In summer, styling and caring for your hair can be tricky to navigate. From battling the classic summer equation of salt, sand and sun, to heat damage and frizz, managing your hair in the hotter months can be a difficult task. But according to celebrity and editorial hair director, Anthony Nader, it’s actually the “best season to play with hair, as summer gives you the chance to change up your haircut.”

From the biggest hair trends to try (read: the shag is back), to the ultimate summer styling hacks, Anthony Nader discusses how to give your strands the ultimate summer lovin’.

Don’t let it be a Cruel Summer: your guide to summer hair starts here.

 

1. What are the biggest hair trends coming into summer?
THE BLUNT BOB WITH ADDED DISHEVELLED INTERIOR TEXTURE – It’s like you gain more for your money when you have this Hollywood hot fave thanks to the likes of Margot Robbie and Hayley Baldwin. Think the perfect blunt base line on your bob, that gives even the thinnest of hair strands the appearance of thickness on the ends. Adding some soft, textured layers throughout the inside will shake it up if you wish. Whatever the occasion, you can go super sleek and polished or cool, undone with a bend through your style.

THE CURLY SHAG – Let’s face it, if we could all get away with a shag, we would embrace it and not look back. This hairstyle is truly the ultimate for those of you with curls / corkscrew curls that want to be rebellious but still have control. Make sure your hairstylist cuts the weight out of your crown of glory so you maximiSe the full potential of how fab your hair can look this season. Dare I say also that the dirtier you keep it, the better it will behave and won’t look like a huge, hazy fuzzball (as maybe you’ve witnessed at some point). My absolute go-to’s for the shag brigade are Brazilian model Mica Arganaraz and cool girl actress Zendaya.

THE FRENCH GIRL CUT – Now, the beauty about this haircut is that you don’t need to be French but once you style your hair the right way….you’ll look totally French girl – so get your croissant ready, girls. It’s very easy to master this look and the key is not to go overboard with the styling. Always keep it simple and don’t use all those unnecessary products. Always maintain a haircut that has a “lightness“ to it so it moves freely and not restricted, and don’t keep it solid as this won’t do you any favours. My clients are vibing the likes of Caroline de Maigret and Alexa Chung.

LONG HAIR INVISIBLE LAYERS – For those of you that want to keep your manes long you’re also in luck this season; but for this summer shake up the heaviness. Ask your hairstylist to point cut the base line (don’t worry your hairstylist knows this term) and seamlessly add layers throughout the interior of this long hairstyle. The beauty here is that you can make this style look clean and poker straight one day, and then the next day if you want to have more volume and texture (by adding a sea salt spray or the like), you already have a new you by simply adding a different product. I would say that the best examples of this hair shape would be any Victoria Secret angel…yep, now do you see the light?

2. Are there any summer hair trends that are on their way out?
I don’t think there’s anything that is really a “no-go” area as such. I’m a fan of all hair lengths and textures and how you wear that hair with confidence. I want to see hair that is cut well and not see hair that is say, highly razored out for no apparent reason and thinned out to the max. There needs to be a purpose for every snip, and what is going to be the end result will in turn enable you to maintain a workable shape at home, and also be fashion forward at the end of the day.

3. What is the most important thing when it comes to styling your hair in summer?
For the warmer months ahead, the most important thing to remember is keeping your hair strands hydrated and then they will perform the way you need them to. Moisture is key to giving your strands the benefits and longevity for your summer hair to behave. If you’re blow drying your hair, it’s key to maximise the quality of your dryer, as a poor quality one might end up doing more damage in the long run. The Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer produces 41 litres of air per second for fast drying and precision styling, without the extreme heat. This is pretty fabulous technology, especially when your hair can already be susceptible to UV damage in summer.

4. What are your go-to summer styling tricks? (I.e. to battle the heat / humidity / frizz)
When drying natural curls, I’m such a fan of using a diffuser and attaching that on the end of my Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer which is engineered to help reduce frizz. I believe the diffuser is still a very undervalued, precious hair tool that doesn’t get the fame it deserves. The Dyson Diffuser is engineered to disperse air evenly around each of your natural curls, simulating natural drying and helping to reduce frizz for improved definition.

Another top tip of mine is rinsing your strands in the coolest water temperature possible. A foolproof trick to locking down the hair cuticle (think fish scales here), it imparts a beautiful sheen to the hair.

5. With summer (particularly in Sydney), comes humidity. What is your ultimate tip to fight the frizz?
Go easy with the thinning and razoring of your strands otherwise your hair will always appear flyway and brittle. Another goodie is very simple: when you’re drying off your hair, never rub-a-dub-dub (so to speak) and always try and blot your hair dry. By blotting hair you are now not disturbing nor agitating the hair cuticle to become frizzy.

6. We also have to combat such things as chlorine, salt, sun and sand. Do you have any tips to help remedy these hair stressors?
Invest in a leave in conditioning spray that has a UV protector and you’re on a very healthy path before summer kicks in. For the best results, dampen down your hair first, and then spray on the spray. Spraying on damp hair will always absorb far superior than say on stone dry hair. If your strands are long enough, spray the hair then whip it up in a fun braid and secure the tail: this is a sure sign you’ve got maximum protection from the sun rays. If you’ve forgotten to spray before you leave the house and you’ve gone for your dip, rinse your hair straight after so the impurities become obsolete.

7. What is the biggest mistake you see girls make with their hair in summer?
Definitely over-colouring with bleach and peroxide. Unfortunately Sydneysider’s are the main culprits.

8. Heat damage obviously plays a huge role in the deterioration of hair. What are some ways you can limit heat damage when it comes to styling your hair?
b. Invest in hot tools and hair dryers that are either ceramic, ionic or tourmaline, and that don’t rely on extreme heat. The Dyson Supersonic™ hair dyer, for example, has a thermistor that prevents the machine from ever exceeding 150 degrees which guards against extreme heat damage and works to protect natural shine. On your non-work days, hang up your hot tools for the day and embrace the wash and wear routine.
c. When I finish a blow dry, I always finish by flicking on the Cool Shot button and working the flow of the cool air through the hair. This not only cements the shape now but also doubles up for getting that last chance of shine by the cooler air sealing the scales compact.

9. After a long day at Bondi (or Freshwater), what does the ultimate post-beach hair routine look like?
Well, this is your time to embrace that summer sea salt! It’s certainly not a crime to enjoy the salt on your skin and your hair, but salt water does leave a layer of salt on the hair that can increase the friction of strands, meaning it increase the impact of mechanical damage. When it’s time to wash away the sea, I’d shampoo and deep condition with products that are packed with moisture. Then if you require more lovin’ to your strands, apply a leave in moisture cream and then style hair from here. If you’re wanting to up the anti even more, squeeze a few drops of a hair serum into your palms, rub together and work your hands through your mid lengths and ends. Semi-dry off the hair with the Dyson SupersonicTM hair dryer, keeping it as natural as possible.

10. You’re going on a summer vacay. What do you pack in your bag?
*Moisture shampoo and conditioner
*Hydrating moisture cream
*Leave in conditioning spray
*Hair serum
*Silk hair ties
*Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer with diffuser
*Silk pillowcase
*Wide-tooth comb