How to tame frizzy hair in humidity: beware sun and sulfates


Panna Munyal
  • English
  • Arabic

Summer is coming. And with it comes hair-raising humidity, which causes some of us without a naturally straight mane to suffer tresses that resemble an ungroomed poodle.

As celebrity Italian hairstylist Rossano Ferretti puts it: “The heat, humidity and sea can wreak havoc on our hair during the summertime holidays. Realistically speaking, no one wants to lose the frizz battle when it’s time to unwind and look fabulous doing so.”

But why does hair frizz? Ferretti says: “When it’s humid, there are a lot of water molecules in the air. The excess moisture looks for areas where it can ‘fit’. Hair that’s dry entices moisture to enter through its shaft, where it binds to the proteins. This process causes the hair to lift and look out of place, instead of maintaining the smooth sleekness that took you all morning to attain. The result? Frizz!”

Ferretti and other haircare experts say it takes a bit of dedication to fight frizz.

Here are some top tips and tricks to overcome this hairy situation.

Avoid hot water

Given that hydration is key to combating frizz, Myriam Keramane, founder of Parisian haircare brand Myriam K Paris, advises against washing hair with hot water. “Hot water dries and strips the hair of the nutrients necessary for a healthy scalp and follicles. A dry scalp, in turn, will lead to frizziness and even dandruff, so use lukewarm water instead.”

Keramane also recommends moisturising the hair as soon as you get out of the shower. “Use a leave-in conditioner while your hair is still wet, as this will moisturise the follicles most effectively. You can use a bit of hairspray to fix the hair while it’s wet to ensure it stays tame through the heat and humidity.”

Use sulfate-free products

Ferretti is not a fan of over-styling and unnecessarily complex techniques, and says sulfates are the nemesis of all things natural. “The saving grace for frizzy hair starts with a sulfate-free, anti-frizz shampoo and nourishing conditioner. Sulfates have a habit of stripping your hair of its natural moisturising and nourishing oils with each wash, leaving your locks more vulnerable to humidity.

“A sulfate-free, de-frizz shampoo and conditioner is the best solution to keeping hair soft and hydrated. This will create healthy locks that will react better to other luxury anti-frizz hair products. In the summers, use a little more conditioner than you usually do, bringing it up from the tips to manage frizz.”

Work with your natural curls

Customise the Curly Girl Method for optimal results. Photo: FreeImage
Customise the Curly Girl Method for optimal results. Photo: FreeImage

Sacha Mitic, founder of minimalist haircare brand Sachajuan, is another proponent of being as natural as possible, something he says is especially crucial for curly-haired girls who often fall prey to the temptation of heat-heavy, dryness-inducing straightening gadgets and treatments.

“Don’t try to fight your curls and natural texture as this can lead to long-term damage. Instead, enhance them through products such as hair oil, shine serum and styling cream, and make sure to let your hair air-dry without any added heat. This helps ensure your curls come out looking shiny and healthy,” explains Mitic.

The Curly Girl Method, which involves cutting out any products that contain harsh sulfates, drying alcohol, mineral oils and waxes, is another option.

On the other hand, treatments that change the texture or the nature of the hair use chemicals that harm the scalp and hair, and make it more prone to dryness, breakage, frizz and split ends, says French entrepreneur Rym Yessad, who founded Curlshops.com in Dubai to provide clean and natural products for women with curly hair. “The issue with these treatments is they begin a vicious cycle, as the hair is never really repaired after that,” she says.

Minimise sun exposure

Mitic compares exposing the hair to direct sunlight as being “as damaging as applying bleach”. Harsh sun rays both ruin unprotected hair and cause it to frizz uncontrollably.

Just as you would slather on SPF to save your skin from sunburns in the summer, “covering your locks with a protective spray that creates a barrier between the moisture in your strands and harsh elements such as the sun and air pollution” is crucial, too, says Ferretti.

He also recommends covering the hair with a hat to avoid prolonged exposure, while Kermane says salt water and chlorinated water can also dry out the hair.

At-home styling tips

“Use the summer holidays to air-dry your hair, ditching hot styling tools as often as possible,” says Ferretti. "This will keep your hair more hydrated and less prone to frizz and breakage.

“Invest in a professional detangling brush, one that will glide through the tangles with ease, without snagging at them, and use a hair mask at least once a week.”

If you would still rather style your tresses, Mitic advises using a thermal protective spray to create a barrier against the heat of a blow-dryer or straightening iron. “Finish the look by using large Velcro rollers in your freshly dried hair and leave them in for 15 to 20 minutes to create long-lasting volume. Use a light and flexible hairspray to maintain the volume throughout the day,” he says.

In-salon styling tips

Ferretti recommends getting a trim at the start of the summer (or soon before your holiday), to get rid of split ends. “This automatically gives you a smoother look overall.”

If you’re comfortable investing in a professional chemical procedure, Kermane recommends an in-salon keratin treatment. “Not only will this reduce frizz, but you also won’t have to blow-dry or use hot tools to style your hair," she says. "You can wash your hair after visiting the pool or beach and simply air-dry.

“Keratin treatments usually last for about three months and summer is the perfect time to do one."

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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

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Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

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If you go...

Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).

Cry Macho

Director: Clint Eastwood

Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam

Rating:**

Uefa Nations League: How it Works

The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.

The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.

Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.

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Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.

There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.

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There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.

The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.

 

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10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m

10.35pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m

The National selections

6.30pm: Shahm, 7.05pm: Well Of Wisdom, 7.40pm: Lucius Tiberius, 8.15pm: Captain Von Trapp, 8.50pm: Secret Advisor, 9.25pm: George Villiers, 10pm: American Graffiti, 10.35pm: On The Warpath

if you go

The flights

Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.

The hotel

Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.

The tour

Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
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Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
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Five healthy carbs and how to eat them

Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand

Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat  

Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar

Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices

Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants

Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique

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Manchester United 2
(Martial 30', McTominay 90 6')

Manchester City 0

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Updated: October 12, 2022, 11:32 AM`