Bad hair for the next few months??? HELP!

[browneyedgirl36]

This isn't really a health-related question, per se, so if the moderators wish to move it to General Advice, that's OK with me -- I wasn't sure where to put it.

 

Anyway...my problem: I am living in another country for the next few months (not going to post which one on here just for privacy reasons), and the water here is VERY different than my water at home. It is also colder here, and the humidity is much higher. As a result, my hair is a disaster. I have long (halfway down my back) very fine hair (and quite a lot of it) that usually styles really well; normally, I can straigten it, curl it, make it do waves, what have you. For the last few weeks, though, since I arrived in my hair has been a disaster. It feels soft to the touch, and is shiny, but it LOOKS like parched straw and has a TON of static -- it's very "flyaway" and as the day progresses, it gets worse -- all big and poofy and dry-looking. UGH. I should add, too, that my hair tends to fall into the normal to oily category, normally -- leaning a bit more toward the oily.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions? Conditioner does not help. I tried spraying a little hairspray on my brush and brushing it through to tame my hair a bit, but it only works temporarily. I went to Sephora to look for some sort of anti-frizz, taming creme, but the Sephora here has no hair products --only make-up and skin products. I have been in stores, but all I find is hair gel and conditioner. Any Europeans out there who can suggest a product line that might help me? I am not in the UK, but I might have access to some of the same stores that they have there, so if any Brits on here have suggestions, too, that would be great. We do have a Body Shop here, and I wonder if they might have something that works...

 

Anyway, any suggestions you might have would be great, even if they are just household remedies that I can put on my hair to tame it down. Please help BEG36 restore her hair to at least some semblance of its natural state! I don't even want to have my picture taken at this point without a hat on!

[kvb10]

Hey... PM me.. I also moved from america to a european country and had the same problem. If you want to PM me with where you live, maybe that is near where I live too and i can share with you my tips and favorite products!! I also have fine hair... at first I was freaked out but now I like my hair better HERE than i do in america!!

[lucyblue10]

It's probably the water! Hard or soft can't remember which way round.

 

Can't recommend anything specific but have a look at the Boots website (a UK pharmacy chain) for products link removed Unfortunately they don't deliver in Europe but you might find suppliers of your chosen product on the internet.

 

You don't say where you are in Europe but you could try large supermarket chains. Also hair dressing salons sell hair care products, but these tend to be pricey.

 

Once I discovered hair straightners I stopped wasting my money on anti frizz products, as personally I found they don't really work on my fine, frizzy hair.

[3boys]

I had the same issue when I was a student in Europe way back when. My hair is REALLY curly and very fine/thin. I ended up using conditioner as a styling product. I just watered it down a little and used as little as possible to control the frizz. I also found I couldn't wash my hair as often. Of course, that was LONG before there were many US-based stores over there.

 

Without knowing exactly where you are, it's hard to know what's around, but have you tried finding a Walgreen's-type drug store? There or a hair salon might be your best option....although Body Works might be able to point you in the right direction if they don't have anything that will work.

[Ellie2006]

as a last resort, could you ask a friend/family to send you anti-frizz product?

 

on a side note, i always thought that water in cali was "hard water" -- which i hear is not so great for one's hair.

 

have you tried washing your hair in boiled water?

 

this is a bit crazy but when my friend was travelling in china, the water made her hair all frizzy so she washed her hair with bottled/purified water, which she said helped. but i'd assume the price of bottled water in europe would be much higher than in beijing.

[pumpkinmoon]

There is a product from Aveda called anti-humectant hair pomade, it's epesially designed for humid conditions and works very well.

[renaissancewoman101]

If you go onto the LUSH website, they have some really good hair products to help with hair issues like what you are having.

 

And you can order in Europe since they have stores out there.

[browneyedgirl36]

Thanks so much, everyone, for the replies so far!

 

I have thought of several options -- washing my hair only every other day, even conditioning it with olive oil.

 

We DO have a Lush store here -- I should go in there and see what they have. I think there is a Body Shop, too. I like the idea of using watered down conditioner as a styling product. I may also try that.

 

If anyone thinks of anything else, please let me know!

[H20]

I would say only shampoo a couple times a week, and keep your hair in a bun or a sleek pony tail.

[Cimmie]

Browneyedgirl36 -

 

BOOTS EXPERT HEAT PROTECTION TAMING SERUM!!!

 

The only thing that works on fine curls, IMO