I've Tried Hundreds of Products on My Curly Hair—These Are the 10 That Actually Fight Humidity and Heat

It's all you think about for days. That first gust of heat as you step off the plane, blowing away all cobwebs of a grey summer back in Blighty. Then, the first sip of European Fanta or Diet Coke with a slice of lemon. Or, that sacred time on holiday between your evening shower and dinner. The one thing you probably don't daydream about is how to manage the puff. The unavoidable ballooning of your hair as heat and humidity mingle, undoing your hard work to keep things smooth and slicked.

It's the curse afforded to anyone with hair susceptible to humidity. One minute, your hair is sleek and styled. The next, small ringlets and insistent flyaways pepper your hairline, eventually wrecking even the strongest of hairsprays and styling products.

"Dew and humidity affect the hair by over-saturating the strands with moisture," Michele Scott-Lynch, founder of haircare brand Boucléme explains to me. This moisture absorption then leads to swelling of hair fibres, lifting the cuticle, and making hair appear frizzy. For curly or wavy hair, this disrupts the natural curl pattern, causing a loss of definition.

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A look into my holiday hair must-haves, all of which are listed below.

(Image credit: @morganfargo)

Scott-Lynch goes on to recommend that hair that lacks moisture will seek it from the environment and atmosphere, leading to the over-saturation of moisture and subsequent halo of flyaways.

But, all is not lost. There are ingenious sprays, balms and creams that go the extra mile to maintain your style throughout the day, evening or late night. Consider this your cheat sheet for summer hair that doesn't disintegrate when temperatures hit 20°C plus.

And, don't think for a moment that we've forgotten about scalp care. "‘Your hair and scalp often want different things, but you can help to care for your scalp in humid environments ensuring it stays clean and clear of debris that may cause yeast to build up," says trichologist Jane Mayhead from The Private Clinic on Harley Street. "And, that it is free of heavy oils. If it becomes itchy, make sure to clean and moisturise."

So, maybe pop a clarifying shampoo or scalp scrub in your wash bag too, especially if you're heading off for longer than a hand luggage holiday.

See the Best Hair Products For Battling Humidity:

1. The best hair gel: Briogeo Curl Charisma™ Rice Amino + Quinoa Frizz Control Gel
2. The best hair oil:
Davines Oi Oil
3. The best pre-treatment:
Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
4. The best hair styling cream:
Bread Hair-Cream: Elastic Bounce Leave-In
5. The best hair spray:
R+Co Moon Landing Anti-Humidity Spray
6. The best hair balm:
Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Balm
7. The best smoothing cream:
Ouai Anti Frizz Crème
8. The best hair mask:
Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask
9. The best wax stick:
Tigi Bed Head Wax Stick
10. The sleep saviour:
Bouclème Silk Turban

1. The gel: Briogeo Curl Charisma™ Rice Amino + Quinoa Frizz Control Gel

2. The oil: Davines Oi Oil

3. The pre-treatment: Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray

4. The styling cream: Bread Hair-Cream: Elastic Bounce Leave-In

5. The spray: R+Co Moon Landing Anti-Humidity Spray

6. The balm: Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Balm

7. The smoothing cream: Ouai Anti Frizz Crème

8. The mask: Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask

9. The stick: Tigi Bed Head Wax Stick

10. The sleep saviour: Bouclème Silk Turban

Contributor

Morgan is a Who What Wear contributor and freelance beauty editor published in Refinery29, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and more. She is the former beauty editor of Stylist Magazine. When not tapping away at her keyboard, Morgan is usually found interviewing brand founders and celebrities or creating beauty and skincare content for brands or for her own social media channels.