While summer is known for being a season of carefree fun in the sun, did you know that it can also be the most damaging season for our hair? Those long days basking in the summer sunlight and taking dips in the pool or the ocean can dry out your hair, leaving it looking limp, lackluster, and lifeless. One of the key ways to ensure this isn’t the story of your strands is putting an end to bad haircare habits once and for all. Below we list five bad haircare habits that you absolutely must break this summer!

Bad Haircare Habit #1: Not Protecting Your Hair

The sun is known for its harsh UVA and UVB rays that can do a number on our skin—causing everything from dryness and signs of skin aging to sunburns and skin cancer. But the effects of the sun’s rays don’t end at our epidermis. Fact is sunlight—as warm and inviting as it may seem—can do a number on our hair. To protect your hair from fading and drying out due to the sun you’ll want to keep them protected all season long. Save the flowy beach waves for when you’re inside or out for the night with your girls and during long days in the sun reach for a fashionable floppy hat or a glamorous silk scarf. The fact is you have to protect your hair the same way you’d protect your skin from the sun if you want it to look its best.

Bad Haircare Habit #2: Too-Tight Hairstyles

Sure that game of beach volleyball calls for your hair to be swept away from your face but tying your hair into a tight ponytail may actually cause more harm than good. Overly tight hairstyles—ponytails, braids, buns, and the like—can pull on our strands and cause breakage. During the summer months when our hair is extra fragile from the heat, take care to style your hair into loose knots and braids and steer clear of plastic elastics which can do further damage, opting instead for soft hair ties or bobby pins.

Bad Haircare Habit #3: Over-washing

Sweat and summer go hand-in-hand but washing your hair every five seconds to get rid of the grease isn’t doing it any favors. Shampooing your strands too often can strip your hair of the necessary oils it needs to look shiny and feel strong. Try to shampoo every other or every two days and on in-between days reach for a dry shampoo such as Fructis Pure Clean Dry Shampoo. If your hair looks especially grimy try using a conditioning shampoo instead of a traditional one—these low-lather formulas help to cleanse your hair without stripping it dry!

Bad Haircare Habit #4: Heat Styling

The summer’s hot enough already—between the sun and the super-high temperatures—don’t make things even hotter by heat styling your strands. Instead of blow-drying and flat-ironing your hair often, save the hot tools for special occasions and embrace your hair’s natural texture on a day-to-day basis. Try Fructis Smooth Air Dry Anti-Frizz Cream to discipline frizz without heat for an effortlessly smooth undone style. When your hair is still damp reach for a hair oil or styling cream and distribute through your strands—this will help to keep the frizz at bay! Then either air dry loose or style in a braid for a more controlled texture once your hair has dried.

Bad Haircare Habit #5: Swimming with Dry Hair

While most of us dive right into the pool—or the ocean—with bone dry hair, we should really pause to prep our hair before going for a swim. The chlorine in swimming pools and the salt in the ocean are both incredibly drying—and can even strip color-treated hair of its hue. Since our dry hair is very porous and is always seeking moisture, when we dive right in with dry hair, our strands absorb these drying waters. Before taking the plunge, wet your hair with fresh water—or better yet, apply a hair oil or hair-masks-what-are-they-all-about for added protection!