How I Manage My Straight, Oily Hair in the Summer

If you weren’t blessed with the model-perfect hair you wish you had… then Summer and it’s best friend Humidity will make your life miserable. I live in South Carolina where humidity and scorching heat are real contenders against my every day ‘do. Fortunately, I’ve mastered the art of living with oily, straight hair in a humid climate and you can to using just a few products in your daily routine.

 

My Daily Cleaning Routine

Keeping up with a regular routine in terms of washing your hair is important. It lays the foundation for your hair. You want your hair to be clean, but also healthy!

I know, I know… You’ve been told time and time again not to wash your hair every day. You already know that repeatedly washing your hair is known to dry out your locks. But if you are like me, your hair produces enough oil for you, a friend, and three cousins… so skipping a hair wash means going out looking like you combed your hair with fried chicken that day. Ew.

I try hard not to wash my hair every day – a luxury only provided to me since I work from home and I don’t have to leave the house every day. But if you have to wash your hair, you may as well do it with a shampoo that will help revitalize your hair and protect it from all of the damage we put it through. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo is one of my favorites because it makes my hair feel soft and clean without that greasy feel or weighted down look.

But let’s be reasonable. No girl can survive on one shampoo alone – especially not if you have oily hair and live in a humid climate. When my hair starts to feel like it’s not behaving or feels like there is too much product built up despite washing, I cycle through a couple of other shampoos – my favorite of which is Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo. I use it sparingly. It strips all sorts of yuck out of your hair in a wash and I don’t recommend daily wash with it. But it’s seriously fab for when you need a little extra clean.

 

Before I Style

I towel dry my hair really well. Seriously, like ridiculously well. I try to use as little heat as possible because it goes through enough of that with the hot temperatures of a southern summer. And even once I’ve towel-dried my hair, I let it air dry while I do my makeup.

I hate most hair products. I don’t like the gunky feeling of all of these balms and pomades meant to tame frizzy hair. I have some frizz, sure… but I’d take that over greasy, slicked down hair any day. Most days, I’m a one-product gal, but in the summer… I often find that I have to increase that to using two or three products if I want to achieve a certain look and actually keep it.

I received a sample size of Not Your Mother’s Whip It Up Cream Styling Mousse last year and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. It gives great hold, does a wonderful job of managing frizz and stray hairs, but doesn’t make my hair feel gross. Best part is that it helps create volume. So if you are like me and lacking in the volume department, it’ll help give your hair some life while you’re working to style.

I literally use about a quarter size amount and run it through my hair from root to tip, focusing more heavily on the back of my hair where I need more control since I rock a longer pixie cut and spike up the back. This is literally the only product I need to run through my hair before I begin to dry and style.

I couldn’t possibly recommend the Not Your Mother’s Hair Product Line more – especially if you have oily hair. There’s everything from mousse to texture spray, dry shampoo (an absolute MUST in the summer as far as I am concerned), hair gel, and even shampoo and conditioner (which I am anxious to try).

 

Awesome Tools I Use

I have straight hair, sure… but it takes several tools to tame my mane. My straight hair is prone to cowlicks, frizz, and naturally falling in some wacky ways. That’s why in addition to using a blow dryer on low heat, I use a larger round brush to help me maximize volume and control over my locks.

Most days, my sweeping bangs behave themselves. On days they don’t, I pull out a ceramic flat iron and use it on a low heat setting to sweep them in the direction I want them to go and quite literally iron out the cowlick I struggle with at my widow’s peak.

I don’t know where my ex boyfriend got this flat iron. He’s a hair stylist and he gave this flat iron to me when we dated 4 years ago. It was already ancient back then. This thing has to at least be 6 years old, if not older. Y’all… you get friggin get it on Amazon for less than $30. I highly recommend it. It works great and it’s still going strong after all this time. Here it is:

But then there’s these brushes now that I’ve heard a lot of good things about if you have hair like mine especially – straight, but in need of some work. They look so cool and I read that not only can you use them on any type of hair for the purpose of straightening, you can use them paired with moisturizing hair products such as hot oil treatments. Keep reading because one of my lovely sponsors is giving one away at the bottom of this post and you don’t want to miss out on it.

 

Hair Style Maintenance

Oh hair spray and dry shampoo. Where would I be without you? I know, I know… I said I don’t much care for hair product but in the summer especially, a fine mist hair spray is essential. Not only does it keep my style, it isn’t terribly sticky. My favorite is Suave Professionals Touchable Finish Lightweight Hold because it sprays evenly in a nice, fine mist. It doesn’t interrupt my style with a heavy, wet, hairspray feel.

But let’s be reasonable… Straight, Oily hair + Humidity means that about 8 hours into your day, you probably look like a drowned rat. I should buy stock in a dry shampoo because it’s been the best hair saver. Need to freshen up your hair and don’t have time to shower before hanging out with your best gal pals at night? Spray Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo on the roots of your hair, lifting layers of your hair to coat the roots. Let the dry shampoo sit for a couple of minutes and it will soak up the excess oil from your hair and then you can comb it through. It’ll leave behind a lot of texture and allow for easy re-styling.

[Tweet “Pro tip: Use these hair products and tools to maintain straight, oily #hair in the #summer.”]

 

Giveaway

Now that I’ve shared my personal tips to maintaining straight, oily hair in the summer… it’s time for a giveaway! You too can manage your hair this summer and my sponsor Tiffany from Straight Hair Club is going to help out one lucky reader by giving away this Apalus Hair Straightening Brush. Check out Tiffany’s blog for many more tips, styling help, tools and products you can use for achieving an maintaining straight hair.

This giveaway is open to residents of the United States Only and ends at 12AM EST on 6/28/16. All entries will be verified. Entering below agrees to all terms and conditions within the Rafflecopter widget.

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