Summer seems to be here at last and it's inspired beauty writer Maria to share her haircare tips and other favourite things about the season. Enjoy!

It’s often said our hair is our crowning glory and it’s certainly safe to say that if I’m having a good hair day I feel so much better about myself and altogether more confident.

Here is what I’ve learned about hair over the years:

• Hair needs looking after and choosing and using the right products will help your hair stay healthy for longer.
• External elements can have an impact on your hair: the sun, the wind, the rain, the cold, and also swimming in the sea or the pool. All of these can make your hair dry and brittle but that can easily be remedied with the right conditioners or serums.
• Regular use of haircare products has an impact, too, by building up on the hair shaft. So, varying products or using a detox treatment once a week will ensure your hair stays healthy and shiny. Using a separate shampoo and conditioner is best as combined products build up quicker.
• Make sure you choose products that are right for your hair type and condition, i.e. dry, normal, greasy, colour treated, fine, etc. If you have just started (or stopped) colouring your hair or it’s about to be exposed to strong sunshine, for example, you’ll need to think about switching from your regular products.

My Summertime Hair Tips

The summer hols are just around the corner and if you're going abroad you’ll need to protect your hair from prolonged exposure to sun, heat and humidity. Here are my top tips:

• Wear a hat or scarf during the day to protect your scalp and hair from UV rays or, alternatively, use a UV hair protection spray.
• Using a leave-in conditioner helps too if you are swimming in the pool to protect hair from chlorine. Another tip is to pop under the pool shower to wet your hair before and after getting in the pool.
• I like using sweet almond oil. In fact, I use it on my skin too, including my face. It’s natural, light, non-greasy and easily absorbed. It contains Vitamin E, Potassium and zinc - excellent for summer! 

Summer Loving

Speaking of summer has made me think of all the lovely food and activities I enjoy. I could live on Greek salads, and watermelon with halloumi cheese is a Cypriot favourite of mine. Fresh figs and Greek yogurt drizzled in honey, topped with walnuts - delicious!

I love sightseeing in summer and always protect my skin from UVA/UVB using at least factor 15 here in the UK and factor 30+ abroad. You will still get a tan but you are protected from the harmful rays including UVB that burns and UVA that ages the skin.

At home in summer the longer days mean I can go out for walks along the canal, potter around in the garden, or visit my favourite place, Broadway in the Cotswolds. If I’m feeling particularly energetic I’ll take a walk up the Malvern Hills, stopping off to fill up a few bottles of water at the natural Malvern Spring. If it’s good enough for the Queen...

My hair blog

It's fair to say that I’ve got a slight obsession with Hairfix products! The reason I love them is because they are easy to use and they really do work for me.

I never want to be without Follicle + Anti Age Gel and Follicle Max Advance because these two products have really transformed my hair.

My parting seemed to be getting wider when I hit menopause and my hairline and crown seemed sparse. After regularly using these products over the last six months or so my hair is now fuller and healthier. You just have to get into a routine – and make sure you don’t use too much. Less is more in this case!

There are two new products that I have tried recently. The first is Boost Root Volume Spray, which lifts and thickens and gives extra body. It can be used on damp hair after shampooing to enrich, fortify and protect from heat damage. I also use it on dry hair to refresh my style. This is me on the left having used this great product - I love the lift I get!

The other product I have recently added to my routine is the rather nifty new Volume Plus, a unique volumising concentrate with keratin that you simply add to your conditioner to add volume to your hair! So easy. It also contains Biotin to aid healthy rood lift, plus Gluconolactone – which is coconut-derived - to help condition the scalp for healthy hair growth and shine.

Last but not least I’ve converted my 86 year old mum to mousse! She has very fine hair and, to be fair, she looked a little worried when I first suggested mousse because mousses she’s used in the past made her hair crunchy and sticky. I gave her Hairfix’s Make Volume Feel Natural Mousse to try and later that day she commented that her hair felt nice and soft and had stayed in place all day. She took it home with her, so that means she loved it. Five stars from her – and I need to place a new order!

Want to know more about my summer superfoods?

Here are some links you might find helpful if you'd like to know more about the health properties of:

• Greek Salad - benefits and a recipe, click here
• Natural Yoghurt - seven impressive health benefits, click here
• Honey - there are many nutritional and health benefits, click here
• Figs - they're super-healthy! Find out more here
• Walnuts - make them part of your balanced diet, click here

Maria Avraam writes blog posts for Hairfix occasionally. She is not paid by Hairfix to do so but since she is a loyal customer and a fan of our products we love to give her the chance to try and comment on them and we hope you find her musings enjoyable and informative.