Fashion & Style

Products and styles for great looking hair on humid days.

Humidity can wreak havoc on hair. Humidity can really bring out the frizz in curly hair and make it unmanageable and often it makes fine, straight hair limp and lifeless.

The following tips for products and styles can help you keep your hair looking great even in the most humid weather.

PRODUCTS

1. Smoothing serums:

If frizz is your problem, use one of the smoothing serums on the market. When your hair is still wet, apply a silicone-based serum, by rubbing it on your hands and then smoothing it over the surface of the hair. Blot the hair dry gently. Apply a styling gel or liquid that has a “smooth and shine” formula, then style hair normally. Touch up any frizzy areas such as the ends with a smoothing hair cream.

2. Volumizers:

If your hair responds to humidity by flattening, add extra volume when you style. When you wash your hair, avoid conditioners that are heavy or leave a lot of residue. Special formulations for fine hair are the best for promoting volume. When hair is clean but still damp, spray on a volumizing product to the roots and the underside of the hair. Blow-dry the underside of your hair while you are leaning forward to give it the most volume. Once hair is mostly damp, apply a light mousse and style normally. Use hairspray to maintain the style.

4. Straightening irons: If you decide to use a straightening iron, spend the money on a “professional” one. There is a big difference between the inexpensive models that can be purchased at drug, discount and department stores and the high-priced one (in the $130 – $160 range) that can be ordered through a reputable beauty supply store.

5. Professional straightening: Salons use several techniques for professional straightening including chemical relaxing and thermal reconditioning (also known as Japanese straightening). These techniques reduce frizz until there is substantial new growth and then they must be repeated.

STYLES

Some styles hold up to the humidity better than others.

1. Updos:

For long hair of any type, try a sleek updo on humid days. Style hair while it is still slightly damp and apply a smoothing serum to keep the surface of the hair sleek and shiny. Pull it back into a chignon, a French braid or a simply pony tail to keep it tame and attractive during even the worst weather. If hair is smoothed back, a few curls frolicking out of an updo are attractive.

2.Let it go curly

When hair is still wet, finger comb it and scrunch the curls allowing them to fall into ringlets. Spray with a liquid gel or styling spray intended to dry into a “crunchy” wet look. It will keep you hair in curls while preventing frizz.

3. The headband

Whether your hair is straight, wavy or straight, a headband can come to the rescue on humid days. Pull your hair back off your face with a headband to tame it and reduce the emphasis on limp locks or frizz front and center.

4. Short, sleek cuts

If you live in a humid climate and have fine, straight hair, consider a short cut. Without the added weight of long locks, short sleek cuts have more volume and body even before you apply products.

By: Ann MacDonald