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Salt water and chlorine can both cause havoc on hair. Forget about walking around with a dull, dry mop atop your head, and don't even think about going to a salon for a chemical treatment. There are easy green pre, during, and post pool and beach exposure things you can do to actually improve and beautify your locks.
1. Drink Plenty of Water
Among the many obvious benefits of drinking water, it is also one of nature's most effective and inexpensive moisturizers for skin and hair. Tote your own reusable water bottle filled with fresh water to drink throughout the day.
2. Curtail the Cocktails
Before soaking up the sun with a summer cocktail in hand, remember that alcohol dries out skin and hair. It's just one of many good reasons to avoid overindulging.
3. Keep Things Loose
Pull hair back in a loose ponytail using soft hair ties. Avoid metal clips and tight rubber bands which can put stress on hair and cause breakage, especially when hair is wet.
4. Apply Protective Sunscreen to Hair and Scalp
UVA and UVB rays can damage hair, leading to split ends, breakage and loss of a healthy shine (not to mention increasing your odds of melanoma on the scalp). Protect your hair and your scalp with a UV shield.
Try: a natural hair and scalp UV filter like Warren-Tricomi's Protect Organic Hair Shield with extracts of organic sea algae, cactus, and chamomile.
5. Sea Salt and Chlorine Are the Enemy
Rinse off hair after taking a dip, as both sea water and chlorine can dry out hair, leaving it brittle and lifeless. Besides, who wants to walk around covered in that chemical chlorine scent?
6. Use Leave-In Conditioner or Soak Hair with Tap Water
Prepping the hair with a leave-in conditioner or even just tap water before taking a dip helps prevent chlorine and sea salt from harming the cuticle, leading to breakage and split ends. Yes, just a simple tap water rinse helps to saturate the follicles first, leaving little room for the salt or chlorine to soak in.
Try: Giovanni Organic Direct Leave-in Conditioner.
7. Avoid/Minimize Hair Dryers and Flat Irons
The sun is the most earth and hair-friendly way to dry your hair. So give hair dryers and flat irons a summer vacation.
Avoid Color-Treatments or Perms
Thankfully, the perm craze is over, but color-treatments are very much in full swing—which are damaging enough as it is, add in the element of the hot sun and you are potentially creating havoc on your hair. Instead of dying hair with chemical colors, try natural hair lightening tricks like squeezing fresh lemon juice on your locks before a day in the sun.
8. Use a Wide-Toothed Comb for Wet Hair
Wet hair is especially fragile and can easily break or tear. A wide-toothed comb will reduce breakage.
Treat Your Hair Post Exposure to a Nutrient-Rich Homemade Hair Mask
You don't have to go to a salon and spend an arm and a leg on expensive hair-nourishing treatments. Instead, try this homemade hair recipe to help heal and rejuvenate your hair without spending a dime (not to mention much time).
David Parker, co-owner & 'cosmetic chef' of the eco-friendly beauty line The Body Deli, is a mastermind at creating at-home, natural recipes for hair masques, particularly masques for sun-damaged hair!
Here's his Intensive Hair Pack to help hair recuperate and heal, perfect for post-sun summer days:
Take 1/2 cup of mayonnaise (you can make your own mayonnaise)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tablespoon of buttermilk
Mix together and apply to hair
Cover with a shower cap and marinade for at least 30 minutes, then wash out
So stop stressing about your tresses this summer, and instead take a few green measures to ensure that your hair's health stays strong so that you can focus on having fuss-free fun in the sun.
More on Green Hair Treatments:
Could You Breathe Better With Dirty Hair?
5 Ways to Green Your Haircut
Six Soothing Summer Beauty Treatments?Fresh from the Farmers' Market
Go Green With Your Sunscreen
Got a tip or a post idea for us to write about on Planet Green? Email pgtips (at) treehugger (dot) com.
