An Algiers summer damages hair twice over: sun and salt dry out the lengths, while the humid air swells the fibre and makes the roots oily. Many clients respond by washing more often, which makes both problems worse at once.
Before talking about products, you need to know what you are treating. Dry hair lacks oil: it feels rough, looks dull and splits at the ends. Dehydrated hair lacks water: it frizzes as soon as the air is humid but stays supple when wet. Summer often brings both, and they are not treated in quite the same way: oil answers the first, aloe vera and glycerine the second.
Feed before you wash
The most effective step happens on dry hair, before shampoo. Olive or argan oil, worked from the ends to mid-lengths and left for at least thirty minutes, protects the fibre from the wash that follows. The roots get nothing at all, which is how you avoid that heavy look.
Shampoo should be gentle and go on the scalp. There is no need to scrub the lengths: the lather running through as you rinse is enough to clean them. Conditioner on the ends, then a lukewarm, almost cool rinse, closes the cuticle and keeps frizz down.
A mask, once a week
A rich mask does not need to be a daily habit. Once a week, under a warm towel for fifteen minutes, it does more than conditioner used every day. If your scalp gets oily quickly, alternate with a ghassoul mask applied to the roots only.
Finally, the blow-dry: let the hair air-dry until it is damp rather than wet, then finish on a medium setting with the nozzle pointing down. High heat on soaking hair is what causes most breakage. And if you are unsure of your hair type, ask for a diagnosis before your next cut; it only takes a few minutes.
