How to Protect Your Red Hair From Sun, Chlorine, and Salt Water

There’s nothing quite like spending a day outside with warm summer sun and refreshing ocean or pool water. Summer days are meant for enjoying, but redheads have to take the proper precautions. The summer sun and heat can do damage to your skin and your red hair too. It can cause hair to color-fade (yes, natural redheads too) and become frizzy/greasy. That’s why it’s important to take preventative steps to keep your hair healthy. Try these ‘Redhead-Friendly’ ways to protect your hair from sun, chlorine and salt water: 

1. Cover your hair

Pop on a cute sun hat or headscarf to keep your locks from getting too much sun exposure. If you don’t have a hat, sit under an umbrella or seek shade to keep your red hair (and skin) protected. The best thing you can do is wear a hat under the shade! 

Did you hear there is a free sun hat in the Summer Deluxe H2BAR Box? Scoop one up now:

2. Hair sunscreen 

In the recent years, many brands have started to develop mainstream hair sunscreen products to keep hair produced from the sun. Double up by using a product that both moisturizes and shields your hair. Try this one from Coola. We love it because it’s a powerful blend of plant-based antioxidants and sunscreen to lock-in color (natural and ‘by choice’) and strengthen damaged red hair.

3. Stay hydrated 

When you drink water, it spreads to all parts of your body nourishing and hydrating from head to toe. Studies show that a hydration causes softer, more voluminous hair, and can keep heat damage from having such a strong effect on the body. Make sure to drink at least 64 oz of water daily, and more if you’re out in the sun. Enjoy a water bottle like this to easily add in lemon or fruit of your choice. 

4. Skip hot tools

During the summer months, it’s smart to skip the hot tools as much as you can. The added heat combined with the summer sun will leave your red hair feeling frizzy and fried. Let your hair air dry, do a heatless braid look, or pull it back in a cute protective style. 

5. Use a leave-in conditioner

If your hair does get exposed to heat and sunshine, try nourishing it back to health with a leave-in conditioner. This one from RAINCRY will help strengthen and repair the hair. Before going for a swim in the pool or ocean, wet your hair completely and thoroughly applying a leave-in conditioner. Your hair will absorb the conditioner instead of the chlorine or salt water! 

6. Get a clear gloss

Hair can loose its shine over time and even more quickly when it’s in the sun or hot water. At the salon, get a clear gloss—a shiny seal that gradually washes out. If you’re a natural redhead, this is totally safe for your hair! It will just increase shine. You can reap similar benefits with an at-home glaze, like Oribe Glaze for Beautiful Hair Color. 

The big takeaway here is moisture!

Rock it like a Redhead! 

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