My Easy Heat-Free Hair Tips For Managing My Curly Hair in the Summer

Published on May 10, 2018 at 9:50 AM

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Sally Beauty

Jenna Whitecar

Whenever Summer rolls around, I have been compared to Hermione Granger, Ms. Frizzle, and, of course, Monica Geller (while ping-ponging and vacationing in Barbados). In other words, my curly hair goes wild. Thanks to the humidity, my usually flat-ironed locks in the colder months are allowed to run rampant in the Summer.

All you fellow curly-haired girls out there can relate, I'm sure, that during the Summer, it's just too hard to keep up with all the swimming, outdoor sweating, and extra sunshine to NOT wash your hair every day. And washing our hair every day is not only too much work and maintenance, but we also get more compliments on its dirtier days! (And it's not recommended anyway.)

Since my hair gets washed most days during the Summer, there is a trick to letting the best of it flow naturally and keep it from getting frizzy. That tip is called hair mousse.

Any mousse will do; you absolutely don't need to break the bank, but one with maximum hold is what I recommend. This is the best way to use it:

First, wash your hair with an antifrizz shampoo (your curly hair will make its way through no matter what).
Next, condition with an antifrizz conditioner, and let it set for a couple of minutes before rinsing. During this time, comb your hair straight while still in the shower. Get all the knots and kinks out, then rinse.
When you get out of the shower, towel-dry your hair immediately. Avoid brushing through if you can. Your combing in the shower should help with this. (Feel free to wait a few minutes and brush your teeth, apply lotion, or get a move on with your makeup or skincare routine to give your wet locks a bit more air time, but not too much).
Then put a dollop of mousse in your palm and spread it evenly throughout your hair, scrunching it upwards toward your scalp as you go.
Next, let it air-dry. Make note: it will be a bit sticky, so if you choose to wrap your hair back in a towel while it dries, that will work too!

And voilà! Your hair will turn into a more natural, less-frizzy version of itself! But, of course, it's hard to take away from what is naturally there, so expect a little frizz to still pop up. For more control, any gel can be added to the mousse, and when styling, you can finish off with some high-hold hairspray to control the flyaways.

Some of you may relate that though we find this quality of our hair a little too much work and sometimes a downright pain in the butt, it is still when we feel most ourselves. It brings out that fun, funky, goofy, silly side — or at least that's my take. And if your general sentiment is a more negative one, here's to hoping that this little trick of the trade will make you feel happy and comfortable in your natural state, sans frizz and sans heat. Those locks need a break anyway!