This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I thought it might be fun to share some of our best secrets for summer hair. For example, when my hair was straighter, I felt like I was constantly battling frizz — so I kept a container of Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon at the office and would smooth it on my locks before I left the office to meet up with friends. If Frizz-Ease was somehow unavailable, I just would take a slightly bigger amount of my hand lotion (I'm addicted to Curel) and, after moisturizing my hands, smooth the remaining amount on my hair.
I have never been a fan of blowdryers in the summertime, but especially over the past 5 years or so (as my hair has gotten curlier) I've been doing minimal blowdrying in the summer (sometimes just 3-5 minutes of blowdrying at the crown of my hair) and then letting the rest airdry into whatever waves or curls my hair wants to go into. As any curly girl will tell you, there are a million different suggestions for products and procedures for curly hair, and it's a lot of experimentation — and I'm still in the process of finding my comfort level with it all. So take these tips with a grain of salt, but for curly hair, I've definitely found that the less I touch it while it's air-drying, the better it comes out. I've also found that while it doesn't seem to matter what product I put in my hair, it does seem to matter when I put it in — namely, my waves and curls come out better if I put the product in when my hair is still dripping wet in the shower, before I even squeeze water out of it. (I got the idea from this video.) I tend to prefer curling creams versus mousses and gels — my goal is to avoid crunchy hair! — but that's me.
When I wear my hair up, I've been using the “pull some hair out so your ponytail is looser” hair trick that I learned earlier this year (again: how did I not know that?!), and I think I might try Extra Petite's tip with her velcro bump — I definitely have a flat head. Other stuff I've tried: spin pins (but my hair has to be soaking wet when I put them in, meaning there's no real opportunity to add a velcro bump or otherwise tease the hair), sock buns (they do work well for a more no-heat curl, but my hair seems to be too layered for the sock bun to actually look good while I'm wearing it).
Readers, what are your best discoveries, tips and tricks for good-looking hair in the summer?
Herbie
Instant threadjack and somewhat appro in light of the topic. Inspiration: the poster earlier this a.m. who took a chunk of her leg out shaving the first time (yeowch).
Any beauty routine horror stories / mishaps resulting from your youth/ignorance/naivete?
I’ll go first. Nobody told me anything about shaving my legs either. So the first time I tried, I used vasoline in lieu of soap, shaving cream, ANYTHING ELSE. It was about as ineffective and disgusting as it sounds.
Cat
I purposefully grow my bob a little longer in summer to enable a polished, not-too-tight ponytail for days when the humidity makes my semi-wavy (easy to blow dry into a nice, sleek bob in winter, but hopeless on steamy days and not wavy enough to be cute) hair act out. As a bonus, the ponytail is even better behaved if I only blow-dry to about 75% dry :)
Herbie, that is funny. I don’t have any huge mishaps (aside from being a bit overzealous with the tweezers at first – thank goodness THAT grew back), but I remember being PETRIFIED to ask my mother if I could have a razor to shave my legs.
momentsofabsurdity
I have a couple minor mishaps. I burned my forehead once with a straightener and had a big black mark that was pretty noticeable. For a while in about the fifth grade, my mom had some shine gel and I didn’t realize you were supposed to work it through your hair, so I just had one big shiny blob right above my forehead.
momentsofabsurdity
Oh and I can’t forget the over-plucked eyebrows debacle when I was 14. I still shudder a bit at those pictures.
30
I wish someone would tell me that at some point, the brow hairs *won’t* grow back on their own. I would have gone way easier on the plucking in the past and not have to spend so much money now on brow-growth serums….
Hmmm
Do those serums work? I have the same problem.
30
I’ve been using RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum for about 3 months and have recently begun to notice that I need to use my eyebrow pencil less. So it seems to be working – slowly.
anon
No kidding. The brow thing happened to a friend. I have given myself some scars from picking at acne, and semi-ingrown toenails from inept clipping.
I plan on taking my half-sister to a proper brow salon when she is 13 so she can be told that she should not mess with tweezers, and that I will take her to a proper place for age-appropriate tidying (i.e. no unibrow) in exchange for her not messing with tweezers. I’ve already told her many, many times, to not mess with her toenails lest she end up with ingrown ones. I will also take her to facials for safe extractions and get her a proper inexpensive skincare line with SPF if she gets acne and starts picking at her face. I don’t want to send her the wrong message (that appearances are more important than anything), but I also really don’t want her to permanently scar herself.
onehsancare
I have holes in my eyebrows from really bad plucking when a teen. I’ve told both my nieces that I will take them to brow salons when they’re 13 to avoid the same fate. We have a familial tendency to, how shall I say, compulsivity, and none of us should be trusted with tweezers!
Esquared
One of the great thinks about having lots of hair that grows ridiculously fast is that my formerly super thin middle school eyebrows have come back full force.
But seriously, I had MANY curlingiron burns on my forehead from 1995-2003.
