Summer Hair SOS: Mastering Gorgeous Hair, Whatever The Weather

When it comes to summer beauty routines, we’ve mostly nailed luminous limbs, good fake tan and glossy manicures – but shiny locks often elude us. As soon as the temperature soars our hair health plummets, thanks to salty air, UV rays, humidity and chlorine leaving our strands feeling (and looking) parched. Little wonder, then, that Google searches for ‘how to fix damaged hair’ have skyrocketed over the past few weeks. With that in mind, what better time to indulge in some hair care TLC? Consider this a deep (conditioning) dive into mastering glorious, glossy hair, whatever the weather.

SAY GOODBYE TO FRIZZ

Keeping wayward hair under control is easier than you think. A few subtle tweaks to your existing routine is all you need to join the sleek brigade.

TAKE A SMART SHOWER

Smooth hair starts with your hair washing technique, according to hairdresser Sam McKnight, who counts supermodels Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell as clients. Use your whole hand to massage in the suds? McKnight says this is a surefire way of disrupting the hair cuticle and increasing roughness. ‘Focus your shampoo on the roots and then massage the scalp using your fingertips only,’ he says. ‘This will leave hair feeling smoother.’ You can then detangle with a wide-tooth comb and follow by gently squeezing out excess water with a microfibre hair towel. ‘It’s considerably more gentle than traditional cotton and works to aid smoothness.’

DRY WITH CAUTION

Habitual hair twiddler? McKnight says your hands could be the reason your hair is frizzing. Try to minimise any touching as your hair dries to prevent roughing the cuticle. ‘Curly or coily hair? Use a diffuser at a slower speed to prevent frizz from building. Straighter hair types should point their nozzle down to focus the airflow for smoother, sleeker finishes.’

HACK HUMIDITY

When warm weather is playing havoc with your carefully coiffed hair take your cue from this clever backstage trick: post- blow-dry, mist each section of hair with hairspray. This extends the selfie life of your hairstyle and shields it from the excess moisture in the air that causes that pesky halo of fluff. Next, touch-up on the go. Frequent reapplications of a nourishing balm or lightweight oil on dry hair helps banish frizz.

AMP UP THE GLOSS

Hair lacking vim? From the treatment to try to the holiday hack to consider, heed the pro’s advice for hair that shines.

SKIP THE SUN

When you’ve spent a lot of money – and hours – in the salon, the last thing you want is your colour to fade. ‘UV rays are so damaging and will wreak havoc with a fresh colour,’ says Hanna Karlsson, co-founder of G&H Hair. Her solution is simple. ‘Wear a hat- it’s honestly the best protection.’ For an extra colour boost, Karlsson recommends applying a leave-in conditioner ‘around three times a week’ to hydrate. ‘Nourished hair holds on to colour for longer.’ The Kevin Murphy Everlasting Colour Leave In, £35, is suited to all hair types, protects against environmental stressors and helps strengthen damaged tresses – expect brighter colour for longer.

LEARN THE POOL RULE

Chlorine turned your hair green? Ridding your hair of that poolside brassiness isn’t as simple as ‘wash and go’, it can be tricky to undo. ‘If you can’t make it to a salon for a toner, use a clarifying shampoo like Olaplex No.4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo, £28 to remove build-up gradually,’ suggests hair stylist Tom Smith. Just know that the more green-toned your hair, the more shampoo sessions you’ll need. Prevention, then, is key. This nifty pre-dip trick should be in everyone’s holiday arsenal: ‘Before swimming, saturate your hair with clean water, layer on a rich mask and twist hair into a bun.’ It creates a barrier from the water and stops the hair from absorbing metals and minerals, dramatically reducing the drying and discolouring effects of the chlorine.

SHINE BRIGHT

Hair looking more lacklustre than luxe? ‘Book in for a salon glossing treatment,' says George Northwood, Alexa Chung’s go-to hairdresser. ‘It’s an easy way to add a rich, luscious finish.’

