It’s safe to say that summer comes with endless benefits. The end of finals brings time to finally sleep and eat like a normal person, long warm nights, and the sweet feeling of accomplishing yet another 15 units of rigorous academics. But sadly, summer doesn’t benefit every aspect of life, now does it? You can probably sympathize with me when I say that those glorious summer nights I longed for all spring semester also turn my hair into a greasy frizzy disaster. Don’t fret, I have good news! It doesn’t have to be that way. This summer, take a break from the blow dryer, the straightener and the curling iron and instead, embrace your natural hair. Easier said than done? Nope! Sheerese Slate, celebrity hair stylist, and Jordan Sparkes, Garren New York stylist, shared their fountain of knowledge to help you get your hair looking natural and beautiful this hot and steamy summer season.
Find your summer problem (or, if you’re like me, problems) and discover a quick fix:
Your hair gets greasier than a car mechanic
Most common in girls with thinner hair, this frustrating problem does not have a difficult remedy. Stay away from heavy conditioners in the shower and creams when styling your hair. Instead, use tonic sprays or even gels. Try this one! Garren New York Also, be sure to be conscious about the amount you touch your hair throughout the day. If you have a habit of playing with your hair, or running your fingers through your luscious locks, break it.
Designing Spray Tonic by Garren New York, $26.00
Humidity and your hair do NOT get along
If you have curly hair, humidity might be your worst nightmare, leaving you dreading the heat of summer. The best way to deal with humidity-induced frizz is to use a curl-enhancing product to work with your hair, not fight it. Use the product when your hair is wet, let your curls set and dry on their own. Do NOT run your fingers through your hair, brush your hair, or do anything to rough it up while it’s drying. Garren New York carries another great product Garren New York for this problem. Or try Mixed Chicks. If you have naturally straight hair that seems to become very confused in the humidity, Shereese Slate recommends Deep Brilliance hairspray. She claims it even keeps hair in its place in the rain on the set of music videos!
Straightening and Styling Gel by Garren New York, $19.00
Leave-in conditioner by Mixed Chicks, $17.00
Letting your hair dry naturally gives you a look that resembles a circus act
This issue might have the easiest solution: leave your hair alone! Touch your hair as little as humanly possible following a wash. Instead, apply your product, and allow it to dry completely on its own. If your hair is straight and tends to dry in an awkward way, stay light with product and try tucking it behind your ears until it dries. Just make sure you keep your hands away. Another trick (for those of you lucky girls whose hair doesn’t get greasy easily) is to leave a bit of conditioner in to help it dry extra smooth and silky. Manipulator, by Bed Head, is a great product for this situation. Just a dime size, massaged in will add texture and keep your hair looking fresh and moist.
Manipulator by Bed Head, $16.00
www.target.com or any Target store
You love the summer, but not the damage it inflicts on your hair
For you blondies out there, buy a product that contains SPF! Like these: Bella Sugar Products with SPF help prevent sun damage and drying out as well as protect your hair from lightening, if that isn’t what you want. An after-sun masque can also do wonders to bring back moisture and fight damage. Try this one! Drug Store If you’re one who spends quite some time in pools all summer and cannot always shower right after a swim, try to carry a bottle of water around with you to rinse out your hair after. Sparkes says that it’s really important to get chlorine out of your hair and a rinse will do the trick!