HUMIDITY MAKES HAIR FRIZZY

Dear Jellybean,

Every time I straighten my hair, it usually turns out looking okay. That is, until I go outside in humid Florida weather. A half hour or so doesn't do that much damage, but sometimes I'm outside for a really long time and my hair gets really poofy, frizzy, and goes wavy again. My hair is naturally wavy and poofy, so I'm not sure what to do. I'm not sure what products to buy to fix this problem!
Love,
Lauren

Dear Lauren,

There's a reason that even J-Lo, queen of the flat iron, usually wears her hair "au natural" (aka curly) when she's in Miami... the humidity in Florida can be unbelievable! Trying to keep naturally wavy hair straight in the Florida air can be a losing battle. That doesn't mean your hair can't look cute - but it probably does mean that it won't look straight.

My suggestion is, embrace your natural waves. Straight hair is "out" this season anyway, as textured hair (curly or wavy) has become the hottest thing in fashion for winter/spring. (Just check out this month's Allure or Vogue mags for that pronouncement, from the people at the top of the style world).

So the question is now, how do you wear your natural waves, but keep them from getting poofy and frizzy? It's all about using the right products. Start in the shower. Wash and condition your hair with frizz-fighting products, such as the shampoo and daily conditioner from the Redken Smooth Down Anti-Frizz line, or the John Frieda Frizz-Free brand (both available in drugstores).

If you like, you can try only partly rinsing out the conditioner, to help weigh down your waves and prevent frizz from forming. (Frizz occurs when hair sucks up moisture from the air - so if hair is already moist, because it's well-conditioned, it won't absorb any extra water, and thus no frizz. That's the idea behind leave-in conditioners too).

Also, since your hair is poofy, it's probably a bit dry. Give it a special treat once a week, by applying a rich conditioning hair mask. Try Frizz-Ease Deep Conditioner Rebuild or Tresemmé Smooth Deep Conditioning Masque.

When you're done your shower, gently squeeze hair with a towel to remove excess moisture. (Don't rub - that creates frizz!) To help your waves look more defined (instead of getting poofy), apply a holding product that contains aloe. I like Finesse Touchables Mousse Curl Defining for Curly or Wavy Hair, or Philosophy Curly Head Silicone Hair Serum.

Finger-curl your hair into nicely shaped waves, if you like. Then let hair air-dry. Keep your hands off after this point, because touching causes frizz.

If you want to loosen/straighten your waves a bit when they're dry, smooth a bit of straightening balm over the top layer of your hair. This will also provide a protective outer coat, to further keep frizz at bay. Good products to try are Citre Shine Get Smooth Straightening Balm, or Binge Ultimate Smoothie Straightening Balm.

Keep in mind that you may have to experiment a bit to find the right product mix for your hair - but once you find it, you'll know it!