Time to change your hair care this summer

Summer's almost here. It’s time to make a few changes to your hair care routine and also your hair products to keep your mane cool in the hot months. Exposure to sun and heat can cause your hair to become dry, brittle and frizzy. Let’s find out about the preventive measures that can help to keep our priceless mane at its best.

Summer months bring in heat, dust and sweat. Your hair should be kept clean and nourished to avoid any problems. Shirin Merchant, owner of Kut and Make Salon states that, if your scalp is sweaty and oily then wash your hair daily with a mild shampoo. Avoid applying shampoo with conditioner as it is not a good idea to apply conditioner to your scalp. Instead apply a good conditioner to your hair ends, to keep it nourished and to avoid frizz.

Summer means dryness. Try and avoid usage of styling and curling equipments on your hair like tongs, straighteners, blow dryers etc in the summer months. Your hair will become prone to breakage and dryness if you cause more heat damage with the use of these equipments. Instead let them dry naturally. And keep them conditioned at all times. Shirin suggests pampering your hair with a hair-spa at least once a month to lock in the moisture.

Avoid using a lot of styling products on your hair like gels, mousse, sprays etc. The summer heat will anyway make your hair sticky and dirty and if you use these products often then it will attract more dirt and cause hair problems.

Summer means visit to beaches and pool sides more often. The harsh sun rays can play havoc with your tresses and so can the salt (in sea water) and chlorine (in pool water). Not only your hair is affected, even your scalp can become sensitive and itchy because of these factors.

The way your skin requires protection from the sun and other damaging factors with the help of sunscreen, similarly your hair needs a protective cover too. Oiling your hair before going for a dip or applying generous amount of leave-in conditioner to your hair helps counterfeit the damaging effect of the sun rays and the chemicals. Follow up a dip with a quick hair wash, to remove any traces of chemicals and oil from hair. A hat or an umbrella also comes handy when you are stepping out in the sun to avoid direct exposure to sun rays.

Summer means dehydration. This also affects your hair and can cause hair fall due to dryness. Try to drink 2-3 litres of water every day. Carbonated drinks, tea and coffee make you more dehydrated, therefore choose from herbal tea, fruit juices and flavoured water to quench your thirst. Your hair will shine with vitality if you are not dehydrated.
Summer also means a lot of fun. Vacations and trips happen more in these months and everybody wants to look their best. If you follow a proper hair care routine and take preventive measures to avoid damage to your hair in these months, it is bound to look healthy and beautiful all through the year.

Parimita Chakravorty

http://www.bebeautiful.in/User/Experts/ArticleDetails.aspx?Articleid=107