Fighting the fuzz in humid Zululand
Humidity can have disastrous effects on one's hair, causing straight hair to frizz, curls to drop and textured locks to become bushy
LIVING in Zululand has its perks, but fuzz-free hair is definitely not one of them.
Humidity can have disastrous effects on one’s hair, causing straight hair to frizz, curls to drop and textured locks to become bushy.
‘Hair is made up of three layers, with the outer most layer (the cuticle) acting as the protective layer,’ explains ColorProof Evolved Color Care founder Jim Markham.
‘When the cuticle lays smooth and flat, frizz is at bay, but as soon as the cuticle is roughed up, it allows moisture in the hair shaft to swell, creating frizz.’
Luckily, there are a few tricks to fight the fuzz.
Firstly, it is important to know that the drier your locks are, the worse it’s going to look in humid conditions.
Shampooing can really dry out your hair, so try not to wash it every day.
When you do, use a gentle nourishing keratin shampoo.
Invest in a product that is sulfate and salt free.
Rinse out the shampoo with cool water. This will help to close down your hair’s cuticles and seal up the pores so that moisture from the air can’t get in.
Apply a protein rich conditioner to hydrate the hair, and leave it in for five to 10 minutes.
Rinse it out with cool water.
Wrap your hair in a super-absorbent microfiber towel or T-shirt to get rid of excess water.
Rub a nourishing hair oil into your damp hair to make it stronger, shinier and less frizzy.
If you want, you can also apply a tiny amount of smoothing serum to your damp hair. Coating each hair strand, it helps to seal in natural moisture and prevent atmospheric dampness from entering the hair shaft.
Add some styling mousse to define your curls or waves.
Stay away from blow dryers. If you must, use an anti-frizz flat iron on medium heat to smooth down the hair cuticles.
Remember not to touch your hair too often, as this can worsen frizzy hair.
• Sources: livestrong.com, stylecaster.com and hair.allwomenstalk.com
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