TWO OF THE BEST IN-SALON SERVICES
For serious shine: Olaplex Full Reset Service, £100, uses something called chelating, which is the removal of minerals, heavy metals and product build-up. Tons of moisture is packed in to seal the cuticles leaving the hair feeling lightweight and looking swish. Enjoy the Olaplex Standalone Service (the in-salon reparative treatment that originally put Olaplex on the map) and a head massage using the Olaplex 4-in-1 moisture mask.
For a 10-minute reset: the new K18 Repair treatment, from £25, is an eight- minute pre- and post-styling service that harnesses the power of biotechnology to zhush up dull hair.

Can’t make it to the salon? Don’t fret. This year has seen the glossification of the haircare industry. Brands from L’Oréal Paris to Redken have all entered the glossing space with brilliant at-home shine solutions.

SORT OUR YOUR SCALP

Itchy, flaky, dry scalps are the root of all hair problems. Solve scalp woes and good hair shall follow.

BUST THE BLEMISHES

Icky subject of the day: scalp acne and blemishes. They’re a common issue, says trichologist Anabel Kingsley. Unsurprisingly, a sweaty summer exacerbates them. ‘Just like the skin on your face, you can experience breakouts on your scalp. Scalp acne occurs when excess oils and/or skin cells build up and get trapped within the hair follicle, causing inflammation.’ The solution? Regularly cleansing. ‘If you aren’t shampooing regularly, oils, dead skin cells and old styling products can build up and pimples are more likely to form.’ Look for products that contain antimicrobial ingredients, such as tea tree oil.

JUST ADD OIL

‘Treat the skin on your scalp the same way you would your face,’ says Charlotte Mensah, who tends to the tresses of the BAFTA-winning actress Michaela Coel. Humidity and sweat disrupt your natural sebum production, promoting unsightly flakes. Consider adding several drops of argan oil (the Charlotte Mensah Manketti Hair Oil, £52 is great) to your head in the evenings prior to wash day, taking the time to massage it in to boost circulation, fight fungals and promote hair growth.

VISIT A SCALP SPA

Google Trends reports a 400% increase in searches for ‘hair and scalp spa’ in the last year. The industry is finally recognising that healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp, with a number of dedicated scalp services cropping up across the UK. Case in point: the new Hair Bar at Boots Battersea, which offers a free scalp analysis service to support those concerned with hair health. Or visit London’s Hayato Salon, where a deeply cleansing nine step head spa treatment (including steaming, serums and massage) starts at £50.

SCHEDULE A RESTYLE

A smart cut can work wonders for giving the illusion of super healthy strands.

ASK FOR A CLEVER CUT

Lacking ‘oomph’? The right haircut could be all it takes to amp up the volume. ‘Removing dead ends and adding soft, face-framing layers can result in gravity- defying results,’ says Karlsson. Don’t be afraid of layers – the hair cutting technique has moved on from the hair feathering nightmare of the ’90s. ‘They will instantly add volume, helping hair to look fuller and thicker.’ Or consider a dry cut. Chelsea based duo The Hair Bros specialise in these and Northwood approves of the technique. He recommends asking for a cut that takes into consideration how your hair air dries. ‘A good cut should also work well without heat, encouraging natural texture and bends.’

MORE SHAMPOO = MORE VOLUME

Do the double shampoo. Yes, washing hair twice is an insider trick known to encourage lift at the roots. Larry King, who has styled everyone from Neelam Gill to Gigi Hadid, confirms it. ‘Lathering up twice will rid the hair of residue and build up, leaving behind the kind of natural body and volume that a single shampoo just can’t achieve.’ For instant volume try Undone by George Northwood Volume Spray, £15, great for adding grit and movement. Hair mousse has come a long way since the crunchy curls of your school days, Larry King’s My Nanna’s Mousse, £22, makes light work of plumping limp hair, sans stickiness.

Credits:

PHOTOGRAPHS AARON CROSSMAN

MODEL LINDSEY WIXSON

BEAUTY DIRECTION + WORDS JOELY WALKER

MAKE-UP LISA POTTER DIXON USING L’ORÉAL PARIS MAKE-UP

STYLING MOLLY HAYLOR

SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE LODGE, MALLORCA

Rachael Martin is Grazia’s Beauty Director. Originally from Northern Ireland, she studied English Literature at Queen’s University Belfast, before moving to London to pursue a career in magazine journalism