he summer heat can wreak maximum hair trouble.
- Part I: Get great hair. But read this first!
- Part III: 6 more secrets of great hair
The ultraviolet rays of the sun can cause permanent damage to the outside covering of the hair -- the cuticle -- and can penetrate into the centre of the hair (the cortex), robbing it of all gloss and moisture.
That is why you need to take special care to avoid dry, faded, drab, split, brittle or frizzy hair.
After all, you want to look good when you let your hair down.
Here are a few tips that may save you a lot of heartache.
1. Cover your hair
The combination of sun, salt water and chlorine sucks moisture off the healthiest head of hair.
Covering it up with a hat, cap or a scarf is a good idea.
Nice chiffon scarves can also become a hip style statement.
If covering your hair isn't your style, try tying it up in a knot, bun or braid, while out in the sun.
2. Trim, trim!
The humidity can make porous hair extremely frizzy.
When your ends are fizzy, it is a sure sign that they are either damaged, split or both.
It is best to get your hair trimmed every six to eight weeks during summers to remove split ends. Trim smart to stay fresh!
3. Use a good shampoo and conditioner
An appropriate shampoo followed by a right conditioner is important for keeping hair healthy and nourished.
Even oily hair deserves a good conditioner.
Kingsley Gomes, senior director, Be Blunt, Mumbai, reinforces the role of a good shampoo and conditioner to keep hair intact and damage-free.
Kingsley recommends: Intense Repair by L'Oreal for dry hair (Rs 310 for 250 ml); Sunsilk Naturals for normal hair (Rs 125 for 500 ml); Sedo control shampoo by L'Oreal for oily hair (Rs 310 for 250 ml).
He also recommends products from L'Oreal, The Body Shop, American Crew, Matrix, Clairol, Paul Mitchell and Schwarzkopf. Prices range from Rs 300 to Rs 600.
Find them too expensive? Kingsley has an explanation.
You need to use these products in really small quantities. That is why, even though they are priced high, they are worth it because they last long.
Kingsley says, "The best recommendation of shampoo and conditioner comes from your hairstylist since s/he knows your hair type the best. So go ahead and get their take."
You could also try Sunsilk Naturals also offers Sunsilk Fresh & Cool, a special summer variant, which has watermelon extracts (Rs 37, 100 ml), Fructis shampoo and conditioner (Rs 62, 100 ml; Rs 58, 100 ml respectively).
5. Spray-on and leave-in conditioners work wonders
A leave-in conditioner penetrates deep into your hair cuticles and heals them completely.
Using it once every week is a good idea.
A spray-on conditioner is another good option. It conditions your hair and sets it really well, making them look manageable and beautiful.
Kingsley recommends: Hydra Repair spray-on conditioner by L'Oreal (Rs 375, 150 ml). It is mild and non-greasy.
- Part I: Get great hair. But read this first!
- Part III: 6 more secrets of great hair
