When it's humid outside, moist heat has your hair surrounded on all sides, and this causes every hair type to frizz -- but that's just the beginning. "For normal to thick, wavy, or curly hair, humidity may also give it an undesirable fullness," says O'Connor, who suggests Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Smooth & Shine Serum, $4.49, to nix frizz and tame fullness. "And with thin, fine hair, humidity makes it lifeless and flat." If this is you, he says Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo, $3.49, restores body and fullness. For normal hair, using these two products together can restore sheen and block further moisture from affecting your style.
Libby, a reader whose naturally wavy hair becomes even curlier in humidity, says she likes the one-two punch of smoothing milk for frizz control and an anti-humidity spray. As an alternative, she likes "to use a curl-enhancing gel and one-inch flat iron to get a wavy, just-been-to-the-beach look." Bryce Scarlett, a Los Angeles-based hairstylist, says for a heat-styled look, he also uses a humidity-protecting product. "Apply it liberally to wet, clean hair, and style as usual," he says, adding that a ceramic brush can act like a flat iron when blow drying, since it straightens hair and seals the cuticle to help keep out moisture.
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Dry heat
Not surprisingly, dry climates cause hair to, well, dry out. So layer in the moisturizing products, says Scarlett. Start with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Be sure, too, to apply a small amount of serum to the ends of your hair, since they're naturally driest. "It's as important as moisturizing your skin," says Scarlett. For a simple style, Buzas says to go with a sleek pony or loose bun with mousse and spray gel for shine.
"My best tip for dry heat is a great cut, with a little length for movement," says reader Margaux. "I have a graduated bob that I don't have to style or blow dry, so my hair gets healthier and stronger from not having the additional heat on it. A bit of movement lets me have the illusion of a longer, sexier look but without the maintenance."
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Snow
"Snow can confuse women's hair," says Randi Petersen, a Los Angeles-based celebrity hairstylist, "since it's generally a cold, dry temperature outside, but the snow coming down is wet." The chilly temp makes hair brittle, dull, and full of static -- and though the snow's wet, it doesn't moisturize it in a healthy way. "Curly hair has fewer curls and more frizz, and straight hair just feels dull," she says. When styling, use a leave-in conditioner that softens the shaft, and finish with a shine serum. "It's like a drink of water for your hair," says Petersen.
In the snow, she likes a pulled-back look most -- like a high or low bun, braid, or sporty ponytail. "I put my hair into a high bun with leave-in conditioner, under a knit hat," says reader Gena, who lives in snowy Chicago. "It's stylish, easy, and I get next-day waves." If your hair is tucked under a hat with harder edges, like a fedora or baseball cap, eliminate hat head by flipping your head over, applying dry shampoo to your roots, and doing a quick, upside-down blow dry, says Danielle Irene, a New York City-based hairstylist.
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Bitter cold
Frigid climates make hair dry, brittle, and dull, says Petersen. To restore natural luster, she likes deep conditioning with jojoba oil, argan oil, or coconut oil. Argan oil is a favorite of reader Amy, who says weekly treatments nourish her dry hair when temps drop and the heater kicks on.
Cold weather also invites fly-aways, so to prevent static, reader Althea keeps dryer sheets in her purse, and when she takes off her knit hats, she rubs one on her hair to calm it down.
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Steady heat
"Constant exposure to the sun can cause hair to become dry and damaged," says Petersen. "And if you color your hair and are out in the sun often, it will also fade more quickly." Whether you have normal, oily, dry, curly, or straight hair, all hair needs protection in steady heat. And in the same way intense UV rays can affect melanin in skin, prolonged sun exposure can cause changes in the hair's melanin, too -- lightening hair or altering artificial color. When you're clocking hours under the sun, Petersen suggests covering your hair with a hat or spraying it with a hair sunscreen, and pulling it into a loose braid or bun for protection.
Remember when clichés could actually forecast the weather: March went in like a lion and out like a lamb, after the rain came a rainbow, and April showers brought May flowers? Predictable seasons told us how nature would behave, and thus, when to change over our wardrobe, how to pack for a vacation, and how our hair would react from one day to the next. And while you may have needed a stylist's advice at the start of a season for this last point, you could then use her tips until the weather reliably transitioned again.
Cut to today's world, where blizzards co-opt Halloween and daffodils bloom in February. And as we're sure you've noticed, the same wacky temperature swings that change nature's course also freak out your hair and make it a real challenge to style.
"Certain conditions affect a natural protein called keratin that gives hair its strength and shine," says Luke O'Connor, a Suave Professionals stylist based in Beverly Hills, Calif. "For instance, when heat damages hair, the shaft's cuticle gets ruffled and/or broken; this makes hair dull and lifeless. It also causes moisture loss, which leads to frizz and a lack of shine and body. Humidity also brings out frizz and makes hair look flat."
So while we may have once suggested a few styling tricks or products to store in your cabinet this season, we now suggest that you study up on all of them, or at least return to this guide after reading your weather report each day. We've included tips from pros and TotalBeauty.com readers alike, so you'll never battle a bad hair day again -- no matter what it looks like outside.
