Thick Hair Rules #20

Humidity is a hater.

 

I was in Las Vegas over the weekend and I noticed my twist out never faded.  I had defined curls for five days.  The desert loves my hair. My husband even noticed.  Humidity hates on me and I bet it hates on you too.  One morning after I’d let down my twist out I quickly met a friend for brunch.  As I walked from the car into the restaurant I felt my hair rise.  It wasn’t until I looked in the bathroom mirror that I realized that my hair’s circumference had grown at least in inch.  Why did it go from a full, luscious twist out to a fro? Before I pack my bags and move to Nevada, I had better figure this out.

Here’s what I know about humidity and hair: 

Humidity is the amount of water in the air. The more water vapors that are in the air the more likely they are to settle in my hair. This is what makes my hair puffy and frizzy.  When my natural hair is moist it loses all definition. When I was relaxed, I couldn’t hold a curl.

Growing up with relaxed hair in Houston, Texas my hair was always puffy. Relaxed hair does even worst in humid weather.  During the relaxing process a protective layer is stripped from the hair making it even less resistant to moisture in the air.  The advice I give to my relaxed friends is to add a silicone barrier to the hair. Silicones will protect a style from the frizzes. However, it can build up on the hair from overuse. Even in the winter make sure to moisturize and condition the hair, this will attract less style killing water vapors then drier hair.  A great silicone product is Frizz-ease by John Frieda.  

My anti frizz routine is a little more complicated since I became natural. I stay away from glycerin. Glycerin is also a hater. This might not be true for you, but glycerin is my nemesis. Glycerin attracts moisture in the air, to the hair.  My natural hair really dislikes glycerin.  When I’m trying to wear a defined style like a twist-out, braid-out or blow out I go out of my way to avoid it.  I make my own hair products just to avoid it. I avoid it all year and not just in the summer. Instead of using a silicone on my natural hair I use castor oil to seal. It works well and gives me a little shine.  I sport a puff or a bun on humid days.  I’m noticing that the winter months are a little easier on my styles.  No sweating out a hairdo unless I’m working out.  It is winter now and the weather is drier so I’ll have to remember to keep my hair moisturized.  Still, I’m going to miss that dry Nevada air.