Avoid the Frizz-Freak-Out: How to Get Perfect DIY Destination Wedding Hair
By Maria Ricapito
You didn’t come all this way to look anything less than amazing. Pick the weather forecast that matches your wedding location to find the style that’s right for you.
Hot and Humid Climates
The Style: Up but loose
Why it works: Whether you have all-out curls, a bit of wave, or a stick-straight mane, you’ll want to make the most of your natural texture while avoiding frizz. David Shmagin, a stylist at the Robert Kree Salon, in New York City, calls this look “organized chaos.“
How to: Let hair dry naturally for maximum smoothness. Hair gets frizzy because it sucks moisture out of the air; avoid that fate by running a humectant styling product lightly over hair. Smooth hair with a curling iron and pin up random sections, starting with the sides.
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Cold Weather
The Style: Pulled back with a low, asymetrical bun
Why it works: This style allows you to use a loose hat without messing things up.
How to: Blow-dry hair. Run a drop of anti-frizz shine-maker over hair to conquer flyaways. Pull hair into a low, tight ponytail. Use pins to fasten hair in a tight, off-center spiral near the base of the skull, covering the elastic.
Mild, Temperate Climates
The Style: Down but loose and easy
Why it works: This weather invites an easy, natural look.
How to: Divide dry hair into large chunky sections and curl with hot rollers or an iron, says Shmagin. Let cool completely before touching. Rake a dollop of shaping humectant-styler through hair.
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Dry Heat
The Style: Up and clean-looking
Why it works: Keeping hair away from your neck helps you stay cool.
How to: Dry hair and run a flat iron over it for extra gleam. Pull it into two high ponytails, says Shmagin, one on top of the other. Split the top ponytail into two sections. Wind each section around a curling iron to smooth, then pin to loosely cover the elastic. Repeat with the other ponytail. Rub a few drops of a silicone gloss-maker over the front and sides.
Avoid These Disastrous Combinations
Hot Sun + Colored Hair
The hot rays won’t zap your color if you use a protective leave-in conditioner with SPF. Go easy to avoid looking oily.
Dry Heat + Dull Hair
In the months leading up to your big day, schedule weekly deep conditioning treatments to optimize hair’s health. For a quick fix, add shine with a dollop of moisturizing pomade.
Humidity + Frizz
To keep hair smooth, you must first blow-dry it completely (any moisture invites frizz). Then seal it with a swipe of a frizz-fighting silicone product. Stash a mini bottle with a designated bridesmaid for touch-ups.
Sea and Sun + Fragile Hair
Stop hair from snapping and breaking by getting a clear gloss treatment at the salon (Redken makes a good one, says Shmagin). It lasts four to six weeks, he says, and protects hair while adding much-needed shine. Follow up on location with a leave-in strengthener.
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