7 Easy Ways to Avoid a Sunburned Scalp This Summer

Never suffer from a red, irritated scalp again.

By Courtney Thompson Jul 4, 2017, 10:02 AM ET

You’ve buffed and sloughed your body to smithereens in preparation for the world’s best tan. Then you covered yourself from head-to-toe in sunscreen, careful not to miss one underarm nook or between-the-toes cranny. Then you headed outside and soaked up some beloved sun. Then you got home, and um, why is your head hurting?

THE DREADED SCALP SUNBURN! It’s happened to all of us, and when it does, holy mother of sunshine, does it hurt. And let’s not even talk about the aftermath (a thick, peeling scalp will haunt us forever). So, what are we to do? Well, we need to add one more “to do” to our pre-tanning prep. And that comes in the form of scalp protection.

Below we’ve rounded up seven tried-and-true products that will guard your part line if you’re rocking a severe ponytail (or ballerina buns like my four-year-old daughter does!), or your whole head if you’ve got thinner hair. While a sunhat is probably your best bet—we get it, sometimes you just want your cheeks to be sun-kissed. No judgments, here! Our favorite part? All of the below products are dry and/or non-greasy, meaning you won’t have to suffer from a bad hair day just to ensure your scalp is A-OK. Now that’s something we can raise a glass to.