#TheWashDayExperience: Sun &Swimming Hair Protection

 

Today is week 2 of the #washdayexperience! Today's topic focuses on Sun&Swimming Hair Protection.  

As you may remember from last week's post, I gave a simple and quick vacation hair list: 

The style: 
Mini-braids or twists with no added hair
The "wash day": 
Seabreeze spray applied to scalp
The Moisture: 
L.O.C. method 
The Sun Protection:
Wheat germ oil 
The Water Protection: 
Coconut oil

 Last week's post mentioned that I recommend protective styles using your own hair, such as mini-braids and twists. I also believe you should use Seabreeze spray to cleanse your scalp. If you recall this post on scalp exfoliation, salicylic acid "softens dead skin cells and remove harden sebum that is trapped in the folicle, and it makes it easier for the shampoo to remove the dead skin. Because it softens the dead skin cells, it does not require any scrubbing. It also removes excess sebum on the hair follicle. It is very gentle and the first choice to exfoliate the scalp." Lastly, the L.O.C. method is a great way to preserve moisture in your hair.


The Sun & Water Protection:
Today I am here to talk about the last two pointers of my vacation hair list, "the Sun Protection/the Water Protection."

The Sun Protection
Wheat Germ Oil:
Wheat Germ Oil has 20 SPF, which is the third oil on this and this list of natural sunscreen oils. I chose this oil because it is the most inexpensive out of the ones with a SPF of 20 and higher. Oils as sunscreen may not be a perfect solution for all-over body sunscreen, but I believe that it is a viable as hair sunscreen. Wheat germ oil is not only cost-effective but all-natural and safe. I recommend keeping it refrigerated to improve keep it fresh. It can be preserved for up to a year if refrigerated.
Other benefits of wheat germ oil is that it is a ceramide. If you remember one of my very first posts, which you can read here, "A ceramide is a lipid. (Lipids is another word for oil and ceramides are one of the three types of oil found actually IN the cuticle of the hair. Ceramides are important because they are the oils which bind the different layers of the cuticle together. These cuticle layers are important because they protect hair from damage) Ceramides are important for chemically damaged hair (colored or relaxed) because they can actually replace the ceramide that HAD been in the cuticle but that was destroyed during the coloring and/or relaxing process." Wheat germ has a 55% of ceramides.

According to this study, "Oily vehicles are more effective for producing a uniform and long-lasting film of sunscreen on the skin, and their emollient properties protect the skin against the drying effects of exposure to wind and sun." Therefore, utilizing wheatgerm oil as sun protection also prevents hair from drying out underneath the sun's harsh rays, which is perfect for the summertime.
Another method of protecting hair from the sun is by wrapping it in a satin headwrap. However, I chose the wheatgerm method because I love enjoying my hair out. If you love enjoying your hair and do not want to keep it wrapped all vacation and summer, consider utilizing wheatgerm oil in your hair regime.
For more information check out this article on oil as sun protection
http://happyzine.co.nz/2012/01/18/the-good-news-about-natures-spf-protection-by-joel-le-blanc/

The Water Protection

Coconut Oil:

Before you go in the pool or beach, apply a thick layer of coconut oil to your hair to prevent excess water absorption. Too much water in your hair can cause hygral fatigue, which can lead to fragile hair and breakage. Because it takes 6-12 hours for coconut to penetrate the hair shaft, apply the night before a day you know you will be in water. However, if you are not alerted to the fact that you will be submerged in water beforehand, "The hair absorbs 15% of its weight in coconut oil after the first hour (http://thebeautybrains.com/2014/04/coconut-oil-in-hair/)". Therefore, the coconut oil will still offer some form of protection. To increase your level of protection from the water, spray your hair with water and apply conditioner. Hair already soaked with water will not absorbed the harmful chlorinated water of pools and water parks nor the dirty water of lakes, oceans, and rivers. Do not forget that after you return from the water, you must wash your hair with a swimmer's shampoo to wash out the chlorine and minerals.

See you next time! Enjoy your vacation :)