.
How to Repair Your Hair from a Great Beach Day
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The answer is simple: if you’re wondering how to get sand out of your hair. Wash your hair as soon as you return home—repeat if needed. Don’t let the sea salt sit on your scalp and in your hair longer than necessary.
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Use our hydrating and repairing Second Chance Repairing Duo to replenish the moisture in your thirsty locks.
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Reach for our Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque when you get out of the shower and show your hair some love with good deep conditioning—leave it in all night and wash it out in the morning.
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If you have strands with tangles, wait until after you wash your hair before trying to brush them out. And since not all hair types and their tangles are created equal, check out our guide to detangling tresses for all hair types.
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Keep your straighteners and curlers in the drawer. After a day at the beach, your hair can be even more dehydrated and brittle. Like your skin, your hair needs a rest after you’ve had some fun in the sun.
Relaxing by the Pool
Chlorine can be as harmful to your hair as saltwater, becoming the real villain of summertime fun. It strips your hair of its natural, protective oils, leaving it brittle and leading to breakages, and can cause mild to severe irritation on your scalp. Chlorine can also make your hair look dull and lifeless and fade the color of dyed hair.
How to Protect Your Hair Before You Head to the Pool
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You should always try to add extra moisture to your hair and avoid heat tools before spending a day by the pool.
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You can also pack the same microfiber cloth or T-shirt you’d take to the beach.
How to Style Your Hair for Pool Day Fun
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The number one way to protect your hair from chlorine is by putting it up and keeping it dry. So, if you’d rather lay out and tan than take a few laps, you’re golden.
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If you can’t resist a total dunk in the pool (no one would blame you!), and you don’t want to wear a swim cap, a hair clip might be the solution. This way, you can rock that mermaid hair while you’re poolside, then put it up with a clip so it doesn’t get in the way when you go for a dip and start swimming around.
How to Repair Your Hair From a Day at the Pool
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Just like after a day at the beach, you’ll want to wash your hair as soon as possible so that the chlorine doesn’t dull and dehydrate your hair. Packed in an eco-friendly travel pouch, our Purest Shine Revitalizing Duo Kit features our fragrance-free and hypoallergenic Full Transparency shampoo and conditioner, so you can add luster and liveliness to dull, dry hair even if you're away from home.
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Add a deep conditioner to your hair-care routine to help replenish some of the moisture lost in the pool.
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Due to chlorine's extra-drying and damaging properties, you’ll want to add our Superpower Hair & Scalp Duo to your post-shower routine (and remember to use it every night after that) and let it work its magic all night. Your scalp’s health is just as important as your hair’s!
Outdoor Sweat Sesh
You’re guaranteed to build up a sweat anytime you work out, but even more so if you exercise outside when the weather’s nice. While you may have been able to skip washing your hair after a workout in AC, you might not be able to now. An excess buildup of sweat can clog the pores in your scalp if you don’t properly cleanse your hair after an intense workout.
How to Protect Your Hair When You’re Working Out Outside
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Make sure you stay hydrated for you and your hair. Your hair uses water from the inside out, too!
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Hats and caps are a great go-to—you’ll have hat hair at the end, but your scalp will be safe and protected from the sun, and a large portion of your hair will be tangle-free. You can also consider a sweatband.
How to Style Your Hair for an Outside Workout
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When wearing a hat, you can leave your hair down (especially if you have short hair) or pull it into a braid, ponytail, or even pigtail so it’s off your neck. When your hair is safe and protected, you can focus on putting your all into your workout.
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By keeping your hair off the back of your neck, you can keep it, and your hair's follicles, from absorbing additional oils from your skin.
How to Repair Your Hair After an Outdoor Workout
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Cleanse your scalp. Cleanse your scalp. Cleanse your scalp. Using our New Dawn Activated Charcoal Scalp Cleanser before you shampoo guarantees that all the dirt, grime, and excess sweat and oils will be lifted from your scalp, leaving your hair fresh and dandruff-free.
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Whether you usually take your supplements before or after your workout, you can guarantee that your hair, skin, and scalp are getting what they need by adding our Significant Other Hair, Skin & Nails Supplement to your supplement routine. Why not reap some amazing benefits from the inside while working on your outside? It’s a win-win!
