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Figuring out how to take care of your hair at the beach is one of those things you don’t think about until it’s too late. Once you’re packing up to leave, you realize your hair is dry or sticky, your curls are frizzing out, and your strands are starting to feel rough. 

 

Prepping Your Hair For The Beach

I’ve had this happen one too many times, but just like we all know we should wear sunscreen at the beach, it’s easy to forget to take care of our hair. Luckily, a lot of beach-ready haircare are steps you can do beforehand so you don’t have to waste any time while you’re in the sun messing around with your hair. 

 

 

Taking care of your hair at the beach can provide you with benefits that you’ll see right away and longer-term. These tips are pretty easy to incorporate into your beach day routine if you prepare ahead of time and your hair will be looking healthy and hydrated all day long.

 

Prepare your hair for the beach

Whether it’s the sun, the sea, or the pool, your hair’s response to a beach day is to become dryer and duller so you’ll want to get as much moisture into your hair as possible. Prepping your hair with a leave-in conditioner is a great way to supercharge your hair with moisture.

 

Protect Hair from the Sun

One of the best ways to protect your hair from the sun is with a hat. It’s a myth that wearing a hat will cause hair loss, so don’t worry! Hats protect your strands from UV rays which directly damage the keratin in your hair, causing it to weaken, thin, and become frizzy. UV Damage can also cause split ends and affect the color of your hair, so get yourself a baseball cap, straw hat, bucket hat, or whatever floats your boat.

You may not want to wear your hat in the sun or playing sports (or even at all if it’s just not your style), and in this case a hair sunscreen spray can help protect your hair AND scalp in the sun. Hair sun protection sprays are specially formulated to act as sunscreens for your hair, protecting your tresses from UV rays while also keeping your scalp (a prime zone for sun damage and skin cancer) protected as well.

 

Protect Hair From Salt Water

Salt water can work as a fun texturizer on certain hair types and create beach beauty waves, but every hair type can benefit from protecting hair from salt. Salt dries out hair and makes it duller, so it’s important to protect your hair ahead of time. Coating your hair in oil will protect your hair from both salt and chlorine. 

 

Also it’s a great idea to rinse your hair right before entering the sea or the pool as wet hair tends to absorb less than dry hair. This means your hair will retain more of its moisture by not taking in too much of the impurities in the environment.

 

Coconut Oil in Hair While Sunbathing

Coconut oil is definitely not recommended for your body while in the sun, but for your hair it’s a go! Coconut oil protects your hair from sun damage and from salt and chlorine.

 

Why is my hair so frizzy at the beach?

Frizz occurs when your hair lacks moisture, so it makes sense that the dehydrating effects of the sun, sea, and pool leave your hair dry and dull. Even if you stay in the shade all day with a hat, the salty air will impact your hair and give you frizzy locks. Use a leave-in conditioner or hydrating mist to keep it healthy and smooth all day.

Taking Care of Curly hair at the Beach

Curly hair is delicate at the best of times, so it makes sense that a day of salty air and sunny rays can leave you curls frizzy and dry. Prepare your hair with a leave-in conditioner or a hydrating mist, and give yourself a deep conditioning hair mask the next time you wash your hair to replace all that missing moisture. 

 

How to Style Hair After the Beach

When you’re leaving the beach, spray some leave-in conditioner in your hair and detangle with a wide-tooth comb. Then put your hair in a moisture-retaining hairstyle like a braid. A braid is a great hairstyle for looking cute and locking in moisture, leaving your hair smooth and protected before you’re able to rinse your hair. 

 

Do I need to wash my hair after the beach

Yes! Your hair has salt in it which will make it drier. If you don’t wash your hair after going to the beach, the salt will stay in your hair longer, allowing it to dry out further and can cause your hair to look duller and feel rougher, even after you shampoo your hair.  Even if you can’t wash your hair, rinsing it out is great for getting out salt and chlorine. 

If you’re at the beach a lot, consider incorporating a clarifying shampoo into your routine to give your scalp an occasional deep cleanse.

 

Beach Hair Care Products

Leave-in Conditioner: It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Conditioner

This leave-in conditioner by It’s a 10 is meant to repair damaged hair and protect your hair from frizz, dullness, tangles, and split ends. It also provides some UV protection so it’s the perfect product to throw in your beach bag.

 

Hat: Amazon Foldable Wide Brim Straw Hat

I never really liked wearing hats at the beac until I found this one on Amazon. Foldable, floppy, but still chic, it’s easy to throw in your bag and I don’t mind wearing it all day. 

 

UV Protection: Rahua Hydration Detangler UV Barrier

This heat protection spray protects while adding moisture. You can spray it on damp or dry hair and just comb through. This a perfect-all-in-one beach hair product to spray on before you head to the beach and use to touch up before you head home.

 

Hydrating Hair Mist: Pattern Hydrating Hair Mist

This hair mist is perfect for keeping curls vibrant or for a curl refresh. It uses aloe vera and coconut oil to protect hair from the sun and restore moisture to get curls springy again.

 

Clarifying Shampoo: Ouai Detox Shampoo

If you want to be sure you’ve got all those beach day impurities out of your hair for good, this clarifying shampoo from Ouai will give your hair and scalp a reset.

 

How to take care of your hair at the beach Conclusion

Taking care of your hair at the beach is pretty easy, and with a good hat and a moisture-enhancing product you can feel good about what you’ve done to protect your hair and keep it healthy!