Every woman with natural hair knows that winter is straight hair weather — not summer or early fall due to the humidity. But if you are defiant like me (or live in an area with dry heat), then you probably rock straight hair in the summer and fall too!
That’s not the case for me. So I have come up with these tips to keep your hair straight in humidity.
1. Set Realistic Expectations
If you live in a humid area and expect bone straight hair for two weeks, you will be disappointed. But if you expect fairly straight hair with options to set on flexirods as your hair begins to frizz, then you will love straight hair in the summer and fall. If you prefer bone straight hair, then you should wait until the colder months to arrive to pull out your flat iron.
2. Avoid Days with High Humidity
Before I pull out my flat iron, I always check the humidity for the week. In fact, I have the Curls app on my phone that indicates when I can expect frizzy hair. It lets me know when there is high humidity/high dew point; it has a curly girl with a smiley face (no frizz) or sad face (frizz). On humid days, the moisture in the air can plump up your strands and cause them to revert to their original curl pattern. Although we are transitioning from summer to fall weather, you will find that humidity is still high in the morning hours. Pay attention to the weather before you pull out your flat iron because you might have no chance of keeping your hair straight in humidity once it passes a certain point.
3. Bun Hair on Humid Days
While your hair is straight, there will be humid days. On those days, opt for a bun. In the fall, the average humidity is much higher in the mornings. Style your hair into a loose bun in the A.M. then pull it down when the humidity goes down — or when you are safely indoors. Bunning has saved me from frizz disaster on humid days!
SEE ALSO: 3 Buns for Every Length of Hair
4. Use Heat Protectant/Anti-Frizz Serums
Use a heat protectant to create a barrier as you use high temperatures on your hair. Similarly, use an anti-frizz serum to create a barrier from the moisture in the air. Most heat protectants and anti-frizz serums use silicones as a protective barrier. On a daily basis, I prefer to use coconut oil as my protective barrier. In fact, I often use it to set my hair at night. The next morning, I have sleek frizz-free hair.
5. Do A Protein Treatment
Hair that lacks protein in the summer and early fall will result in frizz. In fact, summer and fall are the perfect time to do more protein treatments. All of the moisture in the air can result in “mushy”, weakened strands. So it is important to pay attention to this, and do protein treatments as necessary. Unlike winter ,where protein treatments can result in dry, brittle hair, protein in the summer and early fall can prevent hair breakage — whether or not you choose to straighten your hair.
SEE ALSO: 5 Best Protein Deep Conditioners
6. Opt for Flat Iron Alternatives
If you are sensible — unlike me — you probably don’t want to spend time with a flat iron when you know it will be difficult to maintain a straight style. Instead, you can opt for a flexirod set, roller set, bantu knots, or curlformers. You can achieve a sleek, straight look without the direct heat. And if you hair frizzes out, it’s no big deal.
What are your tips for achieving straight hair in humid weather?
How do you keep gray hair from turning Yellow, when trying to keep straight?
To keeping my Natural Hair Straight in Humidity, I think the best way is #5 “Do A Protein Treatment”. When your hair lacks protein, it will become breakage.