Summer is well and truly upon us and whether you’re staycationing in the UK or hotfooting to sunnier climes, the one thing that takes a bit of a bashing is our hair. Out in the sun, in the dry heat and in and out of the swimming pool or the sea.

We naturally take care of our skin with sun cream and moisturiser for protection but often forget about our hair, which after all is our crowning glory, or we want it to be.

So we thought we’d get a bit of a lowdown from hair specialists from Marc Antoni Hair Salon and Clay Salon both in Hart Street, Henley-on-Thames.

We first we spoke to former President of British Hairdressing Bruno Marc , Director at multi award winning Marc Antoni, and who is also CEO of TAOH Hair Care Range on how to look after your hair and the best products to use.

“During the summer season our hair can be more prone to damaged due to the effects of the sun. The sun can absorb the moisture in our hair, leaving it dry, dull and more prone to breakage and with that in mind, it’s so important to provide your hair with extra TLC to ensure it stays hydrated and looking and feeling its best.

Firstly, it’s essential to use a shampoo and conditioner that’s moisturising/hydrating in order to replenish lost moisture. The TAOH Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner are my favourite duo – they contain coconut, babassu and argan plant oils for intensive hair hydration and also macadamia and kukui oil to provide the hair with frizz free shine. Moisture complex within the products keeps hair strong and colour long-lasting.

Rotating your conditioner with a hair mask once per week is also extremely beneficial during the summer months to give your hair a more intensive condition treatment. The TAOH Hydrate Mask is a must have and contains cSilk liquid, which penetrates the cuticle for intensive hydration.

As your hair can be more prone to damage and breakage during summer, it’s also a good idea to avoid using heated styling tools wherever possible to avoid excess damage being done to your hair. Try misting TAOH Tanglefree Spray through damp hair and comb through to get rid of knots before leaving to air dry. The product is infused with proteins and gives your hair a beautiful, shiny finish. This is a particularly great product to use on holiday, whereby you can mist it into your hair after stepping out of the sea or pool to give your hair an extra dose of moisture and to keep it looking and feeling silky smooth! Your hair is also a lot more prone to damage when it’s wet, therefore using a product like the Tanglefree Spray will help you to get rid of any knots before brushing and prevent any breakage.

Frizz can be a big problem during the summer and humidity due to the warmer weather. Using an oil like TAOH Oil is essential to keep frizz and flyaways at bay. The product can be applied on damp or dry hair and not only will help calm any frizz, but it will also further help to prevent split ends, tangles and dullness whilst promoting scalp health and restoring the life and shine of your hair.”

From one of the oldest and most established hair salons in Henley to the new kid on the block Clay Salon who specialise in the ultimate summer look, balayage.

The team at Clay say, “When swimming in a chlorinated pool and not wearing a swimming cap, wet your hair before. This will create a barrier so you hair absorbs less chlorine. Use a shampoo to gently cleanse to protect against the damage that can cause breakage and discolouration. 

We recommend swimmers wellness shampoo and swimmers wellness remedy weekly by Malibu C which is vegan and sulphate free. 

Also, really importantly wear a sun hat or head scarf to prevent sun damage and colour fade. Just like sun cream for your face, a UV spray or cream protection for your hair is recommended before going into the sun. 

The warm sunny months dry the hair out so switch your shampoo and conditioner to something with some moisture! 

Finally, get the mermaid look by taking advantage of the warmer months! After washing hair, spray some leave-in conditioner/ detangler and loosely braid your hair, one braid either side and let it dry naturally. Take out braids and use a flat brush to loosely brush through hair and run some serum/oil through.”

Header Feature Image by Tamara Bellis