The craziest thing I did though was def when I decided to shave off my very curly bangs & cut new ones (I was about 8 or 9)… somehow I thought the new ones would be straighter & seamlessly replace the old ones. Needless to say it was a disaster that took several years to recover from.
anon (awkward)
I’ll be honest; I still don’t know a lot of it. I never was told how to shave, how to clean a razor, what to shave, etc. – and forget waxing! (I think I’m going to try cold wax soon, though.) That’s just shaving. I am sure I do twenty things hilarious to others, but I have no clue still!
dragonlady
Not exactly a horror story/ mishap, but a lesson learned:
I used to put up my stick straight hair into a pony tail every day while still wet. Putting it up while still wet helped keep it neat and tidy. However, after a few months of this, I went to get a trim and my hairdresser showed me how the pony tail was causing my hair to break– I had normal hair for the first several inches off my head, but where the pony tail holder hit it, the hair suddenly got much thinner.
Kay
For this reason, I sleep in scrunchies that are relics from my high school years in the 90s (oh yes, they come in many colors). I would never wear them in public, but they are super gentle on my hair around the house.
JenK
Me too.
csb
Not my horror story, but my aunt’s. The first day she shaved her legs, she didn’t know what to do with the hair in the razor. Instead of rinsing it off in the water, she wiped it off with her fingers.
Senior Attorney
GAH!!!
*faint*
magnolia
i did that too!! i still shudder when i think about it.
Goosebumpy
Me too! Such a relief to know I wasn’t the only one who almost ended up with no thumbprints!
Eleanor
Haha, I did this too. I had little cuts all over my fingers. Why on earth did I think that was a good idea?
a.
Ack! Your aunt is lucky to still have ten fingertips.
I also took a chunk out of myself the first time I tried to shave. Nothing too fascinating or weird.
Maddie Ross
When I was about 12, I was bored watching TV and messing with my hair. I rolled the front part of my hair around a comb, the same way you would use a roller, all the way up until it was flush with my forehead. And it got stuck. I had to cut it out and ended up with a teeny tiny fringe on the front, that grew out into a kewpie doll curl instead of real bangs. Horrid.
silly 6th graders
When i was in 6th grade, it was about the time girls started to shave thier legs, but i was too embarrased to ask my mom for a razer and tell her i wanted to start, so i sat in my room with scissors (like, craft scissors, but sharp ones) and tried to CUT the hair off my legs. yeah, i took a giant chunk out of the back of my knee. then ending up having to tell mom anyways i wanted to start shaving. these are funny, i like this idea.
still need a handle
I actually LOL’d at this in my office.
CA Atty
Oh, the first time someone mentioned that my hair *ahem* stuck out of my suit I was at my grandparents and went at ’em in the bathroom with nail clippers.
Oh the horrors of being a teenaged (and pre-teen!) girl. :-)
PharmaGirl
I did the same thing!
Kay
Ha! This reminds me of when I was around that age and on a school field trip. I started laughing at something my friend said, and my gum fell out of my mouth and into my hair! The bus had to stop and one of the teachers had to run in for peanut butter to get it out. I was horrified.
anon
Haha. This happened to me at 22…while attempting to curl my hair with a round brush…getting ready for a college graduation-related event! Fortunately was able to get it out with loads of conditioner and even more patience, so no tiny bangs for me.
b23
I got my eyebrows waxed while on Accutane in high school – for. prom. That’s right. My senior year prom pictures, I have big strips of skin taken off below my eyebrows. That was painful, both physically and emotionally.
AMB
I found out the first time I waxed my eyebrows that I am VERY allergic to wax. The entire upper half of my face swelled up and stayed that way for three. I’m just grateful I tried my eyebrows first compared to other areas…
KK
Ohhh no. Having made that mistake once myself (but not before prom!), I truly feel your pain.
houda
reading this while just back from a threading session;
I too did the waxing on Accutane…Twice.. even if my dermatologist was very clear: no waxing.
I had to lie at work and tell them I burnt my upper lip with hot tea…
michelle
I once used mayonnaise as a hair conditioner in high school, which actually does work pretty well – but missed that you are supposed to shampoo it out, not just rinse. This was absolutely every bit as greasy and awful as it sounds and I recall spending the day wearing a parka (remember those army green parkas with the fur lined hoods?) with the hood on in class ALL DAY LONG.
JessC
I think I was seventh grade when I first tried to curl my hair. With my mom’s old curling iron. I basically doused my hair with non-aerosol hair spray and then rolled it up into the curling iron. I don’t think I ever figured out how to get the curl to extend all the way down the length of the hair either (meaning the bottom 1-2 inches were stick straight). It was a crunchy, ugly mess. In retrospect, I’m lucky I didn’t fry all my hair off.
I shudder to remember what my yearbook picture looked like that year. And even get me started on my grossly over-plucked eyebrows…
MsZ
High school pool party . . . My bras and bathing suits didn’t dim the headlights, so to speak, so I put these flesh-colored round pads my mom had bought me to put in my bras (why not just new bras, mom?) into my bathing suit top. One jump off the diving board later . . . they were bobbing along the surface of the pool waiting for me to surface to general laughter.
phillygirlruns
my grandparents are italian immigrants. while i can thank them for my fabulous head of thick and shiny dark brown hair, i can ALSO than them for the equally thick-and-dark-brown hair on my arms, legs, and face. when i was in about fourth or fifth grade, my grandmother promised me to get me electrolysis for my sixteenth birthday (and oh, how i wish she’d made good on that promise). i started routinely using nair on my upper lip and unibrow sometime around the age of 10, under my mother’s supervision. back in the late 80s/early 90s, that stuff not only smelled horrible, it burned too – one time, we left it on too long and i had beautiful scabs extending from the base of my nostrils to the corners of my mouth. peachy.
