Beauty Clinic: first aid for frizzy hair

Q. I love autumn but my hair always gets frizzy, especially when it starts getting damp. Do you have any tips please? A. The reason hair frizzes when there is moisture in the air, for whatever cause, is that dry mops attract water like a sponge. However much you straighten it or put on style-holding products, it will still like you are going through a Pre-Raphaelite phase (which is okay) or emulating corrugated iron (worst case scenario).

When hair has enough moisture itself, it is less likely to absorb the moisture in the air. The key is to smooth the hair cuticle from inside and out.

So here are our tips:

1. Use dedicated frizz control hair care. New ranges include Charles Worthington Moisture Seal Shampoo/£6.99 for 250 ml, Conditioner/£6.99 for 250 ml and Hair Healer Leave-In Conditioner/£5.99 for 200 ml. We are also off to try Noughty 97 per cent Natural products: To The Rescue Moisture Boost Shampoo/£6.99 for 250 ml, and Conditioner/£6.99 for 250 ml, and Intensive Care Leave-In Conditioner/£6.99 for 250 ml.
2. On the styling score, Sarah cannot cope without Phyto Nourishing Day Cream, with nine plants (for ultra-dry hair)/£16.50 ml for 50 ml, which you apply to damp hair before styling. You can also put a dab on during a damp day if needed.
3. Other good options are found in the Moroccanoil range, which includes an Intense Hydrating Mask/£24.75 for 250ml.
4. Try to minimise drying hair tools – set your hair drier to medium for instance not full tropical blast – but a little attention with John Frieda Luxurious Volume – Full Volume Airstyler/£29.99 from boots.com, can work wonders.
5. If you are caught in the rain with no hair products to hand, a tiny dab of hand cream on your fingertips can usually work a temporary miracle.
6. If your hair tends to wind up like a corkscrew when the climate is damp or humid, it might be worth considering a bob rather than a layered cut – because the weight tends to literally pull the hair down.
7. Use the minimum amount of hair spray as the drying chemicals can make the frizzies worse.
8. Make sure you keep well-hydrated on the inside – you know the deal: just sip lots and lots of still water, or on a cold day something warming like ginger or mint tea. We’re huge fans of Pukka Herbs Three Ginger and Three Mint/£2.45  for 20 tea bags and keep them in our handbags.
9. Lastly, our favourite omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA’s) will help the condition of your crowning glory as well as skin and nails (not to mention brain). So plenty of salmon (or sardines) please, nuts and seeds, and lots of dark green vegetables. If you are bit light on dietary omega-3, consider a supplement such as Lamberts Pure Fish Oil, currently £6.95 for 60 capsules from victoriahealth.com.