Do you know how best to protect your hair from the sun?

Perhaps you’ve experienced it at first hand after returning from a relaxing holiday by the sea. Dry, frizzy, unruly hair that has lost its shine and the intensity of its colour. This is the result of a deadly combination of several factors – salty seawater, chlorine in the pool, too much exposure to the sun... And even though there’s a solution for everything, it’s best to be prepared and pack the right products to prevent this from happening in the first place! And not only that, protecting our hair during the hot summer months should be a part of our daily routine.

Why doesn’t the sun benefit your hair?

Hair exposed to intense sunlight can experience considerable damage. The aggressive UV rays penetrate the hair fibre, drying it out from the inside. This leads to dehydration, loss of shine, or even internal disintegration. The hair then dies and falls out. Do you see why sun protection for hair is so essential? Giving your hair more intense hydration and UV protection is a must.

How can you protect your hair against the sun?

With the arrival of hot summer weather, it’s a good idea to think about switching up your skin care, body care and even your hair care routine. Consider your hair type – and by that I mean whether you have coloured or bleached hair and what its overall condition is.

Your summer hair care routine should definitely include essentials such as a suitable shampoo and conditioner, but also a hair mask, a sun protection spray with SPF and perhaps other forms of sun protection to meet your hair’s specific needs.

The ultimate summer shampoos, conditioners and hair masks

I’ll start off with the most basic hair care products, which are shampoo and conditioner. Pick the right ones, and your hair will be thick, voluminous and shiny even after the holidays are over. You should definitely consider a shampoo with UV protection and a moisturising conditioner.

Your hair will also benefit from a purifying shampoo, which will wash away any chlorine and sea salt. I recommend the Goldwell Dualsenses Sun Reflects, which is a purifying shampoo that gets rid of any stubborn impurities and gives both your hair and scalp an intense boost of hydration.

The conditioner from this line is also amazing, and so is the Goldwell Dualsenses Sun Reflects regenerating hair mask. It contains UVA and UVB filters, which protect your hair against sunlight and restore its beautiful shine and vitality, while also preventing breakages.

Instead of using a mask, you can also try the Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Sun Protect 2 in 1 regenerating and strengthening treatment! To get the best possible results, apply it straight after spending time in the sun. This treatment regenerates the hair fibre and restores moisture immediately, making your hair exceptionally easy to comb. Leave it on for just a few minutes and then rinse it off thoroughly.

The best product to protect your hair against the sun

Keeping your hair in peak condition during the summer requires some more help from additional products – the market is bursting with options. You should definitely pick up the right sun protection spray.

Think about protecting your hair before you even step out into the sunshine! An utterly phenomenal product for exactly that is a UV hair protection spray. One fantastic example is the Goldwell Dualsenses Sun Reflects spray. It protects your hair against UV light and damage caused by chlorine and salt, while also preventing colour from fading. Simply spray it onto dry or damp hair just before sun exposure and let it become absorbed.

Is your hair dull and lacking shine? Then it’s undeniably in desperate need of hydration and nourishment. Try the Glynt Sun UV protection spray. It protects hair against UV rays while deeply nourishing and hydrating it.

Another "first aid" spray for your sun-stressed hair is the Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer. It gives the hair instant hydration and shine, eliminates frizz and breakages and works perfectly as a leave-in conditioner.

Protective milks, creams and fluids

If you have wavy, frizzy and unruly hair, a protective cream or milk is a must. These types of products give your hair sufficient hydration and prevent breakages. I’ve always had a great experience with the Kérastase Soleil Crème UV Sublime, for example. It prevents frizz, gives the hair a brilliant shine and even provides UV protection. All you have to do is apply a small amount onto the lengths of your hair before sunbathing. For an even better effect, apply some afterwards as well.

Another favourite of mine is the Aveda Nutriplenish™ Leave-In Conditioner, which is a heat protectant spray. It provides protection against sunlight and heat damage, all the way up to 230 °C. An amazing product if you frequently blow-dry, straighten or curl your hair...

Do you have fine hair that gets oily way too quickly? Then you should definitely pick a fluid-based product that won’t weigh down your hair as much. The Wella Professionals SP After Sun fluid is a great choice for sun-stressed hair; it regenerates, hydrates and makes your hair easy to comb.

I’ll also let you in on a unique product that will instantly bring your locks back to life. Try the Milk Shake Incredible Milk, a leave-in treatment that has numerous benefits! It provides UV protection, hydrates, nourishes, eliminates frizz and prevents breakages and hair loss, while also protecting your hair against heat during straightening, curling...

