I live in a rainy, moist area, how do i keep my hair straight?

Question

How do I keep my hair from going curly everytime i step outside the door. every other girl has stick straight hair even in the conditions here.

Answer 1

This article was published in the summer but the principles still apply.

Fighting the Frizz: Knowing the science behind big hair helps combat puffy mess by Miriam Ramirez
July 14, 2007 - 12:48PM

It’s an all-too familiar scenario: you spend an hour a day washing, blow-drying and straightening your hair only to find the minute you step outside you are greeted by a South Texas nemesis.

Frizz.

So many women have adjusted their days and untamable locks thanks to this excess and rather annoying moisture in the air.

Frizzy hair is a common problem among women with curly hair, said Alan Bauman, a national hair expert who has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America and Newsweek.

There’s a lot of misleading information out there, so it’s important women know the science vs. marketing hype, when it comes to finding the right products to treat it, he said.
First, why does frizz happen?

Frizz is often the combination of two things, damaged hair strands (broken ends, fly aways) and static, or a high negative charge on the hair. Women damage their hair by subjecting it to rough brushing or combing, harsh shampoos, high heats (blow dryers, straighteners, etc.) and chemical processing. Static is also caused by shampoos; since both the hair protein keratin and shampoos contain negative charges, they repel each other, which may result in frizz, Bauman said.

Beating frizz requires a good conditioner. Look for two things in conditioners: “amino silicones” and “cationic surfactants.” Amino silicones are a special chemical combination that allows silicone to stick to the hair, where it will fill in the gaps on damaged strands and create lasting conditioning, he said. Cationic surfactants carry a positive charge and help to neutralize the static effect in hair. Both ingredients work together to add weight to the hair, make it easier to comb and restore the essential oils needed for your hair to be healthy. A good conditioner will be one that protects the hair from frizz-causing damage, as well as provides a ‘durable’ or lasting conditioning for hair strands that may be already be mildly damaged.

Aussie celebrity stylist Sarah Potempa agrees.

“Get rid of the heavy, greasy build-up you have accumulated all winter long and opt for a lighter, more refreshing start to your day,” she said. “(But also) allow the heat and humidity to work with your natural curls or waves this summer.”

Hair guru Frederic Fekkai recommends working with your hair type and embracing your natural texture.

“Especially today, we are seeing women wear their natural curls and leaving the flat irons under the sink for good,” he said in a statement provided to The Monitor. “But if frizz really is a problem, women should look for a product that helps seal the hair cuticle.”

Common myths with products is compromising the hair beyond the usual suspects, which include heat styling, straightening and color, he said. The worst thing women can do is to over-process their hair with highlights or harsh straightening treatments.

“In addition to these mechanical stressors, there are also environmental factors; harmful UV rays, minerals in our water, impurities in the air that can rob hair of its health and shine,” Fekkai said.

With blow dryers and flat irons, repeated styling does require women to incorporate the right products to lessen the damage, he added.

Other experts advise against using volumizing shampoos, which trap moisture within the hair shaft, making it much more difficult to control.

“If we get a nice seal in the cuticle that’s going to help,” said Billy Lowe, a Beverly Hill hair stylist. “With humidity, women are fighting a lot of that swell in the air so you don’t need anything to add to that. Or else it will be a big puffy mess.”

———

Miriam Ramirez covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at [phone]. For this and more local stories visit www.themonitor.com.

Beat the frizz and sun damage this summer with:
• Fekkai Zero-Humidity Frizz Control, $20
A weightless mist that seals the cuticle for sleek, frizz-free hair. Just one spritz will conquer frizz and tame fly-aways all day.

• Fekkai Wash & Wear, $20
A lightweight spray that allows you to refresh and re-style limp, overworked locks anytime, anywhere without water. Just spray on dry hair focusing at the roots and brush the product through the hair.

• Fekkai Quick-Quench Rehydrating Gelee, $20
A lightweight hydrating crème gelee formula that provides an instant moisture boost to restore parched hair. Aloe Vera and advanced hydrators cool and refresh hair while providing moisture, smoothness, texture and shine.

• Pantene Relaxed & Natural Intensive Moisturizing (Shampoo and Conditioner), $6.99
Excellent for textured hair that is most susceptible to dryness and frizz. The shampoo gently cleanses hair without stripping it and the rich conditioning formula helps coat to fortify it and restore the natural moisture balance.

• Pantene Always Smooth Anti-Frizz Serum, $6.19
Use an anti-frizz serum to help smooth out hair, add shine and prevent frizzies. Look for a product with silicone, which will coat the hair adding and extra layer of protection against excess moisture in the air (i.e. humidity). Just use a drop and distribute evenly through hair with fingers.

• Aussie Sydney Smooth Anti-Frizz Cream, $3.10
Keep pesky frizz at bay with this cream. Infused with botanicals like apple, apricot, euphrasia and sage-this cream is formulated to provide all day smoothing and frizz control even on damp days. Apply a dollop to clean, damp hair and spread evenly throughout the hair. Do not rinse. Blow dry as usual or scrunch and go.

