There are many reasons to love summer in New York (rooftop bars, food festivals and summer Fridays, to name a few) and one very good reason to loathe it: The greenhouse-esque weather generally means coping with varying degrees of frizz at all times. So we turned to some of NYC’s top stylists to get their best advice for managing our mane during the muggiest months of the year.
5 Expert Tips for Winning the Hair vs. Humidity Battle
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Published Jun 13, 2018
Twenty20
Start with the Right Shampoo
The simplest way to control frizz is to target the problem in the shower. Tracy Grimes of Haven Spa recommends Living Proof’s No Frizz shampoo and conditioner for weightless moisture that creates a smoother canvas to work with. She also suggests skipping the hot tools, which can cause additional damage in hot weather, and letting your hair air-dry.
Skip the Cut
It’s not just the texture of your hair that can drive you nuts in the humid weather, it’s the cut too. “Grow out your bangs!” says Eliut Rivera of Eliut Salon. “Cutting bangs in summer can be a difficult style since humidity can make them curl and frizz—save them for the fall or winter.” Same goes for choppy layers, which can make hair unruly. If you still need a little help keeping your hair in place, he recommends a humidity-shielding finishing spray.
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Embrace Your Curls
“The more we try to fight humidity, the more we will fail,” says Paul Labrecque. “I have a lot of clients who love to blow-dry their hair straight, but this time of year I encourage them to accept their natural hair texture.” To help his clients embrace their curls, he’s developed an alcohol-free product that combats humidity by sealing in moisture and adding definition. ”A dollop on damp hair will set your hair beautifully—just air dry and you're off for the rest of the day.”
Invest in a Professional Treatment
Sleek, straight, soft hair is possible during the steamiest months if you’re willing to invest in it. To restore moisture and keep frizz away, Arsen Gurgov suggests an in-salon keratin deep treatment. “It deeply conditions the hair and eliminates frizz for high shine and manageability,” he explains. This smoothing procedure only takes about an hour but will give you blowout-sleek hair for nearly six months.
When in Doubt, Braid It
Sometimes wearing your hair down just isn’t in the cards (and besides, nobody likes a sweaty neck). On the hottest days, Colleen Flaherty of Spoke & Weal suggests making braids your go-to ’do to keep your hair manageable while still looking like you put in some effort. For added polish, she recommends using a conditioning smoothing cream before styling.