Summertime is both the best- and the worst time for hair – especially if you have tresses that tend to explode at the first sign of rain or humidity. We all know it’s important to protect our skin during Summer when we’re out & about in the sun, but did you know your hair also needs some TLC? Summer can wreak havoc on your hair – salt from the sea, UV rays, and chlorine from swimming pools. Heat from the sun degrades the protective protein in hair, this will not only wipe out shine but also fade the colour and leave your hair dry and brittle.
Lucky for you, I have a list of top notch hair care products (and a styling tool) that will save your locks this Summer.
Ready? Let’s get crackin’!
DRY SHAMPOO:
Batiste Strength & Shine Dry Shampoo ♥ R 79,95
Like oily skin, an oily scalp gets worse in Summer – heat makes sebaceous glands create more oil, plus there’s also perspiration to worry about. During Summer you don’t want to over-wash your hair, between heat and humidity it already has enough to deal with. Keep your style fresh between washes with a dry shampoo that absorbs oil, adds body and deodorises hair. If you are yet to jump on the dry shampoo bandwagon, then hop on board because you are missing out on what is quite possibly the best thing since sliced bread.
I have been using Batiste Dry Shampoo for years (check out this blog post for a full review on 6 of the scents – Tropical and Cherry are my faves). Batiste recently launched 2 amazing additions to their incredibly popular dry shampoo family: Strength & Shine Dry Shampoo, and a Smoothing Dry Conditioner (packed with argan oil). The new Strength & Shine variant is my current go-to option, because it is translucent (that means no white powdery residue on my dark hair). The feather-light formulation is enriched with L’Argentine, an amino acid that stimulates your hair follicles to strengthen hair, making it naturally glossy. I like that the shine it provides is very natural, so you don’t have to worry about it leaving your hair looking greasy. Exclusive to Clicks stores.
LEAVE-IN HAIR TREATMENT:
Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Moisture Kick Spray Conditioner ♥ R 273,00
We all know prevention is better than cure – it’s much easier to keep your hair in good condition, than to repair it once the damage has been done. And that’s exactly what leave-in conditioner are there for, they dose dehydrated locks with additional lightweight moisture. If you don’t have time to sit with a hair mask on your head, a leave-in conditioner is the next best thing. Most leave-in conditioning sprays protect the hair against sun damage, and provide anti-frizz and anti-humidity properties.
Think of it as a type of primer, but for your hair. A few spritzes of the Schwarzkopf Professional Moisture Kick Spray Conditioner will detangle, soften and add shine. Ingredients to look for when shopping for leave-in conditioners are silicones, such as Dimethicone Copolyol and Cyclomethicone, as both provide moisture and smoothness without weighing down the hair (Moisture Kick contains both). I have relatively fine hair (my hair looks thick because a have A LOT of fine hair) and this leave-in conditioner doesn’t weigh my hair down at all. Another alternative is the Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Barbary Fig Oil Restorative Conditioning Milk (R 199,00), I’m very keen to try that one soon! Available at selected hair salons, and online at Retail Box and Everything Hair.
For a more affordable option, check out the John Frieda Frizz Ease Daily Miracle Leave-In Conditioner (available at Clicks stores).
CLARIFYING SHAMPOO:
LUSH BIG Shampoo ♥ R 195,00
Add a clarifying shampoo to your Summer hair care routine to help battle grease, chlorine, and styling product overload. Product build-up, dirt, and oil can lead to dull, limp and dehydrated hair. Most regular shampoos only gently cleanse your strands, so they aren’t able to stand up to the task of eradicating dulling agents. Think of them as shampoos on steroids – they cut through product build-up and oils to leave your hair squeaky clean and voluminous. Be careful not to overdo it with these types of shampoos (once a week is more than enough), as they can strip your hair of its natural hydrating oils and can cause fading in colour-treated hair.
BIG Shampoo is one of LUSH’s best-sellers and with good reason – its main purpose is to deep-clean, add body and shine. It contains small chunks of sea salt, that gently scrub the hair and exfoliate the scalp. It smells amazing, organic lemon and lime really give it a fresh and citrusy scent. For a full in-depth review on BIG shampoo, take a look at this blog post. Available in the LUSH South Africa online store or at your nearest LUSH store (Cavendish, V&A Waterfront, Canal Walk, Gateway, Dainfern Square and Rosebank Mall).
