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When people devote themselves to keeping fit, they can inadvertently damage their hair. Here’s what to watch out for and how to make keep-fit sessions the perfect opportunity for healthier hair.
A swinging ponytail can look very attractive but it also exposes much more surface area of the hair to the sun’s UV rays and the wind. The bouncing and rubbing also causes friction on the hair shaft which wears the surface cuticle. Applying LifeSaver Pre-wash Treatment gives the hair body and grip so less chance of flyaways. Keep ends turned in to a knot or bun rather than swinging in the wind and sun.
With the hair tied up and the vulnerable ends tucked away, the sun will have much less to attack, and your hair gets the best deep treatment. Shampoo and condition after.
Probably the most damaging combination on unprotected hair. The double dose of sun, directly on the hair and reflected back off the water is punishing. Along with the dehydrating effects, UV rays from the sun set off free radicals which break down the bonds in the hair-shaft so it decays rapidly. Salt from the sea is corrosive to hair and the chlorine in swimming pools is a mild bleach bath which is destructive to hair structure and colour.
But help is at hand as our LifeSaver UV Leave-in Treatment has natural UV protection and is very defensive as shown in our tests below. Give haircare the same consideration as skin care. Apply in the morning when applying your SPF to skin. Rinse and reapply after swimming. Shampoo and condition at the end of the day.
Our 7-Day tests in the Maldives and Negev Desert showed the devasting effect of sun and sea water or pool water on unprotected hair. In each case a weft of hair was cut in half and the weft on the right protected daily with LifeSaver UV. The unprotected hair is thinner drier and faded after just 7 days.
Fantastic for summer!
“I normally use the regular LifeSaver treatment but I switched to LifeSaver UV in the summer while I was by the beach for 2 months. Normally by the end of the summer my hair is dry, brittle and frizzy. Using this product every day helped save my hair. It locked in moisture and tamed frizz, plus you never even know it is there which I love. Definitely recommend, especially if you are going to be in hot weather and swimming a lot.” Francesca on Jul 21, 2021
A regular fitness regime can mean more frequent washing. It’s perfectly okay to wash hair everyday if you’re using quality products. But if you have an aggressive heat styling technique then seven times a week can be punishing for hair. Try air drying or use no-heat styling techniques some days.
Having the Peloton at home has made it so easy to keep up regular hair treatments. Before your workout, just soak the dry hair with LifeSaver and tie up in a bun. Rinse and shampoo off in the shower afterwards - body and hair care ticked off in one session. Try some no-heat styling techniques or allow to airdry if you can.
Raising the metabolism helps detox but excess sweating and scalp sebum isn’t always cleared with basic shampooing. I recommend a weekly Exfoliating Scalp Treatment and Shampoo.
This clears the build up of excess oils and dead skin flakes leaving the scalp clean and free to breathe.
Before your workout apply LifeSaver Pre-wash Treatment and pop hair into a bun. Avoid overtight hairbands, and gym shampoos.
Leaving the hair loose like this for long periods of sun guarantees fried hair and colour fade. Apply LifeSaver Treatment, and tie it up and away.
She won’t be smiling at her hair when the holiday is over.
The snow reflects and extra dose of UV rays onto hair and skin. Loose swinging hair exposes much more surface area to the sun’s UV rays and the wind. In mountain climates the air is very dry, so it additionally rips moisture out of the hair by osmosis. Apply LifeSaver Treatment to retain moisture and protect from wind and sun, then keep hair tucked into a knot or under your collar. With care, your hair can come back from holiday in as good condition as when it left.
Think fitness for hair too, as it’s the ideal time to feed nourishment back. I’ve covered some of the popular sports and workout activities along with their impact on hair. Mud-wrestling and tossing the caber to follow!
Michael Van Clarke
I've never skied in 23⁰ C sunshine before. That's how it was in April this year with beautiful snow below and beating sun above. Gorgeous. It would be far more romantic to say the melting ice cap revealed a centuries old collection of lost
