You’ve spent all year meticulously growing out your curly hair–hydrating and nourishing your hair to be its best. And then, bam– summertime arrives and you’re hit with long hair challenges left and right like heat, humidity and chlorine. When temperatures soar, you may be tempted to chop those locks simply to avoid style meltdown and stay cool in the summer sun, but if you want to remain on team Long Hair Don’t Care, don’t give in! Read on for our best tips to keep long waves, curls and coils happy and thriving in the summer heat.
How To Make Curly Hair Grow “Down” Instead of “Out”
First, let’s dispel a common misconception about curly hair– it can grow at a similar rate as hair of other textures. The average person’s hair grows at a rate of roughly one-third to half an inch per month, which is about four to six inches per year. Curly hair, especially tightly coiled tresses can appear to grow much more slowly, but it’s often just an illusion caused by shrinkage and the hair growing in a curl rather than straight down out of your scalp. As hair continues to grow, the weight created by all that new length gradually aids in curl elongation and gives the impression of long hair that grows “down”, rather than “out”.
Summertime Tips To Maintain Your Long Hair
It IS possible to grow any type of curly hair, even Type 4C, to waist length. Chadian women are renowned for their strong, waist-length Type 4 hair. What’s their secret? They’ve harnessed the power of Chébé, the building block of the entire SALWA PETERSENⓇ line. Chébé is the seed of the croton gratissimus plant- a small tree native to Chad in Central Africa. This powerhouse seed encourages length retention by strengthening the structure of each strand, allowing your curly or coily hair to grow faster.
Deep Conditioner Is Your Bestie
Every hair type can benefit from regular deep conditioning and it’s a key component if you want maximum length retention. Happy, moisturized locks will grow longer and stronger if you treat them right, so start by incorporating a deep conditioner into every wash day. SALWA PETERSEN®’s Chebiotic™ Hair Mask is the perfect multi-tasker for wavies, curlies and coilies alike. After cleansing and conditioning, apply the product to damp hair, paying special attention to your ends. Allow the steam from your shower to work its magic and allow this luxurious mask to deeply nourish your thirsty locks from within. Extra deep conditioning makes tresses supple with more elasticity, which is key in avoiding breakage and encouraging length retention.
Protect Long Locks From Summer Elements
Sun, sea and chlorine exposure can wreak havoc on your tresses, making already dry or distressed hair even more brittle and prone to breakage. This can put a huge damper on your hair growth journey. Protect your hard-earned length by applying a luxe leave-in like our Chébé Hair Milk. Work a few pumps of product through dry or damp hair, paying special attention to the ends. Whisk your hair up into a bun and cover with a stylish hat or sleek head scarf and your coif will be thoroughly protected from the summer elements all day long.
Low-Commitment Protective Styles
French braids, plaits, cornrows, afro puffs/pineappling - all of these styles are low-commitment solutions to keep your hair off your neck and protected from the elements. Our Chébé Buttercream and Chébé Curls Gelée are the ideal stylers to keep you perfectly coiffed and moisturized all summer. Utilizing simple daily styles is just another way you can maintain your length by protecting your delicate ends in order to avoid the Big Chop when those summer temperatures climb.
Show us how you keep your long curly hair happy in the summer heat by tagging #salwapetersen #chebecircle.
