How to Protect Your Hair at the Beach

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I never thought about protecting my hair from the sun until I started dyeing it. I grew up on tips and tricks from teen magazines that recommended the exact opposite, actually. “Rub a piece of lemon into your hair to get natural highlights” – we all remember that one, don’t we? Not gonna lie, I followed that advice quite often in my teens, and pretty much ruined some of my hair in the process of trying to look conventionally cool. As I got older my instinctive need to conform started to weaken, and now that I’m in my early 30s it’s almost non-existent. I’m proud to admit that I genuinely do not care what other people think of the way I dress, do my makeup, or the color I dye my hair. You do you, girl!

Stay with me, ladies, there’s a reason I’m telling you this. I’m sure you all agree that coloring your hair is not cheap, so why wouldn’t we want to prolong that vibrancy and shine? It’s been proven times and times again that sea salt, UV rays, SLS-laden shampoos, and chlorine-rich pool water wreak havoc on those brilliant pigments. While most of us consciously choose cleansers and conditioners designed specifically for color treated hair, sun protection is the last thing that comes to mind, isn’t it? I don’t know about you, but I’m totally guilty of neglecting to shield my locks.

Phyto Phytoplage Series products are designed specifically for lazy bums like myself. They make it super easy to take care of your hair pre and post-sun exposure, and minimize the damage done by UV rays, salty or chlorine water. I’ve been testing Phyto Plage Protective Sun Oil and Recovery Mask over the past few weeks, and they definitely helped the situation.

I was a bit iffy about using Phyto Phytoplage Protective Sun Oil [$30, available here] at first, because my hair is short right now so it’s easy to make it look greasy. However, it was developed specifically to give your locks that sexy wet hair look, which is perfect for the beach. I must say, it worked wonders to prevent my hair from getting all crunchy and smelling like chlorine! I gave it several test runs at the pool, and the result was nothing short of brilliant.

Each time after exposing my hair to these harsh conditions, I would start the shower routine by rinsing off the oily residue with a favorite SLS-free shampoo and then follow up with Phyto Phytoplage Recovery Mask [$26, available here]. It has thick pasty consistency that feels like dessert for the hair, nourishing every strand and helping detangle the knots. My hair gets really tangled after swimming, so this was the perfect solution for my woes. It seemed to help with frizz, too, by the way, I guess because my hair felt so moisturized and looked heavier and thicker than usual.

From my past haircare posts you might know that I normally use masks and conditioners before shampoo to keep my hair looking light and airy, but I make an exception for post-beach or pool maintenance because all that salt water and chlorine are the last things I want to “seal in” if you know what I mean. But if you are really-really concerned about keeping your haircolor vibrant for longer, make sure to always wear a hat when you’re out in the sun. After all, prevention is the best remedy!

You can purchase Phyto Phytoplage products at Sephora.

Do you color your hair, and if you do, what color and how long have you been doing it? Do you have any advice on how to protect your hair at the beach? Let me know in the comments below!

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