It’s the end of summer, and your locks have had enough. From simply being out in the sun to swimming in the ocean, this time of year isn’t the kindest to hair, and many of us don’t give it the same attention as we do our skin. So, we turned to celebrity hairstylist Johnnie Sapong, who’s worked with everyone from Rita Ora to Natalie Portman, for advice on how to protect and rehydrate your hair at summer’s end.
Get your products right
“Using the shampoo and conditioner that work best for your hair type is really important,” says Sapong. “Go for sulfate — particularly sodium lauryl sulfate — free ones. You need to apply the same moisturizing process to your hair as you would your skin.”
And if your hair is at its breaking point: “At the salon, we use a lot of Leonor Greyl’s Huile de Palme because it imparts similar oils to the ones the hair produces naturally,” says Sapong.
Fight oil with oil
We can often be wary of oils due to the greasy feeling we associate with them, but Sapong says it’s all about process. His advice: “Take three tablespoons of palm oil, apply to the mid-lengths and ends, then brush through. Leave for 20 to 30 minutes, wrap a towel around your hair so the heat can activate the treatment, and then shampoo.”
Make the sun work to your advantage
“Leave some conditioner in whilst in the sun. It’d be like a treatment. Products with UV protection are a good choice, too.”
