Mane Street: Products You Need To Care, Tame, And Style Summer Hair
Temperatures always seem to rise to unprecedented highs in the month of August — and yet, since we know that Fall is just around the corner, we feel all the more pressed to enjoy every minute of sunshine and warmth. On the weekends, we flock to beaches, pools, and parks, planning picnics and cookouts, camping out at the beach since early in the morning to get a “good spot.” So, ladies, go and enjoy what’s left of summer — but don’t forget to tend to those tresses. After all, even the best tan won’t do you much good if your hair looks less attractive than the leaves sprouting from a Chia pet’s head.
Here, a look at some products to get you through the next few weeks with gorgeous, siren-like hair.
Redken Color Extend Sun Sparkling Shield, $16; Redken Color Extend Sun After-Sun Shampoo, $13; Redken Color Extend Sun After-Sun Mask, $15. Visit Redken.com for salons.
Redken’s Color Extend collection focuses on correcting existing damage and providing protection from the sun’s UV rays and environmental aggressors. Each of these products contains such ingredients as: Splexyl and Benzophone-4, which offer long-lasting UV protection; Mango Oil, which delivers a surge of moisture to dry tresses and softens your mane; and Ceramide, which penetrates hair fibers to repair any existing damage. The Redken Color Extend Sun After-Sun Shampoo lathers really well, removing any excess oil, grime, and even sand (just in case you happened to be frolicking at the beach earlier that day!) without stripping your hair of its moisture. But perhaps the best product in the collection is the replenishing Color Extend Sun After-Sun Mask. You’ll actually feel the mask (which is a fun, apricot orange hue) infusing moisture into your hair and scalp. The mask is easy to rinse out and won’t weigh down your hair (as so many other masks unfortunately do). Instead, your hair will feel softer and bouncier. After a grueling day in the sun, I applied this mask and literally went from having scarecrow-esque hair to being able to run my fingers through my tresses seductively — now that’s what I call results!
Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Conditioning Shampoo, $5.90, and Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Repairing Conditioner, $5.90. Available at food, drug and mass merchandise stores nationwide and at PalmersWorks.com
Just like candy canes, pine trees, egg nog, and pumpkin pie conjure up images of wintry months in most peoples’ minds, coconuts instantly make me think of tropical paradises and steamy summer days. And since Coconut Oil has such vast moisturizing properties, it makes for the perfect ingredient for summer skincare and haircare products. Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Conditioning Shampoo smells like a can of Coco Lopez (it’s not quite as pure as the pulp inside a real coconut, but the smell is still yummy) and contains Coconut Oil and Vitamin E to nourish, hydrate, and seal hair follicles so that they retain existing moisture. The ultra rich Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Repairing Conditioner, meanwhile, counts Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, Keratin and Panthenol as primary ingredients. The conditioner is extremely rich, so you can use sparingly. You’ll notice that, as you smooth the conditioner onto your wet hair, it not only makes your tresses feel softer, but it removes existing tangles. I usually need to rely on a detangler after washing my hair but, if I use this conditioner, I can skip that step altogether.
Philip B Maui Wowie Beach Mist, $22. Visit PhilipB.com
Curly-haired gals will swoon over this mist, which helps to lure out any waves and curls, delivering mermaid-like hair (hey, even Daryl Hannah had wavy hair in her turn as Madison in Splash). Perhaps more importantly, it doesn’t make your hair feel crunchy or sticky, like so many other curl-activating sprays and mousses, but instead gives you a really soft, ethereal, natural look. Containing Aloe Vera, Algae Extracts, and extracts from such plants as Orchids, Tahitian Gardenia, Coconut and Kukui, Philip B’s Maui Wowie smells like an island paradise, adding to its allure.
Arrojo Detangling Foam, $15. Visit ArrojoNYC.com
This product has become as essential to my daily routine as brushing my teeth. I’m one of those gals who has a lot of hair (a fact that every hairdresser I’ve ever visited has felt compelled to reiterate) — and unruly, curly hair at that. One of the disadvantages that comes with this, however, is constant tangles. When I was a young girl and my mother washed my hair, my eyes would well with tears as she reached for the comb, as I knew what was in store would be highly unpleasant (my mom would say I’m tender-headed, but I still argue that that’s not the case). As an adult, having to grapple with tangles still plagues me — and I appreciate anything that expedites the process. If you apply two pumps of Arrojo’s Detangling Foam on your palm and then rub onto your hair from roots to ends, you’ll notice that any knots vanish. The Arrojo Detangling Foam also gave my hair added volume and body (though I’d recommend adding a bit of Arrojo’s Volume Foam for truly noticeable results).
Robert Ramos Spray Leave-In Conditioner, $25. Visit RobertRamos.com
This has become mamacita’s little helper this summer (and by mamacita I mean myself, in case you didn’t catch that! lol). Celebrity stylist Robert Ramos’ Spray Leave-In contains: soothing, vitamin-rich Aloe Vera; Horsetail Extract, a silica-rich herb that helps to restore elasticity to hair follicles; and Green Tea, which is packed with antioxidants that battle free radicals and which includes catechins that prevent hair loss. The spray feels like a refreshing mist as it lands on your hair, tickling your nose with its delicious, sweet green tea scent. You’ll actually notice a slight tingling sensation as the spray cools your hair and scalp and, within a few minutes, you’ll notice that your hair starts picking up body and volume. If you have wavy or curly hair, the spray will help to activate and boost the appearance of those ringlets, giving them an extra bit of kick.
Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother, $24. Visit Aveda.com
Humidity and frizz go back like babies with pacifiers. To keep your hair in check, even on uncomfortable sticky, humid days, apply some of Aveda’s Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother onto damp hair and style as desired. The serum-like smoother will help you manage your hair and give any ‘do a longer life span, plus it won’t leave your hair feeling greasy or oily.
