How the weather affects your wavy hair

Ever looked in the mirror on a particularly hot, cold, or wet day and not recognised your own hair? That’ll be the weather.

If you feel like your waves are behaving perfectly one day and completely playing up the next, you’re not imagining it. The weather has a huge impact on wavy hair.

Humidity, cold air, rain, and sun will all change how your hair absorbs moisture. They’ll also impact how it holds its shape and how it responds to the world around it. It’s not your hair being high-maintenance. It’s just science.

Read on to find out how the weather affects your hair, why it does, and what you can do about it.

Wavy hair in humidity can be a bit of a handful. Humidity is probably the most frustrating weather issue for anyone with waves.

Hair is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs moisture from the air.

When the air is humid, more water molecules enter the hair shaft, and that water disrupts the wave pattern. This means clumps, swells, lack of definition, and the signature holiday look, frizz.

How to prevent frizzy hair in humid weather:

• Make sure hair is properly hydrated on wash day.
• Avoid over-touching or re-styling once hair starts drying.
• Stop battling Mother Nature and accept that sticky days may mean softer, looser waves.

Our Anti-Frizz Hair Perfume is your new favourite secret weapon. Rose flower and aloe leaf juice hydrate and smooth hair, taming those frizzy flyaways.

Cold air holds very little moisture, and central heating makes things even worse. This combination pulls moisture out of your hair, leaving it dry, staticky, and prone to breakage.

When hair lacks moisture, the cuticle lifts, which makes strands rougher and more likely to frizz, even though there’s no humidity. Unfair, we know.

Winter hair care for wavy hair:

• Wash with gentle, hydrating formulas.
• Reduce heat styling during colder months.
• Be extra gentle when detangling, as dry hair is more fragile.

Rain might seem harmless; it’s water, and we know our hair gets thirsty. But it’s not quite that simple.

Rainwater sits on the surface of your hair, disrupting your waves without hydrating anything. This can cause waves to collapse in some places and puff in others.

What helps:

• Wear protective styles when possible (protect as much of the hair as you can).
• Avoid brushing or re-styling rain-exposed hair.
• Let hair dry naturally rather than trying to “fix” it mid-day.

If your hair does need a little helping hand on a rainy day, try our Refresh Spray for wave-reactivation. 

My mum used to put lemon juice on her hair to try to lighten it. As a woke wavy hair girly, I could never.

Sun exposure affects hair the same way it affects skin. UV rays break down protein in the hair shaft, fade colour, and weaken the structure over time. 

Sun protection for wavy hair:

• Cover hair when spending long periods in direct sunlight.
• Prioritise moisture and gentle handling during the summer months.
• Protect your scalp and parting with hair suncream.

During the warmer months, regular deep conditioning is key to keeping your locks hydrated. Our Deep Conditioning Hair Mask will have your hair oozing with moisture after just one wash.

Wavy hair is never going to look the same every day. Some days it will be bigger. Some days are softer. Some days a little… wild. Nothing’s gone wrong, your waves are just reacting.