Summer Skin and Hair Detox

Summer is in full swing, and we know all that sun, sand, salt, and chlorine can build up over the months and make skin and hair feel…less than fresh. Time for a detox! Here are some ways you can revive summer skin and hair.

Hair and Scalp

Many environmental factors can affect your hair in the summer. Sun, wind, chlorine, and saltwater can all damage the cuticle of the hair, leading to protein loss, hair weakness, dryness, and breakage. UV radiation from sun exposure dries out the hair cuticle and fades color, not to mention the UV damage to your scalp, which is as sensitive to the sun as any other skin on your body. Chlorine damages the hair by depleting hair’s natural oils, and as any blonde knows, it can also discolor your hair (green!) because of the oxidation of copper in the water.

If you’ve been out enjoying all the summer fun, and haven’t been wearing an SPF spray on your hair all summer, here’s what you can do to revive your scalp and hair:

Detox and clarify hair and scalp:

Clarify that scalp and remove build-up from a summer’s worth of chlorine with an apple cider vinegar home remedy (keep reading for the recipe) or clarifying shampoos.

Hair is naturally acidic, and when your scalp gets dry, flaky, or itchy, it can mean the pH is getting too high (from products or loss of natural oils leading to dried-out cuticles). That’s why adding back some acidity can help the hair cuticles lay flat and smooth, maintaining moisture and restoring health.

Try an apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse to detox and improve scalp health:

• Mix a capful of ACV in water (to create a pH of about 4).
• Rinse the scalp after 1-3 minutes.
• Follow with shampoo.

Two we like: Neutrogena Anti-Residue Clarifying Shampoo and Ouai Detox Shampoo.

Deeply moisturize hair:

Once a week (or twice for extra dry hair), restore moisture to the cuticles with a deep conditioning treatment. Here are two good ones to try: Natura Repairing Hair Mask and Kerastase Masquintense Hair Mask.

Finally, maintain your results!

Use a wide tooth comb to detangle; hair is most fragile when wet, so be really gentle when combing wet hair. Apply a heat protectant/SPF product after washing so hair stays healthy and safe from UV damage; we like Living Proof Restore Instant Protection. And don’t forget your hat! The more you can shield your locks and scalp from UV radiation, the healthier it will remain.

Skin and Nails

Sweat, sunscreen, and chlorine can all leave your skin feeling dry, your pores clogged, and your glow…missing. We’ve got you covered with a few tips to freshen everything up!

Just like your hair, start by detoxing your skin with a clarifying product:

You want to look for ingredients that gently exfoliate and leave fresh skin behind. While we don’t typically like a physical scrub for exfoliating the delicate skin on your face, the skin below the neck can handle a little more. Try Tata Harper’s Smoothing Body Scrub, which contains sugar and other natural ingredients to give skin a micro-polish. Spend a little extra time on elbows, knees, and ankles.

Follow your scrub with a body lotion that penetrates the thicker skin.

Our favorite is our very own So Cheeky Exfoliating Body Moisturizer; it contains lactic acid to help remove the driest top layer of skin cells, plus cactus extract and sunflower seed oil to hydrate deeply.

For your face, you’ll want to use a gentle chemical exfoliation product.

Use products containing alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids to eliminate dry skin and clean out the oil from the pores. Try our best-selling Clean Sweep Daily Clarifying pads, which has a combination of glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids. Follow with some vitamin C serum (try our Fresh Squeezed C+E+Ferulic acid serum) to give your newly exfoliated skin a dose of antioxidants and amplify your glow.

Finally, don’t forget your nails!

Your nails and cuticles need a little extra love this summer as well. We love applying French Girl Organic’s Nail and Cuticle Oil every morning to hydrate the cuticles and allow a strong nail plate to grow.

Summer is all about keeping things easy so you can get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather. With these easy tips, you can ensure your hair, skin, and nails are at their healthiest for all the fun! And as always, we’d love to see you in person for more personalized care. Click here to read more about all we have to offer here at CLARA Dermatology.