Who doesn’t love good beachy waves? This trending look is inspired by the gorgeous waves that you’re left with after a sun and sea soaked beach day! The effect that salt water has on your hair may seem scary, after all even straight hair gets some movement with a little sea water, but guess what? Salt water isn’t all bad!
Since Greenwich is coastal town, we are often asked by guests if they can swim in the Long Island Sound or even on vacation at luxurious beaches. Well, of course you can!
GOOD STUFF!
First, let’s conquer all the good things that come from the ocean! No I’m not talking about the beautiful fish or coral reefs, but the vitamins and minerals found in seawater. Our water isn’t clear here like at some beaches, but it’s full of amazing nutrients for skin and hair! Seawater is high in Amino Acids, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium, and Calcium. These nutrients can soak into your hair by just taking a dip and going for a swim. If you remember our previous posts about hair loss or diet related benefits, you’ll know that these are all key components of scalp health and hair growth.
In addition to the nutrients, it has a naturally clarifying effect. This is especially beneficial for those with oily and greasy hair or copious amounts of product layers. Just taking a swim is enough friction in the water to rinse out and dry up some of the excess and unwanted buildup. It also has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties which helps to remedy dry, itchy scalp by treating it as well as removing dead skin.
Outside of those direct benefits, sea water (or any salt water) increases blood flow and reduces stress. Your scalp and hair follicles need oxygen and nutrients for healthy growth, and the increased circulation opposite of reduced stress hormones supplies this more efficiently allowing for better, faster hair growth.
It sounds awesome, right? It is! BUT, you still have to prepare and be careful of overexposure. While the Sun is vital to our health, we also need sunscreen to protect our skin. Same goes with salt water. So, here are some tips to keep your beachy waves soft and luscious instead of dry and brittle:
TAKEAWAY TIPS
1 – Pre-treat
Before going in the water, wet your hair thoroughly with fresh water to fill your cuticles. Then, over the wet strands, apply oil throughout your hair to protect from the drying effects of the salt. It will soak up moisture from the additional oil and water rather than pulling your natural moisture away. For additional protection, mix in a little bit of mineral sunscreen with the oil to protect from sun damage.
Please note if you have recently colored or especially if you have lightened your hair, the effects of salt water may be more intense. You should ensure you use proper amounts of protection then braid or twist your hair into a bun to reduce potential damage from friction of salt water.
2 – Repair
After you’re done spending time in the water, rinse your hair thoroughly with fresh water and use a repairing conditioner. We recommend Shu Uemura’s Ultimate Reset Extreme Repair Conditioner. While it sounds intense, this conditioner can be used on completely healthy hair too! It repairs broken bonds, smooths the cuticle, and makes your hair shine.
3 – Rehydrate
Finally, make sure to use a leave-in conditioner after everything. Depending on your hair needs, you could use All-in-Oil Milk (normal to oily hair), All-in-Oil Cream (normal to dry, or curly hair), or Davis’ all time favorite product, Ultimate Reset Duo Serum (dry or damaged hair). This will rehydrate from any moisture lost due to the salt, and also seal in the nutrients that your hair soaked up!
Don’t fear the beach, or salt, or sun! Enjoy a beach day or even a whole beach vacation and soak it all up. Just be prepared with good hydration and sun protection.
If you would like to schedule a service or consultation with one of our expert stylists or colorists, please call us at 203-861-6700 or schedule online.
See you soon!