Whoo Hooo!!! It's summer and with summer comes beach trips and pool parties. While many of us are worried about how we're going to look in our swimsuit and which one to wear, we should also be thinking about how to protect our hair at the beach (or pool). So we here at Nic Hyl Clothing, made a guide for you.
Now this guide will cover most common hair types by concern; naturals, blondes, oily & dry hair. As a woman with natural hair, I've found it more beneficial for my locks to address their needs by concern, and not by texture.
Naturals
I know, I know there are TONS of hair types under the category of natural hair. Suffice it to say, that no matter if you're going to the beach, the pool, your best friends cousins sisters wedding, you should address your hair based on porosity and not by texture, or curl type. That is to say, the way that your hair absorbs moisture.
Texture will address how you style your hair (perhaps), but not how you care for it. Porosity will address how you care for your hair. Knowing this, we can plan for our beach days to be good hair days too!
Low porosity:
If you're like me and you have low porosity hair, then moisture is always a concern. Since you'll be out in the sun, it is likely that it will dry your tresses out....it's the sun. So if we know the sun will dry our hair out, why not prep out hair with moisture before we go?
To begin our prep, start the night before: use coconut oil on your hair to begin to create a moisture barrier of sorts-don't shampoo this out, just leave it in your hair. Next, find a protective style that will help to protect your ends and keep your hair safe from activities that could dry it out (swimming, laying out in the sun, chlorine etc). Lastly, use an spf leave in conditioner and apply to your hair before going out. SPF conditioners will protect your hair and scalp from harmful UV rays.
Co-wash or shampoo your hair after your day at the beach to remove the sand and the products you placed in your hair to protect it.
High Porosity:
If you have natural, high porosity hair your hair doesn't have a problem absorbing oil. So the way you protect your curls from a day at the beach will be slightly different. For your hair, no need to add the coconut oil. If you feel compelled to, add just a touch on the ends the night before. I would still recommend a protective style to protect your ends, and also the SPF conditioner.
For natural hair, I love a silk scarf, large sunglass moment a la Dorthy Dandridge. A super chic and beautiful way to protect our hair while out for a day at the beach.
*I do not own the rights to these images, pls contact to have removed.
Blondes
Blonde hair (irregardless of if it's natural or chemically treated), is susceptible to becoming brassy in color when exposed to too much chlorine and there are concerns with burning the scalp with prolonged sun exposure because of the lighter color. If chemically treated, lack of moisture is always an issue, and even more reason to protect your hair when spending a ton of time at the beach. Your goal is to protect the outer most layer of hair, so that you don't create any permeant hair damage.
For blonde hair, a great way to protect it when at the beach or pool is to first rinse it with clean water. If you're at the beach, one of those rinse off stations will do. If that isn't available, then a bottle of clean, still water will work just fine. Pack an extra bottle just for this if need be.
Next, you want to also use a sunscreen leave in conditioner on your hair, to protect the scalp and the hair from harmful UV rays and any potential sun damage. If chemically treated, focus on your ends and on your scalp. Next, put your hair up, or in a protective style to help prevent any tangles, or moisture loss.
Once your fun day at the beach is over, shampoo and deep conditioner your hair to add moisture back to it.
I love a top knot or even pigtails for your day at the beach for cute, protective style options. Both are easy to do, pretty and will help to protect your hair.
*I do not own the rights to these images, pls contact to have removed.
Oily Hair
For all of you oily hair loves, you'll have to prep your hair for your day at the beach, if you know you're going. Do your color treatment after your beach day, clarify your hair with an acv rinse (apple cider vinegar), followed by a good leave in conditioner. Keep your shampooing to every other day and perhaps opt for a dry conditioner.
I know all of this sounds so off from what you're used to doing, but because the sun is going to dry your hair out, the logic is to not remove so much of your natural oils so that it creates dry hair entering the sun for the entire day or week; however long you plan on being at the beach. Doing these things leading up to your beach trip will help to keep oil at bay for your day to day life, but will also leave just enough moisture in your hair to protect if from the sun.
Once you're at the beach wear a hat or an updo to help protect your tresses, and shampoo only as needed. If you notice that your hair doesn't seem oily, perhaps skip that day. Try also a dry shampoo to help maintain some of your natural moisture.
Once back home shampoo and condition as you normally would. If you notice any dryness opt for a deep conditioner.
*I do not own the rights to these images, pls contact to have removed.
Dry Hair
Similar to other types of hair in this guide, the best way to protect dry hair when at the beach, is to do a bit of prep before hand. One great way to do that is to cut back on heat styling in the days leading up to your beach trip. I've said it already, but it bears repeating: the sun is the culprit so we want to protect our hair from further dryness.
In addition to cutting back on heat styling, you'll want to rinse your hair with clean water then follow up with use an SPF leave in conditioner. If you have severely dry hair, I would recommend doing this rinse and leave in dance every few hours for a full day at the beach to really control dryness. Wearing a hat or putting your hair up will only go further to help prevent your hair from drying out further.
Once back home, shampoo and deep condition.
*I do not own the rights to these images, pls contact to have removed.
Beautiful, healthy hair requires work to have and to keep. Being proactive and protecting our hair when it's vulnerable are one of the tricks of all our favorite hair influencers; they care for and do the work required to have the hair we love.
Comment below. What products or tips work for you to help protect your hair at the beach?