Tired Squared
I hated Nair. Like you said, it smelled horrible, and definitely burned … and then took chunks of my skin off with it!
eek
Sun-In. Is that what it’s called? Yeah, I didn’t see results right away and I only had to wait 30 minutes. But, 15 yr old me could.not.wait. So I kept spraying it on. Again. Again. And, again. I ended up with orange/blonde hair.
Awful Lawful
Oh, I totally had the orange Sun-In look for a year or two.
Also, it my quest to make my straight hair curly, my Mom agreed to let me get a perm in middle school, which was super cool, until I came home from the salon and proceeded to brush it out. If you’ve never seen a brushed out perm, it turned into a giant frizzy mess. Adding to the look was the fact that my hair was shoulder length at the time, so it looked like a giant triangle head. Somehow I must have missed the lesson about not brushing a perm. That was a rough time and it took months to grow out. I still shudder at pictures from that time.
MissJackson
I overdid it on Sun-In in college. I used it every morning, and convinced myself that the super-bleach blonde (not to mention crunchy and terribly damaged) hair looked “natural”. The pictures from those days make me laugh so hard now. At least you were 15… I was hypothetically old enough to know better.
Lucy
I learned only within the last year (from an amused friend) that women my age (37) now use Nair for their bikini areas. I had gone years either doing nothing or shaving, and have been married a long time, so I wasn’t part of a dating cohort where that info might have been shared, ikwim. I was interested but did nothing in particular with this new knowledge.
Soooooo, I was slated to go to a pool party last weekend.
I learned that there’s kind of a learning curve involved, and that one should apply the stuff carefully and evenly if one wants a basically symmetrical finished look.
Annony
The first time I used Nair on my legs and didn’t do a little test area as directed. My legs had a bad reaction to the Nair and had broken out about half an hour prior to using it. Of course it was also summer. Not a good look.
TurtleWexler
Ugh, I missed that earlier thread but I just took a big slice out of my ankle a couple months ago. I’ve been shaving my legs for well over15 years at this point, so it’s not like I’m a novice…just bad at it, I guess. It took weeks to heal and I’ve still got a nasty scar that shows no signs of going away anytime soon. It still kind of makes my stomach turn to remember the feeling when it happened.
Socksberg
For the past two years I’ve done a Keratin hair straightening treatment at the start of the summer, and my very curly but fine hair becomes easy-to-manage loose waves for a few months. Take that, humidity and genetics!
orphan annie hair
Has anybody had BAD experiences with keratin treatments?
I’ve been thinking about taking the plunge because the frizz is just unbearable – but for the cost, I want to make sure it’s going to work.
momentsofabsurdity
I did. It really did not reduce frizz for me noticeably. I found it generally a waste and went back to Japanese straightening (but then again, I prefer my hair straight, not curly, so keratin wasn’t the ideal longterm choice for me anyway).
Socksberg
I did a few different treatments at a few different salons, and out of the 4 times I’ve had it done, one (the Brazilian Keratin frizz-reducing treatment) was a miserable failure. It was supposed to reduce frizz and not straighten the curl, but the end result was less curl and plenty of frizz. I also have friends with much thicker hair than I for whom the Keratin treatment was less effective.
orphan annie hair
What’s the difference between a straightening treatment and an anti-frizz treatment in keratin world? I’d definitely want the straightening treatment.
Socksberg
In my experience, every salon calls their treatment something a little different, so the best way to determine what type they do is to call and have them explain it to you. An in-person consultation will allow them to give you a better idea of what results you might see, because I believe it does vary based on the kind of hair and curl you have. It does get expensive, so if you are unsure, look for a groupon or a deal to bring the price down so it’s less of a major commitment.
Curls Galore
I spent $650 on Japanese straightening of my very curly, very thick, very long hair. I live in Florida and wanted to out wit the humidity. I had heard of bad experiences with keratin, so I went with the Japanese straightening. The treatment took almost all day and only ever so slightly straightened my hair. Wasn’t worth the money or the time at all, at least for me. I know others rave about it.
AMB
I shower at night and braid my hair sometimes to give it some texture in the morning, a little bit more beachy for summertime.
Spent the morning at a downtown hotel to give and listen to a number of presentations. It was on gender issues so of course 95% women and spotted some great outfits! Before I jaunted back to the office dared the department store which was of course crazy thanks to massive sales. Had to make myself walk away from an adorable, but impractical, Kate Spade at 30% off though I did pick up one of her ‘all in a days work’ blackberry holsters.
CW
What type of hair do you have? And do you air/towel dry your hair, or is it soaking wet when you braid it? This sounds like it might be a good experiment to try.
AMB
I have lots of fine hair. I generally let it air dry for a bit, so its about 50% wet still.
