Hold onto your sun hat! Top 5 summer haircare tips incoming from hair expert Michael Douglas

As we reach the prospect of those long warm summer days ahead, it’s time to think about ways to protect your hair and scalp from whatever the sun, sea and sand can throw at it. Follow my top haircare tips and you’ll ensure your hair survives the summer.

Tip 1: Fight the frizz

Water is the enemy of all hair styles and on holiday you’re surrounded, whether that’s the humidity, the rain or the sea! If your hair is prone to frizz and you just feel like you can’t control it when you’re away, follow this routine each day. In the morning dampen your hair, comb through a leave in conditioner (use a wide tooth comb to prevent snagging) and then simply plait or tie it up. If you’ve got short hair, follow the same steps and sweep it back off your face with a head band or scarf. If you’re dipping in and out of the sea all day long and getting your hair wet, just top up your hair with the conditioner when you hit the sun lounger. A spray like the one from Shea will do the job. After a long day on the beach, rinse off the conditioner and you’ll be left with silky smooth hair.

Tip 2: Careful with colour

Ever had your blond highlights go green in the hotel pool? People blame the chlorine but it’s actually the copper sulphate that’s sometimes added to the pool water to stop the build up of algae. Copper sulphate crystals are greenish-blue in colour so when hair comes into contact with it, copper ions get absorbed by the hair and cause the greenish hue. In fact, this can affect all hair colours, but obviously the lighter your hair, the more visible the effects. The best way to fight this is to wear a swimming cap, but if this really isn’t your style, then I would suggest coating your hair in a hair mask and tying it up so you limit the exposure. Try a Garnier Ultimate Blends hair mask

Tip 3: Turn down the heat

It’s never a good idea to use heat on your hair more than a few times a week. Daily straightening, drying and heat styling can cause hair to weaken over time. Combine that with the extra heat exposure from the sun and you’ve got a recipe for a hair disaster. On holiday try to let your hair dry naturally as often as you can – pop on a hair mask during the day, rinse off, towel dry (squeeze the hair, don’t rub) and then add an air dry cream such the OGX Frizz Defy+ Coconut Miracle Oil Air Dry Cream which will smooth out the frizz and reduce those flyaways. Then simply sit in the last rays of the Golden Hour and watch your hair transform.

Tip 4: Wash less

Over-washing your hair can mean, for some people, that their natural oils get stripped away, leaving dry straw like strands. I’m a massive fan of day 4 hair; you know that stage where, if you leave it for long enough, your hair can look its best, holding styles and looking glossy and shiny. It takes some will power but if you can, just rinse your hair in the shower after a day on the beach without using shampoo, then pop on a light conditioner like this one from Aussie Hair You’ll be surprised just how good your hair will look and feel after time.

Tip 5: Cover up

People often forget that your scalp is actually just the same skin as on your face and the rest of your body, so it also needs protection from the harmful UV rays. If you are not a fan of spraying your scalp with SPF, which is absolutely fine to do by the way, then really, the only way to protect yourself is to wear a hat or a headscarf when you’re in the sun. If you’ve forgotten your hat but you’ve got some SPF to hand, simply spray along your parting and along your hair line. The invisible sprays are the best to use and then just rinse off at night. Try the Bondi Sands face mist

And finally, don’t forget your hair tools! Ditch the hopeless hotel hair dryer and pack the mdlondon award-winning BLOW, STRAIT and WAVE which make the perfect travel companions; super lightweight, compact multi-stylers with 3 metre cables. Happy holidays!