Richard Ward stylist to the stars has done us all favor and shared some of his salon secrets so we can achieve fabulous summer styles at home. He tells us how to keep out hair in tip top shape with the changing climate, and has a couple of tips up his sleeve as well...
'Sun naturally bleaches hair so even virgin hair can become sun-lightened and can cause a subtle re-growth. Sun also causes colour fade so ensure you protect your colour investment and follow the golden rules; either cover up or protect.
Don't fight hair's natural movement and texture in humid conditions; all you will do is spend hours straightening and taming with styling equipment (and causing more damage) only to step into the humid atmosphere and have hair instantly return to it's natural state. Instead, work with your hair's natural curl or wave and give your hair a holiday from the normal use of electrical equipment.
Cleanse and condition your hair well and tie it up into a bun, allowing it to dry naturally on the beach. When you shake it loose, even the straightest hair will have a slight kink and wave to it, avoiding unnecessary heat damage from styling.
Holidays in cooler climates can also mean hair is exposed to frizz. When we think of humidity we tend to think of heat but it's the amount of moisture in the atmosphere that causes hair to frizz up and return to its natural state. Always use a conditioner with a hold factor to tame hair; my Richard Ward Shine & Define Serum (£4.99) has this double-action so is great for dual-purpose use.
Styling Tips for great Beach Hair
Beach hair is all about finding a fantastically casual look so use a spray on, leave-in conditioner to create texture on hair with minimal wave or to tame frizz on curly hair and leave to dry naturally in the warm beach air.
Go for a plait on the beach which is a great way of protecting coloured, damaged or aged ends. Plaits are also a key look this season and create a fabulously natural sun-kissed look when worked into beach hair in random sections.
Ensure long or mid-length hair is tied up, tucking in the aged ends as these are always the most susceptible to damage.
Golden rules for summer hair
To protect your hair from sun damage try to multi-task,
using 'beach time' as 'conditioning time' by applying an intensive treatment like my Richard Ward Ultimate Repair Mask (£4.49) to nourish, moisturise and strengthen.
Use a professional protective sun care range product - Kerastase Soleil is unbeatable at protecting from sun damage. My own Richard Ward Shine & Define Serum (£4.99) is expertly formulated with cationic polymers to aid condition and contains sunscreen to help protect the hair from UV damage, making it a beach bag essential but also perfect to protect against the elements for all year round use.
The best was to replace lost sheen and restore fade damage when you
get back is to invest in an in-salon vegetable gloss colour to add depth and tone, making the cuticle reflect light and therefore making hair look shiny. At the salon, we make Richard Ward Customised Colour Gloss couture, bespoke gloss for between salon visits that exactly replicates your colour formula, enhancing fading tones and revitalising colour at home.
If you have really curly hair it's important to keep it moisturised.
Humidity will cause water to be absorbed and therefore create frizz, just like a drizzly day does. Use a lightweight conditioner and tame new fine hair (for instance that grows around the hairline) with a slick of leave-in conditioner to make hair look groomed. Some leave-in conditioners are too heavy and will do no justice to the curl so make sure you pick a product that's suitable for your curl. Go for a stronger hold factor for ultra curly hair and a gentler, lighter type for softer waves.
Richard Ward products are available nationwide- check them out here.