Tresses In A Tangle? Here's Our Post-Summer Haircare Guide

Struggling with dry, frizzy, or damaged hair after your summer holiday? You’re not alone.

The combination of sun exposure, chlorine, saltwater and heat can leave your hair looking less than its best by the end of the sunny season, which is where post-summer haircare comes in.

Whether you’re dealing with split ends, faded colour or an overall lack of moisture, post-summer haircare focuses on reviving and nourishing your locks to restore their natural shine and health.

Discover our tried-and-tested guide to rejuvenating your hair, featuring tips and product recommendations to help your tresses look their best in no time – whether super curly or poker straight.

What’s your damage?

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Dryness

Straw-like strands are one of the most common triggers for post-summer haircare because so many of our favourite summer activities can cause dryness. Prolonged UV exposure from the sun damages the hair’s outer layer; hot, humid weather increases moisture loss; and swimming in the sea and chlorinated pools can strip your hair of its natural oils. More frequent hair washing due to sweat buildup, plus air con in your hotel room, may lead to dryness too.

Solution: nourishing masks

Luckily, there’s an indulgent solution at hand. Add a nourishing hair mask onto the end of your haircare routine once or twice a week to remoisturise your tresses. Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer, Amika’s Bond Repair and Briogeo’s Deep Conditioning Mask will quickly get to work when left on for 10 minutes and are especially good for curly hair that has become coarse. Our tip? Apply them in the bath so you can lie back and relax for a little while longer.

Tangled, knotty hair

The sea breeze, the aforementioned dryness, and being in and out of the pool can all leave your hair tangled, knotty and difficult to brush.

Solution: leave-in conditioners

The first step –  rather than simply trying to yank a brush through all the knots – is to make sure you have a detangler to hand. Spritz on a leave-in conditioner, such as those from Fable & Mane, Gisou and Pureology, whenever your hair is wet to reduce friction when you brush, and to add some overall shine. Then, start brushing from the bottom of your hair, working upwards. This avoids too much strain being put on your roots, which can lead to more breakage.

Faded colour

Another nuisance of the summer sunshine is that it can quickly cause your colour to fade. The sun’s UV rays break down the chemical bonds in hair dye causing fading, while also acting like natural bleach, lightening both natural and dyed hair over time. Higher temperatures, humidity and salt water can also make your hair cuticle lift, leading dye molecules to bleach out and dull your shade.

Solution: tone correctors

To protect your hair colour, you want to use gentle shampoos and conditioners – specifically those that are designed to be colour safe throughout the year. But, for boosted protection post-summer, look to colour safe protection sprays too, such as our favourite from Aveda, and nourishing lightweight treatments like the award-winning L’Oréal Paris’ Elvive Dream Lengths.

For blondes – who may know the irritation of the greenish tint their hair gets (caused by the chlorine in swimming pools) try Josh Wood’s at-home colour corrector to see you through.

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Hair damage

If you look at your hair right now and see visibly dry, split ends, as well as unevenness in length and thinning (due to breakage), your hair is probably in need of some real TLC after the summer.

Solution: damage repairers

Alongside protective measures and nourishing masks, your next step is targeted weekly treatments, such as the iconic Olaplex, our beauty editor’s favourite bond repairing mask from K18, and Color Wow’s award-winning hair reviving cocktail. These clever products work by penetrating the hair shaft to infuse your hair with strengthening proteins, moisturisers, botanicals and peptides, which help support and replace the broken bonds that have caused breakage in your hair.

Heat damage

One of the easiest things to do if you’re struggling with lacklustre hair is to put down your heat styling tools, such as hairdryers, straighteners and curling irons, which can contribute to dryness and breakage. However, if you don’t want to break up with them just yet, there is a simple step you can add within your post-summer haircare routine: applying heat protection before you use them.

Solution: heat protectors

By spritzing a heat protectant onto your hair, you create a protective barrier that reduces each strand’s exposure to high temperatures, while also helping to seal in moisture (which heat tools normally evaporate away). Some of the formulas also contain ingredients that enhance styling by reducing drying time and even UV protection to shield hair from the sun’s damaging rays. Our favourites include GHD’s Bodyguard, Bumble & Bumble’s Invisible Oil (with UV protect) and Rihanna’s new 5-in-1 Styler.

Lead image: Tresse

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