After a long, dry summer, today marks the first proper rainy day in what looks set to be a very drizzly stretch ahead – and, truthfully, it’s really caught us out. Despite arriving armed with umbrellas and raincoats, there seems to be one common problem across the GH office: dreaded rainy-day frizz.
So, if your hair started the day sleek and shiny but now looks more like Monica’s in that episode of Friends, rest assured that you’re not alone.
Thankfully, when a hair emergency strikes, renowned hairdresser (and husband to Davina McCall), Michael Douglas is on hand to help with some handy tips.
So while the rain is inevitable, a bad hair day doesn’t have to be.
Shield your strands against humidity
With a trusty umbrella in hand, it’s easy enough to shield your hair from the wet weather. But humidity is the real culprit. ‘Moisture is the enemy,’ says Michael. ‘As soon as moisture hits the atmosphere, everybody’s hair’s in trouble.’ Tell us about it.
‘When the water is evaporating off the pavement and into the air, it’s passing through your hair,’ he explains. ‘So, creating a barrier between the hair and the moisture is the answer.’
Here, Michael tells us about one key ingredient worth knowing: polysilicone-29.
While it sounds very technical, Michael explains it simply: ‘it’s a silicone that hardens on to the hair and creates a kind of water-resistant layer. As far as I’m aware, there’s nothing else out there that can do that.’
If you’re a beauty buff, you’re likely already familiar with it thanks to Color Wow’s Dream Coat, but it also features in the latest expansion of Michael’s own haircare range, The Numbers.
‘The Number 7 is the product we’ve just launched to combat humidity,’ he says. The polysilicone-29 in the formula is activated by heat, so Michael recommends applying it to damp hair then blow-drying to seal your hair from humidity and frizz.
mdlondon The 7 - The Humidity Shield
‘You’ll want to mix it with Number 2, our blow-dry spray. That will help create the hairstyle, and the 7 will protect it from moisture,’ he explains. Apply a liberal amount for best results.
mdlondon THE 2 - Volume & Shine Blow Out Spray
Plan around the forecast
Once you get into a haircare routine, it can become fairly rigid (does anyone else dread the Sunday night wash?) But now might be the time to break it. According to Michael, it’s worth checking the forecast and planning your hair around it.
He explains that mapping out your routine for the week can help keep your hair looking its best every day. Simply alternate your hairstyles according to both your wash days and the weather forecast.
‘If you know it’ll rain on Tuesday, say, you can blow-dry your hair on Sunday, look good on Monday and throw it in a ponytail on the Tuesday, then wash again on Wednesday,’ he explains.
Try air-drying
When it comes to damp, humid weather, the last advice you’d expect to hear is to put down the hairdryer. But, Michael says air-drying your hair could actually keep you looking polished, even if you get caught in the rain.
‘The atmosphere is trying to make the hair go back to its original state,’ he says. ‘So, if you let your hair air-dry, and it gets damp again, it doesn’t really matter, because you’ve not blow-dried smoothness and shine into your hair in the first place.’
‘Having a more natural look on a damp day stops there being the conflict between the styled hair and the natural-looking hair,’ he adds.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you need to forgo styling altogether. With the right products, air-dried hair can look intentional. Michael recommends using Number 1 and Number 3, scrunching them into damp hair and letting them work their magic as the hair dries.
Tie it back
Ultimately, the easiest way to look polished in damp, humid weather is to tie your hair back. As Michael explains, the trick is to choose a hairstyle that hold up against rain.
‘If you’ve got long enough hair, try a ponytail, a ballerina bun or a top-knot,’ Michael suggests. ‘French braids are also great, and it’s very easy to learn how to braid – or you could simply put it in a plait.’
There you have it. A little planning, the right products and a trusty hair tie will get you far.
