Too hot for hair dryers: 6 frizz-fighting products you need this summer

Do you really want to aim a hot hair dryer at your head during the hottest days of the year? Probably not. But how to get frizz-free hair without heat? It's possible. Celebrity hair and makeup artist, Andrea Claire—a Canadian based in hot and humid Singapore—explains why frizz happens and it's kind of mind blowing.

"The thing with humidity is that you need to have a certain level of moisture in your hair to block out more humidity from entering and swelling the hair shaft. The best way to explain this is by comparing hair to a sponge," she says.

"Take a dry sponge. Flat, right? When you add water, what happens? It swells and expands. But, if you take an already wet sponge and add water to it, there's only so much more that it can absorb."

"Think of this when it comes to your hair," says Claire. "With the proper products such as leave-in conditioners, serums or products with oil-absorbing ingredients, you create a barrier that blocks out humidity, mainly because there's no space left in the hair for humidity to settle in."

Here are Claire's tips for post-shower styling for the smoothest locks possible.

• Don't fiddle with your hair too much as it's drying, especially if it's curly as then the hair just separates and goes frizzy.
   
• Use an old t-shirt to squeeze excess water out of hair after washing. Rough drying with a terry cloth towel lifts hair's cuticles, causes friction, breakage and frizz.
   
• Leaving hair wrapped in a towel flattens your roots. This can be helpful if you're looking to minimize volume, but can leave you with hat hair before even throwing on your straw hat.
   
• Invest in a boar bristle brush. Boar bristles carry your natural oils through the hair, which is a natural frizz fighter!
   
• Distribute hair products to damp hair using a comb. Fine-toothed combs are great for straighter hair and wider tooth combs—or fingers—are better for curly hair.
   
• Allow hair to dry before tousling or separating curls. Less is more.
   
• If you're looking for volume, pull your hair into a loose bun on top of your head. When hair is dry, you'll have gorgeous waves and movement.
   
• Drying hair with multiple buns gives you more wave and control over your final look.

Frizz-fighting products

Claire's pick: "I love this product for all year use, on every hair type," says Claire. This moisturizing cream calms frizz, adds shine and makes hair super soft.

ORIBE Supershine Moisturizing Cream, $59, holtrenfrew.com

This luxurious hair mist actually contains caviar extract along with avocado oil and Abyssinian Oil to prevent breakage, add instant shine, reduce frizz and tame flyaways.

ALTERNA Haircare CAVIAR Anti-Aging Omega+ Anti-Frizz Dry Oil Mist, $42.50, sephora.com

Split ends certainly don't help the look of frizziness. This cool product doesn't permanently repair split ends (that's impossible), but it does bring separated hair tips back together until your next shampoo. It also prevents future damage!

Aveda damage remedy™ split end repair, $44.50, at your nearest Aveda retail stores, salons and spas

This spray is meant to be used in the shower post-shampoo instead of conditioner. It has a 360-degree spray, which makes coating each and every strand easy. It seals in moisture (key for avoiding frizz), adds shine and leaves hair super soft.

IGK Prenup Instant Spray Mask, $38, sephora.com

This spray not only helps retain moisture and adds shine, but it gives a beachy texture that's a little more glam than the sea-salt sprays you may have used before.

ARROJO American Wave Glint Texture + Shine Spray, C$34.00, urbanoutfitters.com

This light-hold gel, keeps your hair in place, adds much-needed moisture and promises to make hair look healthier in a matter of weeks.

Herbal Essences bio:renew Soft Control Creme Gel, $7.99, londondrugs.com