Rebel Stylist GR

We’ve officially entered the dog days of summer. Heat and humidity are making for some unpredictable hair days. Here’s some ways I alter my haircare routine in the summer to account for the West Michigan weather:

1. Sunscreen your hair!

If you’ve ever left an article of clothing out in the sun too long, you know that it can become sun-bleached and pale. The same is true of your hair! You’ve spent too much money on your look just let it fade. A hat shields your hair from the sun and can be a stylish addition to your beach look. Alternately, use some UV protection in your hair! Many products provide UV protection as a secondary benefit. Ask your stylist for their favorite recommendation. Mine is Amika’s The Shield.

2. Humidity Control

Now that I’ve mentioned The Shield by Amika, it’s time for me to talk about my number one summertime product. The Shield is an anti-humidity spray, and honestly I’ve never seen anything like it before. The secret to The Shield is a combination of a UV-filtering polymer and sea buckthorn that fights frizz, humidity, and heat. The Shield works best when it is sprayed into damp or towel-dried hair, but it can also be used on dry hair to refresh your style and give your day-two hair another layer of protection. The Shield is perfect for every muggy, hot, wet day in August.

3. Protect your hair from chlorine and water damage

Chlorine is the chemical that is responsible for making the water in the pool that gorgeous, tropical, teal. Chlorine will stain the $#!% out of your hair, though, and there aren’t many tools in the stylist toolbox to undo chlorine stains. Natural water from lakes, rivers, and oceans can also stain your hair by depositing natural minerals that can leave a yellowish tint. Hair soaks up water like a sponge, therefore, these stains can be deposited deep within the hair strand and be very difficult to remove. Before completely submerging your hair, consider a swim cap. On the other hand, if your hair is already wet, it doesn’t leave much room for additional water to penetrate the hair strand and leave behind yucky, yellow-green stains. You can try making sure that your hair is already saturated with fresh water from the shower or leave-in conditioner before totally sinking into the cool water.

If your summer has already been filled with days at the pool or the lake, talk to your stylist about a Malibu or similar treatment, specifically designed with swimmers in mind.

4. Co-Washing

When summers are as hot as this one has been, you don’t have to do much to work up a sweat. Waiting between washes in the summer starts to feel oppressive when your hair holds on to the sweat of the day. To keep from feeling gross and from over-washing your hair, try co-washing! Using conditioner ONLY, wash your scalp as you would with shampoo. The conditioner will move some of the sweat away from your scalp without stripping your hair. You can do this as often as you need to without ruining your wash schedule.

5. Dry Shampoo PROACTIVELY

Due to hair producing more sweat and oils in the summer time, dry shampoo is a tool I use liberally in the summer and sparingly during the winter.

I often see people use dry shampoo RE-ACTIVELY instead of PROACTIVELY. They will look in the mirror right before work and notice a greaseball looking back at them. A quick spray of dry shampoo and several prayers later typically result in a look reminiscent of a baby chinchilla figuring out how to dust bath for the first time. This is because dry shampoo doesn’t do it’s best work instantly. I apply my dry shampoo before bed! I typically shoot it straight at the roots in roughly a cross-hatch pattern, then massage my scalp, give my hair a quick comb, and head to bed. By the time morning comes around, the dry shampoo has completely absorbed oils and sweat and my hair looks FRESH, typically requiring minimal fussing to be ready for the day.

This is how I keep me and my hair from going crazy in August. What did I miss? How do you survive the hottest, stickiest time of year?