I love summer – I love the sun beating down, and balmy evenings, I love the freckles that appear on my nose when I have been out in the sunshine and I love how much happier everyone is when the sun has got his hat on.
But what if, unlike Mr Sun, you don't want to wear a hat all day long – how do you protect your hair from the sun's heaving rays?
My hair is my crowning glory so I want to protect it just as much as my skin, if I am honest.
I am happiest when it is silky soft, shining all day long and smelling gorgeous. But that is a tough ask when the weather is as hot and sticky as it is now.
The key to strong hair starts with the basics - your shampoo and conditioner.
I have used almost every brand over the years and they all have their plus points and drawbacks. But getting this right really does give your hair a head start!
Here's my summer rundown and top shampoo/conditioner picks ....
*LUSH's honey shampoo - this smells amazeballs and leaves your hair squeaky clean (£7 Lush). The bees have done all the hard work harnessing the power of flowers so your hair is left smelling summery and gorgeous.
*Follow up with Natur Vital's anti-breakage hair loss masque (£12.99 www.naturvital.com) - my house is usually covered in my hair during the summer - I am like a long-haired dog shedding everywhere and iy has been worse since I gave birth!! My hair was clogging up the shower and the hoover and it was really getting me down.
This is a three-minute miracle mask which gives your tresses an intensive treat, restoring damage and shine. The Natur Vital boffins claim Wheat Proteins, Wheat Germ Oil, Ginseng and Phytoactive Complex reconstruct and nourish the hair shaft, reinforcing it from breakage and split ends. And after 6 weeks use my hair is much stronger and my plugholes clear!!
*To protect in the sunshine (and from sea salt and pool chlorine) make sure you drench your hair in a protective spray. I have fallen in love with Phyto Plage protective sunveil (£13 spacenk) - and it is just that a veil on your hair. This treatment not only moisturises but has a UV screen to protect at the same time. It also has a gorgeous sweet almond scent - which makes me think of long days on the beach as soon as I smell it.
I usually spray it all over my freshly washed hair then French plait (into two braids) tightly (this up-do also helps you stay cool all day long) and allow to dry throughout the day in the sun - the spray means you don't have to worry about protecting your locks - then un-do your braids at the end of the day for shiny curls - a quick summer hair do worthy of your new maxi dress and much lusted-after jug of sangria! - watch the great tutorial I found on YouTube if French plaits frighten you - they are the easiest way to get beach-ready waves I promise!!!
The Phyto range also does a fantastic serum - and a top tip from a fellow beautyhunter Sian David a few weeks ago has changed my life - keep your serum in the shower and once you have shampooed and conditioned and rinsed - apply one pump of serum to ends of your hair - do NOT rinse. Your hair will be Jennifer Anniston-like in one blow dry - I promise you!!
*Make sure your brush is lush! Brushing your hair is an obvious way to keep your tresses in check - but getting the brush right means you won't risk breakages every time you comb. The old wives' tale of brushing youir hair 100 times before bed is not a million miles away from truthful - brushing your hair with a good quality brush from root to tip distributes your hair's natural oils down the hair shaft and makes hair shinier, more manageable, and less prone to breakage. Be sure you start your brushing at the bottom of your hair, and gradually work your way up; this will allow you to gently remove and tangles until you're just smoothly brushing from root to tip. My old faithful the Denman brush has been replaced by Michael Mercier's Detangler Brush (yes - I know all brushes are detanglers!!) But this little beauty (£14.95 Sainsbury's) has 482 bristles all of different heights to help disperse the pressure points placed on the hair while brushing and detangling resulting in less pain, hair loss and hair breakage. I get really tangled hair of a morning due to its length and thickness which can really hurt when trying to brush them out - so this brush has been a head-saver and has also saved me a fortune in detangling sprays!!!
So that's MY summer haircare routine - here are the best of the rest that make guest appearances in my bathroom to keep my hair shiny and smelling gorgeous.....
*Did you know slimming shakes brand Herbalife does a shampoo and conditioner range? No - neither did I - but guess what their shampoos have added much wanted weight and volume to my hair!!! Their Herbal Aloe strengthening shampoo is luxurious and really gave my long hair the oomph it needed - even after just a week of washes and it is paraben-free so is gentle enough to use every single day - which is a bonus when it is this hot and sticky and my hair resembles a second-hand wig by the end of the day! (www.herbalife.co.uk).
*Frizz, what frizz? Nicky Clarke's Weightless Treatment with Argan Oil (£20 Boots). This oil is infused with macadamia (very popular in haircare right now) and argan fruit kernals and promises to banish frizz and protect against sunny day dryness. One of my beautyhunters - who describes herself as an Albino Diana Ross !!! - was the ideal person to test out these claims - here's what she had to say about the celebrity stylist's latest range: "I loved the packaging straight off so was pretty excited to get started as my hair is pretty wild sometimes. After just one week my hair is so shiny - something I can never get easily and the frizz has definitely eased up. Another bonus was the amazing smell - I LOVE it and am so chuffed with the results."
*Bargain buy: Aussie is a favourite with so many of my beautyhunters - especially the 3-minute miracle. Used alongside their shampoo and detangling sprays this haircare staple gives the best results. Wait until it's on offer at one of the supermarkets so you can pick up the whole range in one buy.
*Splash the cash - using macadamia products is bang on trend and the Macadamia Natural Oil range has plenty of products to see you through summer. Their travel kit (£45 www.macadamiahair.co.uk) has the following -
Rejuvenating shampoo
Moisturising rinse
Deep repair masque
Healing oil treatment
Healing oil-infused comb - all in a handy travel pouch.
This pricey but oh so luxurious set is a must-have for your summer jaunt. It fits easily into your case and will keep your hair looking immaculate even in the most tropical of resorts - and the healing oil treatment will transport your hair to a corner of paradise even if your holiday spot is more like Weston Super Mare than the West Indies! For blissful summer hair - splurge and opt for this range as a summer hair treat!! Go on - you deserve it!!!
What's you top summer haircare tip? I'd love to know?
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