HereThere
I do this for my very, very thick, curly, frizzy hair (which I love) at times to add a bit more texture/less frizz. I think the result looks great, hence my continued use of it. It takes forever for me, though, so I don’t do it much.
It is different looks when you do super tiny or only small braids.
As another note, when it is very wet out so my hair is wicked frizzy or when I just want it more defined/longer lasting, I will rub product into the braids. This helps a lot.
kerrycontrary
Aveda’s anti-humectant is the only thing I’ve found that works for very humid days in DC/Baltimore. It’s a heavy product but it’s effective. Otherwise I use Bumble and Bumble’s defrizz when wearing my naturally wavy hair straight (which I do the majority of time at work).
CE
Yes times a million to Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon. I keep tubes of it in my desk, my work bag and my gym bag.
On a totally unrelated note, I’ve been working with a recruiter on a job search, but am ultimately going to end up taking a job that I got through a friend, not the recruiter. Would it be appropriate to send a fruit basket or something to thank her for her time? I’ve only been working with her for about two weeks and although she’s sent out some resumes and cover letters for me, nothing has come of it. The offer that I got through my friend came about much quicker than I would have expected and is just way too good to pass up.
EC MD
I would write her a quick note and say something like “Thank you so much for working with me. I’m delighted to report that I have found a job through a friend. I will be sure to pass your name on to others who are in the same field.”
Really, a referral is the best gift you can give her; and for two weeks of work without getting you a job I think a fruit basket would be slightly over the top. Not crazy, but not necessary.
CA Atty
I finally, somewhat rudely, cut off contact with a recruiter who was just. not. getting it. He contacted me and was super enthused, we chatted on the phone and I liked him and he seemed to have some great positions lined up for me to interview with…and then nothing. He finally responded to my calls and emails by saying that those positions had filled and he didn’t have anything at that time but would contact me when he did. About a month later, he emails me again like we had never spoken. I reminded him that we had and he was all enthused again saying he had a few great positions I was qualified for. He sent them to me and I was not qualified for 1/2 of the positions (i.e. IP with 3-5 years experience when I had 2-3 years experience in labor, what??).
I told him which ones I was interested in and he promised to contact me the next week with interview times. About a month later he emailed me, again like we had never spoken. I reminded him that we had and at that time I had an offer for my current job and told him that since he apparently had too many clients to keep straight, and reminded him he had at least 4 different emails with my resume/transcript/writing sample, that I was not interested in hearing from him again.
Thus, in my experience, recruiters don’t actually do a whole lot and a fruit basket would be over the top. If you liked her a referral is all that’s really necessary.
SFMK
I like the Frederic Fekkai glossing cream (available at Target) and the Moroccan Oil one. And this might not work for hot climates (I’m in the Bay Area where it has been cold/foggy in the mornings) but in the morning I wear a hat from my walk to the bus and take it off right before I go into work to avoid the instant frizzing that happens right when I walk out the door.
Molly
I have odd curly hair – it’s fairly coarse, tight waves, but not tight curls. It can get very frizzy in humid weather. I’ve struggled for a long time with figuring out how to make it look “professional.” I wear it long – past my shoulders. So this is my routine:
– Shower in the morning, comb through with a wide-tooth comb while the hair is soaking wet.
– After getting out of the shower, I shake my hair in a circle (think headbanging). It looks ridiculous, but it separates out the curls a bit without me using my hands.
– I then add a bit of leave-in conditioner (or just regular conditioner) and use my fingers to separate out my curls.
– I add KMS mousse – not too much, or the hair will get crunchy – and then scrunch up the curls from the tips.
– I then diffuse for about 20 seconds for each section of hair (about 6-8 sections, total).
– Then, I let it air-dry.
This usually means that my hair will look great, once it’s dry, but the biggest problem is that my hair will be wet for a while. My office is somewhat relaxed, so I don’t think people care too much if I come in with slightly wet hair, but I do worry about client meetings. The problem is, if I dry it all the way with the diffuser it will come out very frizzy. What do people think about being in the office with wet hair?
LinLondon
Ooooohhh, the headbanging sounds like a great idea. I’m going to steal it!
I go to the office with wet hair all the time, but it’s a pretty laid-back office and I’m the boss. I’d say that if you’re diffusing it a bit beforehand anyway, it’s probably not so wet that it’s distracting or anything,
rosielo
I feel like you and I have similar hair (mine’s super thick), and I think mine hides the fact that it’s damp really well. When it’s wet, of course it’s obvious, but once it dries a little bit, I think it’s unnoticeable (I could be wrong). So I figure I look as fine as possible when I get into the office.
PharmaGirl
Sounds like my hair as well. I regularly go to work with wet hair and don’t think it’s noticeable at all, despite my hair taking at least 12 hours to fully dry on its own.
RR
I have very similar hair, and I’m totally going to try the head banging!
I do a similar routine. I comb through while soaking wet, then I apply a hair oil. The one I use is amika Obliphica, and it smells like sandalwood and vanilla. Lovely. Then after it air dries while I do the rest of my morning routine, I use Bumble and Bumble curl creme for fine curls (even though I have thick coarse curls) and do a minimal amount of scrunching/separating. I then blow dry with a diffuser on a low/medium setting and finish with a serum, which I apply by simulating pulling my hair back in a loose pony. That last step breaks up any crunchiness. Somehow, this all works, although I feel like a witchdoctor doing a rain dance. Who knows if it works because I need all these steps or if I just had a good hair day coincidentally and keep sticking it out!
