hair

ANTI-HUMECTANTS FOR HAIR

photos/post: Kristin Ess

The weather is changing and there’s a lot more moisture in the air, which can be great for your skin but awful after fresh blowout. One of our favorite ways to preserve a new blowout, flat iron waves or curling iron curls when it’s humid outside is to use either an anti-humectant spray or balm, depending on your hair type… but more about that later.

When you blowdry your hair, you’re removing water from the inside as well as the outside. As it dries, you’re (for lack of a better word) “re-forming” the hair into whatever shape you’re round brushing, curling or flat iron it into. Once the hair is dry completely and your look is set, you want to avoid letting too much moisture or water back into the hair because that will encourage your hair to go back to it’s natural state or at least part way there often causing frizziness or limp locks (definitely not saying there’s anything wrong with your hair’s natural state, for the record).

Anti-humectant to the rescue!! You may remember HERE when I was in Miami with Lauren and I talked about using this spray to keep out the Miami moisture. Anti-humectants basically create a thin invisible film on the hair that will repel water and moisture, keeping it styled the way you want it. I typically use two different types of anti-humectant products. A balm or a spray. I tend to use THIS SUPER FINE SPRAY version for thin or fine hair because it’s a lighter application. I finish the heat styling that I want to do on the hair and then spray a light veil of this. When it comes to thick, coarse or curly blown out hair, I will often turn to THIS BALM version. It’s the balm. Ha! Warm up a pea sized dab of this in between the palms of your hands and distribute evenly, starting in area where moisture attacks your hair the most, this can be different for everyone.

Whichever you choose, try to be light handed with it because you don’t need much. Anti-humectant products tend to last me a very long time. They shampoo out really easily and never feel oily or greasy when applied correctly. Follow the instruction on the bottle and do what’s right for your own amount of hair. These are also great in the summer when it’s hot or if you sweat at night, which often causes the underneath of your hair to frizz up.

Have you ever tried anti-humectant spray or balm? If so, spill it in the comments below!