• Aussie Sydney Smooth 12-hour Anti-humidity Hairspray, $3.59
Tame frizzy locks for a droop-proof do’. This long-lasting formula is a flexible hold spray that forms a protective barrier against humidity. For best results, hold hairspray six inches from hair and spray evenly.

• Dr. Miracles Relaxed Hair Potion, $8.99
Reduces frizzy hair and protects when blow drying, curling irons and damaging weather conditions that cause split ends and breakage.

• Dr. Miracles Styling Meds Healing Leave In & Conditioner, $7.99
Ends breakage, split ends, and dry lifeless hair. Thermalceutical Complex pinpoints scientific ingredients directly in the areas that need it most. Restores, revitalizes and conditions the cuticle for smooth and super strong hair. Stimulates blood flow to the scalp. Treatment continues to work even after you stop feeling it.

• Long Lasting Frizz Remover, $15
This innovative new anti-frizz conditioning treatment eliminates frizz for a full 30 days. It works by internally targeting the hair cuticle, repairing frizz, damage, and split-ends. The result is softer, stronger, healthier hair.

• Instant Silk, $8
This unique anti frizz cream utilizes ultra-light emollients, and softening extracts such as silk and cashmere to provide frizz control for even the most out-of-control hair.

• Climate Shield, $8
A one-of-a-kind waterproof hairspray that provides a shield of protection from the external elements. Its advanced formula provides strong hold as it repels moisture and humidity throughout the day.

Tricks of the trade
Tips from celebrity stylist Billy Lowe: (Lowe has been featured in CosmoGirl, Self and In Touch magazines and has worked on Marcia Cross, Debra Messing, Ellen DeGeneres and the cast of Queer as Folk)

• Hair Static: To help rid static cling, lightly spray styling tools with an anti-static spray or stroke hair with anti-static dryer sheets for those fly-away moments.

• Scalp to ends: Before you shampoo, brush hair from scalp to ends to distribute oils down to the ends of hair. This helps give more even results (scalp to ends) before shampooing your hair. It also helps protect the ends of your hair that often lack moisture.

• Need more volume? Apply a root-boost to root area after shampooing and conditioning. Lift hair while drying root sections for maximum lift. Some clients find blow-drying hair in an upside down position also helps.

• Ceramic Brushes: Rather than using boar or nylon bristles, I enjoy using ceramic and metal barrel brushes. The barrels are vented so it speeds up drying time, and they heat up as well which helps polish hair while drying for smooth silky looking results.

• Shine: Remember, straight hair appears shinier because the cuticle is smoother than curly hair types. This is why people with curlier hair enjoy their weekly blow-dry treatments — to smooth and polish the hair for a softer feel, and for better control. However, shine serums contain silicones or dimethicones which help polish the cuticle for a smoother look and feel. Can be applied pre and post blow-drying. Less is usually more.

How to get speedy dry straight hair with the Wet-or-Dry iron:1. Clamp hair.

1. Start as close as possible to the roots. Clamp a 2-3 inch section. Thin and wide works best. Select a higher temperature for very wet or thick hair, and a lower setting for damp or finer hair.

2. Glide out.
Glide iron down the section in one smooth motion. Excess water will evaporate as steam. On most hair types, one gliding pass through hair will be sufficient enough to dry and straighten the section simultaneously. Thicker hair will require more than one pass through the same section.

3. Repeat.
Continue repeating steps 1 and 2 with each hair section until every section of hair is perfectly straight. Hair will feel slightly moist while still hot, but will be dry to the touch once it cools.

Tips from beauty expert April Masini of AskApril.com
Summer is tough on hair — whether you live in a region of the world that is frizz-land or whether you’re just in and out of the pool and the ocean, your hair is due for some tough luck this summer. Here are some ways to hold off the frizzies:

1. Products tend to work as long as you don’t abuse them. Find a product that works for you and your hair, but don’t use it every day, and alternate between one, two and even three different products, giving your hair a day off now and then from any product.

2. Hair accessories have never been more popular. Hair bands, scarves and thing double bands with or without pony tails all look great and control hair that is out of control due to the weather.

3. Watch your length. In-between hair is the toughest hair to have in summer. Long hair can always be pulled back or put up. Short hair is a lot easier to control than medium hair. Medium or shoulder length and below hair can really be tough in the summer. Consider planning to have long hair in the summer or give yourself a summer time sexy short do.

— Compiled by Monitor reporter Miriam Ramirez
http://www.themonitor.com/articles/hair_3744___article.html/frizz_women.html

Answer 2

It's pretty pricey, but you can save up for a portable straightener and bring it to school with you. Or you can chemically straighten your hair, although it WILL look a tad damaged. Other than that, the only real answer is to get a better straightener. Seriously.

Answer 3

i live in seattle and i just straighten my hair and use bath and body works volumizing shampoo and conditioner. works wonders!

Answer 4

u can use hair spray or gel it works everytime!

Answer 5

try getting a perm.