Summer hair conjures images of tousled waves, strewn with carefree highlights, cascading gently down a sun-kissed back. Or long, lustrous locks with shine for days, reflecting the full moon on a warm summer’s night. Even short sassy dos perk up with perfect pieces flowing down to a bare, tanned neck.

Whatever.

We all know that’s just in the magazines or the movies, girls. Summer hair for the majority of us is a serious cry for help. There seem to be two camps (not referring to summer camps) here: the limp or the frizzy. I am the director over Camp Frizzy, with hair that gets bigger every minute the day goes on. And I know the director at Camp Limp, and she is downtrodden and frustrated, as well.

So what to do?  I asked four local salons to throw us a lifeline. Tell us something (anything!) that will help fight these summer hair conundrums. Their sage advice can be divided into two categories: styles and products. Here’s what works:

SUMMER HAIR STYLES

Summer is a great time to give your hair a break from the blow-dryer and the flat iron. Try these chic, breezy styles.

Beach Waves

Joseph’s Salon & Spa shows us how to achieve this coveted look that takes no time and requires minimal effort. Stay cool by allowing your hair to air dry or rough dry (meaning that you use your fingertips while lightly drying, but no brush). Lauren (pictured) used Aveda Thickening Tonic root to end and rough-dried, finishing with a curling iron for just a bit of dimension and a quick hit of Aveda Air Control and Brilliant Spray-On Shine. This combination gives great weightless hold and, most importantly, keeps summer frizz at bay.

Braids

When the days REALLY heat up, you can take away 10 degrees by simply getting hair off your neck. For mid-day or second-day summer hair, Lauren sports an easy, romantic fishtail braid. This style is best with “dirty” hair, which gives it the bulk it needs. This style is also by Joseph’s Salon & Spa.

Sun’s Out, Buns Out

We love the name of this style, coined by the girls at Primp Style Lounge. This style takes a regular bun and adds a twist, which they call “bun topping.” Let your inner boho beauty shine through by incorporating some braids into your bun. Take a piece from your bun, braid it and wrap it around, securing it with a bobby pin and a little hairspray.

Ponytail Braids

The look shown below from Primp Style Lounge is done with ponytails, but not your run-of-the-mill ponytails, by any means. Make your ponytails work for you, looping them together to create a braided look in minutes.

Here’s the step-by-step:

PRODUCTS THAT WORK

Eufora’s Shampoo and Conditioner

Eufora’s Beautifying Elixirs line is good for people who are sensitive to certain products. According to Jill Michael, owner of J Michael’s Salon, this shampoo and conditioner are very light, and they heal the hair from the inside out. It is ideal for fine, limp hair, as it is not heavy. Plus, it’s color safe and adds volume and lift to hair. For these reasons, it’s a great base to start your summer hair styling.

Eufora’s Boost Root Lifting Spray

Jill Michael also loves Eufora’s Boost, a root lifter that is a light spray, rather than a foam (which is what most root lifter products are). She likes to dry the hair about halfway and then spray it directly on the roots. Continue blow-drying and using a round brush until it is completely dry and styled. The hair will have volume all day. Because it’s not aerosol, it needs to be shaken many times before using.

Aveda’s Dry Remedy Daily Moisturizing Oil

This oil is a personal favorite of Marian Sang, owner of Omagi Salon Spa, and she uses it daily. Her hair is frizzy and wavy, and she prefers to wear it straight. During high humidity, this product takes away the frizzy, “bringing your hair down” to normal size. It only takes one to four drops, depending upon texture and thickness. Start with one to two drops, and work your way up as needed. Plus, it’s great for any hair texture. On curly hair, it’s best to apply when hair is damp. You can always add another drop after it’s dry if needed. Typically, Marian applies on both damp and dry hair by rubbing a couple drops from mid-length to the ends of hair.

Aveda’s Pure Abundance Style Prep

Another favorite of Omagi Salon Spa is Aveda’s Pure Abundance Style Prep. They recommend it for people who struggle with maintaining fullness during high humidity. It infuses hair with weightless volume that feels natural and lasts all day. It is also good for refreshing volume on non-shampoo days without adding weight. To use, spray it all over your slightly damp hair. Comb, blow-dry and style as desired. To refresh your volume on non-shampoo days, spray liberally onto dry hair, comb and restyle.

Eufora Uplift Hairspray

Shannon Kessler at Primp Style Lounge uses Eufora Uplift hairspray because it is dependable in any weather. It locks out humidity and reduces frizz. She used it to lock in her Sun’s Out, Buns Out look above.

Aveda Thickening Tonic

Kelli Campbell, owner of Joseph’s Salon & Spa, believes this tonic is an important first step in taming and caring for summer hair. Summer humidity creates fuzzy, bulky, textured hair, and this tonic creates texture and bulk without fuzz. Hair has a beachy wave look with weightless texture and the freedom to move. It’s a great product to put on your hair and then air dry. It works exceptionally well with colored hair, especially blondes, as coloring the hair gives it a slight chemical wave, too. There is no need to put additional heat on the hair after using this product, but you can if you want. To use, she sprays it on wet hair at the roots to give a little lift. Then she sprays it on the ends to give bulk and add textured pieces.

Aveda Air Control

Joseph’s Kelli Campbell recommends using Aveda’s Air Control hairspray to seal the hairstyle. She says it really doesn’t feel like anything but a little bit of air (hence the name), and that you wonder if the product is even working. It has great hold and does a wonderful job maintaining a hairstyle all day long. For summer heat, this light, but strong, product is a great feel on your hair.

Aveda Brilliant Spray-On Shine

Lastly, Kelli recommends using this product as the finisher of your hairstyle. It is a soft mist of fine spray that adds a shine or glisten to your hair. Often hair loses shine in humid conditions and becomes frizzy and dull. She likes to spray this on before she slicks her hair back into a ponytail or even on her client’s braids. A little bit goes a long way, though; it is not a heavy gloss.

No more excuses for crazy summer hair, right?! I’m retiring from Camp Frizzy, and whichever camp you’re currently in, you should call it a day. as well. Bring on the luscious summer locks!

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RESOURCES:

Joseph’s Salon & Spa, 3938 Dutchmans Lane, Louisville • (502) 897-5369 • www.josephssalon.com

Omagi Salon Spa, 4045 Summit Plaza Drive, Louisville • (502) 426-2213 • www.omagisalonspa.com

Primp Style Lounge, 3917 Chenoweth Square, Louisville • (502) 384-7043 • primpstylelounge.com

J. Michael’s Salon & Spa, 4121 Shelbyville Road, Ste. 1, Louisville • (502) 742-8790 • www.facebook.com