Key Takeaways
- Adjust your routine each season to prevent damage from heat, humidity, and cold air.
- Use bond-building treatments like OLAPLEX to reduce breakage from styling and chemical processes.
- Always apply a heat protectant before using styling tools to avoid dryness and split ends.
- Hydrate your hair, especially in dry seasons, with deep conditioning treatments to maintain strength and elasticity.
- Use clarifying shampoos in summer and moisture masks in winter to address specific seasonal hair needs.
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How to Protect Your Hair from Damage All Year Long
As the seasons change, so does the need to care for your hair. Here’s how you can protect your hair from damage year-round and during every season with OLAPLEX® haircare products.
Wash Less
Protect your hair’s integrity with minimal washing. Washing your hair too often can lead to dryness and scalp irritation. We recommend holding off on shampooing daily, and when you do shampoo, use OLAPLEX Nº.4 Bond® Maintenance Shampoo to help repair, cleanse, and moisturize your hair. If you need to give your hair a bit of a refresh between cleanses, cool rinse in the shower, or do a conditioner rinse with OLAPLEX Nº.5 Bond Maintenance® Conditioner.You can also use OLAPLEX Nº.4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo to absorb oils on the scalp without any white residue.
Strengthen Hair Bonds with OLAPLEX
No matter the season, hair bonds are prone to damage from chemical treatments, heat styling, product buildup, and environmental factors. Strengthening these bonds should be a year-round focus to protect your hair from breaking or becoming overly dry. OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology® is proven to repair broken bonds for stronger hair. Use OLAPLEX Nº.0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment in combination with OLAPLEX Nº.3 Hair Perfector® (sold separately) to strengthen and boost repair in all types of damaged hair.
Use Heat Protection Before Styling
Before you pull out the hairdryer, make sure your hair is protected against heat. Incorporating OLAPLEX Nº.5 Leave-In™ Moisturize & Mend Leave In Conditioner helps prevent and protects against future damage and provides immediate moisture. Styling tools can weaken hair strands, leading to dryness, split ends, and breakage. Apply a heat-protection hair oil prior to styling. OLAPLEX Nº.7 Bonding Oil is a highly-concentrated, weightless reparative styling oil that increases shine, softness, and maintains color vibrancy—all while providing heat protection up to 450°F. Or, use a serum like OLAPLEX Nº.9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum to shield hair from heat damage up to 450°F and reduce tangles and static.
Seasonal Haircare Tips: From Spring to Winter
Each season brings its own set of challenges when it comes to maintaining healthy hair. Here are specific seasonal tips to keep your hair protected:
Spring
In spring, focus on prepping your hair for summer hair damage. Consistent moisturizing, bond building, and styling maintenance can set you up for healthy, strong hair during the summer months.
- Once a week, use Nº.0 and Nº.3 to strengthen and repair bonds. Spray No.0 on dry hair, comb to distribute it evenly along the hair, and let sit for 10 minutes. Don’t rinse out. Follow by applying No.3 on your hair to saturate evenly, then wait an additional 10 minutes.
- Wash with Nº.4 and Nº.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner after using Nº.0 and Nº.3.
- Style with OLAPLEX Nº.9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum as the first step in your styling routine to shield against pollution and heat. Finish with OLAPLEX Nº.6 Bond Smoother® and OLAPLEX Nº.7 for shine, added moisture, styling ease, heat protection up to 450ºF, and frizz control for up to 72 hours!
Summer
Fun in the sun, beachy waves, and cannonballs into the pool—while summer is a time to kick back and relax, it’s also the most damaging season for hair.
We sweat more during the summer. Combined with chlorine from pools, summer styling products, and wearing hats, these factors create the perfect storm for buildup on the scalp, clogged follicles, and hair breakage without proper care for your hair. Here’s what we recommend:
- Get rid of buildup by shampooing once a week with OLAPLEX Nº.4C Bond Maintenance® Clarifying Shampoo. This color-safe, non-stripping shampoo deep cleanses and removes heavy metals, minerals, chlorine, pollutants, and product buildup. Follow up with a conditioner like No.5 Bond Maintenance or a moisture mask like Nº.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask.
- Use OLAPLEX Nº.5 Leave-In Moisture Leave-In Conditioner to protect hair today from damage done tomorrow. This leave-in helps protect against future damage and delivers up to 88% split-end sealing after one use. Start by applying one pump to clean, damp hair and follow up with any styling products.
- If you have wavy or curly hair, rock your texture pattern with a styling product like OLAPLEX Nº.10 Bond Shaper® Curl Defining Gel. This bond-building, curl-defining gel protects against heat, controls frizz, provides all-day flexible hold, and is non-sticky and non-flaking—the perfect styling gel to get you through the dog days.
Fall
Another transition season, fall is the time to recover from summer damage and prep for cooler temps. It is less humid, so hair doesn’t hold as much water and is more prone to dryness and breakage. Consider reducing heat styling and focusing on moisturizing to maintain elasticity and strength.
- Continue to repair and maintain bonds with Nº.0, Nº.3, Nº.4, and Nº.5.
- Combat frizz and dryness with a multi-benefit, reparative mask that is clinically proven to smooth and treat damaged hair like OLAPLEX Nº.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask. On a weekly basis, apply to clean, damp hair mid-length to ends and work through fingers. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse fully and style as usual.
Winter
Due to the lack of moisture in the air during the winter months, your hair can become dry and prone to static. Your hair maintenance in winter needs extra attention to moisturizing and reducing breakage. Continue with OLAPLEX Nº.0, Nº.3, Nº.4, and Nº.5 as the core part of your winter hair care routine. Use an intense moisture mask like Nº.8 weekly and protect against heat prior to styling with OLAPLEX Nº.7.
Now that you know about hair protection for every time of year, find your personalized haircare routine.