Research, Not Law
I have a similar routine but will definitely add in the headbanging.
I go to work with wet hair all the time. Even if I wash my hair the night before and braid it or put it up, it will still be wet in the morning. I work in casual offices, do not have client contact, and have only had one odd comment from a coworker years ago. I’m still not sure if it was passive aggressive or just a comment on how it’s rare to see wet hair in a professional setting. Either way, it wasn’t enough to get me to dry my hair. I’d rather look presentable for half the day than unpresentable for the entire day because my hair is crazy frizzy.
soulfusion
I’ll be reading attentively and taking notes as I am dealing with curly hair for the first time after a lifetime of stick-straight, humidity proof hair. My hair is all new growth and still very short and I have no idea what to do with it. Some days it looks kind of 80s feathered – eek!
And on a related note, due to my current regime of drugs (I presume), I have no tolerance for humidity and am already miserable if I’m away from my a/c and it is only May! Since my hair is so short, it quickly becomes very obvious how hot I am as my head sweats A LOT! Yesterday I arrived at work looking as if I had run 5 miles through the jungle – the hair at the back of my neck and around my ears was literally dripping with sweat and of course gets curlier. Any suggestions to reduce this or cope or just commiseration is greatly appreciated!
Also, thanks to those commenters wishing me luck on my most recent biopsy – got the result today of NORMAL! Good news! Although I was harboring the tiniest hope that it would be just abnormal enough for me to justify getting rid of the medication that is giving me heat stroke (among a number of other irritating side effects) but not bad enough to require anything other than continued monitoring.
EC MD
Yay! I’ve been thinking of you and that biopsy and am so glad you let us know!
Just a quick question, which isn’t really my business. Do you go to an oncologist who specializes in young women with breast cancer? So many of these issues are tricky — it’s one thing to put an 80 year old woman on long term hormone replacement, but another for a young woman.
Anyways, none of my business, just so so happy for your good news!
soulfusion
Yes, my oncologist works with young women and we’ve had many conversations about the pros and cons of tamoxifen since after only a couple of months on it I plunged into a debilitating depression (honestly, I think depression is SO much more difficult than coping with cancer). I went off it for a month as I started an anti-depressant (again, working with a psychiatrist at my cancer center with whom I have frequent conversations about how my age affects my reaction to tamox) and while I feel stabilized in terms of mood, the crazy heat sensitivity (but not a lot of hot flashes) is rough in the recent heat wave in the northeast. The biopsy was an endometrial biopsy following an abnormal ultrasound. I keep hearing a lot of these S/E subside with time but I do have to pep talk myself to stick with it.
IMMJ
I had the same issue with head sweating when my hair was growing out after chemo. The good news is that as your hair gets longer it absorbs the sweat so it isn’t so noticeable. In the meantime you might want to have a small cloth with you to blot up the sweat. And congratulations on the biopsy result – that’s wonderful news.
soulfusion
oh, good suggestion! I couldn’t believe I was sweating far more noticeably than my brother when we went for a long walk this weekend. Although his hair is definitely longer than mine so while I feel like my hair feels super long right now, I keep seeing other women with short hair and realize how very short mine really is!
CW
Yay! I’m so glad to hear about your biopsy results!
rosielo
Re: the normal biopsy, that’s great!
I had short hair for years, and what you need is wax. Or paste. Take a little bit out of the container, rub it between your fingers, and work through dry hair. Short hair is so much easier! I’ve been wanting to chop mine off due to the wave of humidity we’ve been having here in NYC.
In regards to the short hair showing sweat, I can’t offer a solution, but I can certainly commiserate. I used to (only sort of) dread going clubbing because my bangs would get all sweaty and gross. My general hot weather tip- which is not that revolutionary- to everyone is to get little refresher wipes. I have Giovanni brand ones that have a lavender or peppermint scent. They don’t really help you dry off, but they always make me feel so much cooler, and sort of help me stop freaking out about the fact that I’m sweaty.
soulfusion
My stylist gave me wax a couple of months ago but I’m kind of hit and miss with it because I’m still learning how to use it – I’ve never been much of a product girl – and humidity wasn’t a factor then and my hair hadn’t started curling at that point. I’ll play around with it. Other than the sweat thing I do love the short hair! And I am also in NYC – I will not last the summer if this humidity does ease off.
Hel-lo
Product is important for short hair. I like creme. Rub it in your hands before you apply it. It warms it up and makes it more pliable.
magnolia
don’t they take off all your makeup though? although i guess my foundation has already given up when i’m super sweaty.
rosielo
I don’t do makeup in the summer. I just… can’t. Mascara and bright lipstick for me.
Anonnc
If you haven’t seen it before, I recommend you check out chiagal[dot]com. It’s a blog written by a young woman who lost her hair to chemo. If you check out her archives, you can track through her growing out phase. If I’m remembering correctly, she also went from straight to curly.
