Sunscreened

There is such a thing as responsible beachcombing: sunscreen (one each for face and body), a fab bikini, comfy footwear, and hair protection products. The latter is not negotiable. If Filipinas really value the beauty afforded by smooth, shiny, healthy hair, then they should start using hair products geared towards protecting the hair against the heat of the sun, a year-round occurrence in our tropical weather. The sun’s UV rays wreak so much havoc and damage on the hair. Add to that the damage from exposure to saltwater and beach wind, and your hair doesn’t stand a chance.

While dark brown spots manifest as sun damage on the skin, the inverse occurs to the hair. Sun-damaged hair shows up as light streaks (essentially, showing off sun-streaked hair is akin to bragging about premature wrinkling caused by the sun). The UV rays in sunlight affects the hair’s outer layer, called the cuticle, and dehydrates the hair shaft, eventually causing the keratin protein of the hair to break down. UV rays also oxidize hair’s melanin content. Hair gradually weakens and becomes lighter, weaker, drier, and more brittle.

Summer lovers aren’t the only ones whose hair is at risk. It doesn’t take long for the sun to do its thing. Athletes who play out in the sun, such as golfers and tennis players, also need to take the same precautionary measures. Swimmers’ hair is even more at risk. Sun fries hair, but chlorine deep-fries it. Chlorine mercilessly dries out hair and even sticks to the strands, causing dulling and hair lightening. Salt in the water is also drying, and seemingly harmless wind whips up a frenzy of split ends.

But the red flag is really reserved for people with colored or bleached hair. Colored hair is more porous, which weakens the keratin protein bonds and causes the color molecules to be more susceptible to sun damage. Saltwater leaches out color, and chlorine is even more destructive when mixed with colored locks; in some cases, exposing colored hair to pool chemicals may give hair an unnatural greenish, pinkish, even bluish tinge.

There are ways to get around these problems. Wearing a hat 24/7 is one; dousing your hair with fresh water as soon as you get out of the pool or saltwater is another. But leading haircare brand Kerastase presents a sure-fire and more practical, solution. Kerastase Soleil assures better, frizz-free tresses for anyone working and basking under the sun.

The Kerastase Soleil range includes Bain Apres Soleil, a rehydrating hair bath that helps detangle hair and leaves it soft, shiny, and manageable; Crème Richesse, a deep-conditioning treatment that contains ceramides and pro-vitamin B5, helps repair damaged hair and enhances shine; while Voile Protecteur is a leave-in non-greasy sun protection spray with a vitamin E derivative. Available in Manila’s leading salons, Kerastase Soleil protects tresses from the combined effects of UV rays, salt, and chlorine.

For beach mainstays Celine Gabriel and Ines Lobregat, Kerastase Soleil is a godsend. Fashion designer and PR director Celine Gabriel goes to the beach every weekend. "I color my hair so I need protection from UV rays. Without protection, the sun affects the color and dries out my hair." Student Ines Lobregat echoes the same concern. She may have a gleaming tan from regular beach trips, but she can’t say the same about her hair: "I don’t want my hair to dry out under the sun and lose its luster." It doesn’t take much to deduce that Kerastase Soleil Bain Apres Soleil and Crème Richesse will now be a regular in their baths, and Voile Protecteur in their beach bags.

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