In line with the days getting hotter and more humid, you may have noticed one thing about your hair – the frizz. Nothing can upset the season more so than unruly sprouts of hair seemingly stretching off your scalp. While frizz isn’t caused by a single factor (it’s usually a mix of things from genetics to heat-induced breakage), it’s often associated with warm and humid weather.
Interestingly though, when it comes to frizz, the biggest factor is usually a lack of moisture within the hair shaft itself. This is why frizz looks or seems worse on humid days because your hair is literally reaching out for the moisture in the air. With this in mind, the easiest way to reduce frizz is to put moisture back into the hair. It seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? But, by locking moisture into the hair shaft, you are helping to lock out moisture from the atmosphere.
Although there are many schools of thought on the best way to fight the frizz, we asked scientist and founder of Ethique, Brianne West, for her top four tips for tackling frizzy hair.
1. Nourish and condition.
Sunshine, sea, and summer days can dehydrate your hair, so make sure you fight back with products that nourish and condition to keep your hair in tip-top shape.
The Ethique Frizz Wrangler Bar is formulated with super nourishing cocoa and coconut butters to soften strands and tame frizz. Pair it with the Ethique Guardian Conditioner Bar, made with cocoa butter, coconut oil, vitamin B5, and lime oil, to combat frizz and condition the hair. The result? Silky smooth hair that’s soft to touch and full of life.
2. Follow curl care principles.
Have curly hair? Keep your curls soft and manageable by using the Ethique Professor Curl shampoo and Curliosity conditioner bars, which are pH-balanced, sulfate-free bars that gently cleanse and deeply condition to promote bouncy, defined curls.
3. Dry your hair post-wash or swim with a cotton t-shirt instead of a towel.
Friction from a rough towel can lead to more frizz. A soft cotton t-shirt is gentler on strands and just as absorbent. Pat and squeeze excess water out of strands instead of rubbing it – again, avoiding friction is key.
Pro tip: before drying your hair, run a conditioner bar lightly through the ends as a leave-in conditioner. This can provide a protective barrier against humidity, sea salt, and chlorine.
4. Embrace your natural hair texture.
Heat-styling tools and humidity aren’t the best mix, so if you’ve got curly or wavy hair, summer is the perfect time to show it off!
Swap your tools for a long-term smoothing treatment at the hairdressers, or take it old school with some heatless rollers. Applying high temperatures to wet hair can cause long-term damage, which is amplified in humid conditions.
There you have it – four quick and easy tips to help you wrangle your hair this summer. And when all else fails, opt for a trusty up-do, braid, or reach for a stylish bucket hat.