VA
Is it weird that I have better summer hair than winter hair, or is this just a straight hair thing? In the winter, my hair is incredibly static-y and drives me totally nuts, but I don’t have this problem in the summer. Has anyone used anti-frizz cream in the winter for static-y hair like mine?
Also, does anyone have tips for avoiding shedding hair like crazy? I’m not going bald, don’t worry, because I still have a ton of hair and this has gone on for years and years, but I’m constantly shedding hair. It’s not very professional to be covered with your own hairs…:(
EC MD
I have straight, fine hair and live in a very dry climate. This winter, I started using a hair oil in the morning and it seemed to really control the static. I use the kerastase one, which is expensive but doesn’t make my fine hair look greasy, so that’s a plus.
For hair falling out, which I have a problem with, I just make sure I brush my hair in the morning before I put my shirt in and sort of aggressively run my hands over it to make sure any loose ones come out. The rest of the day the nurses and my office staff pick hair off me as needed.
csb
I have the frizz in the summer AND the static in the winter. I finally went to Sally and picked up Miracle 7 keratin conditioner and leave-in mist. It worked really well for my static in the winter.
Unfortunately, I’m a shedder too. It freaked my husband out at first, especially when it increased after having a kid. My coworkers are always finding my hair everywhere. I just try to brush my hair really well in the morning and at night, but it’s going to come out at some point.
JessC
Not weird – as someone with stick-straight fine hair I definitely turn into a walking ball of static electricity in the winter. But I do live in a very humid climate and even I get a mild case of the frizzies in the summer.
soulfusion
Not weird. My pre-chemo hair was fine and straight and static in the winter was the worst! I was also a huge shedder and I can’t believe how long my bathroom remained clean after I shaved my head and now that I have short hair! As others have said I just brushed it well in the morning and also pulled the loose hairs out in the shower when I shampooed/conditioned. Gross, but I stuck it on the shower wall, then wadded it up to throw away. This helped my drain and lessened the shed factor throughout the day and on my couch.
Lyssa
I have the static in the winter problem, too! My 2 tricks – 1) some sort of smoothing or anti-frizz cream tends to help, and help smooth it out in general or 2) Hand lotion, applied just to the tips when damp. This works and gives it a little bit of a wave, which I like when I’m going casual.
Merabella
I have straight fine hair – and lots of it. Due to my recent love affair with YouTube hair tutorials I have added leave in conditioner to my routine. I have found that this helps with the static issue and I don’t have nearly as many fly-aways. I can’t help with the shedding thing though, I have the same problem.
Research, Not Law
I have better summer hair, too – although I attribute it to living in the PNW where the summers are dry-but-not-too-dry and the winters are humid (with rain).
I’m a big-time shedder. Other than combing it out as often as possible, I have no solution. I once had a desk chair with upholstery that had a velcro effect – it was disgusting.
a.k.
I’ve mentioned it before, but I’ve found the Living Proof no-frizz products to be the best thing for my hair. No sulfates and no silicones to mess up your hair’s texture.
Threadjack: The MZ Wallace first call pre-sale. I had finally decided to pull the trigger on a bag I’ve been eyeing and it sold out. Anyone know if they add more inventory when the sale goes live to the general public?
(My wallet is happy right now, but my heart is a bit heavy.)
elf
I *love* the Living Proof line. I live in FL and have long, wavy-with-curls-at-the-end, medium-thick hair that is still somehow fine-textured. Regular silicones play hob with my hair and weigh it down so it looks greasy, so do 99% of anti-frizz treatments.
I started with the no frizz line but have since switched to the Restore line (shampoo, conditioner and treatment) and honestly, I am amazed. I still get a little frizz right around my hairline (though I think that’s more due to face treatments touching the baby hairs) but the rest of my hair is fantastic and so, so shiny.
If I braid it or put it up in a bun when almost dry, it shakes out into perfect shiny waves. I really love the leave-in treatment, it’s velvety and doesn’t have that heavy feeling.
USAJOBS resume builder q
I’m currently filling out the usajobs website resume builder and have a basic question. Is it appropriate to insert volunteer experience in the “Experience” section when it directly addresses the desired skill set posted in the job announcement? The “Experience” section would be the first section read by the agency.
Or is it better to put it in the “Additional Information” section for job-related honors, awards, leadership activities, skills (such as computer software proficiency or typing speed) or any other information requested by a specific job announcement. TIA for any tips.
USAJOBS resume builder q
Forgot to mention Moroccan oil helps with frizz. Stylist instructed me to take just a dab with a fingertip and then mix with a pump of my mousse before applying throughout.
NoVAAtty
I think this depends on whether you have any paid experience relevant to the skill set. If you don’t have any, then I would list it there. The problem you may run in to is that I think you then have to list salary, title, etc which might make it a bit awkward. If the volunteer experience is the most, and only, relevant one, I would put it under “Experience” section. Otherwise you will never get past HR.
Dessert Doctor
I suggest putting that content under the “additional info” section, being sure to use some of the language from the announcement to describe how the experience is related. I’ve heard from HR staff who review the applications that volunteer experiences are appropriate to include if they relate to the skills of the position – you just want to be sure to connect the dots for them.
