Summer's Not Over Yet! Hair Tips from Alikay Naturals

Proper hair maintenance is crucial all-year round.  This is especially true when the combination of temperature changes, sun damage, coloring, blow drying and everyday styling can wreak havoc on any hair type.  Hair that has been damaged by UV rays will be brittle and have an off-color appearance due to the oxidation of extreme sun and or salt exposure.  When you add salty beach winds to the mix, hair can become unruly, lose elasticity and feel like paper. 

Remedies to maintain healthy hair and prevent damage between salon visits:

• Moisture is important to protect your curls from the drying effects of chlorine.  Before swimming, wet your hair and condition it with a leave-in conditioner.  Your hair will absorb the conditioner and prevent chlorine from being absorbed into the hair shaft. Alikay Naturals Lemongrass Leave-In Conditioner smoothes the hair shaft and locks in moisture without weighing it down or causing product build up.  Not all shampoos and conditioners are created equal.  Knowing which ingredients are helpful versus harmful can help protect your hair.

• After swimming use warm water to wash your hair immediately with a hydrating shampoo (like Alikay Naturals Caribbean Coconut Milk Shampoo).  This will open the cuticle and wash all of the chlorine out.  Washing with cold water will close the cuticle and keep the chlorine in the hair shaft.  After both shampooing and conditioning, use a cool water rinse to prevent frizz and enhance shine

• Get in the habit of using styling aids that contain anti-oxidants (like Alikay Naturals Pomegranate Passion Hair Elixir and Avocado Cream Moisture Repairing Mask)  to help prevent summer damage. Wear sun hats at the beach or coat your hair with a protective oil (like Alikay Naturals Vitamin E and Omega 6 enriched Glazed Argan Oil Silkener).

• A leave-in treatment infused with the right ingredients will impart shine, refine the shape of the curl and control the frizz.  The frequency of applying deep conditioning treatments depends on hair texture and curl pattern, and ranges from every other shampooing to monthly.  For a once a week deep conditioning treatment, Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner is infused with honey to attract moisture to the hair. Wrap a warm, moist towel around your head for about 30 minutes to use the heat from your head to help products penetrate.  Avoid over-moisturizing.  Rule of thumb: never leave a moisturizer [deep conditioner] on your hair overnight, make sure to follow the directions issued by the manufacturer and limit the time to one hour. 

If you're interested in trying any of the products mentioned above, visit the Alikay Naturals site!