How to Care For Your Hair in an El Niño Summer

Summer is here! And whilst we’re big fans, what we don’t love so much is how without the right products our hair can take a hit in the hot months.

So what is going to happen to our hair when the expected El Niño weather pattern gets added into the mix too? Long story, short we could be in for dryness and frizz.

The good news is that with our hair products you can not only manage the effects of the weather on your hair, but also nourish it, so it’s happy and healthy.

Ok, so before we get into how an El Niño weather pattern might affect your hair, let’s quickly look at what it is.

El Niño is a natural weather event which affects the global climate. It occurs when the trade winds along the equator weaken causing water in the Pacific Ocean near Ecuador and Peru to warm up above average. This warm water then affects the atmosphere and weather around the world.

In New Zealand, an El Niño summer tends to mean stronger winds from the west, which means if you live in eastern areas you can expect drier conditions, whilst the West Coast is likely to have more rain.

Depending on where you are spending your summer your hair could become drier, frizzier or get more tangled. Ouch.

But no matter what the weather conditions, we have the best hair products to care for your hair!

When the climate is hot and dry, it makes it tricky for your hair to get and hold onto moisture.

High levels of UV radiation from the sun and chlorine from swimming pools can damage the cuticle (the outside level of the hair) which holds in the moisture, whilst the salt in seawater sucks out moisture. It all leads to dry hair that is more likely to be brittle and is at risk of breaking or splitting.

     Quick tips for dry hair:

• Don’t over shampoo - your hair needs natural oils!
• Boost moisture with a nourishing leave-in conditioner.
• Use a heat protector every time you use heat styling tools or try out styles that don’t require any tools.

Wondering why rain causes your perfectly smooth hair to become a ball of frizz?

In wet, humid conditions excessive moisture in the air gets into your hair (even more so if it’s damaged hair and it’s super thirsty) and the water causes hydrogen bonds to form, which means your hair returns to its natural state and becomes frizzy.

      Quick tips for frizzy hair:

• Lock in moisture with a weekly deep conditioning mask, especially if you have curly hair which is prone to being dry.

• Regular towels can be harsh on your hair so try swapping to a microfibre towel.

• Dry your hair as quickly as possible after it gets wet to prevent those bonds from forming.

Not only can the wind mess up your hairstyle, it can damage hair by causing the outer cuticle layer to roughen up and catch on other hairs causing it to tangle and like it can also add to dryness and frizziness.

      Quick tips for TANGLED hair:

• Use a detangling spray before brushing.

• Switch to a wide tooth comb or a brush with gentle, natural bristles to prevent hair breaking.

• Embrace plaits and braids when it’s super windy.

With a little TLC you can keep your hair looking and feeling its best this summer.

Want our expert teams to create a bespoke hair care routine with products tailored to your hair? No problem, book an appointment today!