Everything Angela Tells Her Clients About the Desert Heat

In July when we hit 115 degrees, the humidity here drops below 10%. Your hair is literally drying out in real time. A weekly mask is not a luxury at that point. It is maintenance, the same way you would water a plant more often in summer.

The key word is moisture. Look for masks built around argan oil, shea butter, hyaluronic acid, or aloe. These are what you want to use weekly. Protein treatments — anything labeled "strengthening," "bond repair," or "keratin" — are a different category entirely and should only be used once or twice a month. Too much protein makes hair stiff and brittle over time, which is the opposite of what you are going for. (Tip 09 covers this in more detail.)

Apply your moisture mask after shampooing, leave it on for at least 10 minutes with a warm towel wrapped around your head, then rinse with cool water. Cool water seals the cuticle and locks in what you just put in.

My go-to for weekly moisture: R+Co Cassette Curl + Shine Mask. Works on straight hair too — don't let the name throw you.

I think of leave-in conditioner the way I think of SPF moisturizer. You would not skip moisturizer in the desert. Same logic applies.

Apply it to damp hair after washing, or to dry hair on non-wash days. It creates a barrier between your hair and the dry air, cuts frizz, and gives you a layer of protection before heat styling.

Hot water strips the natural oils from your hair faster than almost anything else. In a dry climate those oils are already working overtime. Even going from hot to warm makes a real difference in how your hair looks and feels. More shine, less frizz, better color retention.

A UV-protective spray does for your hair what SPF does for your skin. It absorbs and deflects UV before it can fade your color or damage the hair shaft. Apply it every morning before you go outside, whether you are headed to the pool or just running errands on Palm Canyon.

The cumulative sun exposure from daily outdoor time here adds up fast. Your color fades twice as fast without it.

The simplest UV protection you can use. A wide-brim hat blocks direct sun from hitting your part line and the top of your head, the areas that fade fastest.

Especially important if you have highlights, balayage, or any lightened sections. Those are already more porous and will go brassy or dull faster with direct sun exposure. A wide brim hat is the easiest thing you can do.

Desert sun fades color faster than any other climate factor. My clients who come in before the heat really kicks in, April or early May, always get more life out of their color than the ones who wait until June and come in already faded.

If you are planning a summer trip, a pool season, or just want your color to hold up through the heat, timing your appointment right makes a real difference. Book early and your color will still be looking fresh in August.

Sulfates are the harsh detergents in most drugstore shampoos. They're good at removing buildup, but they also strip the natural oils your hair needs — and in a dry climate, those oils are already in short supply.

For color-treated hair especially, sulfates accelerate fade noticeably. Your color will last weeks longer with a sulfate-free formula. It is one of the easiest swaps you can make.

Over-washing is one of the most common things I see. Every time you shampoo, you remove the natural oils your scalp produces to protect and condition the hair. Your scalp is already working harder in a dry climate — washing daily strips it before it can do its job.

If you feel like you need to wash more often, it is usually the products. Heavy silicones and oils build up quickly. Switch to lighter formulas and you will find 2 to 3 times a week is plenty.

The antidote to hard water buildup. A clarifying shampoo strips mineral deposits, product buildup, and chlorine from the hair shaft. You will notice immediately how much lighter and shinier your hair looks after one. Use it once a week — it's gentle enough for that, and in Palm Springs, your hair needs it that often.

The deep conditioner is the one to be careful with. Once or twice a month is the right amount. I know it feels like more is better, but deep conditioners add protein to the hair shaft, and too much protein makes hair dry and brittle. If your hair suddenly feels stiff and straw-like, overuse of a deep conditioner is usually the reason. Less is more here.

The pool water at most desert hotels is heavily chlorinated, more than you would find in a typical backyard pool because of the heat and the volume of guests. Hair is like a sponge. If it is already saturated with clean tap water, it absorbs far less of what is in the pool.

After swimming, rinse immediately and follow with a clarifying shampoo and a deep conditioner. Do not let chlorine sit in your hair overnight. It keeps damaging the shaft even after you are out of the water.

For blondes: Chlorine reacts with copper in pool water and creates a green tint on lightened hair. A chelating shampoo, which is stronger than clarifying, will remove it.

Cotton pillowcases create friction against the hair shaft as you move during sleep. Breakage, frizz, tangles. A silk or satin pillowcase reduces that friction and helps your hair hold onto moisture overnight, which matters when the air in your bedroom is pulling hydration out of everything.

It's a $30 swap that makes a noticeable difference. I recommend it to almost everyone.

The desert accelerates split ends. Heat, UV, dry air, and hard water all stress the hair shaft, and that stress travels up from the ends. If you skip trims, split ends work their way up and cause breakage that costs you length over time.

Growing your hair out? Trim every 8 to 12 weeks instead. A small trim removes the damage before it spreads upward.

The math: Hair grows about half an inch per month. A quarter-inch trim every 8 weeks keeps you ahead of the damage without losing length.

Summer in Palm Springs is the hardest season on hair and the season when everyone realizes they need to come in. If you want to get ahead of the heat damage or get your color looking fresh before a summer event, book early. My books fill up fast once the weather turns.

New clients are always welcome. If you can't find a time that works, call the salon directly and we'll find something or connect you with another stylist.