Holidays can be hell for unprotected hair

Jul 8 2007 By The Journal

SUMMER brings pleasant memories of holiday romances, sun and lazing by the sea.

But hopefully the holiday photos won’t show your hair getting ruined by the very same environmental elements that you were just embracing.

Unlike skin, hair has no natural defences. Daily exposure to UV rays, which attack hair on the surface and from within, combined with salt, seawater and chlorine strips it of moisture, leaving it looking lank and limp rather than lustrous.

“Sun dehydrates the hair and makes it dry, brittle and unmanageable.

“This is why it’s so important to care for your hair and replace any moisture loss during the hot summer months,” says top stylist Lisa Shepherd.

“Always make sure you have a head scarf or hat with you. This is the best way to prevent colour fade when on your hols. Get a stylish trilby to hide your hair or head scarf to keep your roots covered.”

Pre-holiday

Prevention is better than cure, so to make sure your hair is looking its best, it has to be in a decent condition before you jet off.

Improve its overall state by applying an intensive conditioner to revitalise and soften your hair, leaving it super-shiny. Wrapping hair up in a warm damp towel once the conditioner has been applied will allow the heat to penetrate the hair shaft.

“Make sure you take time to massage your conditioner into the scalp as well to ensure the skin on your head is feeling as nourished as your hair,” says Adam Reed from Charles Worthington.

Bumble and Bumble Deep Treatment, £18.50 at Space NK (020 8740 2085/www.spacenk.com), Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, £22 from Hqhair.com, Charles Worthington Dream Hair Blissful Treat Intensive Conditioner, £5.99 (www.charlesworthington.com), and Philip B Deep Conditioning Creme Rinse, £21, also from Space NK, will transform dry hair to strokeably soft.

Nanomax Hydrate professional treatment, £50 (0871 520 4444/www.nanomax4hair.com), will inject hair with well-needed moisture.

Colour care

This summer, golden blonde is the must-have colour, thanks to celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Victoria Beckham going lighter.

But if you're thinking of taking the plunge, Lisa warns: “If you decide to go blonde, never have just the one shade of highlights or else it will look dull and flat. Having several shades of blonde including one darker shade very near your own will make your blonde look natural and lively.”

The Body Shop's new Bilberry haircare range includes Detangler, a leave-in conditioning spray, £7, which contains UV filters and
natural antioxidants to help protect
against colour fading and environmental damage caused by sun, pollution, sea and chlorine.

Phyto Original High Protection Sun Oil, £12.50 (020 7620 1771), Senscience True Hue oil capsules, £19.95 for 18 (01282 683 100), Philip B Rejuvenating Oil, £24.50, and Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Moisture Melt, £29, (01278 727 830/www.elemis.com), are great for chemically treated hair.

Alberto VO5 hot oils, £1.19, is recovery in a tube with its blend of five vitamins and proves you don’t have to spend over a fiver.

Clairol’s Colour Seal Gloss Conditioner, 99p, and Tresemme Vitamin E & Aloe Colour Lock UV filter leave-in conditioning spray, £3.99, seal in moisture, retain colour and give shine to blondes for weeks.

Holiday hair

Only unsavvy beauty buffs lug around full-sized hair products on holidays.

Take miniature versions for long
weekends or a week, or if you’re going for longer, why not buy a bottle at your destination instead?

Fudge have travel sizes of their best-selling styling line, including Hair Shaper, £3.95, and Unleaded Skyscraper hairspray, £4.95 (01282 683 100/www.fudge.com), while Lush has travel-friendly solid shampoo bars. Try the vitamin-rich Seanik, £3.95, (01202 668 545/www.lush.co.uk), packed with fresh seaweed to soften and protect.

“Like skin, hair needs to be protected from the effects of UV rays, sea salt and chlorine. A range specifically for protecting hair in the summer will make locks more manageable with a smooth, soft finish,” Lisa says.

Try Joico K-Pak Sun Therapy System, from £9.95 (01282 683 100).

Apply a liberal helping of a hairspray with sunscreen during the day.

Try Solait Scalp and Hair Protection spray SPF25, £6.99 at Superdrug, Mark Hill Sunscreen Spray SPF6, £3.49 at Boots, and Clarins Sun Care Spray Radiant Oil SPF4, £16.

Frederic Fekkai Sun Bandana, £16 at Space NK, creates a
heat-activated protective shield that is also water-resistant.