As you all probably know by now, I live and work here in LA, where “winter” doesn’t exactly exist (certainly not this year, anyway). I mean, this past weekend in Palm Springs, I was able to lay out by the pool. My fiancé and I have been sleeping with our windows open upstairs and/or running the air conditioner and not the heater. On Christmas I was not able to wear any of the fun cold-weather garb I picked up for my December trip to Chicago. (Barring any unexpected heat waves in New York, at least I’ll get some use out of it next month for Fashion Week!) And lately we’ve been sitting outside for weekend lunches—during which I’ve felt compelled to slather on the sunscreen. (Sorry, Midwesterners and East Coasters; I realize these statements may invoke a certain climate jealousy.)
So in the absence of a real, discernible winter, why is my hair freaking out? (By “freaking out” I mean being dry, unmanageable and static-y for no apparent reason).
Well, it turns out that static electricity does not discriminate when it comes to temperature—but it does thrive in a dry climate, so there’s the answer to my initial question. But what about an answer to the much more important question here: how do I stop my hair from freaking out?
Here’s what’s worked for me.
1. The No-Shampoo Shampoo
When my hair freakout began, I found myself washing my hair almost daily just so that I could blow it dry with my Harry Josh Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000, which never fails to give me a smooth, frizz-free look. The problem with this approach? My hair (and likely, yours too) doesn’t need shampoo on the daily. Thus, I have reverted to my tried-and-true ways of shampooing just once a week. Other days, I’ll give my hair a good rinse and follow that up with conditioner, and that’s it.
2. The Great Brush Cleanse
I am well aware that most of us are not great at washing our makeup brushes weekly, like we should—and we’re probably even worse at washing our hair brushes every week, like we should! It was time to give my trusty Mason Pearson a bath. (TIP: Do this on Sunday evenings. You will wake up to clean, dry brushes Monday morning and as a result, feel motivated as if by magic to bounce out of bed and primp for the long week ahead.)
3. The Trusted Hair Mask
I am a big believer in masks—for the face and for the hair, too. Don’t look at them as an unnecessary added step in your routine. You DO have time, and they DO make a difference! My pick right now is Rene Furterer Karite Intense Nourishing Mask … a little goes a long way, and although sleeping with it on is great if you can swing that, 5 minutes in the shower is really all you need.
4. The Old Wives’ Tale
Actually, this isn’t an “old wives’ tale”—it really works! If ever your stubborn hair static persists, grab a dryer sheet and gently pat your hair down with it. It’s not a long-term solution, but it’s probably the quickest fix there is.
5. The New (And Amazing) Product To Obsess Over
I love dry shampoo as much as the next girl—why wouldn’t I? But I just might love its inevitable counterpart, dry conditioner, even better. When my hair is acting up, it gives it the dose of nourishment and moisture it needs to simmer down. My pick? Liquid Keratin Infused Shine and Moisture Renewing Dry Conditioner.
GOT ANY OF YOUR OWN TRICKS FOR FIGHTING STATIC-Y, DRY HAIR? LET’S HEAR ‘EM!