Best Care for Your Hair Before + After Sun Exposure
Best Care for Your Hair Before + After Sun Exposure
Considering a UV+Heat Protectant for your hair? Summer is officially just around the corner, and that means more time spent outdoors. You already know you should be applying and re-applying sunscreen, wearing sun-protective clothing, and seeking out shade when possible. Unfortunately, no matter how diligent you are about sun protection, the reality is you’ll still be exposed to free radical damage that can aggravate and inflame your skin, and your hair! While sun exposure may not cause a visible sunburn on your hair, it can leave it in less-than-ideal condition. Our UV+ Heat Protectant can help.
The Warning Signs of UV Damage for Hair
There are immediate and specific warning signs that your skin gives you to let you know that it’s getting too much sun exposure like redness, heat, blistering. But your hair doesn’t have a way to communicate it’s discomfort. Over time, it will let you know via color change; beautiful sunny highlights if it goes well or brassy, yellow or orange tones if it doesn’t. It will also definitely become dehydrated and may verge on crispiness.
SPF Ingredients for Your Skin vs. UV Protection for Your Hair
For skin, mineral sunscreens are made from zinc in a lotion base and have a Sun Protection Factor that tells you how long you can expose your skin before sunburn will occur and how often you need to reapply.
For hair, it is more subjective. Ingredients like sunflower extract (as opposed to the oils because oils can magnify the sun’s rays)coat the hair shaft and create a reflective shield. Quinoa protein has has larger proteins that protect color, shields UV rays, is a heat protectant and it also prevents color rinse out. It is a fine mist spray that coats and conditions the hair without weighing it down or leaving it greasy. But everyone’s hair is different so you need to pay attention to what is happening with you!
How to Prep Your Hair for UV + Heat Exposure
Before exposing your hair to UV rays all day long while outdoors, prep your hair the same way you would your skin. Prior to sun exposure, use this spray that can be applied to damp hair and combed through and then reapplied later during the day to dry hair to prolong the protection. Be sure to pay extra attention to the part of your hair when applying protectant and also be sure to change the part so that your scalp is not exposed in the same spot over and over.
Safer Sun Exposure for Your Hair
In addition to using a UV Protectant, you should also consider:
- wearing a hat for extra protection of your face and scalp
- braiding your hair or twisting it up into a messy bun to protect the outer pieces and give them a rest from exposure
- reapplying protectant spray after swimming since it is not waterproof and dissolves in water
- reverse any dehydration or damage by using a Deep Conditioning Hair Mask after sun exposure to prep for the next time you’re out in the sun