Gwen's tips for protecting her hair in the summer

Gwen from the Instagram account @moonybanana reveals her secrets to avoid ending up with a bale of straw at the start of the school year.

Every summer our hair is put to the test: UV, chlorine, salt, wind... The key: the hair gets tangled, becomes dry and brittle, split ends appear. If today we have the reflex to protect our skin, we think less often of protecting our hair: but then, how to maintain beautiful hair ?

First of all, you should know that UV rays have the power to lighten our hair through an oxidation process. The pigments present in the marrow of the hair, such as melanin or artificial pigments if you color your hair, will then be destroyed.

If some reflections are sometimes appreciated, there is no question of letting the sun completely bleach our hair because this process is not trivial and will inevitably damage the hair fiber!

Tip n°1: Monitor the UV index and protect yourself accordingly

Who has never been fooled by cloudy weather? For the skin as for the hair it is imperative to protect yourself during the hours when the sun is at its maximum. Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., depending on the UV index , you are not exposed for more than a quarter of an hour without protection. Stay in the shade, and favor wide-brimmed hats.

Tip n°2: Adopt a treatment or a protective oil

Some vegetable oils have a UV protection index: this is the case, for example, of raspberry seed oil, the most famous, monoi, which has a coconut oil base, wheat or olive oil.

A few drops applied daily will bring nutrition to the hair, and protect it from the sun's rays like your sunscreen. The mechanical action of the oil will also make it possible to limit friction, and therefore knots. Knowing that the first cause of breakage at the level of the lengths comes from the knots, the application of oil is therefore essential!

 

Tip 3: Protect your hair with accessories and bet on protective hairstyles

Well-chosen accessories will protect your hair from the sun and the wind at the same time! So your hair will remain supple and your lengths will be very soft: no more dry hair and no more knots!

My favourites :

The Oren Comb

Elliott Peak

Nina satin scrunchie

The Jess headband

Avoid: hair straighteners, hair dryers, bleaching...

Summer is already putting our hair to the test, so to relieve it we avoid adding additional aggression with the straighteners or the hair dryer which dry out the hair fiber enormously.

Sensitive subject… What about discoloration ? While highlights and sweeps became routine before the summer, my position is very clear on the subject: the bleaching process irreparably damages the hair and must absolutely be avoided before the summer! It is neither more nor less than a marketing trend that your hairdresser offers you without even understanding the ins and outs. Your hair will be weakened and will suffer the brunt of the aggressions of summer! With the sun, the wind, and the swimming it will not be surprising to end the summer with a bale of straw! In addition, UV will be able to fully act because the hair fiber will no longer be protected at all. Result: the discoloration will increase and you will have to recolor your hair at the start of the school year (with a good cut to eliminate the damage).

If you really want to bring highlights to your hair, favor softer and progressive methods ( honey or chamomile- based treatments) and favor vegetable colorings based on henna . If you still want to color your hair in a "conventional" way, do it instead at the start of the school year 😊

PS: no, “clay sweeps” are not harmless “natural” treatments, I tested… And regretted it!

As a bonus: repair and strengthen your hair by focusing on protein treatments, oils, and acid RINSES

The protein active ingredients make it possible to "repair" hair that has been damaged, three options are possible:

• Adopt a ready-made protein mask. Check the presence of the active ingredients in the composition using an analysis application (The Truth About Cosmetics, Mireille App for example). Make sure they are present in good quantity, that is to say high enough in the INCI list (again we do not want to fall into the trap of marketing).
• Customize a mask base by adding active ingredients: rice protein, silk protein, spirulina, moringa, phytokeratin, collagen, panthenol (you can easily find them on the internet) and vegetable oils or butters if you want a nourishing treatment. Test one asset at a time to find what works best for you!
• For DIY enthusiasts, rice water works wonders!

To strengthen the natural barrier of your hair, remember to perform an acid rinse with each routine, that is to say each time you shampoo. The pH of the shampoo being generally basic, the scales of your hair will open. It is therefore imperative to close these scales to keep beautiful hair shiny, hydrated, and to facilitate detangling. For this you can use cider vinegar , coconut, pomegranate or lemon juice that you will dilute in water or an infusion of hibiscus (no need to dilute it).

It's up to you, and don't forget to enjoy!

Written by: Gwendoline aka @moonybanana

Find @moonybanana on his social networks:

@moonybeauties

@moonybanana

@moonybeauties

@moonybeauties

@moonybeauties