How to look after your hair in the sauna

In my last post I told you how the sauna was drying my hair out so badly that I stopped going. I'm back in there now, so I thought I'd share what I actually do with my hair. It's also what I tell my clients when they sit in my chair with dry ends and say they've started doing saunas.

You don't need to give up the sauna to keep your hair feeling good. You just need to stop leaving your hair as an afterthought.

Why the sauna dries your hair out

A sauna is dry heat, usually somewhere between 70 and 100 degrees. Your hair loses moisture fast in that kind of heat, and the ends go first because they're the oldest part of your hair.

If your hair is coloured or lightened, it's already more porous, so it dries out even quicker. That's why my colour clients were the first ones I noticed it on.

Before you go in

Put something in your hair before you go in. This is the step most people skip, and it's the one I was trying to explain to my friends in the sauna all those years ago. Use a light leave-in through your mid-lengths and ends, not the roots. I'd stay away from heavy oils here. They sit on top of your hair and you'll feel greasy for the rest of the day.

Then tie it up loosely. I do a low plait or a claw clip. Avoid messy buns at all costs. Your hair dries in that knotted shape, and when you get out you'll be trying to detangle it and causing breakage. Skip the tight elastics too, because damp hair snaps more easily when it's pulled tight.

And take a second to make sure your ends are smooth before you tie it up. Don't just scrunch them up roughly into the plait or clip. Your hair will dry in whatever shape you leave it in, so if the ends go in messy, they'll come out frizzy and knotted.

In the sauna

Wrap your hair in a dry towel or wear a sauna hat. I know the felt hats look a bit funny, but they're a normal thing in Finland for a reason. Even a towel wrapped like a turban makes a difference.

If your hair is feeling really dry, sit on a lower bench. Heat rises, so the top bench is the hottest.

And pay attention to your hair. If it feels hot to touch, that's your cue to take a break.

After the sauna

Once you're out, rinse with cool or lukewarm water, or gently towel off if you're heading straight to work. Don't rub your hair with the towel. Squeeze the water out instead.

Then put another light layer of leave-in through the ends. Your hair is softest and easiest to work with while it's still damp, but don't forget this is also when it's most fragile.

If you can, let it air dry or use your dryer on a lower heat. Going straight from the sauna to a straightener is a lot of heat for one day.

How I use Silk

This routine is exactly why I made Silk. I use one pump before I go in and one pump after. The pump bottle stays in my bathroom and the 50ml tube lives in my gym bag. It's light enough that it doesn't weigh my hair down, and I don't need to wash it out before work.

Silk launches the first week of December. If you want to be first to try it, join the launch list below.

Shiralee x