All winter long we lust over images of perfectly tousled beach waves and stock up on all the salt sprays we can get our hands-on. But sometimes we forget that once summer rolls around, and the sweltering Aussie summer means endless dips in the ocean, beach waves can be as drying and destructive to our hair as it can be cute.
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So to enjoy this year’s beach season without the birds nest of brittle hair, we suggest you incorporate these six essential hair-protecting steps to exit summer with the same soft, strong locks you entered with.
#1 Rinse your hair… promptly
Arguably the most essential step of all and it won’t cost you a cent. While we love the idea of an air-dried beach wave, doing this too frequently will leave hair frizzy and dehydrated. So locate the nearby showers and give your salty hair a good rinse out.
#2 Leave-in conditioner
After a big day in the ocean melt any remaining salt away with an intensely hydrating leave-in product. Ideally one specifically formulated to repair dry or damaged hair from root to tip.
bh recommends: A’kin Lavender & Anthyllis Leave-in Conditioner, Palmer’s Natural Fusions Mallow Root Leave-In Conditioner, TIGI Bed Head Ego Boost Split End Mender & Leave In Conditioner
#3 Hydration specific shampoo or conditioner
If you naturally lean towards a lighter formulation when it comes to your shampoo or conditioner, consider using something a bit richer for those days your hair is feeling extra dry.
Anything rich in frizz-fighting or hydrating ingredients are ideal for your post-beach day wash.
bh recommends: ELEVEN Australia Smooth Me Now Anti-Frizz Shampoo, Sukin Naturals Hydrating Conditioner, TONI&GUY Hydrating Conditioner
#4 Wear a hat
Essential for protecting our faces from the sun, it turns out UVA and UVB can also be damaging to our hair and colour. So, to avoid leaving your hair exposed to harsh sunlight, tie it back and tuck it into a hat.
#5 Hair oil
Whether you keep one handy in your bag or pop it through your hair when you get home, a hair oil will provide that extra dose of nourishment. They work by piercing deeply into the cuticle and coating each individual strand for shiny, strong locks.
bh recommends: L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil, John Frieda Frizz Ease® Extra Strength 6 Effects™ Serum
Main image credit: @goop
*This article has been updated with the latest products and advice.
How do you keep your hair looking healthy during the warmer months?
I love air drying my hair in summer with a bit of leave in conditioner. It is so much softer than when I blow dry it.
Leave in conditioner, it feels like straw if I don’t take the time to rinse the salt water out.
Hair masks, olaplex, hair serum “oils.
SPF for hair?
I stick with my comment of 2 years ago. Hair masks are something I need to use more often.
I wear a hat most of the year about 95% of the time. I use a leave in moisturiser when my hair is feeling really dry.
Must get more into hair masks. Really like my Garnier one from the BH natural beauty trial.
A deep conditioning mask is always helpful
I have a mini / travel sized Kerastase hair oil that I really should put in my bag that I take to the pool for laps. Thanks for the reminder bh!
I usually rinse off in the showers at the beach, I should put in a hair mask then as I’m usually waiting while my husband swims. I could then rinse it off at home.
I can agree with all of these!
Hair oil is something I’ve only started using in the last year. Awesome. But also you should try hair essence.
Some great tips. I have loved using hair oil and I have done so many years now.
I usually wear my long hair up in summer because it’s too hot on the back of my neck. I often apply a leave-in conditioner then plait it.
I’ve just started using hair masks and noticing the difference it is making to my hair. I’ve never used hair oil before, I do tend to have oily hair so never thought I needed it.
Rinsing my hair is the hardest, especially after it has dried.
Thanks for the article.
I’m very lazy with my hair, this article is a good reminder that I should give my hair a little bit of care.
I have an oil and hair mask too , just never use it.
All really great tips!!
Good tips.
This all makes me feel like ducking down the beach for a swim and the weathers just turned from rainy & overcast to sunny and very warm. Might just have to go…..
I have oily roots and dry ends so I skip the roots and it really does help make the rest of your hair feel extra soft.
Thanks, that is really good to know. My ends have becoming drier as I’m getting older, perhaps it is from all the air conditioning I have to sit in all day long.
Maybe I will give hair oil a try.
Oh, my.
I came here to reply to someone and I came here to see all this spam! How sad, reported everything which looks like spam, hopefully BH will get rid of it shortly 🙁
I was scared of hair oil due to oiliness until someone told me that I just needed to apply it to the mid lengths and ends (same as conditioner), I did it once, realised what I had been missing and never looked back 😀
Great – thanks for the tip. I might try it out, I hate how dry my hair looks on the ends some days
It’s a little bit late but I will remember these tips for next summer!!
Ooo nice to know for future beach trips
A great way to look after our hair.
I’ve marked Benjamin1123, Elisakeily & preciouskurlan as spam.