How to Protect Hair From Sun Damage This Summer
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The best way to protect hair from sun damage is to cover it when you can, rinse out salt and chlorine quickly, and put moisture and smoothness back in with a weekly mask and a leave-in oil or cream. Hair can't repair itself the way skin does, so in an Australian summer the goal is prevention first and good conditioning second.
Below we cover what the sun actually does to hair, a simple summer routine, and the Japanese and Korean hair care products we'd reach for from November to March.
What does the sun do to your hair?
Your hair shaft is protected by an outer layer called the cuticle. Strong UV, heat, wind, salt water and chlorine all wear that layer down over a season. When the cuticle is roughed up, hair loses moisture more easily and starts to look and feel different.
Common signs of sun-stressed hair include:
- Dry, straw-like ends that tangle easily after the beach or pool
- Frizz and flyaways, especially in humid Queensland and NSW weather
- Faded or brassy colour, particularly on dyed or bleached hair
- Split ends and breakage when brushing
- A dull look because a rough cuticle doesn't reflect light as well
Fine, colour-treated and bleached hair usually shows damage fastest, but even healthy hair can feel rough by the end of a long summer.
Don't forget your scalp
Your part line and crown get direct sun, and a burnt scalp is uncomfortable and easy to miss. A hat is the simplest fix. If you're spending a day outdoors, a sunscreen stick can be swiped along your part, and changing where you part your hair now and then stops one strip of scalp getting all the exposure. If your scalp is sore, blistered or peeling a lot, see your GP.
A simple summer hair routine
1. Cover up when you're outdoors
A wide-brimmed hat or cap does more for your hair than any product. It's also the easiest way to protect your scalp. Tie long hair back on windy beach days to cut down on knots and friction.
2. Wet your hair before swimming
Dry hair soaks up pool or sea water like a sponge. Rinsing it with fresh water first means it absorbs less chlorine or salt. Some swimmers also smooth a little leave-in cream or oil through their lengths before a swim.
3. Rinse straight after the beach or pool
Don't let salt or chlorine dry into your hair in the sun. A quick rinse under the beach shower helps, then wash properly when you get home with a gentle shampoo.
4. Use a mask once or twice a week
A rinse-off hair mask is where summer repair really happens. It puts back softness and smoothness that sun and swimming take out.
The Shiseido Tsubaki Premium EX Repair Hair Mask is a Japanese rinse-off mask made for more intensive repair of damaged hair. It's formulated with camellia oil, soy protein and royal jelly, and it doesn't need a long waiting time, which makes it easy to use after a beach day. It leaves hair smooth from roots to tips with a camellia scent.
If you'd like another option, the Medicube Rosemary PDRN Damage Care Hair Mask is formulated to gently condition damaged hair, with rosemary plus 31 types of amino acids and proteins, and PDRN to help smooth and detangle.
5. Finish with a leave-in oil or serum
After washing, a few drops of oil or serum through the mid-lengths and ends helps smooth the cuticle, tame frizz and add shine. Keep it away from your roots if your hair gets oily quickly.
The COSRX Peptide 132 Ultra Perfect Hair Bonding Oil Serum combines a peptide complex, plant oils and hydrolysed proteins. It's designed to strengthen and nourish damaged strands, reduce frizz and add shine, and it suits all hair types, especially dry and damaged hair. The small 28ml bottle also fits easily in a beach bag.
For a richer feel, the Shiseido Fino Premium Touch Hair Oil uses a double oil designed to repair damage and coat the cuticle surface, keeping hair smooth with a light, non-sticky finish. If you prefer something lighter and fruitier, the KUNDAL Macadamia Hair Serum in Pink Grapefruit is a lightweight, non-greasy serum with macadamia oil that hydrates, smooths frizz and adds shine.
6. Try a leave-in cream for very dry hair
If your hair is thick, curly or feels parched by midsummer, a leave-in cream can give more moisture than an oil alone.
The Dariya Momori Moist Hair Cream is a Japanese hydrating hair treatment with shea butter, keratin and amino acids, and botanical oils such as argan and camellia. It's made to soften dry or damaged hair, reduce frizz and improve manageability, and its panthenol helps protect hair from heat and environmental stress.
Habits that make summer hair damage worse
- Heat styling every day. Hair that's already dry from sun and salt doesn't need extra heat. Let it air-dry when you can, and turn your tools down when you can't.
- Brushing wet, salty hair roughly. Use a wide-tooth comb and start from the ends.
- Tight ponytails on wet hair. Wet hair stretches and snaps more easily, so use soft scrunchies and looser styles.
- Skipping conditioner after swimming. Even a quick condition helps more than nothing.
- Bleaching or colouring right before a beach holiday. If you can, book colour after your trip, not before.
A sample weekly routine
- Every swim: wet hair first, rinse straight after, wash when home.
- Every wash: gentle shampoo, conditioner on the lengths, then a few drops of oil or serum on damp ends.
- Once or twice a week: swap your conditioner for a repair mask.
- Every day outdoors: hat on, hair tied back on windy days.
You can browse more masks, oils and shampoos in our Korean hair care collection and our hair mask range. For more detail, see our guides to the best Korean hair masks for damaged hair and how to use hair oil correctly.
FAQ
Can the sun really damage your hair?
Yes. Strong UV, heat and wind wear down the outer cuticle over time, which can leave hair drier, frizzier and duller, and fade coloured hair faster. Salt water and chlorine add to it.
How often should I use a hair mask in summer?
Once or twice a week suits most people. If you swim daily or have bleached hair, you might use a mask more often; if your hair is fine and gets weighed down, once a week is usually enough.
Should I put hair oil on before swimming?
Many people like to smooth a little oil or leave-in cream through their lengths after wetting hair with fresh water, so it absorbs less pool or sea water. Rinse and wash it out afterwards.
Is a hat enough to protect my scalp?
A hat is the best protection for your scalp and hair. If you're outside without one, apply sunscreen to your part line and reapply as directed on the pack.