Weekend Camping Getaway
Sometimes, you need to escape from it all and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature. But just because you’re relaxing in nature, away from most, if not all, modern conveniences, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the health and quality of your hair. Nor should you.
How to Protect Your Hair from the Elements When Camping
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The fewer tangles you have at the start of your trip, the fewer you’ll have at the end. Begin with freshly detangled and combed hair so there are fewer loops and bunches to catch on any low-hanging branches while hiking through the woods.
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You may also find that it’s easier in the long run to style your hair with product the day before you leave. This means you can rock your 2nd-, 3rd- or even 4th-day hair while relaxing in a hammock or roasting marshmallows by the fire. Starting with styled hair may also help decrease the chances of you leaving with that unkempt “camping hair.”
How to Style Your Hair all Camping Weekend
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As mentioned above, starting with freshly styled hair might be your best bet. But if you don’t have time or don’t want to deal with it, you have other options.
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Put your hair in a high ponytail, bun, or braid to keep your beautiful strands together and away from stray branches and leaves.
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If you usually brush your hair when it’s dry, bring a brush to get the tangles out before hopping in your sleeping bag. But if you usually detangle your hair when wet, you may want to make the best of an updo until you can enjoy a proper shower at home!
How to Repair Your Hair After a Great Camping Weekend
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With the help of our dry shampoo, you can rest assured that your hair won’t be in one big, oily knot when you get home and hop in the shower.
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Aside from a little campfire and woodsy scent, you should be able to go about your regular hair-care routine!
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Just be careful when you detangle your hair—there’s a fair chance you may have brought a few stray leaves and twigs (even ticks!) home with you.
Bring out the Boats
With the sun on your face and the wind in your hair, all your troubles can wash away… while your hair slaps you in the face and tangles into an undividable knot.
Rather than struggle to detangle that mess at the docks, get ahead of the problem by putting your hair in a protective style before stepping on the boat. Several styles won’t crimp your hair, so you can take it back down once you’re off the boat, and it will look just as great as before!
How to Protect Your Hair from Whiplash
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Need to pack a bag for a fun weekend of boating? Grab our Summer Hair SOS Minis Kit, complete with travel-size bottles of our Wake Up Call Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner, No Remorse Summer Hydrating Shield, and a sachet of our Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque! This kit is your hydrating, heat-protecting, and frizz-fighting summertime essential!
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In addition to our must-have hair kit, pack a few headbands, hair clips, and bobby pins.
How to Style Your Hair for a Carefree Boat Ride
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You can bypass the inevitable windblown tangles by putting your hair in a ponytail, bun, or braid. Plus, you won’t have as much hair whipping you in the face!
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Hair clips come in handy, too. You get all the advantages of a hairband without the inevitable crimp by gently twisting your hair and clipping it in place. Don’t forget the bobby pins to corral those strays.
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If it’s the short-hair-don’t-care season for you, headbands might be your best friend! Depending on your hair type and length, you may not need to worry about the wind completely ruining your look—but having a headband on hand to keep the smaller strands from whipping across your face can’t hurt.
How to Repair Your Hair After a Boat-y Afternoon
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Dig out your summer hair kit and get to work! It’s got everything you need, like our volumizing shampoo and conditioner, to bring your hair back to life.
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No matter how well you put your hair up, you’ll probably still have some tangles. So take your time and be gentle when detangling—too much pressure may cause your hair to break, especially if it’s already delicate, damaged, or fragile.
Tell Us: Which tips and tricks do you plan to take along on your summer adventures? Share in the comments below!
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Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a city staycation complete with picnics in the park and nights out with friends, your hair is almost always exposed to heat and sun during the summertime. So, no matter your plans, keep Better Not Younger's travel kits close at hand to ensure your hair looks its best all summer long.
Have questions about how you can combine our products to help you maintain your perfect summer hair? Reach out to us on Facebook and Instagram—we’d love to help you find the perfect products for your action-packed (or relaxation-packed) lifestyle! Better Not Younger has everything your mature hair needs to stay strong and healthy.