Written by Sheena
Image by @chloebailey
Warm weather, glowing skin… and frizzy hair? Yeah, how is this happening and how can we make it stop?!
The past few weeks in London have been a total heatwave with temperatures reaching highs of 40 degrees! Take away the random day of rain, which, I mean is expected of UK weather, I think we can all agree that it’s safe to say summer is well and truly here.
However, with fabulous weather, comes it’s not-so fabulous friend – humidity. And with humidity comes dreaded frizzy hair. Now in the context of black afro hair, what does ‘frizzy’ hair even look like since ours is naturally textured? Think ‘fluffy’, undefined, limp curls, unruly edges and (impromptu) levitating roots. So the question is, how can my naturalista’s avoid falling victim to these problems? To better answer that question, we must first understand what frizz is.
What even causes frizz?
One word. Dryness.
When our hair doesn’t get enough moisture or looses too much of it, the cuticles become dry and rough. When exposed to humid weather, our dry hair then begins to absorb the moisture in the air and it is this that causes frizz.
Dryness can be caused by a number of things:
– Excessive heat styling which strips our hair of it’s natural moisture, causing split ends which are extremely prone to frizz.
– Using hair care products that contain alcohol. Shampoos especially.
– Even washing our hair with hot water can cause dryness. Lukewarm water is advised.
While we can combat dryness by cutting down on the use of hot tools and opting for more natural styling methods, frequently trimming off split ends or making regular trips to the salon for moisture rich conditioning treatments, the best way to guarantee a frizz-free summer is to invest in proper styling products that specifically target this issue. Here’s a list of three I know you’ll love!
Colour Wow
Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
Shop the spray ↗
My ultimate fave! An innovative must-have for protecting porous, dry hair, Color Wow’s Dream Coat Supernatural Spray seals each strand with an invisible waterproofing cloak – making it the #1 product perfect for fighting frizz even in the worst humidity. And the best part about this product is there’s one for curly hair also which will leave your natural curls and coils glossy, defined and humidity-proof. Unlike many pre-styling hair products, Dream Coat is super lightweight! While it ‘coats’ your strands in frizz-busting magnificence, you won’t have to worry about it weighing your hair down. It’s also very economical with results lasting through 3 – 4 shampoos.
Believe it or not, I also use this spray on my extensions and it’s magic! It’s definitely my go-to product when I’m trying to smooth my extensions and tame split ends. I highly recommend Dream Coat.
Also Read: Best Ways to Keep your Hair Moisturised During Winter
Use Ouidad Heat and Humidity Gel to seal every strand to define your curls, lock in moisture and lock out humidity. Now I know what you’re thinking as soon as you see the word ‘gel’! Heavy, crunchy, crispy hair that you’ll probably leaving nasty white residue on the hair – but not this one. Made with Wheat Protein and pliable styling polymers, this gel forms a weightless flexible lattice that expands as heat or humidity rises to hold curl definition without frizz that won’t leave hair crunchy, sticky, or weighed down. It also contains a dedicated UV filter which will help protect your hair against damage from environmental aggressors – which is a big plus!
And last but not the least, ORIBE Straight Away Smoothing Blowout Cream. Formulated for curl types 2 – 4c, this blow out cream will tame even the most unruliest of tresses in humid weather! Oribe Straight Away Smoothing Cream smooths strands with a frizz-proof straightening copolymer blend, sealing and nourishing your split ends leaving hair feeling super sleek while still maintaining its body and movement. Not only does this cream make blow drying easier and more manageable, it also makes your styling looks last longer too! I recommend pairing this product with Oribe Imperméable Anti Humidity Spray – an anti-humidity finishing spray that keeps curls in place and straight blowouts sleek.
