Summer is the season when curls should look their best. If your hair is healthy, you can turn the humidity into your friend instead of a frizz-causing foe.
“The reason hair frizzes in the humidity is that the hair doesn’t have enough moisture, so it expands because it’s calling out to the environment for moisture,” says Shari Harbinger, director of education for New York’s Devachan Salon. “But if you can get the moisture in the hair before (you’re exposed to humidity), it won’t expand as much.”
The philosophy is that a wet sponge doesn’t absorb water. The key, stylists say, is to keep your hair healthy by making curl-conscious choices all summer long.
Here, five hair-healthy habits for sensational summer curls.
Habit #1: A Seasonal Cut
Finding the best haircut is most important, but keep in mind that your favorite cut in the winter can leave you struggling in the summertime. For example, curlies with tighter spirals can opt for a shorter style in the winter because there is less shrinkage. But when the humidity soars in the summer, experts say removing excess bulk—while keeping the length—is what works best.
“Tighter curls should be left longer in the summer because you’re counting on the weight and length of the hair to loosen the curls and pull them down,” says Jonathan Torch of Toronto’s Curly Hair Institute.
He suggests the opposite strategy for wavies.
“In the summertime, there’s a lot more bounce to looser curls because the s-formation of the curl is tighter,” Torch says. “They can try a shorter, funkier style, like individual ringlets around the face to make it look sexy, but the actual length is shorter.”
Habit #2: Cleanse Less
The summer heat can also bring on a sweaty stickiness that makes you feel like you need to wash your hair—yet again. But sweaty doesn’t mean dirty, stylists warn.
“The sun and heat definitely dehydrate the hair, and curly hair is already very susceptible to dryness, so shampoo your hair one less time per week than normal,” says Ouidad, author of “CurlTalk” and owner of New York’s Ouidad Salon.
