CurlySuzy Provides Summer Hair First Aid

Dear CurlySuzy writes articles on ingredients and finding the right products for your curls.

Summer is nearly here. Thoughts of white jeans and tropical drinks are welcome after months spent in sweaters and indoor heating. The weather is changing from dry and cold to warm and humid. And your hair routine has to change as well.

It is time to really listen to your curls. If you have a lot of tangles, your locks are feeling rough and there is breakage, you need some serious rescue from the winter wear and tear. And you need to protect your locks from the stresses yet to come from summer sun, chlorine and salt water.

Our First Aid Kit

Healthy, moisturized hair at the beginning of the summer is the best way to combat the dreaded frizz. To help you, NaturallyCurly.com has developed a First Aid Kit for your curls. The five products in the kit are all about rescue and replenishment.

• HPO Happy Scalp is a rich blend of oils to sooth your scalp and get rid of product build up.
• AG Split End Spa is damage control for the frayed ends, and it also protects hair color from the summer sun.
• Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment is the perfect rich, rejuvenating conditioner for the summer.
• Jessicurl Weekly Deep Conditioner strengthens and adds serious moisture to your curls, preparing them for the summer.
• Arbre de Vie Shea Hot Oil Treatment will reduce breakage and leave your curls shiny and healthy.

The First Aid Kit is a great smart way to get your curls ready and healthy for the summer. Now that you have gotten your new summer season hair routine organized, you can breath a sigh of relief.

But what do you do with your hair at the pool or beach? We all know the curly challenges we face when we go swimming. There we are, outside in the sun and salt air, without a dryer, mirror or our HG products. What’s a curly girl to do? The very idea of it is enough to keep a curly girl like me away from water.

But there is another option. Along with water, a trashy novel, and sunscreen, I keep my beach bag well stocked with curly products, and some tips for keeping my curls looking good:

• • Use products that contain SPF protection or high levels of shea butter, a natural sun shield. UV protection sprays are great, such as Ouidad Sun Shield Sun & Sport Leave-in Conditioner.
• • Wear a cute hat or scarf to protect your hair from sun and wind.
• • Have a good, manageable hair cut and hair style.
• • Get your hair wet and put conditioner in before swimming or spending time in the sun. Wet hair absorbs less salt or chlorine. Some conditioners to try include Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Daily Hair Conditioner, Curlisto Botanical Rinse, Curls Coconut Sublime Moisturizing Conditioner, Curly Hair Solutions Conditioner, Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner.
• • After swimming, rinse your hair. Chlorine and salt can make you hair very dry and brittle if it isn’t rinsed out.
• • Avoid washing your hair too often and use a mild non-sulfate cleanser. Some to try include Jessicurl Gentle Lather Shampoo, Kinky-Curly Come Clean Moisturizing Shampoo, HPO Hair & Body Shampoo, Oyin Honey Wash, John Masters Organics Evening Primrose Shampoo.
• • Co-washing is a great summer routine using your favorite light conditioner.
• • Leave your conditioner in longer than usual when you are showering.
• • Add a leave-in conditioner to your hair styling routine. Some good ones to try include Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Leave-in Conditioner, Curly Hair Solutions Silk Leave-in Conditioner, Long Lovely Locks Coco Light, John Masters Organics Citrus Neroli Detangler and Kinky-Curly Knot Today.
• • Use styling products that are frizz fighters and are moisturizing.
• • Read labels; be sure your stylers are water-based. Product build-up will create limp, dry hair.
• • Limit your use of hot tools. Air dry, when possible.
• • Use moisturizing refreshing sprays midday or in the evening to tame and smooth your summer locks. Try Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist, Ouidad Botanical Boost, Curl Junkie Curl Fuel Curl Enhancing Spray, Blended Beauty Kick for Curls Aloe Juice Spritz, DevaCurl Mist-er Right, Innersense Sweet Spirit Leave-in Conditioner, Oyin Handmade Frank Juice and Jessicurl Awe Inspiraling Spray.
• • Deep conditioning your hair on a weekly basis will keep your hair well-moisturized. Alternate between hot-oil treatments and deep conditioning treatments. Some of my favorites are: Miss Jessies Rapid Recovery Treatment, MyHoneyChild Coconut Papaya Hair Paste, Blended Beauty Herbal Reconditioner, Curlisto Deep Therapy Masque, Curl Junkie Hibiscus Banana Deep Fix Moisturizing Conditioner and HPO Butter Drops.

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Enter our First Aid Kit Contest

CurlySuzy has created a dreamy First Aid Kit, and we now have a contest to go with it! Tell us what has been your personal concoction for refreshing those parched summer curls? The four most creative answers win their own CurlySuzy’s First Aid Kit!

• Tell us about your concoction in a list format
• Enter between June 9 and June 16

Enter the contest at YouTube, Twitter, Facebook or CurlTalk .