Fight The Frizz: What You Need To Know About Humidity And Your Hair

Frizzy hair is not just a summer problem. Even when the heatwave is past, whenever there’s lots of moisture in the air, your hair can absorb the water molecules and swell, changing texture: fine and shorter hair, and dry hair especially, will frizzle up and become, well, wild-looking.

We’ve tried everything to defeat the frizz. Layering oils onto hair just leaves it lank and heavy-looking; straighteners help, but you don’t always have time, and constant heat doesn’t fix the problem, either. Haircare companies are devising solutions in the face of warmer temperatures and increased humidity; we’ve never seen so many “frizz-fixing” products and anti-humidity sprays hitting the shelves. But which ones work?

Best to ask the experts. Maria Haberlin, proprietor and stylist at Berlin Hair Salon in Carlow has tips for preventing frizz: “Lower your water temperature when washing your hair. Add moisture to your hair by using hydrating products, and double-up on sprays to combat humidity, or smoothening creams to seal the cuticles.”

She recommends investing in a nourishing shampoo to add moisture to the hair, such as Alafaparf Milano’s Semi Di Lino Smooth range (from €14.75, at salons and www.beautybag.ie; set for €32.50; www.alfaparfmilano.com), followed by a moisturising conditioner that has smoothing properties.

“I find R+Co Television Shampoo and Conditioner is also great for softening and smoothing.” R+Co travel sets are a great way to try these; there’s a Moon Landing Travel Set, in handy canvas bag (€32, at salons and www.beautybag.ie).

Carol Johnson, Consultant Trichologist at Dublin’s Universal Hair & Scalp Clinic, emphasises the need for regular, gentle hair washing and scalp care. “A healthy cleansed scalp encourages soft shiny tresses of hair. Handle your hair as if you’re handling a silk blouse – silk is protein and so is your hair, so always think of it as a living tissue, and your scalp the same. Would you only wash your face twice a week and expect your skin to be radiant? No, you wouldn’t – and it’s the same for hair.” Try a gentle shampoo and conditioner such as Aveeno’s good-value Scalp-Soothing Haircare (€9.99 at www.aveeno.ie). 

Leave-in haircare can help to maintain that smoothness. We’re seeing a return to foams and mousses in haircare; unlike the mousses of the 1980s, which left hair crispy and extremely Sheena Easton, the new formulas, such as Aveda Vegan Nutriplenish Styling Treatment Foam (€37, at www.avedastore.ie) is hydrating, with omegas and organic coconut oil (plus it’s vegan and silicone-free), and helps to deter frizz and flyaways.

Haberlin has some favourites to tackle the big frizz. “After washing and conditioning, to re-align hair fibres and tame the cuticles, I would add a leave-in smoothing cream from the Alfaparf Milano Smooth Range and, to seal the cuticles, I would finish with their Smoothing Oil leave-in serum. For the ultimate anti-humidity blocker, I recommend the R+Co Moon Landing Spray, which combats humidity, adds shine, tames flyaways and coats strands to calm frizz and effectively repel moisture.”

Also look to Olaplex (new kits available now at www.beautybag.ie for full hair repair and hydration); I’ve written before about No9 Bond Protector Hair Serum (€27.50), which is my fallback for smoothing out hair, together with that genius Dyson Supersonic Flyaway attachment, or else their AirWrap with the Coanda Smoothing Dryer attachment. Klorane’s lightweight Nourishing and Repairing 3-in-1 Mask with organic Cupuacu butter, €18, is a good overnight treatment for all types of curly and thirsty hair that’s prone to frizz. Love this fragrant Aesop Tame Hair Serum, too (€29, at Brown Thomas Dundrum) for smoothing without heaviness.

With frizz, it’s about prep and prime – once your hair is in full frizz mode, it’s hard to rectify, so think about taming it from washing onwards.

Main featured image: Etro SS20 via Jason Lloyd Evans.