5 Tips to Protect Your Hair From the Damage Caused By Heat and Humidity

In case you thought the hot, humid weather can only wreak havoc on your skin—think again. If the dust and environmental pollutants weren't enough, the sultry season brings with it a range of complex hair concerns that can leave your tresses severely damaged.

"Exposure to the sun, heat and humidity for extended periods of time plays a role in damaging our hair. However, the thing about damage is that it's a gradual process—while you may not see it all at once, the quality of your hair will deteriorate over time. If your locks feel rough to touch, the natural or artificial colour has lightened, or you can notice split ends, assume that your hair has sensitized, which in lay man’s terms suggests that its damaged to a great extent," informs Adhuna Bhabani, founder and creative director of BBLUNT. 

To prevent such irreparable damage, the haircare maven recommends you follow these essential tips:

 

Get a trim regularly—every 6 to 8 weeks

Damaged, unhealthy hair not only lacks moisture and lustre but elasticity as well, making it more prone to breakage, split ends and ultimately, hair fall. Besides, if your hair appears to be lifeless and limp, along with uncontrollable frizziness, take it as a sign of injury. To avoid further harm from the heat during summer months, make sure that you get a regular trim every 6 to 8 weeks in order to rid your hair of split ends, maintain the shape of your mane and keep your hair looking and feeling fresh.

 

Focus on prevention rather than cure

It's all about being prepared beforehand so that you don't have to deal with the consequences after. Whether you’re looking to colour your hair, heat styling it frequently or planning a beach getaway with your girl gang, it's important that you shield your hair with a range of products developed to tackle any resulting damage. BBLUNT's Repair Remedy range contains products that are comprised of a special concoction of keratin and argan oil, serving as the ideal fix to help dry, damaged hair come back to life.

 

Follow the S-C-L rule for healthy hair

Similar to the C-T-M rule for your skin, put a specified regime in place for your hair as well. Considering that you're scalp is an extension of your skin, ensure that you cleanse it well with a suitable shampoo for your hair type. As a toner is used to balance the pH levels of your skin and seal open pores, a conditioner can help close the hair follicles post shampooing. The primary purpose of using a conditioner is to smoothen down the cuticle layer of your hair, thus protecting it. Post application and washing off the shampoo, add a generous amount of condition on the lengths of your hair, for at least 2 to 4 minutes before washing off. Last but not the least, once you’ve rinsed out the conditioner, follow it up with a leave-in-cream that will give your hair a boost of hydration, along with doubling up protection. Pump a coin-sized dollop into your palms and apply it evenly across your hair—focusing on the mid-lengths and ends, away from the scalp.

 

Quench your hair's thirst with a deep conditioning treatment

A thorough deep conditioning treatment is what our hair craves most, especially during summers. A quick-fix solution to quench, nourish and moisturise your hair at home involves cleansing your scalp with an intense moisture shampoo, followed by the application of a conditioner. Starting at the ends, work the product up to the mid-lengths of your hair and massage it thoroughly through, moving your fingertips in a circular motion to stimulate blood flow. This feeds the roots of your hair and makes way for a healthy scalp. Wrap your hair in a hot towel for 15-20 minutes, for deep conditioning. Remember, if you take care of the roots, the lengths and ends will take care of themselves!

 

Prep your hair before making use of heated tools

If you're a sucker for styling your hair with heated tools, remember to treat it before you heat it. The repeated use of heated tools including hair dryers, hot rollers, flat irons or curling tongs will certainly damage the hair if not adequately protected. If you apply heat to your hair without prepping it beforehand, consider it as damaging as stepping out in the sun without applying a sunblock with SPF. Prep your hair with a protection mist or spray, such as BBLUNT's Hot Shot Heat Protecting Mist, that can shield your hair against damage up to 230 degree celsius. Remember, a heat protection product must precede the application of any heated styling tool, to ensure minimal hair damage.

 

Pro tip: Drink up! It's important to keep hydrated for healthy skin and hair.