Before my trip to China, I expected the humidity to send my hair a little haywire.

Instead, I had more body and volume than usual, and some of my easiest hair days of the trip.

I kept my routine simple.

On wash day, I scrunched my hair and left it to air-dry.

On day two, I used the body it already had from the day before to create a bouncy blow-dry.

By day three, I worked with the natural oils at my roots and used Sleek + Treat for a smooth, slicked-back up-style.

It made me think about how differently hair can respond to humidity.

Some of us get frizz. Some lose all volume. And sometimes, (as I found) a little extra body was more than welcome!

Why does humidity change your hair?

Our hair responds to moisture in the air like a sponge.

As it takes up that moisture, even a carefully styled shape can soften or change. A smooth blow-dry might start to bend, curls might expand, or shorter strands might lift away from the rest of the hair.

How noticeable that change is depends on your hair’s texture, its condition and styling...and if you're like me, it can vary from your roots to your ends.

You might have heard a lot about porosity lately.

 Put simply, it describes how readily hair takes in and releases moisture. Highlighted or more 'tired' lengths can behave differently from less treated hair near the roots.

Porosity helps explain the difference, but you don’t need to know your exact “porosity type” to make a useful change to your routine.

The best place to start is with what your hair actually does in humid weather.

What if your roots fall flat but your ends get frizzy?

This is a combination I know well. My roots tend to feel silky, while my highlighted lengths need more conditioning and smoothing.

While I was away, I used the Thickening Shampoo to keep my scalp and roots feeling fresh, followed by Lengthening Conditioner through the lengths.

After washing, I applied a few drops of the Elixir to my mids and ends. That gave the areas of my hair different kinds of care, without asking one product to do everything.

If your hair behaves similarly, try keeping richer products away from the roots and concentrating your smoothing steps where you see frizz. Start with a small amount, you can always add more.

What if humidity makes your hair puff up or lose its style?

If you want a smooth or straight finish, make sure your hair is fully dry before heading outside. Damp sections are more likely to change shape as they dry.

For frizz-prone lengths, I like to apply Elixir to damp hair before styling. Sleek + Treat can then help smooth the areas that need a little extra attention, including any flyaways that pop up later in the day.

A soft T-shirt or gentle towel for drying, and a wide-tooth comb for detangling can also really help you avoid adding unnecessary friction.

If a polished blow-dry isn’t holding, it may be easier to work with the movement your hair has that day. A loose braid, bun or sleek style can turn a change of plan into a look you chose on purpose.

What if humidity brings out your natural texture?

It doesn’t always need to be smoothed away. If humid weather gives your hair more movement, try building your style around it.

For waves or curls, apply a little bit of the Elixir through damp sections, concentrating on the areas that tend to look dry or undefined. Use your fingers as a comb to distribute it, and twirl the natural bends around your fingers, then let your hair dry with as little handling as possible. Once it's dry, tipping your head upside down helps to lift everything away from the scalp for a better finished shape. 

I recommend the  Lengthening or Youthful Shampoo and Conditioner for curly or wavier textures, depending how much conditioning your hair needs —and  then adding your Elixir while it's still damp means that it's less of a battle to smooth flyaways and frizz later on.

Do you need to change your whole routine?

Not usually.

 I continued using the Tonic on my scalp throughout the trip and found that it still felt light and fresh. I was also trying my sample of the (unreleased) Thicker + Fuller, and I had no extra heaviness in my hair. 

The bigger difference was paying attention to where I applied each product and choosing a style that suited my hair that day.

Humidity won’t affect every strand  (or every person) in the same way. If your roots need lift, keep them light. If your ends need smoothing, add more hydration there. And if the weather gives you a little more body and movement, enjoy it!

Good hair days don’t always come from making your hair behave exactly as planned. Sometimes they come from noticing what it’s doing and working with it.

Lauren x