Are Beachy Waves Wrecking Your Hair?
By Hannah Morrill
(Photo: Frank Diernhammer)
Hate to break it to you, but the short answer is a definitive yes. “Salt, wind and sun are all the enemies of healthy hair,” says hairstylist Mark Townsend, who’s responsible for Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen’s signature texture. “Salt absorbs the moisture from your hair, which makes it less straight, less elastic and more prone to breakage.” That’s not to say he thinks real beach waves should be avoided. The minerals in ocean water—not to mention the sand and wind and UV blast—are also key for creating matte, messy, voluminous texture. So what’s a girl to do? Read on to see the problem-solving products to save both your waves and your strands.
Before the Beach
*You’ve got two options if you’re going for IRL beach waves. The first is to pre-treat your dry strands with a botanical oil blend, which will create a little seal on the hair shaft to prevent all the moisture from leeching out. Frédéric Fekkai Beach Waves Tousling Spray ($20) combines sea salt with lightweight conditioners like sunflower seed oil.
*Plain old coconut oil would work, too, adds Townsend. The lauric acid in the oil easily penetrates the hair shaft, and since its not readily broken down or evaporated, moisture can’t escape. Wen Summer Coconut Lime Verbena Replenishing Treatment Mist ($40) contains coconut oil and a dozen plus nourishing botanical extracts.
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After the Beach
*Your second option is an après beach treatment. “The quicker you re-moisturize, the less long-term damage you’ll inflict,” says Townsend, who sends his clients on tropical vactions with a homemade botanical oil blend. Rinse your strands with clean water to whisk away any salt left on the hair shaft, then dose with a leave-in conditioner like Alterna Beach Summer Sun Recovery Spray ($22).
*Extra credit if you use a shampoo and conditioner duo formulated for beach-beaten locks like Tigi Totally Beachin’ Shampoo & Conditioner ($16 at salons). The jelly-like shampoo is extra-good at detangling matted hair and lifting grit; the conditioning balm adds back heavy-duty moisture.
Related: Your 1-Day Anti-Aging Diet
Instead of the Beach
*Or skip the sand entirely. For at-home beach waves that are a whole lot less damaging, Townsend mixes a few spritzes of the sea-salt based John Masters Organics Sea Mist ($17) with a pump of Dove Youthful Vitality Silk Crème ($6) and scrunches it into damp or dry hair.
(Product photos: Courtesy)
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