The Secret to My Summer Hair? I Don't Brush It!

Since having kids, my hair has changed. It feels more coarse, and it looks wavier and frizzier. Overall, it's much more untamable — especially during the Summer months. I used to think that the change in my post-baby hair wasn't pretty, and I'd always reach for my ponytail holder so I could put that mom-bun on the top of my head. The humidity that hung in the air during our backyard barbecues would saturate my stubborn hair and make it harder to manage. I'd wrestle with it by trying new methods: blow drying, straightening, using gel or mousse, air drying, and using a curling iron. Nothing seemed to work. The Summer heat defeated my limp, out-of-control locks.

Then, on a whim, I figured out one simple trick to save my Summer mane — and I haven't looked back. I was hustling around the house trying to get ready for an annual Fourth of July party. The heat lingered in the air on this 90-degree Summer day. Like most moms, I was getting the matching outfits ready for our family of four and doing their hair, leaving no time to get ready myself. I hopped out of the shower, applied my quick makeup, threw my dress on, and never even ran a brush through my hair. My need for timeliness trumped my hair that day. I grabbed my ponytail holder and shoved it into my purse, knowing I'd need it for later, and out the door we went. But later that evening, I discovered that not using a hairbrush in the Summer is what saved my hair.

Instead of blow drying and smoothing my hair for that party, I simply sprayed a little mousse into my palm, ran it through my hair, and scrunched it. While it air dried, I smoothed my fingers through my hair and let the wind finish drying it. I never used a brush — and I haven't since. On most days in the Summer, I conduct the same routine, and my hair looks so much better. The waves (or curls, if it's extra humid) are more pronounced since I never give a brush the chance to straighten them out. The waves have nothing to fight against — instead, they bounce with ease. Not only does this effortless look make me feel more confident, it saves me more time and my hair is healthier, too. Without overbrushing my hair and using heat on it, my hair doesn't break as much, either. The ends are just as firm as my roots.

On the night of that Fourth of July party, I never had to dig into my purse to get that ponytail holder out. Friends and family complimented my natural look by saying, "You need to wear your hair like this more often! I love it!" I sat with my family of four on our lawn blanket and watched the fireworks shoot through the sky as my hair blew in the wind. Since that night, I've listened to my friends' compliments and continue to wear my hair down and wavy in the Summer months. I've learned to embrace the Summer humidity and appreciate my new look along with it.