Summer is tough on hair.

From saltwater swims to scorching holiday heat, pool chlorine to humidity, there are dodgy situations around every corner that could leave your poor locks dry, damaged and prone to frizz and breakage.

With a little preparation however, it is entirely possible to ride out the warmer months with every strand of your mane intact.

In fact, give one of our tried-and-tested hair formulas a go and you might even find your gruaig is softer, shinier, and stronger than it was before.

Here are six gems to add to your cart immediately:

1. An overnight wonder

We love a product that works while we sleep. And if your hair is feeling a bit parched at bedtime, Aveda’s new Nutriplenish Hydrating Overnight Serum is ready for the late shift while you get some shuteye.

The silicone-free formula increases hair hydration by 56 per cent and replenishes lipids in just one night. Created with a nutrient-rich superfood complex made with mango butter, organic coconut oil and organic pomegranate oil, it creates an invisible layer of power-packed nutrients for hair, restoring hydration to dry, brittle strands overnight.

Plus it smells delicious.

Aveda Nutriplenish Overnight Serum is €49 and available from Aveda at the Escape Spa in the Imperial Hotel.

2. A new salty spritz

KiwiSalt is a pure Irish Sea Salt Spray developed by award-winning celebrity hairstylist and local entrepreneur, Ciarán O’Sullivan.

A blend of Achill Island Sea Salt, which is naturally therapeutic, and kiwi extract, which improves the appearance of hair and maintains hold for longer, even in humid conditions, just spritz it into dry hair and diffuse on a medium heat.

KiwiSalt Spray is €28.99 and is available in KiwiCutz in Ballyphehane, Cork, and online via kiwicutz.com

3. The curly girl’s secret

Created by Irish hairstylist (and proud curly girl) Denise Walsh, Curly Co’s range is tailored to meet the unique needs of all curly hair, from loose waves to tight coils and everything in between.

The Curly Defining Mousse locks in moisture giving you more bounce, strength and thickness. It tames frizz, giving you definition and hold all day long while enhancing gloss and shine and also protects your locks from heat while repairing damaged fibres.

Curly Co Curly Defining Mousse is €22.99 at Curlyco.ie

4. A luxurious beautifying balm for the big day 

Getting ready to walk down the aisle or up the red carpet? Hair Rituel, Sisley’s luxe new Colour Beautifying Hair Care Mask, is an indulgent three-minute treat that can help your colour last twice as long.

A deliciously unctuous blend of UVB filter, sunflower seed extract, vitamin E, shea oil, and passion fruit oil, the mask also contains soothing alpha-bisabolol so your scalp feels as good as your hair looks.

Hair Rituel by Sisley Colour Beautifying Hair Care Mask is €81 at Brown Thomas Cork

5. A hydrating treat for fine hair

Developed by Irish stylist Sean Taaffe, this weightless hydration spray is the perfect solution for nourishing fine hair without weighing it down.

Ideal for fine, vulnerable hair or bleached and coloured locks, a good spritz into shampooed hair before styling leaves strands silky smooth and shiny in one use.

ST Moisture Spray Leave-In Conditioner is €19.95 from seantaaffe.com

6. An indulgent DIY hair colour

If the pandemic made you a pro at colouring your own hair at home, a new generation of permanent hair colour should make it even easier.

Designed to create an easy and pleasant at-home experience, Garnier GOOD 90% Natural Origin Formulas Permanent Hair Colour Kit offers a unique sensorial application with a non-drip velvety cream formula.

GOOD breaks the traditional codes of hair colour with a tub that can also be used as a mixing bowl; just mix the Colouring Cream and Developer directly inside the tub, put on the gloves and scoop it and apply it, as a mask, with your hands.

It’s available in 15 shades, from Truffle Soft Black and Iced Chestnut Brown to Pomegranate Red and Vanilla Blonde.

Garnier GOOD is available from pharmacies nationwide from July, €14.