Are you packing your bags to go to the beach and don't know how best to protect your hair from the sun to keep it healthy and strong?
Then read on, I'll share my hair care routine by the sea with you and I'm sure that this summer you too will be able to show off fairy hair..
The sun, the long days, the beach, the sea immediately bring to mind the light-heartedness that only holidays and free time can give us.
But I bet that a shadow hovers over this lightheartedness: isn't it that the sun and the saltiness can nullify all the benefits found thanks to the pampering and special care that you have reserved for your hair with such dedication?
You've even given up on the use of hair dryers and straighteners and you've done without bleaching, definitively giving up chemical dyes, preferring the natural, smarter and healthier alternative, namely herbal dyes .
Isn't it that you risk nullifying in 10 days at the sea all the beneficial effects you have obtained in the last period on your hair?
Just the fact that you worry about the health of your hair and want to keep it healthy and strong even in a carefree moment like a beach holiday is a great act of awareness and love for your hair.
Because when you go to the beach, you are primarily concerned with protecting your skin, totally forgetting about your hair which, just like your skin, needs UV protection.
The sun, salt, chlorine from swimming pools and the wind represent threats that can easily alter and damage the hair cuticle , leaving it brittle, frizzy, dry, dull and straw-like.
That's why a hair care routine is essential, even if you're on vacation.
And the passwords must be:
-
PROTECT hair from the sun, the sea and beyond
- RESTORE the hydrolipidic film with dedicated products ,
so that our holiday does not become a real trauma for our hair.
Why are ultraviolet rays dangerous for our hair?
Unlike skin, hair doesn't get burned, but if it's light, you can easily end up with a burned scalp. And not only that, the overheating of the scalp due to infrared rays alters the microcirculation making it difficult for the oxygen supply and nourishment to the roots. So when we talk about hair protection from the sun , it goes without saying that the scalp must also be properly protected.
In addition , ultraviolet rays attack and weaken the shaft because they damage the keratin and cause a change in the chemical composition of the hair which undergoes a photo-oxidation effect.
How does saltiness affect our hair? Why is it so harmful to our hair?
After a dip in the sea, I bet you love that feeling of "sea effect" hair , wild and untameable.
Sadly, the hair isn't quite as happy. The sea salt crystals that remain on the stem look like tiny hot lenses that attract the sun's rays, leading to dehydration of your hair .
What's more, when we immerse ourselves in sea water, the hair , day after day, seems lighter, as if lightened. It's not just an impression, it's the chlorine (sodium chloride) , contained in sea salt, which promotes oxidation . We are therefore witnessing a real natural discoloration, which unfortunately makes the hair brittle and dry.
Let's combine the effect of the saltiness with the effect of the ultraviolet rays and the omelette is ready: I bet your hair is ready to launch the SOS.
That's why it's so important to protect your hair from sun exposure and saltiness.
Luckily, there are some easy-to-find natural hair treatments and products that can prevent dry hair , allowing you to make the most of this wonderful time of year.
So how do I protect my hair from the sun, wind and salt air?
1) I protect my hair with...hats!
As in the case of the skin, the ideal would be to never expose yourself to sunlight between 11 and 15.
But regardless of the time of day we sunbathe here, sun hats (preferably in straw or light colored cotton), scarves or bandanas are a MUST accessory because they represent a mechanical shield from the sun's rays and can protect not only our hair, our scalp but also the skin of our face.
2) Always collected hair and rinse off the salt as soon as possible!
I tie my hair into a bun or braid to keep it as dry as possible.
But even if you wet them because you love diving, the ideal would be to be able to rinse your hair of the saltiness under fresh water from the shower as soon as possible or simply using a bottle of natural water.
Personally, as soon as I have the opportunity, I also do the acid rinse to close the cuticles and restore the natural pH of the stem or if I'm on the beach I use the Beautilicious Delights Volumizing Spray which, thanks to the presence of fruit acids, plays the exact same role.
3) I'm always kind to my hair
I dry them without rubbing by dabbing them with a towel (I use the bamboo towel that I take away from home which is not only super absorbent and fights frizz, but thanks to the honey pectin it absorbs up to 98% of UV rays). I comb them with a wooden comb, with wide teeth and rounded tips.
All these precautions because when they are damp, the hair is much more fragile and breaks easily.
But I have already told you about the brushes and accessories that I use in my hair care routine in the video tutorial below:
4) Replenish the hydrolipidic film to protect hair from the sun, salt and wind! AS?
Through highly hydrating packs / products or with a rich fat content.
READ ALSO: Nourish or Moisturize Dry and Frizzy Hair?
Moisturized hair by the sea:
- using pure aloe gel (mucilage really works wonders for our skin and hair, you can find out more in the dedicated article: Aloe Vera: 6 Unpublished DIY Recipes to take advantage of its benefits and properties ) ,
- using an aloe, glycerin, panthenol leave-in spray such as Beautilicious Delights hair spray
- simply by doing one of the moisturizing wraps that I have already shared with you in the past: Restructuring Volumizing Wrap for Fine, Thin and Damaged Hair , Fenugreek (Methi) Wrap , Linseed Gel Wrap
What is the role of oils on our hair?
To understand how important the role of vegetable oils is in restoring the lipid film of our hair, we must first know that the role played by sebum on our hair is to lubricate and protect it.
