Extra conditioning is especially important during summertime.
3: Condition More
To protect against the dehydrating heat, an extra dose of conditioning is even more important in the summer months, according to curl-centric stylists.
“Curly hair is very porous, and it takes a lot of moisture to make sure the hair retains it,” Torch says. “Proteins are also essential.”
Christo agrees.
“Keep a leave-in conditioner that contains proteins in your beach bag,” says Christo, global artistic director of New York’s Christo Fifth Avenue Salon. “You put sunscreen on every hour or half-hour. It’s the same thing with a leave-in (conditioning spray”>. And if you’re going to be out in the sun for a while, use a deep conditioning hair masque and slick your hair back.”
Stylists suggest curlies apply a deep-conditioning treatment up to twice weekly in the summer, leaving it on for 15 to 30 minutes, with or without heat.
As for your daily conditioner, pour it on!
“Leave some conditioner in the hair when you’re rinsing it out, so you’re relying more on the moisture than the styling aids for curl definition,” Harbinger says. “It’s a combination of both, but leaning more towards keeping extra moisture in the hair before adding your stylers.”
4: Switch Styling Products
As the weather changes in a new season, you’ll want to consider a slight change in styling products as well.
“Choose a styler that has more no-frizz benefits, which means stylers with extra moisture for the summer,” Harbinger says. “Use a creamier styler or a gel that doesn’t have plastic resins that will harden the curl.”
Stylists emphasize that different curl types respond to moisture differently. The more dehydrated your texture, the more moisture you’ll need. Test different amounts and adjust accordingly.
“Keep in mind, if you have oil or silicone in the product and there’s humidity, you’re destined to have a frizzy hair day because oil and water don’t mix,” adds Torch.
5: Pull Up or Cover Up
Every curly girl knows that even the slightest touch of your tresses can leave you flustered in frizz. But the stifling heat creates an even bigger challenge because it almost begs you to tug at your curls and get them out of the way to cool off. The thicker and tighter the curl, the harder it is for air to reach your scalp. One solution is to lift the hair completely off the neck. If you have enough length, opt for a simple ponytail.
“People with tight curly hair can often get through the winter without having to wear a hat, but when summertime comes we have an issue,” Torch says. “When you put your hair in a ponytail, first make fantastic curls, then flip the head upside down so the hair is gathered at the top of the head, and keep the ponytail loose.”
But there’s only one way to absolutely protect your textured tresses from sun damage, curl-centric stylists say.
“The best protection from the sun is no sun on the hair,” Harbinger says.
But if you must, “either put on a hat or slick it back with a leave-in treatment,” Christo adds.
Armed with these no-frizz tips, you can keep your hair looking fabulous by making curl-conscious choices all summer long.
