I’m a New England girl born and raised, and around here we love our four seasons. Along with the weather, my hair care routine changes from one season into the next. Your hair has different needs in the winter than in the summer. As the seasons change, our lifestyle changes, and our hair routine needs to flow from season to season.
Summer: Keep Your Cool and Your Color in the Humid Months
“Sugar ah honey honey” — what needs to be cared for the most once summer finally arrives is your color, especially for all you lovely color-treated clients. Color is an investment, and you should always take special care of yours. Here’s how:
- Creamer leave-in conditioners, as opposed to the more liquid ones, are a must-have in your beach bag. Find a leave-in that has UV protection, to minimize color fading.
- Put a hat on it! Keeping your hair under a hat will protect that amazing color. Fading is the biggest concern I hear from my clients during the summer months. It’s because we are all outside enjoying the warmer weather. Beach days with the family. Pool days with our friends. Color-fading comes with the territory, but it doesn’t have to be the price we pay for summer fun.
- A pH balanced clarifying shampoo is another summer life-saver. Especially with travel and taking a dip in that chlorinated pool. A gentle clarifying shampoo removes unwanted minerals and product build-up. It keeps the hair healthy and happy. The pH balance means no need to worry it is “harsh” for the hair or will cause color fading. It won’t.
- For your curls, use products that fight frizz and have an anti-humectant. We all know what happens to our curls in the summer — frizz city. I love a good gel or frizz-fighting foam. Creams on the wrong head of hair during the wrong time of year can cause the hair to go limp and flat. Too much moisture = limp, flat hair. There will be a lot of moisture in the atmosphere during the summer months, so be careful to not overcompensate.
Fall: Change Your Routine (and Color) Along with the Leaves
Fall just might be hair’s favorite season. Not only is it leaf peeping time in New England, which is magical to witness, fall just has an amazing atmosphere, not too hot or humid, that creates perfect hair days. As we welcome fall, though, our hair can start to feel a little drier. The static caused by dry air starts to set in (you know when your hair is sticking straight up like when you touch a plasma globe?). This is due to a lack of moisture. We crank the heat up in our house, blast it on our car ride to work. So, what’s a girl to do with all this lack of moisture? We need to add into our hair care routine. If you care for your hair with a moisture boost during the fall months, your hair won’t be as dry and tired as when the winter sets in.
I suggest adding a leave-in conditioner to your routine, or do a deep conditioning treatment once a week to give your hair the extra burst of moisture.
A Winter Salvation: Just Add Hydration
Hair color thrives in the winter. There’s less sun exposure (sadly), winter hats protect our manes, and we wash our hair less frequently. However, winter is when our hair really starts to feel the dry chilly air. Emphasis on dry! My curly hair wants to act less curly in the winter. But guess what? As long as I take the season change into consideration for my haircare routine, my curls will be consistent all year long!
- This season will likely require a different conditioner that is more moisturizing. This is also the perfect time to do the weekly deep conditioning treatment more frequently.
- To style my curls, I like to add a cream before my gel in the winter. The cream will give it just the right amount of added moisture to keep my curls hydrated, defined, and bouncy.
- To keep your freshly-styled curls intact while staying warm, choose a satin-lined cap if you wear a hat, earmuffs or a headband that covers your ears — they are game-changers.
- Static got you down? A leave-in conditioner will do the trick. (Are you starting to see a pattern with the magic of leave-ins yet?)
Spring: Get the Bounce Back
Ah, spring has sprung. Everyone gets a little pep in their step once the spring sun starts to shine and the first flowers begin to bloom. So does our hair. This means that our moisture-packed winter conditioners will be too heavy for the season. There will be more humidity in the air, so we need to be careful not to add too much moisture in our product choices.
- If your hair agrees with it, a leave-in is a nice product to use year round. Find a conditioner that isn’t overly moisturizing for your hair. You’ll know you’re using too moisturizing a product if your hair feels limp or looks flat on top.
- Drop the cream from your styling routine. You may want to use just gel for your curls, or a foam if you’re styling straight hair.
Pro Tip:
“Fashion Shade” Color Clients: if you have a bright, semi-permanent color treatment, make sure you are washing your hair in COLD water — hot water will increase fading a lot more than you think.
Pool Lovers: Before jumping in the pool, wet your hair first with non-chlorinated water. Hair is like a sponge, so if it is already wet with non-chlorinated water, your color will fade less. I would say skip the pool altogether…but that ain’t living!
Blonde Clients: A purple shampoo is going to be your best friend to kick that brassy hair in the ass. Do it once a week, especially in the summer when the sun naturally lightens your hair, and you will see the difference.
So, when you start getting cues from your hair as you flip months in your calendar, make sure to listen. Change up your hair care routine with the seasons, and start having good hair days 12 months a year. You got this!
