Summer hair dos and don'ts
Protect your lovely locks from summer sun and water damage.
By Sarah Hatten

It's official! The lazy, hazy days of summer are here. It's time to spend the day at the beach, hang out by the pool and enjoy lolling your summer vacation away. And, according to John Steinberg, owner of John Steinberg and Associates in Toronto, summertime is also the perfect time to pamper your hair.

To ensure you enjoy lush locks all summer long, make sure you start the season off right with a good haircut, or at the very least, a trim to clean up any split ends. This will give your hair the healthy start it needs to survive the summer elements.

Daily grind
To maintain healthy locks, it's essential to develop a daily hair-care routine. According to Richard Marin, a style consultant for John Frieda Brilliant Brunette, it's important to wash hair with a shampoo that is formulated for your hair type and to always condition, as conditioner protects hair from UV damage and prevents splitting. He recommends John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette and Blonde line of products.

Splish splash
You can't beat a dip in the pool or ocean on a hot summer day, but don't forget that both chlorine and salt water are damaging to your hair. The best way to protect your mane from this type of harm is to simply keep it out of the water by wearing a swimming cap or keeping it up in a ponytail.

According to both Steinberg and Marin, the next-best defence is conditioning. Steinberg advises putting on a good leave-in conditioner as soon as you get out of the water. Marin suggests carrying a spritz bottle filled with water or a mixture of water and conditioner. "When you get out of the water, use the bottle to spritz out the sea water and/or chlorine before it damages your hair," he advises.

It's also important to remember to properly shampoo and condition your hair as soon as you get home to remove remaining chlorine and salt. This can even be a good time to give your hair some added TLC by applying a deep-conditioning product to give your hair a boost of moisture.

Soaking up the sun
Planning to spend an afternoon working on your tan? Work on your hair as well. Both Steinberg and Marin agree that if you are going to be lazing about in the sun, it's the perfect opportunity to give your hair the royal treatment.

"Summertime is a good time to start taking care of your hair," says Steinberg. He suggests taking advantage of vacation time, or time spent hanging out by the pool to use a leave-in conditioner.

Appliance avoidance
Part of giving your hair a true summer vacation means giving it a break from the daily strain of styling appliances.

Cut down on the use of the blow dryer. Leave hair damp and allow it to air-dry on the way to work, or opt for an updo to keep cool in the summer heat. Skip the flat or curling iron altogether whenever possible.

In good condition
With all of the conditioning required to keep hair strong and healthy, product buildup can become a problem if you don't know how to condition properly.

If you're struggling with hair that's heavy and flat, Steinberg advises using half the amount of product you are currently using. Likewise, Marin says to always apply conditioner on your hair tips after a wash, but try to avoid applying it to the root or shaft as it will weigh hair down and make it dirty.

Source: Sympatico/MSN/Canadian Living