5 Ways NYC Is Messing with Your Hair (and How to Deal with It)

It’s the bane of every New Yorker’s existence. Humidity somehow manages to increase frizz and decrease volume at the same time. (Seriously, how?) For curly or coarse hair, prepping with a gel cream (try Ouidad) keeps frizz at bay. Fine-haired gals should try an anti-humidity hairspray like this one from Living Proof for plenty of lift even after the sun goes down and the temperature, blissfully, drops.

You apply SPF moisturizer to your face religiously, but what about that balayage you shelled out for? UV rays are kryptonite for hair color, especially deeper shades and reds. Before you blow-dry, smooth on a protective balm like Shu Uemura’s Color Luster Brilliant Glaze Thermo-Milk. (Bonus: It’ll add Kate Middleton-level shine, too.)

By now you’ve heard that daily shampooing is as outdated a beauty habit as the Sun-In you used in middle school. But between sweaty barre classes, mysterious street smells and just being on the subway at all, the idea of skipping a wash is, well…gross. The solution? Swapping out your regular shampoo for a cleansing conditioner like Shu Uemura’s Essence Absolue Nourishing Cleansing Milk. It’s sulfate-, paraben- and silicone-free, so it won’t dry hair out even with daily use.

NYC may have the best-tasting tap water, but it still contains minerals that can build up or cause blonde hair to turn brassy. The same goes for airborne pollutants like dust and smog (ew). Get a clean slate with a weekly clarifying treatment. Wyrosdick recommends Kerastase Metamorph'Oil, a pre-shampoo cleanser that sweeps away impurities without zapping moisture.

You’re a busy lady, so we wouldn’t blame you for rocking a ponytail seven days a week. But using a hair tie in the same spot too often can lead to breakage. (Even parting it in the same place for too long can damage strands, ugh.) Alternate high and low ponies, and stock up on smooth cloth elastics (like these from Kitsch) that keep hair happy.