Summer hair care: beat salt, chlorine and frizz
Summer hair care in Casablanca: how to protect your hair from salt, chlorine and sun, before and after the beach, and keep frizz under control.
A day at Aïn Diab beach, a swim in the pool, the midday sun, then the evening humidity: summer is tough on hair. Good summer hair care does not need a complicated routine, just the right steps at the right time. Here is what a Casablanca stylist recommends to keep your lengths soft, your colour from turning, and frizz to a minimum.
What salt, chlorine and sun do to hair
Salt
Seawater dries on the hair and leaves salt crystals that draw water out of the fibre. The result: rough, brittle lengths that tangle easily.
Chlorine
It dries hair and can dull colour. On blonde, light highlights or balayage, it can even leave a greenish tint, especially when the water contains traces of copper.
Sun
UV damages the hair surface and fades colour. Coloured, highlighted or fine hair is the most exposed.
Humidity
Dried-out hair becomes porous and drinks in the moisture of the sea air, which is where late-afternoon frizz comes from.
Before the beach: prepare your hair
Good protection starts before you even lay your towel on the sand.
- Wet your hair with fresh water before swimming. Hair already full of water absorbs less salt or chlorine.
- Apply a leave-in conditioner or light oil to the lengths and ends to create a barrier.
- Use a UV protection spray for hair, and reapply after swimming.
- Tie the lengths up: a braid or low bun prevents tangles from wind and salt.
- Wear a hat or light scarf during the hottest hours.
- Remember your scalp, especially along the parting: it can burn like the rest of your skin.
Summer hair care after swimming
The most important step is rinsing. As soon as you leave the water, or at the latest when you get home, rinse thoroughly with fresh water to remove salt and chlorine. Never let salt dry in your hair all day.
- Wash with a gentle shampoo, focusing on the scalp, once or twice if you have been swimming.
- Apply conditioner or a mask to the lengths for a few minutes.
- Detangle with a wide-tooth comb, from the ends up, while the product is on.
- Squeeze out water, without rubbing with the towel.
- Air-dry when you can, or use the dryer on medium heat with a heat protector.
On beach days, skip the straightener: hair already dried by salt handles heat badly.
Colour, highlights and balayage: extra care
If you have colour, highlights or balayage, summer calls for a little more attention:
- book your colour or touch-up one to two weeks before your holiday, not the day before, so the colour can settle and you avoid colouring very dry hair on your return, and allow for the allergy patch test 48 hours before;
- use a shampoo for coloured hair;
- always rinse with fresh water after the pool to limit green tints on blonde;
- after your holiday, a repair or hydrating treatment before any new colour restores softness.
Frizz and humidity: staying in control
In Casablanca the air stays humid even on sunny days. To limit frizz:
- keep hair well hydrated, because nourished hair absorbs less moisture from the air;
- apply an anti-frizz cream or serum to damp hair;
- choose styles that work with humidity: natural waves, braids, buns;
- for a blow-dry that needs to last through a summer party, a treatment a few days before helps a lot.
Summer hair treatments at Chicas
Before or after the holidays, Chicas Beauty & Spa in Aïn Sebaâ offers three treatments for hair dried out by salt and sun: the Hydrating treatment (about 60 minutes), the RP hair treatment, the salon's repair treatment for damaged lengths, and the Protein treatment for frizz. A back-to-routine Haircut removes damaged ends, Colour, Root colour, Highlights or Balayage can be booked before you leave, and a Blow-dry finishes a summer evening look.
Frequently asked questions
Should I wash my hair after every swim?
A fresh-water rinse after every swim is essential. The gentle shampoo can wait until the evening, and once a day is usually enough.
Does coconut or argan oil protect against salt?
A light oil on the lengths before swimming creates a small barrier and limits dryness. It does not replace rinsing or sun protection.
Can I swim right after colouring?
Better to wait a few days. Book your colour one to two weeks before your holiday.
When should I have a salon treatment in summer?
At the start of summer to prepare the hair, then after your holiday to repair it. Very exposed hair can benefit from one in between.
Ready for summer? Book online or message us on WhatsApp.