My clients are international tastemakers, royalty and multi-millionaires who live as if it’s summer all year round.
Their hair has to look fresh, expensive and effortless – whether they’re at a board meeting in Dubai or barefoot on the Amalfi Coast. What many people don’t realise is the way we treat our hair in the summer has the power to age it, rapidly. Dullness, dehydration, brittleness, colour-fade and breakage all add up – and affect what I call your ‘hair age’.
By using a few simple tricks you can avoid these signs of damage and keep your hair in its peak condition right through to September and beyond. These are the six rules I tell my clients to follow to help anti-age their hair…
1. A MESSY BUN FOR A FREE BALAYAGE
Celebrity hair stylist Tom Smith says by using a few simple tricks you can avoid the signs of hair damage and keep your hair in its peak condition during the summer months and beyond
Of course, the best way to protect your hair from the sun would be to cover it with a hat (or a silk scarf), but when you can’t, don’t rely on those
UV protection hair mists – they aren’t as effective as sunscreen is on your skin. The smartest thing might be to wear your hair up.
A messy bun keeps your scalp and parting shaded (preventing sunburn and root fade), while letting the sun naturally lighten your hairline and ends – the exact places we target in a professional balayage (I charge from £1,150 for mine). Just don’t forget to apply a facial sunscreen right up into your hairline. It’ll protect both your skin and those delicate front hairs from becoming damaged.
I like La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Anti-Shine Mist (£14,80, boots.com), which won’t overload your hairline, while Supergoop! SPF Mineral Powder (£29, spacenk.com) is great to brush into finer hairlines or partings and doesn’t leave an oily residue.
2. A BUN IS BETTER THAN A BLOW-DRY AT NIGHT
Nobody wants to blow-dry their hair on a balmy summer’s night, so use this multi-tasking hack instead: apply your favourite mask or conditioner through clean damp hair, comb in a middle or side parting, and twist into a sleek bun.
You need the parting for a nighttime look – you want to look polished, after all. Secure it with a statement scrunchie or subtle pins and pair with a bold earring and/or lip colour. This look is chic enough for dinner, but secretly treats your hair at the same time. Think of it as repair disguised as a hairstyle – it’s comfortable, practical and the ultimate habit stack!
I recommend Olaplex No. 3 (£19.55, amazon.co.uk), Olaplex No. 8 (£22.40, sephora.co.uk) or Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (£21, boots.com).
3. YOUR HAIR NEEDS AFTER-SUN, TOO
Just like your skin, your hair dries out fast in the sun. UV rays, saltwater and chlorine strip away essential moisture and lipids, leaving your strands brittle, dull and extra prone to snapping.
Ensuring you’re adding extra moisture to your ends regularly can be the difference between saving your sun-kissed lengths and being forced into a bob come autumn. A good leave-in conditioner might just be your simplest answer – keep one in your beach bag and mist it over damp hair after swimming (even if you can’t rinse). It’ll rehydrate your lengths and actually help your natural waves form better as they dry.
Back at your hotel, upgrade your conditioner to a deep moisture mask, and get into the habit of daily leave-in hydration, morning and night!
Think of it as after-sun, but for your hair. Try Amika Leave-In Hydro Rush Conditioner (£27, spacenk.com) or Ouai Leave-In Conditioner (£26, harrods.com).
4. THREE STEPS FOR POOL-PROOFING
Chlorine can be brutal on hair, but here’s a three-step strategy to outsmart it. At an absolute minimum follow step one: always soak your hair in clean water before diving in. Like a sponge, wet hair absorbs less of the pool water than dry hair.
For extra points, add step two: slather on your thickest, oiliest mask (a budget one such as Cantu Deep Treatment Masque will do). It acts as a barrier and treats your hair while you swim: just be sure to shampoo it out properly after.
For maximum protection, continue to step three: avoid dunking your head underwater if you can, especially if you’ve recently had colour, if your hair is porous or prone to damage – prevention is better than cure!
You won’t go wrong using Redken Frizz Dismiss Mask (now £17.99, shop.toniandguy.com) or Bondiboost Anti Frizz Mask (now £12, sephora.co.uk).
5. PROTECT YOUR GREYS
Grey hair can look bright and beautiful but it’s especially vulnerable in the summertime.
Naturally more porous, it absorbs everything – from sunscreen and fake tan to seawater and chlorine. Glossy grey strands can quickly turn yellow, dull and stained with pollutants that may be tricky to get rid of.
Avoid letting your fake tan touch your hair – this will very quickly give grey or blonde strands an unsightly bronze tone that can be hard to remove. And never run skincare-covered hands through greyer sections. Pack a purple shampoo just in case (it can help to cancel out brassiness before it sets in).
I like Evo Fabuloso Platinum Shampoo (£24.50, sephora.co.uk) and Evo Fabuloso Platinum Colour Boosting Treatment (£26.50, evohairstore.com).
6. DITCH THE LIGHTENING SPRAY
Admittedly, those nostalgic sprays that promise golden, beachy highlights can work – but unless you’re already blonde and don’t plan to colour your hair, they’re risky!
These lightening sprays often turn darker hair more orange than blonde, and can be wildly incompatible with professional salon colour, sometimes causing chemical reactions that lead to breakage or unpredictable results. If you’ve used one, always tell your colourist. But honestly, if you want healthy, grown-up hair colour, leave Sun-In and lemon juice soaks where they belong – in the past!
