Summer has just started and you know what that means, especially for your natural hair care regimen. It’s time to put away the boots and bulky winter clothes for many of you in the eastern regions, it was quite an extended winter. Time to put on light and airy pieces that flow with the wind. Not only should you revamp your wardrobe for the seasons, your natural hair care regimen also needs to be readjusted to the weather. The sun and warmer weather can both play a role in the health and appearance of your natural hair. This is the perfect time to revamp your hair care routine to fit the season and here’s how:
Natural Hair Care Regimen Starts with your Ends Trimmed
The best time to trim your hair is right before the summer, especially if you find that your ends are split or damaged. The sun can wreak havoc on your hair and if your hair is already damaged it will only cause more damage in the long run. Remove any split and dry ends to prevent further damage to the hair. Although it is usually recommended to have your hair trimmed every 6-8 weeks, natural hair only needs to be trimmed every 8-12 weeks so use the arrival of summer to remove damaged hair so that you can unveil your mane throughout the summer.
Clean Out & Restock Your Hair Product Closet
Heavier oils and butter are perfect for the dry winter air, but they can weigh your hair down in the summer or cause you to sweat more than usual. The best products to use during the warmer season are those that act as humectants to attract moisture from the air and into your natural hair strands, especially if the climate is more humid where you reside. If you live in a drier climate, avoid humectants because they do the opposite and pull moisture from your hair.
Trade in Your Shampoo for a Cleansing Conditioner
With the arrival of summer, this may mean more working out, walking, sweat, and hotter temperatures. Unsurprisingly, some naturals wash their hair more often in the summer. But shampoos can be drying to your natural hair, stripping away much needed moisture and sebum from the scalp. To avoid dry hair throughout the summer, try co-washing your hair with a conditioning cleanser to help remove dirt, oil and grime from the hair. Co-washing products are meant to cleanse the hair while restoring moisture to parched strands.
Ease up on Deep Conditioning
Deep conditioning is something that can be minimized during the summer natural hair care regimen. If you deep condition once a week then you can cut down to giving your hair bi-weekly conditioning treatments. At the start of the season give your hair a strengthening protein treatment to fortify the hair follicle and improve the elasticity of your hair.
Limit the Use of Heat Styling Products
Heat styling can be extremely damaging to your hair. Regular heat styling can tremendously weaken your hair strands and cause breakage. Instead of blow drying, allow your hair to air dry. Set your hair in twists or plaits after to help stretch your hair while it dries. Avoid using flat irons and other heat styling tools and wear protective styles that will allow your hair to grow healthy and strong while retaining length at the same time.
Use Hair Products with UV Protection
The reason we use sunscreen is because too much sun exposure is extremely damaging to skin cells. The same thing occurs with your hair. In the warmer months, we tend to spend more time outdoors and under the blazing sun while it fries our hair unnoticeably until it’s too late. It can lighten your hair color, make dyed hair look brassy, cause split ends, and make your hair look fried. There are quite a few hair products that are designed to protect your hair from damaging ultraviolet rays such as leave-in conditioners and hairsprays.
As we welcome summer, it’s the perfect time to take a look at your hair care regimen and make any necessary tweaks to get the most out of your natural hair this season.
