Why rainy days need not get you down

Battling the frizz in the wet weather? Here’s how to rainproof your hair

When I was younger and my curly red hair was longer and thicker, wet weather meant one thing. Rising damp. All my straightening and styling counted for nought as my hair puffed up until I looked like Crystal Tipps – and if you’re not old enough to remember the cartoon Crystal Tipps and Alistair, just think huge, fuzzy triangle plonked on head.

So why does rain cause hair to frizz, or in some cases, flop? The bottom line is that human hair is very sensitive to humidity – so much so, it can be used in a piece of equipment called a hygrometer, which measures the quantity of water vapour in the air. The reason it’s so reactive is because hair is made of keratin chains linked by three types of bonds, including hydrogen bonds that break down easily when your hair gets wet, then quickly reform when it dries. This explains why you can change your style with a wash and blow-dry, but also why damp weather causes your diligent heat styling to fail. So here are five strategies to help you meet the elements head on and take back control.

Hydrate your hair Sounds counterintuitive but dry, damaged hair is porous, which means it readily absorbs water from the atmosphere, whereas if it’s smooth and supple, with the cuticle lying flat, it becomes less thirsty. There are countless hydrating products to choose from. If you don’t feel like shelling out for a fancy potion, hydration need not cost the earth. Dove’s Daily Moisture 2in1 Shampoo + Conditioner is just £2.25 (tesco.com) and does a good job. Don’t use hot water to rinse though – cooler temperatures will help smooth the cuticle.

Create a barrier Try a tamer specifically designed to defend against dampness, such as Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray (£12.50 for the travel size, uk.colorwowhair.com). You need to blow-dry your hair after application because the formula contains polymers that are heat-activated and create a hydrophobic matrix, which acts like a humidity-blocking veil. What’s more, the benefits can persist through as many as three subsequent shampoos.

Pin it up If the weather forecast is frightful, change your game plan and pull your hair into a sleek up-do or a tight ponytail, allowing you to exit with considerably less stress. To keep your style in shape and add polish, try a finishing product, such as Sam Mcknight’s Self Control Styling Gel (£22, sammcknight.com). I find wearing a slick of bright lipstick to partner the pared-back look helps to suggest you mean business with your new twist.

Style it out Another tactic is to embrace your natural texture and work with it, not against it (this is going to be one of 2024’s big beauty trends). As I have very wavy hair, if it’s rainy, I just wash my hair, scrunch it, let it dry and do its own thing, then gather it up loosely, letting wild and wavy tendrils escape accidentally on purpose.

Go undercover It’s the obvious one. Wear some kind of rain bonnet. Trouble is, they remind me of those see-through examples my mum used to pull out from a packet. I’ve struggled for years to find something that doesn’t make me feel like a dork (if I wear a headscarf, I look less Audrey Hepburn, more Hilda Ogden). A rain hat with way more fashion cred hails from L’hood (l-hood.com). The brainchild of design writer Carolyn Asome and hairdresser Elliot Taylor, who often saw clients caught out leaving the salon sans umbrella, the original style is the Ritza (£49.99), which combines a modern feel wi th an od to iconic fashion silhouettes. A good hat day for a good hair day.

Above: Sam Mcknight’s Self Control Styling Gel. From far left: Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray; the L’hood Ritza