Give Your Hair Some Sweet Summer Lovin’ With The Macadamia Professional Endless Summer Sun & Surf Collection
When speaking about summer hair, we tend to focus on easy and carefree styles (think beach-y waves, loose braids, and top knots) rather than on the need to properly care for our hair during the hottest and most humid season, one when we tend to spend more time basking in the sun, thereby exposing our strands to UV rays — not to mention immersing our manes in salt water and chlorine. Those of us with dry and color-treated hair need to take even greater precautions to safeguard our strands against further damage during the summer season.
This year, I’ve been relying pretty much exclusively on the Macadamia Professional Sun Shield Dry Oil Veil ($20 at MacadamiaHair.com), spritzing my strands with the protective oil before heading to the pool, going on a hike, biking a trail, or spending a day by the lake. Unlike a lot of sun shield hair products that leave strands greasy and don’t actually work to smooth frizz, the Macadamia Professional Endless Summer Sun Shield Dry Oil Veil manages to create a protective shield against UV rays while simultaneously hydrating strands, taming flyaways, and boosting shine. The paraben- and sulfate-free, cruelty-free, and gluten-free product can be applied to dry hair and damp hair — moreover, it can be reapplied every couple of hours as needed (much like sunscreen!). It contains the following natural botanical extracts: sunflower seed oil, which is rich in vitamin E and helps to protect hair color from UV rays and to prevent it from losing its vibrance or becoming brassy; baobab seed oil, which has a high concentration of vitamin C and antioxidants and which thereby strengthens hair and prevents breakage; macadamia seed oil, the brand’s namesake ingredient, which has a composition consisting of 70-80% monounsaturated fats (chiefly oleic acid and palmitoleic acid), thereby effectively moisturizing and nourishing strands; avocado oil, which is known to condition ad soften hair; and argan oil, which helps to smooth frizz while boosting shine and improving manageability. In addition to working wonders in terms of protecting hair while keeping it looking neat and smooth, the Sun Shield Dry Oil Veil smells like delicious coconut, which is the perfect summery scent. I’ve taken this product with me on every summer adventure — including trips to the waterpark — and I’ve been stunned at how healthy my hair looked after returning home, washing out all that chlorine, and styling as usual. Chlorine, in particular, tends to leave my color looking brassy and leaves my hair feeling porous and straw-like — to the extent that I bought a swimming cap at one point (yes, as if I were Michael Phelps) and wore it even when I was lounging in the pool instead of doing laps! Eventually, I decided it was just too hot for all those shenanigans, but the point is chlorine tends to wreak havoc on my strands. That said, the Sun Shield Dry Oil Veil has made a huge difference — the next best thing to a snug-fitting swimming cap!
And, of course, whenever I return from a dip in the pool or any outing in the sun, I wash my hair with the Macadamia Professional Endless Summer Sun & Surf Shampoo ($20 at MacadamiaHair.com) and Sun & Surf Conditioner ($20 at MacadamiaHair.com), both of which are sulfate-free and contain the brand’s signature Pro Oil Complex, a blend of macadamia oil and argan oil, rich sources of omega 7, 5, 3, and 9 fatty acids that nourish, hydrate, strengthen, and soften strands. I love how gentle the shampoo feels when massaged onto the scalp. Unlike so many cleansers that leave strands feeling parched and practically begging for conditioner, this shampoo lifts off all that chlorine, salt, dirt, and debris, but it doesn’t strip the hair or lead to tangling. To create a foaming lather and lift those impurities from strands, the coconut-scented shampoo relies on sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, which is derived from sarcosine, a natural amino acid found in the human body and often derived from coconut oil. While it has the same initials as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate isn’t a harsh detergent and it won’t zap moisture from strands or cause skin irritation. As for other botanical ingredients, the shampoo also relies on shea butter, which conditions strands; olive oil, which ails distressed hair, promotes hair growth, and nourishes the scalp, alleviating any dryness and keeping dandruff at bay; coconut oil, which penetrates deep inside the hair fiber, nourishing it from the inside out and preventing frizz; hydrolyzed keratin and hydrolyzed soy protein , which help to counteract protein loss and hence fortify strands; and avocado oil, which moisturizes hair and leaves it silky and smooth.
The conditioner, meanwhile, feels like the ultimate treat. It boasts a rich and creamy consistency and yet, when it’s worked into clean strands, it doesn’t weigh them down. Not only does the conditioner moisturize strands, but it helps to safeguard them against humidity, hence preventing frizz and fly-aways. Hair is left feeling healthy and soft, plus it’s significantly more manageable. Even when I wash my hair and skip the blow-drying step, my hair is less prone to frizz thanks to this conditioner.
Last, the Endless Summer collection contains the After Sun Leave-In Repair ($20; MacadamiaHair.com), a leave-in conditioner designed to revitalize hair and reduce breakage. It’s the one product on the collection that I have yet to try but, if the other three offerings are any indication, this one will also be a summer must-have.
And did I mention the coconut scent? Ever since I’ve been using the Macadamia Professional Endless Summer collection, I find myself constantly craving piña coladas — and that’s no coincidence. Whereas other coconut-scented products have a distinctly synthetic quality that can prove nauseating, the coconut scent here feels delightfully authentic. Before you know it, your shower will feel like the gateway to a tropical paradise, almost as if your tub were the wardrobe in Narnia that could usher you into a different realm — except, of course, the Macadamia Professional Endless Summer products are the key to unlocking that journey.