For a more affordable option, check out TRESemmé Cleanse & Replenish Deep Cleanse Shampoo (available at Clicks and Dis-Chem).
HAIR MASK:
Dove Advanced Hair Series Pure Care Oil Treatment Mask ♥ R 99,99 (on sale at Dis-Chem for R 34,97 – I kid you not!)
Similar to how your body needs water to survive, your hair must replenish its moisture to stay healthy. When your hair is dry, brittle and dull, a heavy-duty hydrating mask is the answer. It will top up the moisture in each strand, leaving it soft and shiny. When my hair feels particularly frazzled, I like to apply a good-sized glob of this to wet hair and leave on for 5 to 10 minutes. I usually give my hair a deep treatment mask once a week on a Sunday (my pamper day), and sometimes I will finish up in the shower with the hair mask still on my hair and will only rinse it out after 30 minutes. I always keep a hair clip in the shower, read this blog post if you’re wondering why I do this.
This intensive treatment from Dove detangles, nourishes and controls unruly and coarse hair after a day at the beach. The Pure Care Dry Oil formula uses fine, pure drops of botanical oils including African macadamia oil, coconut- and sweet almond oil to soften hair and reduce frizz, without weighing it down. It creates a lightweight barrier around each strand of hair to condition and smooth the cuticle, helping hair to retain the necessary moisture. Even in intense humidity, it leaves hair soft, smooth and frizz-free while maintaining natural movement. The whole Pure Care Dry Oil range from Dove is a winner, and you can expect to see both the shampoo and conditioner in my ‘Best Of Beauty 2015′ blog post in January. Available at selected retailers, as well as Clicks and Dis-Chem stores (or in the Dis-Chem online store).
Top Tip: You can make your own leave-in conditioner at home, using your favourite hair treatment mask. Get yourself a spray bottle, you can either go buy one at Dis-Chem (they cost around R20,00) or you can use an old store bought leave-in conditioner bottle. Grab your favourite hair mask or conditioner, add approximately 2 tablespoons of conditioner into the spray bottle and then top up with water (distilled water is best) leaving about 1cm gap at the top. Shake it up and spritz all over your hair to detangle, soften and moisturise. Works like a charm!
STYLING CREAM:
L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.ART Hollywood Waves Fatales ♥ R 310,00
Give your hair a break from blowouts and too much heat styling – embrace air-drying, casual braids, buns and heatless waves. Styling creams are multi-tasking products, they help to tame your air-dried strands, whilst adding smoothness and light texture. Most people think styling creams can only be used as a pre-heat styling product, but there are a few styling creams out there that can actually also be used as a product that gives you natural curls / waves without heat. A styling cream also temporarily ‘glues’ hair cuticles down, preventing the absorption of water molecules from the air (frizz fighting).
Tecni.ART Hollywood Waves Fatales is a scuplting gel-cream with a lightweight water-based formula, enriched with styling polymers. It isn’t heavy on the hair, smells wonderful and even gives hair a bit of body and non-sticky texture. What I like about it, is it can be used as a pre-styling product before you curl your hair using a tong / curling iron to create more defined and longer lasting curls; or it can be applied to damp hair and will enhance natural curls. If you don’t have naturally curly or wavy hair, don’t fret, apply to damp hair and braid in sections or twist into 2 or 4 buns on your head. Once dry, unbraid or untwist to reveal natural-looking waves and curls. Tecni.ART Hollywood Waves Fatales is available at selected hair salons, or online at Everything Hair.
More affordable options are John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Daily Styling Spray, Marc Anthony Curl Envy Cream, or Trevor Sorbie Curl And Waves Cream (all available at Dis-Chem).
