Between Appointments
This September, let's talk about Fixing Summer Hair Damage
Advice from an expert: Samantha, Senior Stylist at Van Michael Salon Virginia Highlands, Atlanta
You had a great summer and your hair is telling the story.
Repair summer damaged hair in four steps: detox, hydrate, cut, and protect.
The tan will fade. The brittle ends will not, at least not on their own. With the three months of fun, came the sun, salt, and chlorine, and your hair took the hit. Here to give you advice is Samantha, a senior stylist at Van Michael Virginia Highlands.
Meet Samantha, Your Hair's Best Friend
Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Samantha has been behind the chair for over a decade. She began her career at Van Michael Buckhead, spent time as a stylist in the Netherlands, and then came back home to Van Michael Virginia Highlands.
Outside the salon, you may find her in a yoga studio or with her head in a book, matcha in hand. If she had the salon aux for the day, she'd be playing Warpaint, an all-female indie rock band.
Samantha's advice on the summer reset
How Do You Know If Your Hair Has Summer Damage?
“The ends are brittle, hard to brush through, and a shade lighter than they should be.”
Take a look at your ends. The sun dries your hair out, leaving it feeling brittle, causing it to break. Another sign that it's time for some TLC is when brushing gets harder and your ends are sitting a few shades lighter.
Where Does Reversing Hair Damage Start?
“Reset starts with a proper cleanse.”
Before anything else, the summer must come off. That means a proper cleanse with a clarifying detox shampoo. Add a scalp treatment on your next appointment for a professional scalp scrub and detox that only comes from the hands of a stylist.
Continue your detox by using the Aveda Sun Care Hair and Body Cleanser to effectively and gently strip away build up at home. Even better, go for the double cleanse.
Myth busted: Overwashing Isn't the Real Problem
“If your hair is dirty, wash it. It's as simple as that.”
There's a common misconception that washing your hair too much does damage. The truth is if it is dirty, simply wash it. Somewhere along the way you were told shampoo was the enemy. In reality, allowing product and oil to build up on the scalp can damage your follicles. Unless you are washing every single day, a double shampoo is actually great for your scalp.
To top it off, letting chlorine sit in your hair, skipping UV protection, and reaching for heat tools too often is the recipe for lackluster hair.
How to Put Shine Back into My Hair?
“Give your hair what it's actually missing: Hydration! Hydration! Hydration!”
Next step, let your conditioner do the work to put the moisture back. The Aveda Nutriplenish Conditioner will do the trick. It's built to replenish what summer stripped away without weighing hair down. Add a mask once a week for deeper hydration, such as the Aveda Nutriplenish Treatment Masque or the Aveda Smooth Infusion Hair Masque. For curls, Samantha highly recommends the Aveda Be Curly Advanced Intensive Curl Perfecting Masque. For extra damaged hair, the Aveda Botanical Repair Intensive Strengthening Masque will rebuild your hair. When in doubt, ask your stylist what they think is right for you.
What is the Full Summer Hair Reset Routine?
“The One for All is a lovely and easy product to use. I use it liberally on a lot of my clients. I get great results on all hair types.”
Don’t just cleanse, detox. Hydrate, treating yourself to a weekly mask. Lock it in with a recommended leave-in product for your hair type. Samantha praises the new Aveda One for All Leave-In Elixir, which has 25 benefits from all day hydration to heat protection and shine. Run the Aveda Miraculous Oil High Shine Hair Concentrate on your ends to seal it all in and keep them looking shiny.
Finally, the reset isn't complete without a chop…
What’s the Most Effective Way to Get Rid of the Stubborn Summer Ends?
“Take the leap of faith and get that haircut!"
During summer, we all get busy with plans. By September we missed a few dustings, and now we’re playing catch up.
Split ends don't sit still. Left alone, they travel up the strand, and the longer you wait, the more you eventually have to lose. If your ends look white and beaded partway up the hair shaft, the split ends have already traveled up. It’s likely time to lose a few inches in order to feel refreshed and transformed.
The Cuts We're Loving Right Now: Soft Bobs, Long Layers and the Butterfly Cut
“Ask for movement, not maintenance.”
As you may know, the bob or long bob – the lob – is in. If you want the inside scoop, know that the trend is moving away from hard, blunt lines toward something softer and more lived in. Think a chic French or Italian bob. Think a cut that prioritizes movement. These cuts give you a low maintenance look with a grow out you do not have to fight. If keeping length is what you want, a long-layered or butterfly cut will give you the desired movement.
How to Protect Your Hair Next Summer?
“The best repair is the damage you never let happen.”
Get ahead of it. The Aveda Sun Care line exists to not only detox your hair but protect it from chlorine and UV damage all summer long. The Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil shields your hair from UV rays. It’s an easy step to add to your routine, just spray it on damp or dry hair before you leave the house. Bonus tip for extra ease - wear the hat.
Heat tools mean adding extra heat to already damaged hair. The golden rule is to always use a heat protectant, but remember, heat protectant isn't a permission slip. Be mindful of how often you're reaching for those tools or switch to a gentler alternative like rollers, blow dryers, and diffusers.
Want to keep your length next September? Stay ahead of it with frequent dustings, and ask your stylist what cadence is right for you.
The Summer Hair Reset in Four Steps
One: Detox. Two: Hydrate. Three: Give it the chop. Four: Protect & Prevent
