Summer is here and we’re trying to be OUTSIDEEEE! But being outside comes with some setbacks for our natural hair. We all experience our hair feeling different and doing different things when the weather changes. Summer is the hottest and most humid season in most places, so it’s important to prepare your hair for the heat. That means protective styling and a whole lot of refreshing during the summer months to keep our hair healthy.
Too Much Heat
Summer time calls for days with 80 degree weather and higher, which most times comes with some extra humidity, making it even hotter. This extreme heat can cause dryness, frizz and shrinkage for us naturalistas. Even though we may not notice it, the sun can be extremely damaging to our hair. It’s definitely hard to keep a style like a twist out, wash n go or braid out because spending a few hours in the heat can distort your hairstyle quickly. The sun can dry out your kinks or curls and make it feel dehydrated. So when styling your natural hair for the summer time, it makes a huge difference in the products you use to keep your hair moisturized.
Refresh Those Curls
A moisturizing wash day creates the foundation for hydrated hair in general, but it’s important to keep hydrating your hair throughout the week when it feels dry. Products that are water based or maybe even aloe based are perfect for the summer, as well as products that have humectants in them. Humectants like honey, glycerin or castor oil are great in the summer time because they absorb moisture from the air and rehydrate your hair. These ingredients work well with humidity. So if you decide to wear a wash n go or twist out, a good curl defining cream or gel can help combat some of the frizz that will appear when your outside. Choosing your hair products carefully during the summer and selecting products that will keep your hair hydrated and defined longer is key.
But there are other ways to also refresh your hair. Keeping a warm water bottle on hand to spritz your hair with when needed is a great way for your thirsty curls to absorb some water. Most of us probably take nice cold showers to cool off from the summer heat, but taking a steamy shower can help open your hair cuticles to allow moisture to get into those strands. A quick nighttime routine could also be a small spritz of water and applying a lightweight leave in conditioner before you wrap your hair up for the night. Just making sure you hair isn’t super dry and thirsty is vital. Hydrated hair in the summer is less prone to dryness and breakage.
Protect Your Hair 
Lastly, when styling your hair, its best to put it in a style that won’t react drastically to the weather. That’s why most naturals get protective styles like braids, locs or cornrows in the summer. These styles allow you to maintain moisture as well as maintain the overall health of your hair, if you do it properly. Even when you have these hairstyles, you still have to take care of your scalp. So oiling your scalp or using a scalp serum can help promote growth and keep your strands moisturized. But make sure your hair is already hydrated before installing the protective style to ensure your won’t experience unnecessary breakage or dryness during or after the protective style. These styles are a naturalistas best friend!
So if you plan on being outside this summer, make sure you protect your hair. Braids, locs, wigs, cornrows or crochet braids are the best way to reduce frizz, breakage or dryness. Don’t keep the in for months and months, switch it up to give your hair a break and a proper wash routine. Or if you’re not a protective styling natural, make sure to go the extra mile to keep those tresses refreshed and hydrated.