While everyone loves those fun, textured, beachy hair waves, it's also true that a beach vacation can be hard on your hair. Sun exposure, saltwater, ocean winds, and sand particles can all damage your hair, and it needs extra protection. Scuba diving masks can also rub and irritate the hair shaft. To keep your hair smooth, shiny, and healthy on a beach holiday, it's important to use the right hair products. Here are some of the best hair products for a beach holiday.
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Best Hair Products for a Beach Holiday
1. Sun Bum Revitalizing 3-in-1 Leave-In Hair Conditioner Spray
Review
The Sun Bum Revitalizing 3-in-1 Leave-In Hair Conditioner Spray is a leave-in product that will condition your hair and provide lasting UV protection. It detangles both wet and dry hair, perfect for before and after swimming. It deeply penetrates the hair shaft to control frizz, prevent split ends, reduce color fading, and leaves your hair smooth and shiny. It prevents sun and wind damage, and resists humidity, without weighing down the hair.
The Sun Bum Revitalizing 3-in-1 Leave-In Hair Conditioner Spray is made with banana pulp, quinoa protein, coconut oil, and sunflower seed oil. It contains no alcohol, sulfates, gluten, or parabens, and is safe to use on all hair types and colors. It is also cruelty-free.
For best results, apply to clean, towel-dried hair. It can either be sprayed directly onto the hair, or spray into your palm, rub your hands together, and use your hands and fingers to finger-comb the product evenly through the hair. Follow with combing to ensure that the product reaches the ends of your hair.
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2. Stream2Sea Sulfate Free Leave-In Hair Conditioner
Review
The Stream2Sea Sulfate Free Leave-In Hair Conditioner is a light and non-greasy de-tangler, to restore your hair's beauty and shine after sun or saltwater exposure. The formula has UV protection but also moisturizes and nourishes hair to improve strength and condition. It's safe to use on color-treated hair and can be used on damp hair before exposure to water, or afterward, to help seal and protect from salt water damage, or detangle and protect from sun damage on the beach.
The Stream2Sea Sulfate Free Leave-In Hair Conditioner is made of a powerful antioxidant blend of green tea, tulsi, wakame, and olive oil. It is free of sulfates and parabens. Even better, this formula is biodegradable and not harmful to freshwater or saltwater marine life, so you can use it without damaging the marine ecosystem. It's made in the US, and comes in environmentally responsible packaging that is 97% post-consumer recycled.
For best results, dampen hair with clean, fresh water if possible. Then apply Stream2Sea Sulfate Free Leave-In Hair Conditioner and finger-comb to distribute evenly, making sure to reach the ends of the hair. Do not rinse it out.
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3. AquaGuard Pre-Swim Hair Defense
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Swimming in chlorinated water can be very harmful and stressful for the hair, especially hair that is color treated. Many people use after-swim treatments and shampoos to try to remove all the pool chemicals and prevent further damage to the hair. Unlike traditional after-swim hair treatments, AquaGuard Pre-Swim Hair Defense protects your hair from water and chlorine damage before it starts. It protects your natural hair color and prevents greening or bleaching from swimming pool water. It smooths and protects hair from damage, maintaining hair health. It seals the hair and prevents salt, minerals, and pool chemicals from damaging the hair. It contains natural aloe, sweet almond oil, argan oil, and shea butter.
Simply apply to damp hair 3-5 minutes before swimming, paying special attention to the ends, and then swim as normal. You can use it while swimming with or without a swim cap. Wash as normally after swimming, with or without a swimmer's shampoo as you prefer.
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The Verdict
Everyone's hair is a little different and reacts differently to different products. These are all fantastic products to protect your hair from the harsh environment of the beach, and preserve your style while on a tropical holiday. However, only the Stream2Sea Leave-In Conditioner is biodegradable and reef-safe, so it's a hair product you can use in and out of the water and not damage the delicate environment on land or sea. We love that it's a superior product that leaves hair shiny, soft, detangled, and protected, without harming the gorgeous environments we want to appreciate when traveling. It works and works guilt-free.
However, for holidays where you plan on being in a pool with treated water, the AquaGuard Pre-Swim Hair Defense is specifically designed to protect hair from chlorine damage and prevent greening in a way that the Stream2Sea is not. So if your beach holiday includes natural water, the Stream2Sea is our No. 1 pick, but if your beach holiday includes chlorinated water, the AquaGuard is your best bet.
Related: Beach Vacation Beauty Tips
