Saie Summer Haircare

It’s no secret we’re skin people around here. Most of our team got their start at major beauty brands and skincare companies before bringing their expertise to Saie. When it comes to makeup and skincare products, we’ve probably tried it and we probably have an opinion on it, too. But one area that we’re always exploring and learning more about is hair care. Like skincare, haircare is a little bit different for everybody and– also like skin– your hair’s texture, moisture levels, and overall look and feel can change with the seasons and with any physical or emotional shifts you might be going through. 

Summer can bring some really great hair days and some particularly bad ones (thanks, humidity) so we asked our friend Shannon to walk us through her haircare routine and to share some of her favorite products for maintaining healthy, moisturized curls. 

. . . 

Step 1: Shampoo & Condition 

First things first, find a shampoo & conditioning schedule that works with your hair. Most of us don’t actually need to wash our hair every single day, and some of us might need to condition more often than others, etc. When it comes to curls specifically, washing them everyday is really drying, so I usually only wash my hair about two to three times a week. 

I use Kiehl’s Nourishing Olive Fruit Oil shampoo & conditioner because of it’s extra hydrating ingredients. Once or twice a week I’ll follow up with the Amika Triple Rx Mask after I’ve finished conditioning. I love this mask because it feels like it goes the extra mile in delivering moisture to my hair. Another similar alternative is Amika’s Soulfood Nourishing Mask. 

Step 2: Start with Wet Hair 

My hair has been drying very quickly lately because of summer heat & humidity, so I go in with a spray bottle and wet my hair before using any of my products. I do this step first because then the products can absorb more easily into my hair and it’s just easier to work with curls that are really wet. If your hair dries quickly… don’t skip this step! 

Step 3: Oils! 

I just got a new hair oil by Cocokind that I’m really loving. It’s a watermelon hemp oil and I apply it directly onto my scalp as I tend to get dry there, too. I’ll add some drops into different sections of my hair, and then I’ll take my scalp massager from Rooted Rituals and move it in circular motions across my head to stimulate my scalp and help the oil absorb more deeply into the roots of my hair.  

Step 4: Serums & Creams

After that I’ll go in with the Glass Action serum by Amika. This serum is my go-to for defrizzing and for giving the ends of my hair some extra nourishment. I’ll take about five drops and warm it up in my hands and work it through the mid section and ends of my hair. If the ends of my hair are feeling super dry, I’ll use a little bit more serum and focus on that area only. 

Next I’ll use another product by Amika called Velveteen Dream. This has more of a cream texture that works to stop frizz and smooth out curls so that they’re really soft and manageable. I’ll apply this to the base of my hair, then use a wide-tooth comb to separate my hair into sections. I recommend using a wide-tooth comb because you don’t want to disrupt your curl pattern or comb through all of your curls! After I’ve separated my hair into sections I’ll work more of the Velveteen Dream through the middle and ends of my hair. I use my fingers to comb all of the product through my hair! Do not be afraid to use a ton of product on your curls, especially if your hair is dry! 

Step 5: Diffuse It 

After serums you can let your hair air dry if you want, but I’ll typically use a diffuser to speed up the process. Diffusers are great because instead of simply drying your hair, they lock in all of the product (and moisture) you just applied, leaving your hair dry but not frizzy and with your curl pattern intact. 

I set my diffuser on warm and high, then take sections of my hair and drop it into the combs of the diffuser and sort of lean into the diffuser instead of moving the diffuser itself around (which can create frizz)! The key to frizz-free curls is to make sure your hair is fully dry after diffusing. If it’s still damp even after you’ve diffused it, your curls are going to frizz once you head outside!