Summer-Proof Your Hair: Tips for Maintaining Extensions in Hot Weather

Hair extensions need a little extra care during the summer, follow these helpful tips for maintaining your extensions in the hot weather and reap the rewards. Your hair extensions will remain soft, free of frizz and comfortable while you enjoy the summer and the confidence boost your extensions give you. 

• Choose the Right Hair Extensions
• Consider Lighterweight Extensions for Summer 
• Keep your Scalp Clean and Healthy
• Choose the Right Products
• Protect your Hair Extensions from Sun Damage
• Limit Heat Styling
• Summer Proofing Your Extensions - Summary

The summer heat and humidity can play havoc with your natural hair, it can induce frizz, increase dryness, and even cause discolouration, unfortunately, your hair extensions can suffer the same types of issues, therefore making a plan to summer-proof your extensions makes perfect sense. This will save you money on replacement sets and ensure your hair and your confidence last throughout the summer months and holiday heat.

Choose the Right Hair Extensions

Just like your wardrobe, your hair extensions may need to be adapted throughout the seasons to better suit the weather conditions. Warmer weather can affect the level of comfort you experience from your hair extensions, the weight, density and amount of sections in your set can contribute to this change in comfort during the summer. 

Simone wears the lightweight Seamless Set in shade 16/613 Sweetheart

A thick extension set contains more hair, meaning the set can absorb more water vapour from the atmosphere in humid conditions, making your extensions frizz and feel heavier. This will affect the look and feel of the extensions, as well as the maintenance required. They will need to be tamed more often and will require frizz-defence hair products to manage the weather-induced frizz.

Lightweight and lower-density hair extensions are more suitable for hot summer temperatures, they are easier to care for and can maintain the level of comfort you are used to. We'd recommend avoiding sets over 150g in the summer heat unless you are happy with the increased maintenance and possible change in comfort. Hair extensions sets of 100-120 grams are perfect for providing comfort in the summer.

Consider Lighterweight Extensions for Summer 

A thick set of hair extensions will cover more of your scalp with hair, which may make it more difficult for your body to maintain a comfortable body temperature. Excess body heat escapes from the scalp, thick extensions can make this more difficult. By choosing a lightweight set of hair extensions when in warmer weather you can keep comfortable and cool but still feel confident with how your hair looks. 

Lightweight extensions are a great option for summer months or a hot holiday. These lighter sets add a natural amount of length and thickness without feeling too heavy or uncomfortable and prevent you from overheating.

Keep your Scalp Clean and Healthy

Perspiration (sweating) is how your body keeps you cool in hotter weather, sweating occurs all over the body but we sweat the most on the head and scalp. Although sweat is great for our hair as it contains naturally moisturising oils, it can make your hair look greasy which is never a desirable look. 

As well as giving us greasy hair, sweat is not great for keeping your extensions secure. The greasy substance can cause your extensions to slip out of position, keeping your scalp clean and healthy will help keep your extensions looking great. You may need to wash your hair and extensions more often during the summer as the build of sweat can be quicker as you are sweating more often. 

Use a clarifying shampoo to remove sweat and dirt build-up effectively, and exfoliate the scalp with a gentle scrubbing of the scalp area. Avoid harsh chemicals, on your hair and the hair extensions to keep your scalp clean and healthy and your hair in the best condition.

Choose the Right Products

Summer is associated with hot sun, swimming pools and seawater, none of which are good for our hair extensions. Each of these factors can cause dry, brittle and frizzy hair extensions, as well as other problems. Selecting products which prevent dryness and frizz is a great way to summer-proof your hair extensions. Use a gentle sulfate-free shampoo on your extensions, this will help maintain the hair's soft texture and prevent frizz. Hair products which are not sulphate-free will strip the hair of moisture, making the hair feel more dry and brittle, which is not what you need in the summer.

We also recommend regularly using a leave-in condition during warm weather, as the intense heat and drying effects of swimming pools and seawater mean your extensions are likely to lack moisture. Leave-in conditioners with ingredients like aloe vera and coconut oil can hydrate the hair while combating heat and humidity. Spray in a leave-in conditioner on clean, damp hair for moisturising effects.

Protect your Hair Extensions from Sun Damage

The sun's rays can cause discolouration in hair extensions, the discolouration can be intensified when mixed with chlorine, seawater, suncream, perfume, and body lotion, among other substances which are all commonly used during the summer. To avoid this happening you will need to prevent contact between these substances and the hair extensions where possible. 

Fliss wears a Medium Wand Wave Ponytail in shade 10/16 Vanilla Bomb

We'd advise you to avoid getting in the swimming pool or sea when wearing your hair extensions on holiday, to reduce the chances of your hair extensions coming in contact with these substances. Ideally, save your extensions for the evening when the sun has set. However, if you'd like to wear your hair extensions during a summer's day bear in mind the effects these substances can have on your hair extensions, and be careful to avoid contact with them especially when spending significant time in direct sunlight. 

Limit Heat Styling

Lengthy sun exposure and heated styling tools can be too much for your hair extensions. Everyone knows heated styling tools are no good for natural hair or hair extensions, heat damage can be limited by using a heat protection product however it's better to opt for heatless styling techniques during the summer to reduce the amount of heat put on your extensions. We recommend opting for heatless curls where possible, or pre-styled hair extensions which do not require styling. 

Summer Proofing Your Extensions - Summary

Summer is a time for feeling a looking good but reckless actions can lead to permanent damage to your hair extensions. Taking precautionary measures to protect your hair extensions during the summer will no doubt save you time and money. These tips do not require much adjustment but your hair extensions will thank you for it, a few simple changes will mean your extensions last the length of the summer and ensure you feel confident while caring for your hair extensions.