When the temperature rises and the heat soars to unbearable levels, you do whatever it takes to keep yourself cool. And that means showering more often, going to the beach or dipping in the pool whenever you get the chance. Quite understandably, you might be inclined to wear high pony tails or tight buns to keep your hair away from your face, especially during the day.

Moreover, you will also guzzle down more cold beverages than before (cold beer anyone) in the sweltering heat. This weather drives even the sanest ones insane, making you go overboard in so many ways, causing damage to your skin and hair. Women with healthy hair before the summer end up with messy, brittle hair halfway through the season because of the heat and humidity.

Are you worried about ending up with dry hair? Your hair will do just fine if you take some preemptive measures to keep them moisturized despite the overwhelming heat.

Shampoo Moderately

Yeah, I get it. You are perspiring from head to toe and want to jump into the shower and scrub all the dirt away from your hair by shampooing your head. If it is sweat only then rinse with water (neither too hot nor too cold) and apply conditioner. You can shampoo every alternate day given that your hair is turning quite oily with Keratin shampoos, as they do not remove the essential hair oils produced by the scalp. Remember to apply hair masks bi-weekly if you are shampooing every day to provide deep nourishment to the roots of your hair.

Don’t Skip the Conditioner

No matter how oily your hair gets in the summer, applying conditioner is a must after shampooing and even after rinsing your hair with water only. Plain old water moistens your hair, but when it dries up, it also dries up the hair too. That’s why skipping conditioner is a big NO.

People skip it because they don’t want hair that weighs down because of its oiliness. Apply the conditioner an inch away from the roots if you have medium hair and two inches away if you have hair below your shoulders. Even those with short hair should apply conditioner to the tips of their hair so it doesn’t become frizzy in the heat.

Conditioners are designed especially with the keratin formulations, such as Kerotin keratin conditioner, to seal in the moisture and keep it locked into the hair shaft for longer protection against the harsh elements.

Massage Your Scalp Everyday

Yes, you read that right. And this works not only in summers but in any weather condition that’s extreme. Your scalp is producing natural oils and it feels even oilier because of high humidity. You can massage those natural oils gently into the scalp in circular motions from anywhere between 3 to 5 minutes so the oil can reach the hair shafts easily. You don’t have to shampoo since you didn’t use any oil for massaging. Although if you feel like it, you can rinse your hair and condition it as usual with a keratin conditioner.

Stay Hydrated with Natural Drinks

Water

The summers can be annoyingly disturbing both for your inner and outer health. People get irritated quickly and tempers rise as the heat increases. Grabbing a cold beverage from the nearest store while you are out is tempting. To avoid this, keep water bottles handy and sip even before you feel thirsty to remain hydrated. Remember if your body is hydrated, then your hair will be too.

 

Lemon and Salt

This refreshing drink balances the electrolytes in your body which are vital in maintaining the normal functions in the cells and organs. The bottom line is you want moisturized hair, but how can they be moisturized if your cells are dehydrated and don’t have electrolytes to do their job?

As you perspire, you lose water and along with that water, you lose sodium and chloride (salt) and other minerals important for sustaining your body.

That’s where lemon and salt come into play by providing you with potassium, magnesium and other vitamins. Squeeze half a lemon and a pinch of salt in a glass of water and have it before going out in the sun. You can also keep a bottle of this drink and sip it throughout the day. You can have up to three glasses of lemon water a day in case you are sweating excessively and are spending time outdoors.

A word of caution for those who suffer from stomach ulcers now and then; you should add a teaspoon of honey to this drink and use a quarter lemon or a few drops instead. If you have active ulcers then avoid having this drink (see below). People who have high blood pressure should have this drink without salt.

Mint Water

You can soak in a bunch of fresh mint leaves in water overnight and strain it in the morning. Add water if you want to dilute it, a few cubes of sugar or honey (optional) and stir it. Add in a few ice cubes if you and drink it up. You can also make it and keep it in the fridge for two days. It cools your body and also acts as a detoxifying agent, clearing your system of the harmful free radicals.

A faster way to make this drink is to boil a cup of water, add half a cup of sugar and stir till the sugar is dissolved. Throw in a handful of mint leaves. Remove from heat and let it soak for 5 minutes. Add in 5 glasses of water and drink this throughout the day.

Rinsing your hair with mint water can also refresh your hair and avoid scalp infections as well as itchiness and dandruff. You can leave it on for 3 minutes, then rinse off and condition as is your routine.

