Humidity & Your Hair

Is our sticky head dragging your mane down?
Here’s how to keep your locks in check

Dry, Frizzy Hair
Hair that is moisture deficient can be dry and frizzy. Humidity makes it more unmanageable and harder to control.

Do * Condition all over, focusing on hair ends, which are driest. Leave-in conditioners and twice-weekly hair masks are recommended. * Finger-dry roots instead of blow-drying to avoid overheating. Velcro curlers are a good alternative to curling tongs if you want to achieve waves without heat. * Use a lightweight detangling spray. * Smooth a little de-frizzing emulsion or gloss serum over dry hair to tame it.

Don’t * Subject hair to direct intense heat without protection. This includes the sun, so pick products with UV filters. * Apply too much styling products like gel or mousse as chemical build-up requires more washing than is healthy. * Vigorously rub hair dry with a towel as it aggravates frizz. Always pat hair dry gently.

expert Advice
“Use a deep cleansing or purifying shampoo for frizzy hair once a week to thoroughly remove all residual products like glosses or serums. This prevents build-up, which can cause a bacterial infection within the scalp.”
- Janise Kok, art director from Toni & Guy.

Greasy Hair
Caused by over-active sebaceous glands, oily hair quickly becomes flat, lifeless and clumpy, making styling difficult.

Do * Skip roots and scalp when you condition your hair as it’ll make it even more limp. * Use shampoos and conditioners formulated for oily scalps. Stay away from creamy or heavy shampoos, conditioners and waxes. * Apply a dry shampoo (with starch) in the day to absorb sebum if your scalp is excessively greasy.

Don’t * Wash your hair with hot water as oil glands will become more active. Lukewarm or cool water is best. * Over-massage or use nails to scratch scalp while washing as oil glands are stimulated by massage. Same goes for brushing so try a comb instead. * Apply shine-enhancing styling products like gloss serums.

expert advice
“Just like you need moisturizer for oily skin, apply a moisturizer for scalp like Kerastase Fluide Purifiant to regulate oil production and clarify the scalp. Depriving scalp of moisture will only make glands overcompensate and produce more sebum.”
- Adeline Ho, trainer from Kerastase.

Fine, Limp Hair
Lifeless hair makes for difficult styling since locks quickly deflate, especially at the crown.

Do * Brush dry hair and scalp before washing to remove excess build-up, which flattens hair. * Pick layered hairstyles for extra volume. One-length styles tend to look flat. * Use a volumising hair care regime ranging from shampoo to styling products. * Apply styling products on damp hair before blow-drying. Doing so on dry hair will weight it down instead.

Don’t * Apply waxes or gels directly onto roots or you won’t get any volume * Run fingers through hair too much as it distributes natural oils from the scalp and makes hair limp. * Pile on styling products since some may contain ingredients that are weighty. Less is more for fine hair.

expert advice
“Spritz a little Phytovolume Actif hair spray to damp roots prior to styling. It guarantees all-day voluminous hair and is a secret weapon with Hollywood celebs.”
- Lynn Tan, managing director for Phyto in Singapore.

Porous Hair
Porous hair doesn’t absorb or retain moisture readily. Making it dry and prone to breakage or split ends. Chemical processes can also cause porous hair.

Do * Blow-dry on warm, not hot, and avoid exposing hair to heat once it’s fully dry or you’ll cause further damage or breakage. * Apply serum from mid-length to tips immediately on towel-dried hair as damp hair has a higher absorption rate. * Select products with a higher concentration of nutrients like amino acids to strengthen hair structure.

Don’t * Forget to do a hair treatment following any chemical processing such as coloring, perming or straightening. * Subject hair to direct sun exposure. Either wear a hat or apply leave-in UV protection. * Treat hair with any hot oil treatment unless it’s made from natural ingredients. Hair will be coated so much that moisture won’t be able to penetrate hair shafts.

expert advice
“I highly recommend leave-in or protein-rich conditioners for nourishing and softening chemically-weakened porous hair. Pick one that has UV filters for sun protection.”
- Evande Loh, international director of Shunji Matsuo.

By Allyson Klass