I have to start by apologising that this blog post is well overdue. I wanted to review the latest ‘Summer solutions‘ offering from Philip Kingsley hair care during my holiday to Portugal. However, a mix-up with the parcel delivery and a house move caused me to not get my mitts on these new products for quite some time. Luckily, I have just been away to the Greek island of Zakynthos for a week, which made the perfect excuse to give them a whirl. I hope you still find my thoughts useful if you are looking for some hair care specially formulated for those occasions when your hair is subjected to extreme climates.
“Developed with over 60 years in hair and scalp health, ‘Summer Solutions’ guards against UV, salt, and chlorinated water damage.”
My hair is coloured and really takes a battering on holiday. What, with the sun, salt, chlorine and…sweat I have to wash my hair daily after a day on the beach, or by the pool. I was super excited to see that Philip Kingsley has brought out a range of products that target the individual hair complaints that come with a week or two under the scorching sun. You’ll have to forgive me, my bottles look a little worse for wear and are covered in sand – proof that they all joined me in my beach bag last week. If you like the look of any of these, you can find Philip Kingsley products online at lookfantastic.com or in store at Marks and Sparks.
Sun Shield UV Defence – £18.70 This was the product I was most interested in as I’ve always believed in the need for a ‘sunscreen’ for your hair and scalp. I applied a generous offering of the light mist throughout my hair every day before hitting the beach. It isn’t greasy in consistency and settles nicely. The formula contains sunflower seed extract and UV filters to help diminish the damage and dryness caused by the sun, the ocean or the pool. What’s even better, is that the mist also helps with frizz control which is especially sassy in humid environments.
After sun scalp mask – £17.00 No matter what I do, whether I rock my straw hat or a cute head wrap, I always catch the sun around my hairline and boy is it sore. This calming scalp mask was an absolute gem for applying and leaving on for 20 minutes or so before rinsing off. It is super soothing and cooling thanks to the chamomile and aloe extract. You can use this all year round, so don’t reserve trying it just for a holiday because it leaves your hair super, soft and shiny and your scalp feeling zingy.
Elasticizer Coconut Breeze – £19.50 It was the original Elasticizer that turned me on to Philip Kingsley products, having received a sample of the now, cult hair care product in a Glossybox. It really is a brilliant product that works as a pre-shampoo treatment to deep condition, add shine and reduce breakage and snapping. The latest iteration of one of my hair care staples includes a lush coconut, jasmine and almond scent that smells like holidays. It’s also available in tub form rather than a tube which looks pretty cute in the shower. For my damaged hair, this product is a hero and if you try one thing from Philip Kingsley, try this.
Swimcap – £12.75 Originally created for the US Olympic synchronised swim team (wow) the Swimcap is a cream formula that guards against chlorine, salt water and UV damage – all while hydrating the hair. I applied a generous helping of this heavenly scented product every day and found that it helped make my hair less tangled and dry after a day sunbathing. I’ve heard that this beauty also helps prevent blonde hair from turning green. (Put the ketchup aside ladies) I can’t say that my colour was any better extended after only a week of using this product however, the condition was certainly improved.
Instant Beach – £18.70 We all strive for those sexy, tousled waves that come with a day at the beach. I try to emulate them myself with a waving wand, but always end up with a Medusa style frow. Step forward the Instant Beach spray which is possibly the best ‘beach wave’ spray i’ve tried (and there’s been a few) It is salt-free, believe it or not, and contains elastin and meadowfoam to create bouncy, tousled waves without drying out your hair and leaving it crispy.
Which is your favourite Philip Kingsley product?
