Ladies in Cool or Warm Humid Climates: Help!

[AltheaGarden]

Hi all. I'm moving (back) to the Pacific Northwest in early June and I have some concerns about my hair. This while be my first time caring for my natural hair in this cool, humid climate and I'm worried about shrinkage . Right now, my problem is dryness, but I'm sure I won't have this problem once I leave the Southwest (well, I hope dryness won't be a problem ). So ladies that either live or have spent time in cool or warm humid climates: How do/did you combat shrinkage with heavy humidity? My curls range from the size of a large Sharpie marker to the size of a crochet needle and I look pretty silly since the shrinkage isn't uniform. Plus, my hair tangles pretty easily if I don't stretch it.

This is what I doing for my hair now: wash/dc once a week, apply a leave-in conditioner and grape seed oil/castor oil mix to seal. I then twist or braid to stretch out my hair. The night before last I tried the tension blowout method after washing my hair and I loved it (hopefully I can still achieve this look in the PNW)!

 

[caribeandiva]

How do I combat shrinkage? By doing twistouts or going to the salon for a blowout. Flatironing my own hair doesn't last long around these parts. Others can do it and have it still look nice but not me.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

Hi all. I'm moving (back) to the Pacific Northwest in early June and I have some concerns about my hair. This while be my first time caring for my natural hair in this cool, humid climate and I'm worried about shrinkage . Right now, my problem is dryness, but I'm sure I won't have this problem once I leave the Southwest (well, I hope dryness won't be a problem ). So ladies that either live or have spent time in cool or warm humid climates: How do/did you combat shrinkage with heavy humidity? My curls range from the size of a large Sharpie marker to the size of a crochet needle and I look pretty silly since the shrinkage isn't uniform. Plus, my hair tangles pretty easily if I don't stretch it.

This is what I doing for my hair now: wash/dc once a week, apply a leave-in conditioner and grape seed oil/castor oil mix to seal. I then twist or braid to stretch out my hair. The night before last I tried the tension blowout method after washing my hair and I loved it (hopefully I can still achieve this look in the PNW)!

I embrace my shrinkage. Once my hair is curled as tight as it wants to be it can't curl up anymore. So I do styles that work on my tightly curled, ie shrunken hair.

If you want to keep your hair stretched try updos, twists and french braids.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

Embrace your shrinkage. But, the Pacific Northwest isn't humid. It's rather cool, even during the summer. So, I'll think you'll do fine.

 

[AltheaGarden]

How do I combat shrinkage? By doing twistouts or going to the salon for a blowout. Flatironing my own hair doesn't last long around these parts. Others can do it and have it still look nice but not me.

Yeah I do twistouts/braidouts now and I've had great success so far, and I used the tension blow dry method for the first time and it looks great, I'm just worried that my hair will shrivel back up once outside in the moist air. I'll definitely keep using these methods.

 

[AltheaGarden]

Embrace your shrinkage. But, the Pacific Northwest isn't humid. It's rather cool, even during the summer. So, I'll think you'll do fine.

I'm trying to embrace it. I just get discouraged because I "lose" inches of hair if I don't do some form of stretching. I have a full face so it looks kind of weird or I look like a 12 year old. Also the knots !
Well, I'll be in Olympia where the average humidity level is 78%.

 

[AltheaGarden]

I embrace my shrinkage. Once my hair is curled as tight as it wants to be it can't curl up anymore. So I do styles that work on my tightly curled, ie shrunken hair.

If you want to keep your hair stretched try updos, twists and french braids.

I'll keep doing these. It'll probably come down to me re-twisting/braiding every other night vs. once or twice a week.

 

[Ogoma]

I have not noticed any greater shrinkage living here, but I have never tracked my shrinkage so I would not know if it differed from living in the Northeastern/Atlantic states.. You are right, you would not experience dryness. I think the weather and the water are both really great for our hair.

 

[AltheaGarden]

Thanks you for all the replies, everyone. On top of what I already mentioned, I'll keep an eye out for anti-humidity products.

 

[Nonie]

OP, I was going to say if you have no problem with cones, you could use something like John Frieda's serum over damp hair and braid to stretch and airdry. Reapply a thin coat if you think you need to after stretching your hair and then no more. It won't be straightened straight but it won't shrink up and you can wear bigger hair.

If you are blowdrying, DC then airdry in braids so the water is all gone (no product). Spray a dry section with John Frieda Heat Defeat spray. Applying it to dry hair ensures you coat the hair well and don't assume the wetness you feel is the spray when it's water. Blow the area dry with the tension method. Once your hair is dry, part narrow sections and apply a thin coat of serum for shine and to seal. If you DC'd well, you won't miss not having a moisturizer and the heat protectant spray and serum (doesn't have to be the thermal protection one unless you plan to pass heat on your hair after applying; if just sealing, regular serum should be fine) will seal your hair so you don't lose that moisture you got from conditioning and also keep moisture from the air from causing shrinkage.

That's what I'd do anyway if shrinkage were a problem.

Alternatively, doing buns or styles where your hair is stretched and locked into a style can help you not care about shrinkage coz your hair is "set" in the style and it isn't free to shrink.

 

[sweetlaughter]

OP I went to Barbados earlier this month and I put my hair in two french braids with a zigzag part while damp and let it dry. When I took the braids down I my hair was nice and stretched and since it shrunk while in the braids, I did not have to deal with further shrinkage and I still had hang in the humidity. I used KCKT and grapeseed oil on my hair before braiding it. HTH

 

[AltheaGarden]

Thank you for all the wonderful tips! I'll play around with different methods and anti-frizz products until I'm satisfied. Just as long as my hair doesn't shrink down to 2-3 inches I think I'll survive

 

[CurlsBazillion]

I'm in the southeast and I don't even attempt to fight shrinkage. In the summer months, especially may and june, it rains almost everyday here in Georgia so its pointless for me to manipulate my hair then get it either rained on or have it shrink up from all the moisture in the air. Instead I use products like glycerine so that my hair soaks up as much moisture as it wants because its gonna do it anyway.

 

[SmilingElephant]

I'm in the southeast and I don't even attempt to fight shrinkage. In the summer months, especially may and june, it rains almost everyday here in Georgia so its pointless for me to manipulate my hair then get it either rained on or have it shrink up from all the moisture in the air. Instead I use products like glycerine so that my hair soaks up as much moisture as it wants because its gonna do it anyway.

Its pretty much the same story down here in Florida. That's why i just stick to my WnG's. Its usually ALWAYS humid down here...but its even worse in the Spring and Summer...you can pretty much just breathe water So i also use products with glycerin in them.

I forget where i read it...but i learned that in the humidity..if your hair is dry, it reaches out for the moisture in the air...so that's why some ppl's hair looks crazy bc of humidity...but if you use products with glycerin in them or water based products..your hair won't frizz up so much.

So i've been following that advice and it works

 

[caribeandiva]

SmilingElephant Hello there fellow Floridian!

 

[SimJam]

I'll keep doing these. It'll probably come down to me re-twisting/braiding every other night vs. once or twice a week.

^^^THIS^^^

I retwist every other day

 

[SmilingElephant]

SmilingElephant Hello there fellow Floridian!

caribeandiva Hey there!! I see you from my birth city! TAMPAAAAA!!!!

Ok...i'll stop now

 

[AltheaGarden]

Hmm, I forgot about glycerin! I have a bunch all the way in the back of my shelf. I'll start making my glycerin mix again and hopefully it will work. Thanks!