Frizz-Free Summer Curls: Humidity, Travel, Swimming Tips

1. Clarify

To get the longest lasting routine that can hold up against the summer heat and humidity, start with a good clarifying/chelating shampoo. For this routine, I used Curlsmith Detox Shampoo. 

This removes hard water minerals, product buildup, sweat, oil, etc. You’ll want a clean slate if you want your curls to last. I always do my reset wash day routine before travel.

2. Deep Condition

You want to follow that with a good deep conditioner to make sure your hair is adequately moisturized. If your hair is fine or easily weighed down, you could skip this step as long as your hair doesn’t feel dry. 

I chose the Curlsmith Multi-tasking Conditioner for this routine because it’s rich in protein to strengthen my hair and prevent damage. It’s also a great one to travel with because it can be used as a rinse out conditioner, deep conditioner, or leave-in; and comes in travel- size. 

If your hair doesn’t need much moisture, rinse it out so you can maximize your hold from your gel. Make sure you are spending some time thoroughly rinsing out your conditioner and not leaving any behind – this will help give you the best hold from your stylers so your style will last.

3. Prep

I always recommend using a heat protectant if you’re going to diffuse. But it’s even more important to protect against that summer sun and heat. 

Today I used the Curlsmith Miracle Shield. It offers protection from salt water, UV rays, chlorine, and heat styling. It can be applied on wet, damp, or dry hair so it’s great for re-styling between wash days. This is a must for traveling for me!

I also added a bit of the Curlsmith Fragrance-Free Leave-In Conditioner. This provides lightweight moisture and prevents my hair from getting dry with the gel I’m going to be using today. However, if your hair is already soft in nature or doesn’t need much moisture, I would skip this.

4. Gel

The most important step to combat frizz in the summer is choosing a strong hold styling product. So, I’m went with one of my all-time favorites Curlsmith Fragrance-free Strong Hold Gel. This gel gives me the strongest cast, which is going to be critical for a pre-travel routine, especially considering I’m going somewhere tropical! 

It’s thick, so I like to use a small amount per section and emulsify it with water to make it easier to spread. It not only provides hold, but it also has humidity-blocking ingredients.

5. Style for Longevity

I always talk about my best practices for styling for longevity, but this is extra important during the summer months. 

Brush styling to make sure all hairs are coated, and it smooths frizz and clumps the curls. The more defined the curls are on wash day, the longer they will last. 

I also did some finger coiling to further define curls that are often stubborn or turn out wonky. 

If you styled with a lot of water, you’ll want to do the microplopping step to remove that excess water. I always recommend adding an extra light layer of gel to the hair to tame frizz that forms and provide extra hold. This extra boost of hold from applying gel to hair that is more dry will make your curls last so long, especially in humidity.

6. Diffuse

The other thing you should do if you want your style to last is diffuse. This will set your waves/curls in place and create that cast to protect your hair.

I’m used the Curlsmith Defrizzion Hair Dryer + XXL Diffuser, which dries my hair in just around 10 minutes.

For my trip, I packed the travel version because it’s compact and lightweight.

7. Scrunch out the cast + hairspray

Normally, after my hair is fully dry I scrunch out the cast, but in the summer, and especially before traveling, I leave it in as long as possible. With the added heat, humidity, and sweat, the cast will naturally break over time, but the longer it stays in, the longer your hair is protected from the elements.

If you do scrunch out the cast, you can add a layer of hairspray lock in your curls like Curlsmith Flawless Finish-Strong Hold hairspray.

Before Swimming:

1. Wet hair with tap water first
2. Apply a conditioner and detangle
3. Apply Curlsmith Miracle Shield

OR

1. Apply a light oil to dry hair
2. Use a protective style (e.g., loose French braids or buns) to prevent tangles

After Swimming:

1. Rinse thoroughly with tap water immediately
2. Shampoo and condition as soon as possible

Before:

1. Mist hair with Miracle Shield or other UV protectant
2. Wrap hair in a scarf or wear it up with a silk scrunchie or claw clip
3. Add a sun hat for extra protection

After:

1. Take hair down as soon as you can
2. Lightly refresh or touch up if needed