HAIR OIL:
Redken Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine ♥ R 577,00
To balance and rehydrate, oils work just as well on the hair as they do on the face. Penetrating oils increase the hair’s ability to absorb and retain water molecules, keeping hair hydrated and less frazzled. Certain oils (i.e. sunflower oil) are also like a lightweight security blanket for your hair colour, they contain a natural SPF and UV filters that protect your colour and enhance shine.
I recently started using Redken Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine, and I am loving it! The hybrid oil technology combines polymers and natural hair oils (coriander oil, apricot oil, and sunflower oil), to help lock in moisture, boost strength, prevent frizz, and protect against damages due to friction from brushing and styling. The pipette dropper means you have total control over how much product you use, cutting down on unnecessary wastage. This hair oil really is a multi-tasker – you can use it a pre-shampoo oil rinse, overnight intense treatment, pre-heat styling product and as a finishing oil to add gloss and shine. A pea-size drop of this lightweight hair oil is enough to soften dehydrated ends and protect your hair from the elements (heat, humidity, and hot tools). Available at selected hair salons, or online at Retail Box and Everything Hair.
Top Tip: To fortify your conditioner or styling cream, mix in a drop of hair oil. Certain oils (argan oil, macadamia oil and coconut oil) help to repair the structure of damaged hair fibres, restoring the bonds between the cuticles, building strength and vitality.
More affordable options are Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Nourishing Treatment Oil (currently 50% off at Dis-Chem), L’Oréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil, or OGX Argan Oil & Shea Butter Weightless Oil.
HAIR TOOL:
Cloud Nine Original Styler ♥ R 2395,00 (currently on sale at Retail Box for R 2099,95)
Some of us simply can’t live without some type of hair tool during the hot (and humid) Summer months. Even though I am a slave to an army of hair tools, if I had to choose just one type of styling tool, it would definitely be a flat iron. Flat irons help to fight frizz, smooth out stubborn strands, and often help a good blowout last a day or two longer. In addition to sporting sleek hairdos, you can also create beachy waves and smooth & shiny voluminous curls. If you would like to see how I curl my hair using a flat iron – there’s a ‘How To’ video on my YouTube channel here. You can also check out this blog post for additional tips when curling your hair with a flat iron. My weapon of choice at the moment is the Cloud Nine Original Styler (the curls you see in the above photo were created with this nifty hair tool).
I received this hair straightener in the Retail Box Secret Box #20 about 3 weeks ago – can you believe they were selling the box for only R 990,00! Retail Box always have incredible deals when it comes to their #RBSecretBox boxes, you can check them out here. Back to the straightener: The black ceramic plates glide really easily through the hair as you twist and turn, leaving my hair looking healthier and shinier than it did before (I’m not fibbing). I frizzy mane is no match for this heat tool! It features a temperature control function, which you can change with the click of a button, this is the key to producing a variety of hair styles. For tight, defined curls I turn it up to the highest temperature setting (don’t forget to apply a heat protecting spray) and twist the iron through smaller sections of hair. For loose waves I go with one of the lower temperature settings and spin the iron through larger sections of hair. Comb / brush through and add a shine-enhancing hair oil – perfect everytime! For more info on The Original Styler from Cloud Nine, check out this blog post. If you are after a quality multi-functional hair tool, you can’t go far wrong with this little beauty!
Top Tip: Like a sponge, dry hair absorbs the first liquid to which it is exposed so be sure to prep hair before taking a dip in the pool or ocean. Wet your hair with tap water before going for a swim and it won’t absorb as much chlorinated water. For extra Summer hair protection, coat wet hair with Philip Kingsley Swimcap (R 515,00), and comb through. Leave this treatment on the hair to guard against the effects of sun, chlorine and salt water whilst sunbathing and swimming. It’s like a sunscreen for your hair and protects against hair breakage, dehydration, colour fading and discolouration from copper in swimming pool water. Philip Kingsley products are available in the Philip Kingsley South Africa online store, or on Takealot.com. As luck would have it, Takealot.com has a cute 75ml size available for R 179,00 (full size is 150ml) – what a bargain!
Disclaimer: Batiste kindly sponsored the dry shampoo section of this blog post.
Have a lovely weekend, everyone! I’ll be back on Monday morning with a fabulous GIVEAWAY!
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