When hair grows and becomes long, the sebum found on the part near the root is unable to reach and cover the entire length of the shaft. Consequently, the part that is not naturally protected by the sebum will tend to dehydrate and weaken.
Some vegetable oils can act as sebum substitutes, therefore they represent that nourishment from the outside which manages to supply the hair with "a diet based on good fats", which compensates for the lack of sebum where it is needed and which waterproofs the hair.
That's why it's so important to keep our lengths hydrated and "nourished" with dedicated wraps.
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Depending on the vegetable oil used, the oil will:
- whether or not to penetrate* the shaft by "nourishing" it and reinforcing the sebum , also replacing it in the points on the shaft where it has completely disappeared (*not all oils are able to penetrate the hair shaft, only those composed of saturated fatty acids short chain. For example: coconut oil or palm oil )
- waterproof the hair (oils are water repellent) by fixing the hydration of the shaft and reducing the absorption of humidity.
- make the hair shinier by increasing the adhesion between the scales of the shaft , leaving the hair shinier and more resistant.
- lubricate the stem making it easier to comb and smoother.
- protect the hair thanks to the natural protection factor which varies from oil to oil.
Yes, yes, you read right! There are vegetable oils obtained by cold pressing, organic, which have a natural intrinsic protection factor (SPF).
Some VEGETABLE OILS and PURE ESSENTIAL OILS have a natural protection factor that can be used to protect the hair during the summer months when we expose it continuously to the sun, wind and salt .
I'm sure I've intrigued you.. do oils really exist that have a natural protection factor?
Well yes, some oils can reach an SPF protection factor that even varies between 20 - 50.
Some examples of vegetable oils with natural SPF:
- raspberry seed oil , rich in vitamin E, antioxidant and omega 3 and omega 6 even reaches a natural protection factor that can vary between 28 and 50 (source: Oils of Nature, Anthony J. O'Lenick ) . It is a precious oil and not easily available on the market.
- wheat germ oil, very rich in antioxidants and above all in vitamin E, has SPF equal to 20. Especially indicated for damaged hair.
- olive oil , rich in squalene, a substance also naturally contained in skin sebum, is particularly suitable for very dry hair. It has a natural protection factor, SPF, equal to 7.54.
- coconut oil reaches a natural protection factor of 7.11. Coconut oil is one of the few oils capable of enveloping and penetrating the hair fiber at the same time. Its lipid chain of triglycerides is similar to that of human hair and sebum which allows it to penetrate the hair structure and make up for the lack of sebum where it is needed.
- castor and almond oil vary between SPF 5.60 - 6.60 (source: Spectrophotometrically calculated sun protection factor values of herbal oils )
- jojoba oil has a natural protection factor of 4. Although it is an oily fluid, chemically it is a fluid wax. Its chemical composition is similar to that of sebum, absorbing easily and not being very greasy. It manages to rebalance the sebum (excess or deficient). Together with coconut oil it is among the oils indicated for fine and thin hair.
- Brazil nut oil is what could be defined as a "dry oil", because it replenishes the hydrolipidic film in depth without greasing too much, which makes it the number one ally of fine hair , which hardly tolerates the heaviness of others oils.
- shea butter has a natural sun protection factor of 4.
Some examples of essential oils with natural SPF:
- carrot seed oil is an essential oil that should be used diluted in a carrier oil (like all essential oils on the other hand). According to a study published in Pharmacognosy Magazine, it has a natural protection factor (SPF) of 38-40.
- mint essential oil with a natural protection factor of 6.66
- lavender essential oil with a natural protection factor of 5.60
PLEASE NOTE!
Essential oils must be handled with caution and used in full awareness of the risks they entail because they are very concentrated: if used incorrectly they can cause skin irritation. They should not be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to their ability to penetrate the bloodstream.
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Neither vegetable oils nor essential oils can replace the sun protection guaranteed on our skin by specially formulated products.
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How and when to apply oils on hair?
As you may know, I always recommend making moisturizing packs on already clean hair , so after shampooing . especially if the hair is fine, thin and weighs down easily.
In the specific case of the day spent at the beach, we need to protect our hair. And the oils help us in our mission!
The ideal would be to apply the oil on dry hair, before tying it or braiding it before even leaving the hotel: in this way the hair will be protected already as you reach the beach.
Choose the vegetable oil that suits your hair's needs, drop 1-2 drops into the palm of your hand and warm them by rubbing your hands to make the oil's properties slightly more active. Finally, proceed by applying the oil strand by strand all over the hair.
Do not exceed the amount applied. Hair acts like a sponge so it will only absorb the amount of oil it needs.
And it was precisely from this specific need that the Protective and Anti-Frizz Hair Elixir Spray for brittle and parched hair was born.
Protecting your hair by the sea = guaranteed SPA treatment!
The positive part of all this trauma that going to the beach seems to represent for our hair is that thanks to the heat of the sun, the cuticles of the stem open and allow the oil with its precious vegetable lipids to penetrate even better inside of the hair.
So instead of traumatizing them, with the right tricks and products, we would be able to protect our hair from the sun and we could make our beach holiday a real SPA treatment for our hair, drawing great benefits from it!
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Rozalia & the Beautilicious Delights Team.