Holiday Hair Q and A

Make matted hair and faded colour a thing of the past with our expert answers to your most-asked holiday hair questions.

Who says you have to endure flyaway frizz and matted hair on the beach or by the pool? We've quizzed the experts to bring you the answers to your most-asked holiday hair questions, so you can work a summer look in style this holiday season.

How can I banish frizz?

Humidity, dry heat and salty seawater are key holiday frizz aggravators. Session stylist and hair pro Zoe Irwin suggests a two-pronged approach if you're on the beach: one, thoroughly condition your hair during the day with hydrating hair masks (try Phyto's Phytojoba Intense Hydrating Mask and UV protecting gels, and two, protect it from salty seawater, which roughs up the cuticle to leave hair looking frizzy, dry and raggedy. Her tip? "Pour fresh water over your hair before you go into the sea or the pool so it won't absorb as much salt or seawater." This failsafe styling option is also a chic summer look: "Rinse your hair after a dip, add more conditioner and pull your hair back into a topknot," says Zoe.

• To condition: Klorane Nourishing & Untangling Mango Butter Conditioning Balm, Toni & Guy Frizz Smoothing Curl Conditioner, Boots Ingredients Coconut & Almond Intensive Hair Mask.
• To style: Mark Hill Holiday Hair Straight Anti-humidity Spray.

Why's it so important to protect my hair from the sun?

UV rays break down the hair's protein, weakening its structure to leave it vulnerable to damage. "The damage the sun can do to your hair is horrific," says Zoe. With a hit list of undesirable side effects – faded colour, brittle condition, straw-like texture – the experts unanimously agree: "Always protect your hair like you do your skin," says Zoe. Spritz on a UV guarding spray like Soltan Hair & Scalp Spray SPF25 throughout the day or pop on a sun hat.

• To protect from sun and sea: Charles Worthington Takeaways Suntime UV Protective Conditioning Spray, Boots Sun, Swim & Gym Water Resistant Protective Masque.

Do I really need to leave my straighteners at home?

Ideally, yes. "Your hair's going to go frizzy anyway because of the humidity, so embrace your natural curls (or waves)," says Zoe. "Shampoo, condition and whip your hair up in a towel to dry. When you take your hair down you'll be left with gorgeous curls." If you're a curly or wavy girl who's hooked on electrical styling, Zoe suggests swapping straighteners for curling tongs instead. You'll use them less (Zoe advises just tonging random sections), thus inflicting less damage, while still creating a groomed result.

• For easy electrical styling: Babyliss no-clamp Curling Wand.
• To prevent heat damage: Pantene Pro-V Ice Shine Heat Spray.

Should I colour my hair before or after my holiday?

"Go with your highlights (or colour) done," says Zoe. "I always hear people advise against it, but if you regularly colour your hair three quarters of it will have colour on it anyway. As long as you protect your hair, it makes no difference; in fact, my clients all take more care if they're just had their hair done," she says. Keep coloured hair protected with a chic hair scarf or hat, specialist colour care hair products and hair protectors with UV guard to prevent fading. If you're worried about fading, "Ask your colourist to make up a vegetable colour for you to take with you to top up your colour while you're away," says Zoe.

• To guard from UV fading: Tresemme Vitamin E & Aloe Colour Lock UV Filter Leave-in Conditioner Spray, Boots Sun, Swim & Gym Shampoo for Coloured Hair.
• To preserve your colour: Herbal Essences Ignite My Colour Intensive Mask.

Four easy ways to effortless holiday hair

No one wants to look 'done' on the beach or by the pool. Here are four ways to nail an effortless holiday hair look.

1) Go for braids

Day or night, this easy style works. "To take this look from a day on the beach to a night on the disco, simply unwind the braid, part hair low on the side and brush out to create rippling waves," says Sam McKnight, A-list hair hair pro and Pantene ambassador.

2) Accessorise

By day, hair accessories like scarves and thick headbands look stylish and help shield hair from the sun. By night, embellished slides or diamante grips add a touch of glamour to otherwise laidback dos.

3) Create a messy knot

This is easy chic for beach or bar. To get the look, "Pull hair back loosely to the nape of your neck, twist around as if making a bun then tie gently into a knot and fasten with hair grips," says Kate Moss' hair pro James Brown. "Pull the front section or fringe gently to the side, letting it fall over the forehead slightly and fix with a diamante grip." Finish with a light mist of hairspray such as James Brown London Hairspray.

4) Tease your ponytail

"This style is great for 'day after' hair or for a post-beach evening do," says James. "Pull hair back tightly into a ponytail that sits just above the nape of your neck. Pull out sections of the ponytail, and very gently tease the hair upwards using a backcomb. Finish with a bit of hairspray on the ponytail, and James Brown London Serum along the hairline."

Poolside cocktails, anyone?

Read more like this:
A-Z Summer Beauty Part One
A-Z Summer Beauty Part Two
Humidity-Proof Hair

Related categories:
Problem Hair
Hair Accessories
Conditioners
Styling