Today I paid a visit to the West Village loft of Gretta Monahan, beauty/fashion guru extraordinaire (you might know her from "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style"). When discussing what type of blowout I'd like, I told her the truth: I have avoided wearing my hair down for months, due to the constant rain in New York this spring/summer. Even this morning, when it wasn't quite raining yet, I was thinking why bother?
Today I paid a visit to the West Village loft of Gretta Monahan, beauty/fashion guru extraordinaire (you might know her from "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style"). When discussing what type of blowout I'd like, I told her the truth: I have avoided wearing my hair down for months, due to the constant rain in New York this spring/summer. Even this morning, when it wasn't quite raining yet, I was thinking why bother?
Gretta, of course, took this as a challenge. We decided she'd style my hair as stick-straight as possible using very carefully chosen products (more on those later), give me some very specific tips for warding off frizz, and see if the blowout could, in fact, survive the crap weather and look just as good this evening.
Check out this photo of how smooth my hair looked right when I got home. I'll post another shot later tonight, and you can be the judge about whether Gretta's frizz-fighting tips worked.
In the meantime, here are some of Gretta's best tips for getting (and keeping) hair un-fuzzy on rainy and/or hot-humid days.
Always start by misting a heat-protective spray on wet hair. Not only does it stop hair from drying out over time (which makes it much more frizz-prone), it helps create a barrier against environmental moisture. On me, Gretta used Dove's new Heat Activated Protect & Shine Mist.
Add a little anti-frizz product. Just keep the application light, and if you can, skip the holding products (like mousse, styling cream). While the temptation is always to pile on more products when it's crappy out, Gretta says this actually makes frizz seem worse most of the time.
Blow your hair bone dry. Absolutely no moisture should be left in the hair when you're trying to maintain a blowout in humid air.
Let your hair cool completely before stepping out into the elements (or finish your styling by using your dryer's cold setting). This'll ensure that your cuticle lays flat so water vapor can't sneak its way in.
Resist running your hands through your hair. I always thought the oils from my fingers helped smooth frizz, but Gretta pointed out the whole issue of palm heat and sweat--it all goes back to avoiding letting moisture in the hair shaft.
After she finished making my hair smooth and shiny, Gretta sent me out into the muggy New York air for the ultimate test.
The view from outside Gretta's penthouse--see the moisture hanging in the air? It rained AGAIN right after this. Yay.
What are your very best tips for avoiding frizz on rainy and/or humid days? Drop a comment!
Article written by Petra Guglielmetti for Glamour
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