Who doesn’t love soaking up the summer sun? The days are longer, the weather is warmer, and you have plenty of time to relax outside and catch those rays. However, it’s important to remember that while the sun may feel great on your skin, UV rays can cause some serious damage to your overall health and appearance—even when it comes to your hair.
You probably already know that the sun can be harmful to your skin, but it turns out that UV rays damage your hair, too. To find out exactly how sun damage can affect hair health, we checked in with experts Garren, Celebrity Stylist and R+Co Co-Founder, and Christin Brown, Celebrity Stylist and Colorist from Olaplex. They gave us a full rundown on why UV protection is so important and even shared their top tips for keeping your luscious locks protected this summer.
Why You Should Protect Your Hair From The Sun
Just as many people sit out in the sun to catch a nice tan every summer, you may also try to naturally highlight your hair by exposing it to UV rays. "When it comes to the sun, many believe that by sitting out for hours to give their hair that 'sunkissed' look, they’re doing far less damage than going into a salon for the same affect," Brown notes. However, this isn't necessarily the case; just as laying in the sun without an UV protection is bad for your skin, it can also be detrimental to the health of your hair.
You've probably heard again and again that protecting your skin from the sun is absolutely essential if you want to avoid premature aging (or worse, skin cancer). As it turns out, protecting your hair from UV rays is just as essential if you want to keep your lock as healthy as possible! "You should think of your hair just like you think of your skin. Just like you wear sunscreen on your face and body, you should be protecting your hair too. If you don’t, it will burn," Garren warns. He says you should especially be careful to protect your hair from the sun if it's fragile or overprocessed, as this puts it at a greater risk of drying out—which can ultimately lead to damage and breakage.
Brown agrees, explaining that "the sun with its UV rays does an incredible job of breaking down the structure in hair thus potentially weakening the hair strand." Yikes! This can worsen thinning hair because it "poses the problem of weakening already compromised hair." That means if you already struggle with dry, thinning hair, going out into the sun without any UV protection can greatly exacerbate the issue. You definitely don't want to skip this haircare step if you're trying to keep your hair happy and healthy.
Everyone should take measures to protect their hair from the sun, but those with colored hair may want to be extra precautious. "If your hair is colored, [the sun] will affect and shift the color," Garren explains, noting that "the sun mostly affects brunettes and red heads and those who color their hair." Good to know! We like or hair color as it is, thank you very much, so we'll definitely be investing in some products with UV protection.
How To Protect Your Hair From The Sun
If you're ready to get serious about keeping your hair protected from harmful UV rays, it's time to choose the right products. Unfortunately, Garren says it isn't as simple as "just buying one spray that will give surface level protection." While this can help, it's important to take steps to protect your locks at every level of your haircare routine. "Use the right shampoo and conditioner as a base," Garren instructs. He recommends the R+Co BLEU line, which will not only keep your hair protected from the sun, but will also help reconstruct your hair from the inside out. "It’s really important to use the full system and start with shampoo, conditioner and a treatment," he explains. "This way, you’re treating your hair from the inside out and infusing it with the nutrients and protection it needs, while closing the cuticle. Then, finishing with a styling product like the Daily Forecast Finishing Spray will give you UV surface level protection." Noted! We love a haircare line that does it all.
Speaking of doing it all, Brown recommends the Olaplex No.9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum, which provides protection against UVA, UVA, and even pollution. "There are also antioxidants provided by red algae in this product which give us back what our hair is missing along with Olaplex’s patented bond building technology to relink the bonds to strengthen and repair hair," she says. Sounds perfect!
Finally, if you want to take further precautions while you spend all day soaking up the sun, there are a few ways you can style your hair for ultimate protection from the sun. Garren recommends wetting your hair, applying a mask or oil, and combing it back into a low ponytail or bun. The final and key step here is to throw a hat on. "This way your scalp won't get burned," he assures. Brown agrees that hats are a must-have for summer haircare. "We forget that hats aren't just for fashion and style, but also to protect our hair and scalp. Just like sunblock, wear a hat to keep that color true and also keep those strands strengthened," she concludes. Got it!
