Hair care for the beach

[sandy88]

Hi everyone,

This is my very first post, but I have been following this forum for the past 6 months.

Because it is summer, I would really appreciate some tips regarding hair care while at the beach (what UV protection you are using, what protective styles are you wearing, how often do you wash it etc.)

I was thinking about applying coconut oil and some UV protective cream (50) dilluted in some water, while wearing my hair in a bun.

How do you go about it?

[Wildcat Diva]

Last weekend I wore a low paranda bun to the beach. My hair did have quite a bit of coconut oil in it as well. It held great! When I was in direct sun, I wore a hat with a brim and a neck cord I could tighten up under my chin. It was very windy, and the neck cord was the only way that the hat was gonna stay on. I didn't swim though.

Oh, and welcome to LHC, congrats on your first post!

Here is what my bun looked like AFTER I got back from the beach and all that wind. I was really impressed at how it held up.

http://imageshack.us/a/img4/5586/ikjs.jpg

[clioariane]

Hi and welcome! I always bun my hair and wear a wide-brimmed hat when I go to the beach to avoid sun damage. I also recommend using a UV spray (Kérastase has a great sun-protect line to called Soleil (http://www.kerastase-usa.com/Sun-Exposed/sun-exposed,default,sc.html)) before hitting the beach. Afterwards I use an after-sun treatment by Schwartzkopf: BC Sun Protect (http://www.schwarzkopf-usa.com/products/bc/after-sun-treatment.asp). If you go into the sea/pool you can drench your hair in tap or mineral water first so it doesn't absorb as much salt or chlorine!

[sandy88]

Thank you for your replies. Your tips are very helpful.

I also wear a hat at all times and never swim (I hated getting my hair wet since I was a child:) ). I will definetly try the paranda bun and the protector from Kerastase.

How about washing? Do you wash your hair every day after getting home from the beach?

[Wildcat Diva]

If I didn't get my hair wet, I'm not sure if I would wash daily. If you are putting sprays and products in it, hmmm, not sure. You might want to CO wash? If you are wearing a paranda, this is great for lightly oiled hair, so I would not wash every day.

[~honeyflower~]

I didn't go to the beach, but I went on a fishing trip for 4th of July. Since it was upper 90's in a desert climate so I sweated a lot, I WO in the evenings between my 4 day s&c washings and it seemed to clean my hair pretty nicely. Yes, wide brimmed hats are favored for the sun. I personally use aloe vera in my conditioner because of the dry climate; either a aloe vera leaf or Fruit of the Earth brand aloe vera for sunburns (the clear one) for dry hair.

I don't know about you guys, but when I go to the beach I get a lot of sand in my hair. Maybe someone who figured out how to solve this problem can help with this. I just don't like the feeling of gritty sand on my head after three weeks visiting the coast.

[march_sun]

I'm camping on the beach this weekend. I'm thinking that I'll oil (coconut) use my hair sunscreen spray and braid my hair in two french braids. we'll be there two days so I won't wash until we get home, so three days of not washing. I think that soaking my hair with freshwater is a good idea before and after to help wash away the salt

[teela1978]

I usually wear it in a braid and wear a hat. If I swim I try to wet it down first if there are showers. That's it really. I don't mind a few highlights from the sun though. And maybe I'm weird... but why would you go to the beach if not to swim?!?!

[meteor]

Definitely, hats and scarves help.
I tend to get natural highlights in the sun and I like that, so I really don't protect my hair beyond coconut oil and other oils.
I wear hair up, but that's to keep myself cool - my thick hair makes me sweaty when it's down.

As for UV protection, I remember researching it a bit in the past and it appeared that all those UV protecting leave-ins are protecting your deposited artificial colour, NOT your actual hair. So UV protection is included in products for dyed hair. I don't know if UV protection is effective, but I do know that I can't coat all of my canopy hair with UV protection, so I opt for hats and scarves.
I also think those leave-ins build up and make me want to wash hair more often.

[jacqueline101]

I would oil it real well and wear a scarf.

[Dragon]

I usually just wear oiled plaits or a bun. Buffs can be great to.

[LadyCelestina]

For when I'm in the water,I soak it in oil before and wear it down and ,because ponytails and braids undo themselves in the water and updos either pull at my roots or give me mega tangles.When out of water,I gently braid it and cover it or stay in the shade.

[Zebra Fish]

I live at the beach and I never had any problems with hair untill I started colouring it (I just used to put some oil sometimes). Last summer I tried the L'Oreal Solr Sublime line and it was ok. This summer I'm experimenting a bit and if I find anything particulary usefull, I'll write :)

[Zebra Fish]

I forgot - and I also wash my hair with fresh water when I get out of the sea (I run to our garden, splash and go back or if I'm not in front of the house I take a big bottle of water). I think that helps alot beacuse I'm in water few times per day.