I live in the south. The hot, humid south. The so-wet-in-the-air you can feel the mildew growing south. And that is why I rarely attempt to perfect my hair style during summer.
Why blow dry to perfection when the moment I step outside all my efforts will turn to frizz and curl? Why straighten to a silken sheen when I'm one mid-afternoon thunderstorm away from looking like a bedraggled, damp rat? Why bath at all when all I need to do is step outside, get wet hot air damp cleaned, and sweat?
Oh, how I long for no humidity. As it is here is my current hair regime. I blow dry the front, let the back remain fluffy and curly, then spritz some hairspray on it. As it is, I travel with a pony tail elastic on my wrist or in my wallet. I usually scrunch the entire mess up into a pony tail or a half tail during the day to keep the hair from touching my neck which is damp with hot, wet, mildewy southern sweat due to the heat index hitting 107 degrees.
These aren't just the dog days of summer. These are the bad hair days of summer. I can't wait for cooler weather so I can straighten and style my unruly tangled wavy hair into submission. But for now? For now I am ever so grateful for pony tail holders.
Do you have bad hair days in the summer? How do you cope with heat and humidity messing with your style? Any suggestions?
15 comments:
I got tired of the damp/limp, so I got a body perm. No curl, but enough body to keep from looking flat and bedraggled.
Hang in there...these days soon will pass. (g)
Your hair always looks professional! I don't need a perm tho'. I've got curls and waves that just go haywire in this weather LOL.
:-)
You've see my head, lately? A long about April, maybe May, I tell Billy I need my convertible hair and I leave with most of my hair on the floor. Or really, in the trash because Billy is meticulous that way. Then when it gets time to put the hardtop on the sports car for the winter, we let it grow some.
But now? It to hot to live. I don't even blow dry. I just wash it and comb it through. Good think it's straight and I have a good cut.
Over here in Ireland we just get rain :) differing quantities depending on the time of year, but. . . rain.
Luckily my hair is naturally dead-straight, but I usually end up with dreadful frizz at least a few times a year - I pity my less poker-straight pals!
Hi Jean: you made me LOL with your hair raising story!! I can't go short at all. My head would look like a weird bullet with curls.
Hi Ellen: I bet your friends with curly hair envy your straight locks!! And rain is okay cause you can put an umbrella up but that's another climate that one doesn't really feel the urge to primp hair for at all!!
Hi, Christine. We have pretty easy weather here in Oregon in the summer, but one year we visited my in-laws in Florida (ok, technically it was spring) and I found out why so many southern women have big hair. ;) I let mine air dry (it was layered and I have loose waves) and it puffed up so big I looked like a beauty contestant. Pretty funny, actually.
Oh, I hear ya, Christine! And sometimes a ponytail isn't enough to help, so I end up wearing a baseball cap. I've fought my naturally curly hair my whole life!
I hope you have a great weekend!
Hi Tori: Oh my goodness, that is so funny. You know if I do let my natural wave and curl stay I can pouf up like a contestant, too! Crazy how we get used to the look here. I love Oregon. Nice, easy non-humid days (well there is rain...).
Hi Robin: Yup, a hat is a great way to go when the hair refuses to be tamed!! I hope you have a great weekend, too!
:-)
I have just enough curl in my hair to make it look awful if I leave it to dry naturally. So. In this heat and humidity, I use products that encourage the curl. Hubby says he likes it.
Beach spray is all the rage now. Basically, it's a salt-water spray you can make up yourself and spritz on your hair. Use sea salt. There's less flyaway and it's good for your hair.
Hi Carol: That sea salt spray sounds amazing. I'll look for it at the beauty store. Thanks for the tip. I need all the help I can get :-)
From way up north on the shores of Georgian Bay Canada, I rely on those spring-loaded hair clamps to tame the humidity-induced spiral curls. Twist, clamp, and go with a top-knot and tendrils.
My hairdresser says PRODUCT, PRODUCT, PRODUCT. Splurge on some of the good stuff to combat the humidity. My current fave is "It's a 10." You can find it at Walgreen's but it's pricey. (Haven't tried the new Tres Semme humidity line) I also use the Caruso steam rollers. You can get them at Sally's. I've had the same kit for 10 years. Since it's steam, the curls hold up in humid weather.
Hi Joan: I'm a former Canadian from Northern Manitoba. Lived in Vancouver, too. Love Canada. Thanks for the great tip!! I will totally get the clamps and use them.
Hi Debra: It's a Ten! Love that product name. The Caruso steam rollers sound amazing. I will check them out as well. Your hair always looks great so I can't go wrong with your suggestions :-)
LOL Christine! I moved here from Wyoming and the humidity was a bit hard to handle at first BUT where I lived before, we dealt with the wind. I'm not kidding when I say the wind is ten times worse. You walk into a store a restaurant with your hair sticking straight up and see how many people keep a straight face.
Good luck with the frizzing. When I moved here I found out I have naturally waving hair. Was kind of cool after having flat hair that liked to blow in the wind... :)
Tami
Hi Tami: Wyoming winds might trump humidity, but you got a bonus with the natural wavy hair for sure! I grew up in Northern Canada and our hair would freeze, literally ice up, in the winter. That was also an issue for me. Remember Farrah Hair? My wings would freeze over the cap I wore to school!
Oh, the memories. Clips, clamps, pony tail holders and Caruso curlers are sooo in my future :-)
Post a Comment