Okay, let’s talk about this hair SPF thing. Honestly, I never really thought about it much before. I mean, sunscreen for your skin, sure, everyone knows that. But for your hair? Seemed a bit much.
Then last summer happened. Spent a whole weekend outdoors, mostly at a friend’s barbecue and then just messing around in the park. I slapped sunscreen on my face, arms, neck – the usual spots. Didn’t even occur to me to think about my head, besides maybe wearing a hat sometimes, which I didn’t do much that weekend.
Come Monday, my scalp was killing me. Right along my part line, it was bright red and tender. Like, seriously sunburnt. Plus, I noticed my hair, which I’d recently gotten colored, looked kinda… brassy? Faded? Just not as fresh. That got me thinking.
Finding Something That Works (Maybe?)
So, I started looking around. Just casually at first, browsing online, checking out drugstores when I was already there. Finding actual “hair sunscreen” wasn’t straightforward. Lots of stuff for skin, obviously. Then you find UV protectants in shampoos or conditioners, but I wanted something like a leave-in, you know? Something specifically for sun exposure.
I eventually stumbled upon a few options. Mostly they were sprays. Some were oils, some were lighter mists. I was kinda skeptical. I worried they’d make my hair greasy or sticky. I hate that feeling.
I decided to try a spray first. Picked one that wasn’t too expensive, just to test the waters. The instructions were simple enough: just spray it evenly over dry or damp hair before going out in the sun.
Putting It to the Test
The first time I used it, I was heading out for a long walk on a sunny day. I held the bottle about arm’s length away and just spritzed it all over. Focused a bit more on the top layers and my part line, remembering that nasty burn.
My initial thoughts:
- It smelled okay. Not great, not terrible. Kinda fruity.
- It didn’t feel immediately greasy, which was a relief. Maybe slightly damp for a minute, then it just felt like… nothing.
- Applying it felt a bit weird, like spraying hairspray but knowing it wasn’t for hold.
I went out for a few hours. When I got back, I checked my scalp. No redness! Okay, point one for the spray. I kept using it over the next few weeks whenever I knew I’d be outside for more than just a few minutes.
So, What’s the Verdict?
After using it consistently for a bit, especially during another sunny spell, I did notice a couple of things.
My scalp definitely felt better. No more accidental sunburn along my part. That alone made it kinda worth it. As for my hair color, it’s harder to say definitively. Maybe it faded a little less quickly? It didn’t seem to get that super brassy tone as fast as it did after that first bad weekend. But hair color fades anyway, right? So it’s tough to be sure.
The downside? It’s another step. Another product to buy and remember to use. And I still worry a bit about potential buildup, though the one I tried seemed pretty lightweight. I made sure to wash my hair normally, didn’t seem to cause any major issues.
Overall, I’m kind of on the fence but leaning towards ‘yeah, it’s probably a good idea’. If you burn easily on your scalp or spend a ton on hair color, trying a hair SPF spray might be worth the small hassle. For me, preventing the scalp burn was the biggest win. Still feels a bit extra, but better than being sore and flaky, I guess.
