Straight as an arrow, flat as a pancake

September 12, 2008 11:06 AM

How do I keep my fine hair from going flat and losing its curl during the slightest wave of humidity?

I have fine-but-lots-of-it hair, and it's stick straight. I've grown it out past my shoulders and usually curl it with a curling iron to make it wavy and give it body. I like the final look, except that on muggy days (let alone rainy ones) it loses all curl almost immediately upon walking outside. It cavalierly ignores most hairsprays, even my current Garnier anti-humidity brand. Any product tips on keeping my waves in the face of Mother Nature? Cutting it doesn't help, and I don't want to assault myself with Aquanet to the point where my hair won't move and feels like I got slimed.

posted by Viola to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (7 answers total)

I have fairly coarse, but similarly curl-resistant, hair, and I've had some luck with setting lotion + foam rollers (or sometimes pincurls) overnight. Alternatively, you could always try a permanent wave.
posted by Bardolph at 12:16 PM on September 12, 2008

My stylist recommends spraying the hair lightly with an aerosol (quick drying) hairspray before you curl it with the iron and be sure to let the curl cool down before you brush it or play with it.
posted by NoraCharles at 12:46 PM on September 12, 2008

I also have stick straight hair that doesn't hold curl. I've had luck using Artec Textureline Hotstyle Curling Iron Fix when I curl my hair with a curling iron or hot rollers. I usually hit it with some aerosol hair spray afterwards. And I second the suggestion to make sure you let your hair cool before you mess with it.
posted by thejanna at 1:03 PM on September 12, 2008

I skip the conditioner and use Paul Mitchell Heat Seal while styling. Using the lightest hairspray you can find that has reasonable hold helps, too (I like Shaper); heavy hairspray not only looks helmet-y and sticky, it also weighs down fine hair.
posted by magicbus at 2:58 PM on September 12, 2008

I've gotta agree with Bardolph on this one, a wet set + setting lotion is the only thing that comes close to standing up to humidity in my (fine, mostly flat with a half-assed wave) hair. Using a soft bonnet or dome dryer speeds up the process quite a bit, to boot. I've had sets last DAYS.
posted by metricfuture at 3:32 PM on September 12, 2008

As someone with fine hair that goes flat after years trying various curling and other body-adding treatments (including several perms), I eventually gave up and keep it at bottom-of-ear length. You can either have long hair, or shorter hair with some wave. Not both. Unless you want to spend hours of your day in the bathroom.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:33 PM on September 12, 2008

I second computech. That's what has worked for me. I haven't found any hair products that help my fine, straight hair hold curl. None at all. I finally just decided to go with the short, straight look, and it's not bad and easy to maintain.
posted by wv kay in ga at 12:38 AM on September 13, 2008