Healthy ethnic hair care for the summer months isn't impossible to achieve. Being smart and taking it easy will allow you to cope with no problem at all.
Caring for ethnic hair during the hot summer months can prove to be challenging. If you live in a humid area, fighting against the heat and humidity is frustrating usually proves pointless. Then there’s dealing with chlorine from the pool and salt water from the beach. In general, it’s better to work with the weather and your lifestyle for the best results.
Below are helpful tips to cope with ethnic hair during the summer:
Ease up on the heating appliances. If you’re getting your hair wet in the pool or at the beach regularly, it’s best to avoid blow-drying and/or flat ironing your hair everyday. African-American hair is already dry and brittle, combine that with the added chemicals from the pool and salt from the ocean, your hair is going to be even more delicate. Adding heating appliances just further adds to the damage. Instead, find alternate hair styles such as buns, French twists or braids. Be creative!
Always wash your hair after the pool. You don’t have to wash your hair after a sweaty, hot and humid afternoon in the sun away from the water, but if you get your hair wet in a chlorinated pool, it’s best to use a gentle shampoo to wash you hair. Chlorine is very damaging to the hair and washing it out as soon as possible is important. If you have a relaxer, it’s even more important that you do so.
Wear your hair curly/natural. Your new best friend should be a bun or pony tail if you’re uncomfortable with just wearing your hair down. There’s nothing worse than spending hours straightening your hair, only to step outside and watch it frizz up. Opt for ponytails and buns – they can be sexy, too!
Don’t shampoo too often. That means only shampoo once a week (at the most) or after going to the pool. No more, no less. Shampooing gets rid of build-up in the hair, but it also can get rid of your hair’s natural oils. A good shampoo-less rinse and conditioner does wonders between shampoos.
MOISTURIZE! Always keep your hair moisturized! In other words, use lots and lots of conditioner. Condition your hair with a creamy, intensely hydrating conditioner after every shampoo, use a leave-in conditioner (See: The Top Five Conditioners) and apply a conditioner or moisturizer to the ends of your hair daily.
Love your hair. Don’t think your hair is difficult or impossible to handle during the summer. Have a positive attitude and know that healthy hair is beautiful hair. Take care of it and work with it, not against it.
The copyright of the article How to Have Healthy Summer Hair in Hair Care is owned by Adrienne Christina Miles. Permission to republish How to Have Healthy Summer Hair in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
