Sometimes fun in the sun comes at a price for curls. If you aren’t careful, hair can become dry, brittle, even prematurely aged, without the proper precautions.
Here are a few helpful tips to protect your hair from sun damage.
1. Wear a hat.
Whether on the beach or just walking to grab lunch with the girls, hats can help eliminate or reduce exposure to harmful UV rays. It will also help keep some sun off your face which is another added benefit! If you are worried about hat hair, there are ways to avoid it such as bringing a travel sized volumizer to spray at your roots or wearing a looser fitting hat.
2. Use the right products.
One of the best ways to protect against the drying effect the sun has is to supply your strands with an extra dose of preventive moisture to keep things in balance. If you usually only moisturize at night, try moisturizing twice a day for more protection. You can also try using moisturizing skin products with SPF protection. Alba Botanica Hawaiian Coconut Dry Oil has SPF 15 and is infused with coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamin E.
3. Consider cutting back on washes.
During times when you spend a lot of time in the sun, cutting back on shampooing can help protect your hair from the sun. The natural oils your scalp produces acts as a barrier which can give a little extra protection.
4. Protect your scalp!
One of the best tips to protect your hair from sun damage actually has to do with your scalp. A lot of people will completely neglect their scalp when thinking of sun protection. This area gets a lot of sun exposure naturally since it is easily exposed by the part you wear your hair in so make sure you protect it. There are some great options to do such as Alba Botanica Coconut Dry Oil with SPF 15 which helps to moisturize while protecting from the sun. Of course, you can also avoid having a part altogether with a pulled back bun or ponytail that covers the scalp to avoid this issue.
5. Wrap it up!
For ultimate protection from the sun, the best answer is a hair wrap. This ensures your scalp and strands are completely protected from sun damage. There are a ton of cute styles out there to match every preference.
- Photos courtesy of @maureenpowel Instagram
6. Watch out for drying agents.
Any product with alcohol, peroxide, or even lemon in the recipe needs to go. These agents dry your hair out quickly which makes it more vulnerable to sun damage. Go through your products and make sure none of these harmful elements are in your favorites.
The sun is a fact of life and we have to adjust our hair care routine to stay safe. Aside from dry, brittle strands, skin cancer can happen on scalps so if you want to be happy, healthy, and rock beautiful curls all year round, sun protection is key!
