Heat and humidity are the eternal summer foes of great skin and hair. What's a Hongkonger to do? We spoke to Ceri Silk from Glow with Ceri Silk spa, Robin Lomas from Paul Gerard hairdressing salon and Sarah Chung from Gentlemen's Tonic for professional advice on how to get fabulous hair and skin this summer.
Although sun exposure is needed for the body to make vitamin D, an essential nutrient for healthy bones, it can be extremely damaging to skin and hair. Smog and pollution may make it seem otherwise, but Hong Kong experiences high levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Silk says one of her clients was sitting under an umbrella by the pool, but the reflection from the water and the tiles caused her face to get sunburned.
Sunburn is bad for your skin as it causes ageing, pigmentation problems, and irritates the skin. In the long term, it can cause cancer. It is therefore important to get a sunblock that protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays. Many sunblocks protect skin only from UVB rays, which penetrate the upper layer of skin. But UVA has an effect on the deeper layer of skin which can cause more long-term damage.
Says Chung: "UV is definitely a key external force which causes damage to skin and hair." To protect your hair from UV rays, there are shampoos, conditioners and styling products that contain UV protection to prevent breakages and keep your natural hair shine and colour.
