It's hot and humid here in Hong Kong, so maybe it’s time to make a few changes to your daily and weekly hair care routine. If you or your loved ones will be swimming or playing outside in sweltering weather, or under direct sunlight, we have some tips that will help to keep their hair healthy and moisturized.
Here are eight hair hacks for dealing with crazy summer humidity:
1. Chill out
Your freezer is good for more than stashing veggies and vodka. One of the biggest causes of frizz is not allowing hair to fully cool down after using curling irons, flat irons, tons or blow dryers—so-called ‘heat-styling’. Stepping right out into humid weather can make the problem worse. Before you leave the house or right after heat-styling, open your freezer door and stand with your back to it for a few minutes to "set" your style.
2. Create non-frizzy waves
Keep your used popsicle sticks. Rinse and dry them, then loosely twist the midsections of damp hair around the sticks, fastening at the top and bottom with bobby pins. Once hair is fully dry, release and gently shake it out, then finger-comb strands for pretty, natural waves.
3. Do a D.I.Y. coconut oil treatment
Keeping hair hydrated is key for fighting frizz since dry hair literally seeks the moisture it needs from the air. And doing it doesn't require an expensive hair mask. A little olive oil or coconut oil will help quench parched strands. Best to warm the oil just a little on the stove first. Let it cool enough to handle and slather through hair. Then after half an hour shampoo and condition as normal.
4. Strengthen strands
Split ends are so prone to frizz when the temperature rises. To remedy this we need to repair damaged hair through the proteins in gelatin. Mix a packet of the unflavored kind with warm water, wait about 20 minutes, and then apply to clean wet hair. Leave the gelatin on for up to half an hour, rinse out, and follow with a healthy dose of conditioner.
5. Be sun-smart
We all know that the sun's rays can do a number on your hair, making it more susceptible to damage and breakage. Before you head to the beach, rub a little sunscreen over your palms and smooth it over your tresses—the extra weight and moisturizers will help keep your hair thankful the next day.
6. Skip shampooing
No time to wash your hair and blow-dry it smooth? No problem. Sprinkle a little dry shampoo along your hairline, leaving it to absorb for a few minutes and then working it in with your fingers to soak up grease and sweat.
7. Hit the reset on your hair products
Sometimes styling products start to feel heavy in the heat. Clear through the residue with a vinegar rinse. After shampooing, coat your hair with a 50-50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water, then let it sit for a few minutes. After that, condition your hair as normal. The slight acidity in the vinegar clears out the residue buildup and conditions your hair.
8. Mix up the hairstyles
Pulled-back hairstyles are easier in the summer as it’s cooler than wearing your hair down. Plus: your hair won’t get in the way throughout the day. Just be mindful that you don’t style your hair in the same pulled-back style everyday or the sun will always hit in the same spots, increasing the odds of damage and breakage. Mix up your hair-do with a ponytail or a wide headband, and apply coconut oil to protect your hair when out in the sun.
There you go – some great hacks to help you keep your frizz down in this crazy humidity!
What is your humid ‘hair hack’? Let me know in the comments below - or stay tuned here or on our Facebook page for more!