Temperatures are going up, and the sun is hanging out for
longer — summer is here! Between cookouts, graduation parties, vacations, or just days out in the park with your family, your time outside is going to increase significantly.
Of course, a major part of this fun is looking (and staying) cute! Many naturalistas use this time to install protective styles for the season, but there are other options as well. Regardless to how you choose to style during the summer, it will be important that you keep your scalp clean and healthy as you expose yourself and your curls to the elements. Here are three simple tips for maintaining scalp health during the summer!
Wash more: Your wash routine should not only adapt to the weather and time of year, but should also reflect how much and how often you’re out in the sun this summer. Curlfriends who are routinely more active (i.e. athletes) should double down on their wash days to keep their scalp moisturized in between to ward off dryness and flakiness, as well as eliminating sweaty smells. Squeaky Deep Cleansing Shampoo is great for those deeper cleanses, and on lighter wash days, Rich & Funky Moisturizing Cleanser can refresh your tresses with more finesse than it’s clarifying counterpart. Likewise, if you know you’re going to limit your time in the sun across the board, then you can tailor your adjustments around those plans. Defunk Hair Refresher Tonic can be a great bridge to carry you over until the next big wash day.
Not exactly a head-scratcher…: We can never recommend scalp massages enough! Not only do these help to stimulate hair growth and promote a healthy scalp, but they also provide a much-needed moisture supplement. There are several different oils and treatments you can use — coconut oil, olive oil, etc. UFD’s Shining Star Hair & Scalp Elixir is a great option too, of course. Pro tip: heat your oil of choice up before application for an even more soothing experience! Your only challenge may be recruiting somebody to take this task on!
Cover Up!: Be it a wide-brimmed hat, scarf, wrap or baseball cap, it’s incredibly important to protect your curls from direct and prolonged exposure to sun rays. While the sun in small doses can be good for your vitamin D-levels, too much can dry out your hair and scalp and cause significant damage to your skin across the board. As an additional tip, applying a hair mask to your tresses before covering up with a hat can be a great way to lock in moisture and keep your curls properly hydrated!
What other tips and tricks do you use to keep your scalp healthy and happy during the summertime? Let us know in the comments!!
2 comments
Hello,
I love all the tips and advice on keep our hair moisturized during the summer & protecting it from the sun! You suggest an additional tip of applying a hair mask to your tresses before covering up with a hat as a great way to lock in moisture and keep your curls properly hydrated. So my question is what kind of mask would you recommend? Also, will a mask stand up to the heat of the summertime sun & not melt down on to my neck and forehead? Yikes, that would be embarrassing!
Thanks for your time and hopefully a reply! Have a great day.
We do suggest using a hair mask. You can always DIY hair masks with common household ingredients. We also have a blog post about that with one of our Brand Ambassadors, Helecia. If you do any hair masks, we recommend that you do them in the evening and wash them out. You really don’t need to leave them on for more than 20-30 minutes for them to be effective.