Summer Hair

I think with the 96 degrees being predicted this coming weekend it is safe to say summer is here at last! Yeah! I love to get out and walk and run a bit in the warmer weather. I did my first 5K in years last weekend, the Run or Dye 5K. Maybe you saw all the crazy looking, dyed people running around town last Saturday? (“Color stations” are placed on the route and volunteers were there throwing dyed cornstarch at us).

 Anyhow while running it I was watching these women with that ever so popular “white” platinum blonde hair and thinking “OMG! This is not going to end well!” Well, sure enough, I had stained armpits still and some red looking stain left on my hair after my first shower. My hair is not platinum so by the second shower the red is gone from my hair. (Not the pits though! I may be wearing long sleeves to work all week). Anyhow this whole thing got me thinking about all the fun things we do in the summer and the havoc it can wreak on your expensive hair color. Here are my best tips on protecting your tresses while enjoying your summer.

• Running/walking is one of the most popular sports this time of year. The thing to think about when doing any sports is the constant tension you are putting on your hair when it is in a ponytail all the time. Make sure you are using cloth bands and not rubber, and be sure to not to wrap them too tight. When hair gets wet it swells and can cause breakage if you are putting rubber bands or wrapping the cloth ones too tight. Try an occasional braid to give that same hair a chance to recover now and again. 
• Sun and surf are very damaging to your hair. If you are highlighted, be sure to use a leave-in filler in your hair to protect it from further damage, my favorite on is Pureology’s here. If you are sporting red or any rich brown colors you want to be sure that your leave in protection has sunscreen in it. These products will save your hair from getting over-processed or washed out with all the UV rays it will be soaking up. This one is brand new on the market and amazing!
• Swimming in chlorinated pools is death to your hair if you don’t take special measures so protect it! First thing you need to do is get your hair saturated before jumping in the pool. Even better, if after wetting you add a conditioner for increased barrier and then a cap. If a cap is not practical at least wet it well, cover with conditioner and braid it to protect it. Also do not over use swimmer’s shampoo. This type of shampoo is very high on the pH and is designed to “strip” your hair of chlorine, which in turn, of course will strip your hair of color as well. So use weekly at the most.
• Camping is a great summer activity that our family loves. Remember going with your family as a kid and your mom always had a bandana on her head? Bandana’s are great for protecting your hair from the camp fire smell saturating it too much and also from the those pesky no-see-ums that show up at night and bite at your scalp. Spray bug spray on the bandana instead of directly on your hair to protect your hair and scalp from the direct assault of deet. Bandanas are very retro and back in style baby! ;)

I know there are many more sports that I am missing here but the issues with cycling, hiking, golfing and boating will all be a repeat of what I have said above. You get the gist right? 

Oh, and Color Me Rad is coming up in September so if you missed the fun Run or Dye 5K you might want to jump in on this one. I would suggest platinum girls wear a baseball cap and I did actually see one woman run by me with her hair in a plastic processing cap under her baseball cap to protect every last inch of her beautiful blonde! Here is the short list of marathons/running opportunities around the Reno/Tahoe area this summer. Whatever you do for enjoyment this time of year make the most of it! It is a short 3/4 months before we may see snow again! 

If you have suggestions for how you protect your hair during your summer play leave us a comment below. And please be sure to forward this or email it to any of your friends that you think would enjoy this article. Have a great week! 

Michon :)