I love seeing all the amazing costumes that everyone wears to Burning Man every year! This is my beautiful friend Natasha of Natasha's World Jewelry and just one her many funky costumes from last years event! One of the things you will notice about the costume and many of the pictures you will see from the event is the many attempts to cover the cherished tresses. The alkali on the playa at the Black Rock Desert has the pH of approximately 10.5. The pH of your hair is between 4.5 and 5. It is important to keep it protected from the pounding it will get on that desert this week. Here are my best suggestions to protect your hair from excessive damage.
- Wear a wig. They are fun and easy to whip on. They may be a little on the hot side but it will be fun for a day to be a different color or a different length. And with your alter ego out there you will have more fun for the day anyhow!
- Hats are another great option. Your hair will probably still poke out from under it a little but at least the playa dust will have a detour before getting directly on your scalp.
- A scarf, turbon or bandana will help. They will also be cooler since you may be sweating the dust from the lake bed will be attracted more to the moist cloth than your hair.
- Braid your hair. Braiding will keep much of the hair protected. DO NOT make the mistake of adding conditioner or anything else to your braids. That will only attract more dirt rather than ward it off.
- A bun is a great way to protect the most of it. And if you cover the bun in some fun shiny fabric or something creative you will return from your trip with hair that will forgive you.
- Do not weave or braid fabric or yarn into your hair. If those fibers get wet, which they most likely will if it is hot they will be a magnet for the alkali dust to attach to the full strand of hair.
Stay tuned for next week when I do a follow up on what to do after the Burn!
Thanks for tuning in to my blog.
See you next time!
Michon :)