USAJOBS resume builder q
Thanks for the responses. I’m afraid that I won’t get past HR, as NoVAAtty mentioned, if I don’t put these experiences in the “Experience” section. They are the only experiences that relate to one of the several knowledge, skills and abilities that the announcement asks for. Using the language from the job announcement is a helpful tip; I often forget when I’m in the “throes” of applying to gov jobs.
cfm
Did people get the groupon email today that said “say happy fathers day to the man who gave birth to you” weird joke or typo?
HereThere
aahahahahahahah thanks for sharing that.
I’d guess mistake, but who knows?
CA Atty
I got that! But I’m so sick of Groupon I didn’t click through to see if it became more clear if it was a joke or typo.
cfm
haha it didnt become more clear! i feel like they do weird humor stuff sometimes so Im guessing just mistake
KK
Yes! I was so confused…joke? not joke? Didn’t seem quite funny enough to be a joke. Anyway, I guess it got my attention.
Hel-lo
I got that. It’s weird.
My BF loves Groupon. I kind of hate it. If you can get to your Groupon before the expiration date, the deal you get is often some crappy deal anyway.
I also have been told that local small businesses will tell Groupon to sell like 300 Groupons, and then the site will actually sell like 2000. This has closed down a few businesses in my community.
Batgirl
Job question: I was hired about a year ago for a two-year position. There are loose possibilities of staying past two years, but very far from guaranteed and not openly discussed. An (permanent and rare) opportunity in another department of the same organization has opened up and I am very interested in it. The director of that department has urged me to apply.
Question: is it terrible form to apply for another job within the organization only one year in to a two year position (they’d want me to start within a few months)? And even if it is, do I do it anyway because I’ve got to look out for myself and my current position is only temporary?
TCFKAG
Apply (especially if the supervisor of the other position urged you to). I think basically the two supervisors will battle it out if they really want you.
And, though I rarely say this, NGDGTCO, girlfriend!
AK
You need this book: http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Lorraine-Massey/dp/0761123008
You mentioned that you don’t like gel b/c of the crunch factor. Gel is actually the secret weapon of beautiful curly hair but you do have to figure out which one will not leave your hair crunchy. If you read the book, you know to look out for clear gels that don’t feel sticky to touch. For a cost effective gel, try tresemme’s curl defining gel (http://www.tresemme.com/Products/Flawless-Curls/Flawless-Curls-Defining-Gel/) Also check out the website naturallycurly.com for more tips on product reviews. Lastly, great curly hair starts with a proper curly hair cut (the dry method of cutting curly hair). Check out the aforementioned website to find a salon in your area that knows how to do this kind of cut. I am curly hair enthusiast mainly because I’ve got a bunch of them on my own head. Enjoy!
CA Atty
This is so timely. I’m almost out of my hair cream and was thinking that I don’t really like it anymore. I planning on threadjacking but Kat beat me to it! :-)
John Frieda - Weather-Proofing Style Sealant Crème
Anyone else use this? I love it, but it has just been discontinued. Secret Weapon doesn’t seem to work as well.
Any recommendations?
Hel-lo
I’ve been using this and love it: http://www.amazon.com/Garnier-Fructis-Style-Anti-Frizz-Strong/dp/B006WVCCQQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338496926&sr=8-2
Cookies
Is it inappropriate (unprofessional?) to arrive at work with semi-damp hair? I love to air dry my hair. Blow drying — even on a low heat setting — leaves me a sweaty mess – and it becomes difficult to apply makeup and my clothing sticks to my body. Beside the fact that it takes way too long and my arms feel like they are going to fall off after 5 minutes. I like to do a quick blow dry and then allow the rest of my hair to air dry. I’m a new associate at a firm and I’ve been hesitant to come in with damp hair. If its damp I pull it back into a hair clip so no one notices. I do not have a long commute (only 5 minutes). I usually do breakfast in the morning, shower, get ready and go. I could shower first to give my hair a little extra time to dry at home while I eat breakfast but it still won’t be dry by the time I get to work.
The other part of my issue is that I’m considering going to the gym in the morning. This would leave even less time for hair drying, but it would be great to get a workout in before work.
Batgirl
I think it is unprofessional, but it depends on how noticeable it is, I guess. One woman I worked with would come back from the gym with her hair wet and people definitely talked about it as incredibly unprofessional.
CA Atty
Meh, I wouldn’t do it if you’re meeting with a client first thing in the morning, but my secretary or boss really doesn’t care if I have wet hair. Mine is frequently wet for the same reasons you identify here, I have a lot of hair and blow drying it heats me up terribly. I do have some clips that I use on occasion, but that’s mostly just to get the hair out of my face while I’m doing other things.
As always, a kyo thing!
Batgirl, I’m so amazed that people even cared that the woman’s hair was wet when she came back from the gym! I can’t gym before or during work because I stay beet red for HOURS but I (and everyone I’ve ever worked with) could not care less about something like this.
