The Complete Indoor-Outdoor Guide to Preserving Your Hair in Hot Weather

Ending the cycle of sweat ➡️ frizz ➡️ FML.

Nose, Mouth, Lip, Hairstyle, Eyebrow, Style, Eyelash, Jaw, Earrings, Monochrome,
(Image credit: Getty, design by Dana Tepper)

Beauty Irony No. 10: Most techniques only become effortless after you've rehearsed them multiple times. Think about it.

It might seem anti-summer-vibes to bring this up now, but something else to consider: Do you want to spend some time preventing your layers from puffing up in the 83-percent humidity, then deflating once you duck into somewhere with A/C for shelter? Or do you want to struggle with it later, when it's too late and there's nothing you can do but put it up with your baby hairs sticking up every which way? Here, with help from stylist Kat Zemtsova, we break down exactly how to sweat-, humidity-, and generally hot-weather-proof your hair.

Before

Pre-treat the hair with an anti-humidity spray from the ones below—you'll thank us later. Then, if you really want/need to look presentable, pack some dry shampoo, duckbill clips, and your preferred up-do hardware (elastics or pins, weird French kind optional).

Out

Then choose your own adventure with the styling: A simple chignon or multiple, smaller buns both keep your neck and hair from getting too well-lubricated, while a scarf tied around either absorbs moisture from the hairline.

When you're safely ensconced in your cubicle or whatever, resist the urge to take down your hair right away—wait until it's dry or it'll frizz. (A gym blowdryer or even the hand-dryer in the bathroom could help things along if you've got no shame.) Once your the moisture has evaporated, then it's time for a zhoosh. Flipping your head upside down, spray on some dry shampoo or volume powder, and use your fingers to lift the roots. You could stop there, but if you're feeling extra or have a hot date, blast your hair with the blowdryer once more, and, while the hair's toasty, use the big clips you packed to roll up sections into pin curls. Wait to cool. Unwrap. Oh, look—you just gave yourself a bricoleur blowout.

Refer to this.

Nose, Mouth, Lip, Hairstyle, Forehead, Eyebrow, Style, Jaw, Eyelash, Poster,

(Image credit: Getty, design by Megan Tatem)

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Chelsea Peng
Assistant Editor

Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at MarieClaire.com. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.