Include Yogurt Both in your Hair Regimen and in your Meals

Yogurt can soothe your hair in the sizzling summer heat from the inside out. Aside from cooling, yogurt helps in new growth of hair follicles as it contains lactic acid which removes the dead skin cells. It clears your scalp and the protein content of natural yogurt nourishes it.

Take a good amount of yogurt (beaten, or the clumps will stick to your hair) in the palm of your hand and apply it generously to your scalp and to your hair. Shampoo your hair after half an hour. Your hair will be soothed and moisturized from the roots to the tips if you do this twice weekly and without spending big bucks on a protein treatment at the salon.

You should include yogurt in your everyday summer diet as it will help to keep you cool. You can use any kind of yogurt; full-fat, low –fat or Greek yogurt, the choice is yours, you can have a cup of yogurt with your bowl of cereal in the morning and one in your dinner. If you are always in a rush, especially in the mornings, then make yogurt smoothie at night and consume it in the morning so you and your hair can handle the heat better.

Seal in the Moisture With a Spray

This trick is handy if you are heading to the beach or are exposing yourself to the damning heat for long durations. You can buy a leave-in protection spray over the counter or you can concoct one at home yourself.  Take two cups distilled water and add in 2 tablespoon of argan oil, mix it well and spray it on your hair before venturing outdoors. Keep a spray bottle handy that contains this concoction and spray on your hair frequently to provide moisture in case you feel your hair is turning dry and frizzy due to prolonged sun exposure.

Oil Twice a Week

You skip oil either because you think your hair is too oily and doesn’t need more of it, or it’s too hot and your hair is already stuck to your forehead. But you should oil your hair regularly.

Rinse your hair with water and let them dry before you massage oil into your scalp. A few drops of Argan oil by Kerotin will give you the nourishment your hair needs and undo the damage caused in summers.

Your hair needs this oil because when it gets sweaty, salt builds up on your scalp blocking the pores that allow your scalp to breathe and secrete natural oils into the roots. Ultimately, you end up with brittle hair that is prone to breakage. If you want to avoid this unpleasant situation, don’t skip massaging your hair with oil in the summers.

 

 

Cover Up Your Dyed Hair

Yes, I know you are melting in the sun and don’t want to pile up on your clothing in the heat. You can wrap your long hair in a scarf or put a hat on to protect your tresses from damage. Your dyed hair has already gone through a chemical change and sun will only compound the problem if you leave your hair without protection.

If covering up is an issue and makes you uncomfortable, then apply an SPF lotion or spray on your hair. Yes that might make you sweatier, but that’s a must if you plan to bask in the sun. You are damned if you don’t apply SPF protection to your body, and the same applies to your hair.

You could, to an extent, get away with it given that it’s not a fresh dye job. Although you might still be prone to discolored, dull and damaged hair if you stay too long out in the sun without protection.

Comb Wet Hair with your Fingers Gently

You are taking more frequent showers and going for a swim more often. Just don’t pull on your tangled wet hair with your ordinary comb. First, untangle your knots and gently move your fingers through your hair. Then comb with a wide-toothed comb and let them dry. Only when they are partially dry you should comb them with your hairbrush and leave them open till they aren’t fully dried.

Deep-Condition with Keratin

Your hair is dealing with four major factors; heat, sweat, water (showers) and chlorine (swimming pools).  A keratin deep conditioning mask will stimulate the hair by providing moisture to the scalp and letting it seep into the hair shafts making them sleek and smooth. When your hair is moisturized deeply, it would be able to take on these elements.

You can give yourself a luxurious treatment at home with Kerotin Renewal Mask with Aloe, Rosemary extracts and keratin protein that revives your damaged hair and protects them.

Hair Styles

You can keep your hair open if you don’t sweat so much; just keep them away from your face with a pin or two. The other options include braids, plaits, buns, and knots. Stay away from any tight updo for a long duration. Those tight ponytails and buns that are in the glossy magazines and on the Instagram of your favorite celebrities are just for the sake of taking pictures or for an event that lasts only a few hours. Definitely, such hairdos are a lethal hair mistake young women make in the summers, and regret shortly afterwards.

According to researchers, we shed more hair than usual in the summers than in winters, so you don’t want to add to this hair loss by hair styles that are too tight and pull on your hair strands. These severe hair styles can cause receding hair lines and can trigger hair fall as a result of shock to the scalp.

Also avoid hairstyles that require any kind of heat treatments; blow drying, straightening etcetera for obvious reasons.

Final Say

You can breeze through the summers this year and every year if you just follow these simple guidelines and make them your habit. Keeping yourself hydrated is not only a priority for your health but it’s also crucial for your hair. Healthy ingredients in your diet and in your hair care regimen will result in strong silky hair every season.