FACT OR FICTION?
‘My hair burns in the sun’
Fact! Hair sun damage is real. You won’t feel your hair
burning because it doesn’t have any nerve endings,
but it can still be damaged by UV rays. “Excessive
exposure to UVA and UVB rays results in oxidative
stress, which causes structural damage to the hair,
making it more brittle and prone to breakage and split
ends,” Dr Sharon Wong says. Those lovely, golden
sun-kissed streaks your hair gets after a week in the
sun? That’s the UV rays bleaching and damaging the
pigment of your hair. *Reaches for sunhat*THREE SPFS FOR YOUR HAIR
The SPF styler
The Kérastase Soleil range is designed to protect
against summer’s most powerful hair enemies: sun,
chlorine and saltwater. Kérastase Soileil Huile Sirène
(£27.50) doubles as a styling spray and SPF for your
hair. It’s a leave-in mist but make sure to reapply after
you’ve been in the water.
The burnt-scalp saviour
Coola Ocean Salted Sage Scalp & Hair Mist
SPF 30 (£26) can be spritzed all over your hair,
parting and hairline to protect exposed areas.
Extra perk: it’s waterproof!The hair and body SPF hybrid
Double up holiday beauty with Clarins SPF 30 Sun
Care Oil Mist (£22). The water and sweat-resistant
spray can be used to protect both hair and body from
UV rays and doesn’t leave any greasy residue.FACT OR FICTION?
‘Pulling out one grey hair
makes more grow back’
Thankfully this is a case of hair fearmongering.
“Pulling out a hair from a single follicle does not
stimulate an increased number of hairs. It will simply
be replaced by another single strand,” Wong says.FACT OR FICTION?
‘Trimming hair every six
weeks makes it grow faster’
“Semi true,” Luke Hersheson says. “The six-week
mark is a bit of an old wives’ tale but regular trims do
help to keep hair healthy.” Syd Hayes adds: “If you
leave split ends for too long they can split further
and further up the hair shaft.” In short, cutting hair
keeps it healthy but it won’t make it grow faster.
One caveat: certain hairstyles and fringes need more
regular maintenance, and Charlotte Mensah
recommends that textured and afro hair types
get regular trims every six to eight weeks “to
maintain better curl definition”.
FACT OR FICTION?
‘My colourist told me
to buy products for
coloured hair but it’s
not really necessary’
First and foremost, take note of this: you wouldn’t
use a face cream for oily skin if you had a dry
skin type. The same goes for hair. Targeted
haircare, whether that’s for coloured hair or a
specific hair type, is crucial. “If you want to keep
your hair colour intact and looking as vibrant as
the day you left the salon, colour-safe products
are a must,” Justin Anderson says.HOW TO KEEP COLOUR FRESH LIKE A PRO
Don’t overshampoo coloured hair
Of course this is easier said than done, especially
if you have oily hair, but frequent washing “can lead
to your colour looking dull, brassy and less vibrant”,
Anderson says. Try to leave it for as long as you
can. Larry King Haircare Good Life for Your
Hair Shampoo (£40) has green tea extract, biotin
and vitamin B5 to help soothe your scalp,
strengthen hair and prevent colour fade, giving the
pigment a longer, better life.Use multiple masks
Zoë Irwin suggests using different masks to suit
different parts of your hair: “If you have a lot of
bleach on your ends then you might use a
strengthening mask like Bleach London
Reincarnation Mask [£7], which breathes life
back into damaged locks.” If hair is lacklustre then
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (£19) is the cult
deep conditioning treatment that will make even
the most strawlike strands feel silky again.Use a heat protector spray
“Heat can cause hair to become sensitised,
resulting in a dry, unmanageable texture,” Irwin says.
“This can leave your signature shade looking flat and
dull, as colour always looks best on shiny, healthy hair.”TWO BLONDE EXTENDERS TO TRY
(NB: these are not the old-school purple shampoo
formulas that left hair brittle and dry.)Redken Color Extend Blondage Shampoo (£21.50)
is a colour-depositing shampoo that helps to bring the
brightness back to blonde hair by eliminating brassy
tones. It’s also packed with proteins so it’s a good
option for hair that’s feeling brittle post-colour.Wella Professionals Color Fresh Mask in Lilac
Frost and Pearl Blonde (£16 each) are moisturising
hair masks that are great for toning bleached hair.
Masks have stronger hydration properties than
shampoo, so use one weekly to keep hair healthy
and brassy tones at bay.THE HAIR
SPECIAL
The Sunday Times Style • 11