We’ve all seen it happen… You leave the house with an Airwrap-styled, beautiful head of shiny cascading locks, which took you the best part of an hour to finish – but the moment you step outside into the Hong Kong heat, you go from straight to poufy or from tame curls to crazy afro, in a matter of minutes!

Let’s face it, hot and humid are the two words that describe the city for the majority of the year, especially summer. And the words that describe our hair as a result? Frizzy, dry and damaged.

Frizz happens when the level of humidity in the air is greater than the level of water in your hair. As the moisture in the air rearranges the bonds inside each hair fibre, what was once a smooth look turns into chaos. Exposure to the sun, chlorine or saltwater, as well as heat from styling tools, also causes hair damage – usually resulting in dry and brittle strands, broken or split ends, thinning and discolouration.

So whatever you’ve got planned outdoors for summer, we’ve come up with a shortlist of hair products for your styling armoury – keeping your locks hydrated, healthy and silky-smooth throughout the season and beyond.

These products are all clean, meaning they’re free of parabens, phthalates, oxybenzone and synthetic fragrances that could harm you or the oceans. We’ve also looked for brands that use naturally derived and sustainably sourced ingredients and recyclable or no-waste packaging, and of course, which don’t test on animals. Here’s to more good hair days!

See also: 8 Ingredients To Avoid In Your Shampoo

Frizz, Frizz, Go Away

Briogeo Farewell Frizz Creme

Suitable for all hair types, including colour-, keratin- or chemically-treated or relaxed hair, Briogeo’s Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection & Heat Protectant Creme is a vegan formulation that not only prevents kinks and poufiness, but also protects hair from the damaging effects of hot tools, like irons and hair dryers.

Ingredients include a hydrating blend of rosehip, argan and coconut oils, plus vitamin E to nourish and revitalise dry or damaged strands.

Available at Sephora HK

Shea Moisture Frizz Free Curl Mousse

Shea Moisture is a clean and cruelty-free line of hair products made with fair trade ingredients. Shea Moisture’s Frizz Free Curl Mousse is great for enhancing waves while reducing frizz without weighing hair down. Featuring shea butter and coconut oil to moisturise and repair dry and brittle hair, its formula also includes neem oil to control any kinks.

Its coconut and hibiscus scent transports you to a tropical island instantly. Use on damp hair, applying two to three pumps to each section, and comb through. 

Available at iHerb

Paul Mitchell Anti-Frizz Leave-In Treatment

Formulated with sustainably sourced ingredients – including 86 percent that are naturally derived – Paul Mitchell’s Clean Beauty Anti-Frizz Leave-In Treatment calms and protects locks against humidity, making hair more manageable and easier to style with continued use.

Cold-pressed almond oil helps nourish and strengthen hair with omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin E, while hyaluronic acid provides hydration to help prevent future breakage. Even better, it comes in recyclable, bio-based packaging made from sugarcane.

Available at LookFantastic

The Honest Company Conditioning Detangler

Featuring a nourishing blend of ingredients like jojoba protein, shea butter, quinoa extract and argan oil, The Honest Company’s Conditioning Detangler leaves dry hair frizz- and knot-free – keeping it smooth, soft and hydrated, with a sweet vanilla and orange scent. It’s lightweight and gentle enough to use everyday and also works great after a swim.

Available at The Store HK

For A Squeaky Clean

Love Beauty & Planet Blooming Color Shampoo

A micellar-water based shampoo, Love Beauty & Planet’s Blooming Color Shampoo is sulfate-free, protecting colour-treated hair with a mix of coconut oil, murumuru butter, rose water and plant-based cleansers. 93 percent of its ingredients are naturally derived, creating a formula that breaks down completely, unlike many shampoos that don’t decompose fully over time.

This shampoo also comes in two other formulas – Argan Oil & Lavender for frizz control, and Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower for strengthening and volume.

Available at iHerb

Innersense Detox Hair Mask

Innersense’s Detox Hair Mask is a clarifying treatment with a relaxing scent of sage and vanilla that can be used for all hair types and textures. Charcoal, kaolin and certified-organic white vinegar gently remove build-up from the hair shaft, helping bring microparticles to the surface without stripping hair of natural oils.

Available at Niche Beauty

Create Your Own Waves

Rahua Enchanted Island Salt Spray

No time for a beach trip just yet? Get an effortless tousled beach wave anytime by spritzing Rahua’s Enchanted Island Salt Spray on dry or damp hair to create volume and texture.

Naturally anti-bacterial pink sea salt detoxifies and exfoliates the scalp, giving hair a tousled look, body and hold. Meanwhile, guava hydrates and softens, while antioxidant hibiscus helps boost shine, strengthens, reduces UV damage and provides hair colour support. Vitamin C-rich passion fruit also helps regulate the optimal pH balance for your hair and scalp.

Available at SSense

Ouai Air Dry Foam

One of the cult brand’s best-selling products, Ouai’s Air Dry Foam creates beautifully air-dried, frizz-free, beachy waves that last the whole day. It’s formulated with kale extract that helps smoothen locks, giving hair a defined natural finish – without the curling iron!

Available at Sephora HK

BeautyBio Healthy Scalp Dry Shampoo

A dry shampoo that gives hair an ultra-clean feel, plus great volume and lift, BeautyBio’s Healthy Scalp Dry Shampoo uses the brand’s proprietary Flash Wash Technology to deep clean the scalp, while its FolliGRO complex goes into the roots to encourage hair growth.

Its formulation includes loquat leaf, which increases hair density, strength and thickness; rosebay extract, which dissolves scalp build-up, soothes inflamed skin and reduces flaking; and larch tree, which balances sebum production, preventing hair from getting and looking greasy. The alcohol- and starch-free formula leaves hair feeling fresh without any chalky feel, and with a radiant sheen.

Available at Harrods

See also: 8 Safe & Sustainable Shampoos in Hong Kong

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