Humidity plus UVA rays plus chlorine plus saltwater.

It’s a recipe for a bad hair day like no other.

Summer fun in all its glory can wreak hair havoc on even the savviest Floridian females.

But with the proper products and techniques, you can beat the heat and stretch your precious salon pennies.

Mika Perritt, a 22-year-old stylist at Studio Twenty-8, said many women might not realize all the hair help that’s on the market.

The Palafox Street hair salon offers a line of products infused with sunscreens to protect hair follicles from fading and breaking.

“No matter how long you’re in the sun, it’s going to damage your color and dry out your hair,” she said. “If you have colored hair, it’s going to take out more and more pigment.”

Perritt suggests looking for products with both UVA and UVB sunscreens, which also protect against pollution.

As for styling purposes, the most overlooked product, she said: Pomade.

“It adds shine, but it doesn’t accumulate and leave you with that gunky feel,” she said.

A little goes a long way, she said. Rub the product between your fingers, and apply lightly for a “mess-and-go” look.

“You can pretty much slap it on your hair and go,” she said. “It works if you’re going to the beach or want a curly look. It’s also great on short hair.”

For colored hair, look for a product with an anti-fade complex, Perritt said. Apply before sun exposure to keep your pricey highlights looking fresh.

“Blondes can also use this before going into swimming pools,” she said. “It will prevent the hair from turning green.”

Other ingredients to look for: Vegan-based products, soy protein, orange peel and sunflower oil.

CHECK THE LABEL
Perritt warns to stay away from these products and ingredients:

-Sun-activated highlighting sprays: If you’ve been to middle school, you’ve run into these tricky products. They contain powerful metallic dyes that lighten by stripping hair of its natural pigment and moisture.

“It turns hair into mush,” Perritt said. “It completely ruins the hair.” Once the spray has had its way with your head, there’s no dying over the results. If you must go for sun-lighting, stick to lemon juice. But serious highlights should be left to the pros.

-Pro-vitamin products: Yes, they make hair feel soft and look shiny. But they have a downside, Perritt said. Ever notice how ads for these products promise “healthier-LOOKING” hair? That’s because they work by putting a wax coating on the hair.

“Nothing can penetrate it,” she said. In the long run, the waxes build up and make coloring and true conditioning a challenge.

-Salts, sulfides and chemicals: They dry out the hair and leave it unmanageable.

“When you’re looking at products, the first two ingredients are usually water and water,” she said. “But it’s all the little things that really make the difference.” Also, stay away from hairsprays during the summer. In the Florida climate, they just add weight and make hair sticky.