As freezing as I am while writing this answer (it’s the middle of an Australian winter right now), I have to say I don’t envy you. I used to live in New York and could never believe how ridiculously hot it got. Sometimes 100% humidity. Insane. And there was many a day when I just had to give in to the sweat and the shine and the frizz. But I worked from home so didn’t always need to be presentable. It’s hard if you’re out and about or in an office. And I know how you native New Yorkers do love to be groomed.
The first thing I’d suggest is to make it as easy as possible on yourself and simply sweep your hair back into a ponytail or neat bun. You can even add a long skinny Hermès-like scarf for extra chic (and to hide any oily roots). If your hair isn’t long enough for that, you need to start taking anti-frizz steps in the shower.
Most pharmacy and supermarket brands (Elvive, Clairol, Pantene, etc) have smoothing variants in their shampoo, conditioner and treatment line-ups. You could even try haircare for curly hair if your hair tends to kink in the heat - because naturally curly hair has a dishevelled cuticle layer, haircare for this type tends to be even more intensively smoothing.
Next step: styling. John Frieda’s top-selling silicone serum is the original frizz-buster (Frizz-Ease Hair Serum, $14.99 - which means it will cost less in America) and, according to many hair stylists I know, still the best. Did you know that you’re meant to apply it to sopping-wet hair (best worked through with a wide-toothed comb)?
If you have time, wait until hair has air-dried to about fifty per cent, then blow-dry only the outer layers. If you insist on ironing, use a high-heat one and give the very surface a super-quick once-over. While blow-drying and ironing hair does give a sleek appearance, regular heat-styling is extremely damaging in the long-term, compromising the hair’s cuticles layer, which will only exacerbate your frizz issues later on. A mist of hairspray before you step out of the door will help lock your smoothed style down.
But if you find that the frizzies start creeping back later in the day, you might want to keep a smoothing polish or balm in your handbag. Charles Worthington does a neat mini-size one (Results Colour Bright Colour Shine Perfecting Polish, $4.95 - I’m pretty sure it’s also available in America). Or even, at a pinch, you can use a little hand or body cream. Failing that, maybe you’ve got yourself a nice excuse for a splurge at Hermès.
