The wait for Chicago summer is finally almost over! We’ve braved the winter, suffered through seemingly endless drab cloudy days and it's finally time to head outside and enjoy our summer! But summer isn't all sunshine and roses, even though there is plenty of both, there are some concerns with being out in the heat. Our hair and skin can really take a beating this time of year! So what can we do to stop the dryness, frizziness, dry skin and sunburns? We've got you covered! Here’s part one, Hair Care!

Get a Pre-Summer Cut

A great way to jumpstart healthy summer hair is getting rid of the problem before it starts! Dry ends are a very common plague in the summer, so get those bad boys trimmed before the heat of summer comes roaring in. A pre-season hair cut will refresh your ends and leave them less susceptible to drying out in the heat. Stylists recommend getting a cut at least once per season to keep your ends heathy. Healthy hair ends help promote hair growth, so by cutting of a little, you actually help your hair grow longer! Who knew?

Protect Your Hair BEFORE the Pool

Who doesn't love a nice dip in the pool in summer? I’ll tell you who its your hair. Chlorine can massively strip your hair of nutrients and leave it feeling dry. Blondes need to be especially careful because repeated exposure to pool chemicals can leave the blonde with a greenish hue. Before taking a dip liberally spray your hair with a leave in conditioner, this will help shield your hair from the harsh chemicals. When you're all done swimming, make sure to rinse your hair thoroughly with fresh water to remove the pool water. 

Pack on that Moisture!

Spending time outside in the summer is a great way to recharge your vitamin D, boost your mood and a great way to spend yout time. To make sure your hair doesn't get dried out from the UV radiation make sure you're using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. If you are prone to oiliness, and are worried that the sweating and extra moisture might overwhelm your scalp, opt for a clarifying or balancing shampoo, and add in a deep conditioner on your ends only once a week. 

Skip on the Heat

Avoid using heat on your hair when possible, we get enough of heat in summer! Try cooling down your shower in the summertime and avoid heat styling products, at least once or twice a week. There are so many kits and tutorials on line that teach how to do heatless curls and blowouts. We have a whole blog written about heatless curls for those who are interested in learning more

Incorporate Some New Products

Now is the perfect time to experiment with new products to boost your hair game or fix perpetual hair problems. If you're prone to frizziness when the humidity goes up, add a hair oil into your routine. One or two drops should be enough to help! To secure a bit extra moisture, how about adding a leave in conditioner to your hair routine? They are a great help year round to those who have chronically dry hair. And finally consider styling products with UV protection. This can helo with sun damage to the hair and helps protect those with colored or dyed hair from fading.