Hair care in summer: important rules and common mistakes

Yulia Sedletskaya , rehabilitologist/trichologist of the scalp and hair shaft, developer of procedures for trichological anomalies, leading specialist at Orising, speaker at international congresses, member of the All-Ukrainian Association of Trichologists, member of the RHRS Russian Society for Hair Research, owner of the Sedletskaya studio, work experience - 13 years

What are the important rules for hair care during the hot season?

The most important rule in the summer is maximum hydration of the hair structure and protection from the sun, salty sea water, and wind.

Are there any products or components that MUST be included in every client’s care during the hot spring-summer period?

If in winter clients (and we too) could afford to be a little lazy, making masks 1-2 times a month, then in summer the hair will not forgive this. Be sure to recommend including masks in your care once every 5-7 days, which include:

- hydrolyzed coconut oil;

- eliogeonol is an extract from sunflower oil, which is rich in vitamin E and has sunscreen properties;

- hydrolyzed argan oil (literally saves from fragility);

- hyaluronic acid (helps retain moisture in the hair structure);

- oat proteins (structure and strengthen both the hair structure and the hair follicle).

Do I need to exclude any products during hot weather?

I don’t see any special prohibitions in care during the summer, except that you need to be careful with abrasive peelings. If you have done them on a client or he uses them at home, be sure to warn that after this it is important to protect the scalp from the sun (use SPF, wear caps).

What are the most common grooming mistakes clients make during the summer?

Clients often make mistakes not in care, but in behavior on the beach or under the open scorching sun somewhere. For example, if a client has long hair, she may not braid it at all, but wear it loose while doing active sports on the water, walking on a yacht or while swimming.

This hair behavior may be irreversible. I have a lot of examples where clients lost a third of their hair after one boat trip. This happens due to a “negative combo”: the air is very humid, the wind is quite strong, and as a result, the hair becomes tangled and impossible to comb. Clients try to sort out the tangled strands, but all attempts are in vain.

Therefore, the main rules of care can be described something like this:

- Before leaving the room, apply protection to the hair structure and let it absorb.

- We braid our hair in a braid or bun and only then go to the beach.

- During the day, I recommend repeating the application of the protective agent.

A life hack for when your hair still gets tangled: your sunscreen. Apply it to the strands and very carefully part your hair.