ML
I do it everyday. I do feel like I look a little unprofessional, but the benefits to me outweigh that. I have pretty long, layered hair, and I go to the gym every morning. I basically do what you describe- blow dry a tiny bit (usually just the pieces in front), scrunch the rest and air dry. I usually get in around 8:45 and am just in my office for the first few hours, so no one really sees me. If I have a meeting at 9 I pin my hair up so no one can see that it’s still wet. I don’t go to court with wet hair and I wouldn’t meet a client with wet hair, but that’s about it.
My office is west coast and fairly casual for big law though, so know your office.
Hel-lo
Have you tried using the blowdryer on the cool setting? That’s what I use in the summer.
still need a handle
I agree that it’s a bit unprofessional, even though I’m guilty of it myself, sometimes. Having to blow-dry my hair every morning so makes me resent being a woman, especially when my husband can roll out of bed, shower, and be out the door in ten minutes.
love your curls!
Get some big metal gator clips and clip your hair so that its poofed at the roots and let it air dry that way to add volume on top of your head . . . also, if you blow dry at the crown, keep your head flipped over while your hair cools. It will help it stay a bit higher w/o teasing.
Accountress
What do ya’ll do with your hair after swimming? Thanks to extended sunlight and an earlier leave time, I’m spending 2-3 hours at my pool each day. Last summer, I just used my Suave clarifying shampoo and normal conditioner at night, but now that I’m getting it colored, I’ve been told clarifying shampoo will breakdown the color faster and so should be avoided.
For non-swimming times, I use Paul Mitchell Color Protect shampoo and Wild Ginger Awapuhi Keratin Rinse conditioner. I have wicked thick hair (and a lot of it), sulfates and the ilk don’t bother me, and I don’t mind paying for quality products- so any recommendations would be very welcome!
Anne Shirley
I have no suggestions, but am so extremely jealous of your pool time
kerrycontrary
I would put in a leave in conditioner (I love Bumble and Bumble’s-you can get it at salons or on amazon) before and after swimming. If you notice your hair is starting to dry out I would also consider using their weekly deep conditioner, working from tip to root. When I’m at the beach I’ve occasionally even used Johnson and Johnson detangler (the stuff you use on babies and kids). It works really well at keeping your hair soft. You can also try a UV spray if you are swimming outside to protect your color.
Elle
I use a leave-in cream by Neutragena (can’t recall the name) before swimming or before being outside for extended periods of time. It has a UV protection and seems to keep my hair in good shape while in the water. Rinse your hair out immediately after swimming (even if you don’t full-out was, at least rinse the chlorine out) to protect your color too.
Michelle
I get highlights and am often in the sun or at the pool. My colorist said the best thing to do is to wet your hair before you get in the pool and apply a little conditioner if possible. That way the hair folliciles will already expand and be full of water so the chlorine and chemicals in the pool won’t absorb as much.
Nevadan
I use that lotion trick year round.
SheWhoBrokeHerLeg
I have wavy, thick hair and I use Shea Moisuture Curl Souffle. You can get it at Walgreens/CVS for about $6. It comes in a tub with an orange label. Despite this helpful tip from the Walgreen’s gal, “this is for black people. You white, girl,” I love it. Two scoops on dripping wet hair, dry the crown for two minutes to get some shape around my face, and it air dries while I do my makeup/commute. The key to not looking crunchy is to put it on totally wet hair. I dry the crown for shape, and scrunch a little while I am doing that.
I am a total hair product snob, but love this more than anything I have ever used. It is also organic and smells divine.
Memphislawyergirl
I have curly hair and live in very humid Memphis. If your hair is curly, not wavy, Aveda Be Curly products are the best! I am pretty cheap about most beauty products but they are worth every penny.
I agree with all of your other curly hair strategies. I barely use a towel on it, scrunch it, then touch my hair minimally both during the drying process and otherwise. K
Only time my hair won’t cooperate is at the beach. I just give up and put it back!
Crown?
This is a dumb question and I should know the answer.
What part of your head is the “crown”?
If I laid a plate on my head, on the top, parallel to the ground, would that be on the crown of my head?
I was just reading a fashion magazine where they said the “topknot” was going out of style. They suggested avoiding putting a bun on the exact top of your head, i.e., above your forehead, sumo-wrestler-style. Instead, they said, you should move the bun back, to the “crown” of your head. They showed a picture, and the woman had a bun really high, but not on top. More like at the part of your head where it starts to curve down to the back.
Imagine if you drew a diagonal line through your skull, up and back from your mouth. Would it exit at the “crown”? Or is the crown more directly on top?
BOOKCASE HEADBOARD
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both equally educative and entertaining, and without a doubt, you have hit the nail on the head. The problem is something too few folks are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy that I stumbled across this during my search for something relating to this.
Tamara
I am African American and have recently made a decision to wear my hair natural- no chemical straighteners or extensions. I have shoulder length hair when it is straight, but when it is in it’s natural kinky-curly state, it swells into a fairly sizeable twist out or afro. Though I have more than 15 years experience, I’m not sure if this would play well as a financial advisor. Any good websites for work appropriate up-dos suitable for kinky hair? I’ve always worn my hair down, so this is new territory.
LadyDIzeb
Hello.
My Name is LadyDI )))
Let add something from me.
In my opinion,
The best product for eye lash growth is [url=http://bestproductsforeyelashgrowth.com]Cilea[/url].