In a lot of ways, our hair loves the idea of summertime, from beachy waves to golden highlights and relaxed, chic updos. But, in reality, the summer doesn’t always love our hair back. The combination of heat, salt, sun and the occasional cannonball contest can takes a serious toll on hair health, resulting in fading color, strands feeling dry and brittle and don’t even get us started on salt-water tangles. Not to worry, though—for every summer hair problem, there is an easy solution. Ahead, NewBeauty senior editor-at-large Sarah Eggenberger walks us through the best solutions for all your summer hair concerns.
The Problem: Frizz
You no doubt can relate to this summer hair-care scenario: You blow-dry your hair, only to have it go haywire as soon as you step out into the heat, with baby hairs and frizz taking over your once sleek strands. Summer hair frizz is a constant battle, particularly in humid climates. While we look forward to warm, sunny days during our summer vacay, the one frequently unwelcome summertime feature is humidity—a bane of hair prone to frizziness.
The Solution: Kérastase Discipline Anti-Frizz Smoothing Spray ($46)
If frizz is your summer hair foe, look no further than Kérastase’s Discipline Anti-Frizz Smoothing Spray ($46). This frizz-reducing, leave-in treatment spray is suitable for all all hair types—from straight to coily and thin to thick—and works to enhance your blow dry and heat styling routine with heat protection of up to 450 degrees. Recommended by professional hair stylists worldwide, Kérastase’s anti-frizz spray instantly eases any blow dry process, manages frizz for up to 72 hours, and locks out humidity with added shine, making it the perfect solution for your summer frizz woes.
The Problem: Greasy Roots
If greasy hair is your issue in the summer months, you’re not alone. Sebum, your skin’s natural moisturizer, increases in production in the summertime, which can lead to greasy-looking hair. If you’re familiar with this summertime woe, you may be tempted to wash your hair more frequently, but overwashing can actually exacerbate greasy roots. Instead, opt for a tried-and-true dry shampoo.
The Solution: Olaplex Nº.4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo ($30)
Some dry shampoos can be harsh and sticky, so choosing one with a lighter formula is a great way to go. We like Olaplex No.4D Clean Volume Weightless Detox Dry Shampoo ($30). Unlike many dry shampoos, Olaplex’s detox dry shampoo doesn’t leave a white, powdery residue or gritty buildup, but instead neutralizes odors, leaves hair looking and feeling clean and is clinically shown not to clog follicles, making it the perfect summer-bag essential for those struggling with greasy roots.
The Problem: Fading Color
For anyone with color-treated hair, you know that maintaining bright, vibrant color is no easy feat regardless of the season. Unfortunately, the sun is one of the biggest environmental contributors to fading color, so our strands need some extra protection in the sunnier months to keep color shining.
The Solution: Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Protection Spray ($44)
The same way that your skin needs protection from the sun, so does your hair. Get your daily dose of universal protection with Oribe’s Invisible Defense Universal Protection Spray ($44)—a weightless mist that shields hair from thermal damage up to 450°F, UV rays, and pollution while imparting gentle moisture, so you can say goodbye to dryness, color fading and frizz all summer long.
The Problem: Chlorine Damage
Sometimes, there’s nothing better than a cool dip in the pool on a hot day. The problem is, chlorine pools are not always great for your hair. Green hair from chlorine, dry, brittle strands and even hair loss can all be consequences of your hair being exposed to high chlorine levels or frequent dunks in chlorinated water. Chlorine is not great when it comes to your hair health, as it dehydrates hair and can start to affect color, especially if you’re on the blonde scale.
The Solution: K18 DAMAGE SHIELD pH Protective Shampoo ($36) and Conditioner ($36)
Protection from chlorine damage starts in the shower and serves as an important part of building the strength of the hair cuticle to prevent chlorine and water damage. The K18 Protective Shield Shampoo‘s pH-optimized formula helps reduce excess swelling of the hair cuticle during washing to help prevent damage and tangling, reduce frizz, preserve color and enhance shine, and is formulated with the K18PEPTIDE to replenish hair during washing. The matching conditioner helps prevent damage and maintain hair health while weightlessly nourishing and conditioning. The formula is also made without film-forming silicones and waxes that can build up over time and weigh hair down.
The Problem: Seasonal Hair Loss
Over the past several decades, dozens of studies have produced significant evidence that our hair is more prone to shedding in the summer. Our innate ability to possibly postpone shedding until the end of the summer could potentially help defend and safeguard us from excessive ultraviolet exposure during summer, so if you’re finding that your hair falls out more in late summer, you’re not imagining things.
The Solution: Nutrafol WOMEN Clinically Proven Hair Growth Supplement for Thinning ($88)
Seasonal shedding may be difficult to avoid, as it seems to be cyclical, but there are a few things you can do to make things better if you’re worried about seasonal hair loss. Physician-formulated Nutrafol targets key, root causes of thinning hair in women 18-44, including stress, lifestyle and nutrition. Clinically tested and drug-free, these supplements support whole-body health for visibly thicker, stronger hair and noticeably less shedding.
The Problem: Limp Strands
For some people, summer heat and humidity can seemingly draw the life out of their hair. While the summer sun can make our skin feel more bronze and radiant, the bright rays can suck the color, shine and even volume out of our hair. If this resonates with you, we have a couple tricks up our sleeve for you to try.
The Solution: Moroccanoil Root Boost ($30)
If your hair is lacking life, focus on boosting volume for fuller, shinier, healthier-looking hair. The Moroccanoil Root Boost ($30) spray-on mousse is infused with argan oil and adds lift to fine and medium hair by creating strong texture at the roots before styling with heat. It’s designed to add volume for long-lasting texture, body and movement, resulting in hair that looks healthier, fuller and more lively. On the style side, you can also try a diagonal part, which can give your hair a little more height at the crown of your head. This creates the appearance of thicker, more voluminous hair.