Sun protection for your hair – easy tricks that will come in handy

Finally, here are some practical tips that will help you protect your hair against the damaging effects of the sun.

•          Put a hat on! A sufficiently large head covering provides shade and protects your hair, and it’ll make you look even more stylish.

•          Tie your hair up with a cloth hair tie, which is perfect for protecting your hair against frizz and prevents it from getting tangled.

•          If you spend a lot of time in the swimming pool, you might want to invest in a swimming cap. It might not be the most fashionable accessory, but your hair will definitely thank you for it!

Reviewing the best summer hair care products 

To give you an even better idea, we decided to try a few of the aforementioned products for ourselves. So, what can you absolutely not miss out on during the summer months?

Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Sun Protect

My new holiday essential. The Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Sun Protect treatment has done wonders for my hair after days of sunbathing and swimming in the sea. It left my hair shiny and without any signs of frizz, which is what I usually struggle with. Thanks to its UV protection properties, the treatment also prevents bleaching and dehydration. Another thing that I like is how versatile the product is: when I’m in a hurry, I leave it on as a conditioner for just a couple of minutes, and when my hair needs more intensive care, I use the treatment as a mask and leave it on for as long as 15 minutes. And the result is always so worth it!

Lucy

Milk Shake Incredible Milk 

Up until just recently, I hadn’t had any experience with Milk Shake, but I must say that this leave-in product has pleasantly surprised me. When I’m on holiday, my curly hair has a hard time dealing with the sun and seawater, so I use this spray after every wash to help with frizz. And I simply can’t get enough of it. My hair is so much easier to brush, has a beautiful scent and looks gorgeous even when I come back from my holiday.

Diana

Goldwell Dualsenses Sun Reflects 

For me, hair products with SPF are a must for the summer. We should protect our hair the same way we protect our skin, because the summer heat puts a lot of stress on both. This two-phase spray is lightweight and doesn’t weigh the hair down or make it greasy. It has a very nice scent and, in addition to offering protection, it’s also really hydrating.

Dominique

Goldwell Dualsenses Sun Reflects 

I specifically packed this shampoo for my beach holiday, because my hair always struggles with the combination of sun and sea. I have to say that it really worked for me and definitely saved my hair from extreme dehydration. It’ll definitely be my trusty holiday buddy from now on!

Natalie

Kérastase Soleil Crème UV Sublime 

I’m usually not a fan of leave-in hair products, because I feel that they’re always either sticky or greasy. Luckily, that’s not the case with this cream by Kérastase. I’ve only ever used it on damp hair, so I haven’t tested it on dry hair, but it smells delightful and after drying/blow-drying, it doesn’t even feel as if I had put anything in my hair. It’s an absolute must-have if you’re going to be spending time by the sea. If you have the same issue as me and your hair looks like a bird’s nest at the end of every holiday – this cream really works.

Isabelle

Aveda Nutriplenish™ Leave-In Conditioner 

I’ve come to love using this milk from Aveda, especially before blow-drying my hair, because it conditions it and makes it nice and smooth. Somehow, it’s also found its way into my suitcase, because it doubles as UV protection. So I no longer have to worry about breakages or dehydration and can be sure that my locks will be just as pretty and healthy as they were before leaving.

Susan

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer 

A great product for the summer if you’re looking for UV protection and like blow-drying your hair once in a while. It also visibly nourishes the hair, making it beautifully shiny.

Riley

Glynt Sun 

My sensitive scalp doesn’t handle the summer months too well, so it often burns and gets red, which in turn worsens the quality of my hair. This spray really helped me with this problem. My scalp isn’t as irritated, meaning that my hair is no longer dehydrated and lifeless. I definitely recommend incorporating UV protection into your hair care routine, especially in the summer – the result is truly worth it.

Barbara

Wella Professionals SP After Sun & Kabi:

I have extremely fine hair which gets greasy very quickly, and yet the ends are always so dry. I put my hair through a lot, washing and blow-drying it every day. And sun exposure puts it under even more stress. That’s why it’s an even bigger priority for me to find a product that won’t weigh it down. Wella Professional After Sun is a nourishing milk with a practical pump, which allows me to dispense and apply exactly the amount of product I need. I apply it to the lengths of my hair every day – it regenerates and smooths the hair without feeling heavy. And it smells divine! But it’s important to use it regularly; one application won’t make a difference.

Andy

Listen to your hair even during summer. So that it’s ready to shine even when the holidays are over.