Mane Matters

5 summer hair solutions

Summer hair should be like a day at the beach: relaxed, pretty, a little bit messy and fun. But fool-proof hair can be hard to come by, especially when humidity-induced frizz, sun-parched locks and overly oily tresses get thrown into the mix. To help put the brakes on bad summer hair days, these summer haircare tips will keep your tresses in top form. From intensifying the shine factor to banishing humidity-frizzed locks, these tools will be all you’ll need to keep your hair looking lush and gorgeous.
 
Protect and Serve
When your hair is exposed to extra stress from summer fun it’s imperative to minimize damage from the start, so always use a heat protector. Start with damp hair and spray evenly from root to tip, then comb through. Also, make sure you use a leave-in conditioner or spray with UV protection, or a color-specific mask to help boost color protection and manageability. Try Phyto Plage Protective Sun Veil. Covering your hair with a hat also helps block sun damaging rays.

Boost Shine
Hair shines naturally when it’s free of excessive oils and residue, so use a shampoo that gently clarifies and a conditioner that hydrates without causing build-up. Since hair tends to be more humid in the summer months, applying a lightweight silicone product to damp hair will protect against frizz while enhancing shine. And as celebrity stylist Scott Reynaud of Jupiter Salon New Orleans (304-4752) recommends about hairspray: “A good one can add shine and repel humidity without weighing hair down.” His personal hair product favorites come from the French botanical line Phyto, which he carries in his salon.

Liven the Limp
Curls tend to frizz in the summer, but straight hair can go the opposite way and lose volume. Use anti-humectants on both straight hair and curls to create support and definition. With straight hair, it’s about using a root-lifting product and then an anti-humectant like Redken Align 12 Protective Straightening Lotion for medium hair or Power Tame 16 Intense Straightening Balm for coarse hair – they’ll sit on the cuticle and help to repel humidity. Make sure you rinse your hair with cool water to seal the cuticle a little more before you get out of the shower and don’t brush your hair when wet. Comb through your hair from ends to roots after putting in conditioner, allowing it to detangle in the shower. That way you won’t raise the cuticle. If you do have to brush your hair while dry, use a natural boar’s hair bristle brush, so it doesn’t get frizzy.

Lose Frizz
If you want to cut down on frizz, the hair has to be 100-percent dry to fight the humidity. Humidity creates curl and volume in naturally curly or wavy hair textures and walking out into a humid environment (hello, New Orleans!) with slightly wet hair is going to add to the problem. I also recommend using a round brush with a dryer over a flat iron to straighten hair, but if you do use a flat iron be sure to give your hair a rest from the irons from time to time and never use a flat iron on wet hair – the heat will use the water to literally fry your hair. You can also add dry shampoo, like Klorane Dry Shampoo, or my favorite trick – a little baby powder to the scalp – to help absorb perspiration or humidity before it causes the hair to frizz. To apply baby powder, rotate the opening so that only one or two holes are open and sprinkle slightly onto the hair root area and then massage into scalp. If you get too much, just take a dry washcloth and pat powder out of hair. At night I apply a heavy amount because that’s when oil production happens most so I awake with less scalp oil. After a night out, if your hair is smoky, this will also freshen the smell of your hair.  

Tame Your Mane
In the summer months we experience a lot more exposure to direct sunlight, which can cause excessive dryness to curls. It is important to continue your deep-conditioning regimen from winter, and don’t forget to dab a little extra on the ends. Use moisture-enhancing products from wash to style. The biggest tip for summer curls is: Have the right haircut. Without the right cut your curls just won’t fall in the most flattering way. I have met some women with naturally curly hair who feel they don’t have to really cut their hair ever. This is false; curly hair is a much drier hair type and it craves and needs a good cut, with a trim often just to keep it tame and not ratty-looking. To finish a look and keep curls smooth, mix a silicone serum with a moisturizing creme.