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No-Regrets Summer Hair Solutions
Keep styles polished and healthy with low-effort solutions that tame frizz, add movement and prevent damage during hot weather
(From left) Don’t get frazzled over summer hair. Choose easy styles, like Gwyneth Paltrow’s ponytail, Penelope Cruz’s wavy lob or Alfre Woodard’s honeyed highlights. Products to make styling summer hair easier include Aussie Ultra Wonder Multi-Use Daily Mist; Amika Frizz-Me-Not Hydrating Anti-Frizz Treatment; and Not Your Mother’s Texturizing Beach Babe Dry Shampoo Powder.
AARP (Getty Images, 3; Kohl’s; CVS, 2)
Key takeaways
- A lob-length trim removes damage, adds movement and still pulls back easily in the heat.
- Face-framing or low-placed highlights boost dimension without full-head overload.
- Heat-free styling and gentle anti-frizz options reduce damage that chemical straightening can cause.
Summer is hair-dilemma season. Heat, humidity and pool/lake/ocean situations often drive women to make bad hair decisions and spontaneous mistakes. Caught up in the daily drama, many wear a baseball cap or a ponytail 24/7, race for a salon straightening, get extra light highlights or chop it all off in a pixie or bob. I should know. As a beauty and style editor with a side hustle as a personal shopper for women over 50, I hear all the regrets. Here are seven ways to have none and coast until fall.
(From left) Tori Spelling, Patricia Arquette, Leanne Morgan, Penelope Cruz.
AARP (Getty Images, 4)
1. Get a power lob
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“Should I cut it?” That’s the No. 1 question women ask every June and July, as heat waves fry even the most sensible beauty brains.
A week of steamy temperatures makes almost everyone consider a serious chop. This year, it’s driving some long-hair devotees back to the scissors, and many are even considering going short-short, as in a chin-length bob or “bixie,” the even shorter bob/pixie hybrid. If this is you, ask yourself one thing. Is a bob, pixie or bixie on your list of past why-did-I-ever-do-that haircuts? If so, rein in the impulse and get a healthy trim to lob length instead. “Lob” stands for long bob, which means anywhere from below the jaw to just above the shoulders, or even grazing the collarbones. This will get rid of damaged, wispy, straggly ends, add movement at the bottom and make your neck look inches longer. And yes, a lob is still long enough to pull back or wear up.
(From left) Mary Steenburgen, Alfre Woodard, Jennifer Garner.
AARP (Getty Images, 3)
2. Add the right sunny highlights
Highlights have an amazing ability to visually fatten fine, thin hair, adding what stylists call “dimension” for a fools-the-eye look of thicker, healthier hair. Whether painted or foiled in, “lights” around the face can also help soften the look of under-eye circles and skin discolorations, and add a frame of radiance to dull, dry, sallow or tired skin. My advice? Keep the emphasis on the strands around your face, where the sun naturally creates lighter tones, or on the ends of your hair if you prefer an ombré effect with darker roots and lighter ends. If you wear your hair up or back, be sure to show your colorist your favorite ponytail or updo, too, to highlight how it looks when worn up. Don’t get swayed by the “more is more” attitude at some salons. Almost no one needs an entire head of highlights — only where they will do the most good.
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And last but not least, highlights aren’t just blonde. They need to contrast but coordinate with your base color without overdoing it. In fact, “bronde,” a natural-looking blend of blonde-brown-gray, is trending, and it’s also a good fix for the overbleached blonde look.
(From left) Gina Torres, Meg Ryan, Gimme Beauty Chill Curl Heatless Styling Set for Short & Fine Hair.
AARP (Getty Images, 2; Target)
3. Go heat-free for waves, curls and volume
Many mature women grapple daily with any combination of curling irons, flat irons, hot rollers and a pro-level blow-dryer. Their goal: to force their locks into looking something other than natural. Some double the damage by adding heat-stressing chemical processing. They’d rather have a root canal than let their undone hair go public. All that heat and manipulation can exacerbate thinning, dryness and damage.
Summer is the perfect time for you and your hair to take a break and make “heat-free” your mantra. Think of it as the equivalent of tossing shapewear, enclosed shoes and a full face of makeup.
While you can air-dry your hair and call it a day, soft rollers (the updated version of foam rollers) — designed for overnight tossing and turning with no breakage or discomfort — let you snooze your way to a more polished look. All you need to do is “set” sections of damp, freshly washed hair on pillowy rollers like Kitsch Heatless Styling Satin Flexi Rods ($18 for 6, walgreens.com); The Hair Edit Heatless Curl Define Pillow Hair Rollers - 8 pack ($18, ulta.com); or Gimme Beauty Chill Curl Heatless Styling Set for Short & Fine Hair ($15, target.com), air-dry overnight, and unroll to waves, curls or bouncy volume. You can manipulate the degree of wave or curl by the amount of hair in each section; more hair equals soft waves and looser curls.
(From left) Amika Frizz-Me-Not Hydrating Anti-Frizz Treatment; Olaplex No9 Bond Protector Frizz Reduction & Heat Protectant Hair Serum; Garnier Fructis Diamond Sleek Smoothing Spray With Heat Protectant; Aussie Ultra Wonder Multi-Use Daily Mist.
AARP (Kohl’s, 2; Target; CVS)
4. ‘Straighten’ away frizz with a safe DIY method
Some women with frizz-prone hair mark the beginning of steamy weather with a salon chemical straightening. There’s even a trendy “hair Botox” treatment that’s actually a super-keratin relaxer. (No needles; it just borrows the name from wrinkle-relaxing Botox injections.) Whatever you call them — keratin treatments, Brazilian blowouts, Japanese thermal reconditioning, hair Botox or plain old chemical relaxers — all alter the chemical structure of your hair until it grows out. This makes them not exactly ideal for hair that’s already weak, fragile, thin, thinning, fine or damaged. Then there’s the cost. Prices have gone up and now range from $200 to a whopping $800-plus, depending on the salon, the stylist’s expertise, and the length and texture of your hair.
So what’s the alternative? Grab your blow dryer or diffuser, dial down the temperature, and try one of the new, next-level, heat-activated products formulated to block humidity. Some, like Garnier Fructis Diamond Sleek Smoothing Spray With Heat Protectant ($8, target.com); Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray ($28, walgreens.com); Aussie Ultra Wonder Multi-Use Daily Mist ($12, cvs.com); and Pureology Smooth Gloss Silkmorphose Spray for Frizz Control & Shine ($36, ulta.com), are designed to keep hair straight until it’s washed, and require a round brush and a little tension as you blow-dry each section to achieve a smooth result.
Others, like the Olaplex No.9 Bond Protector Frizz Reduction & Heat Protectant Hair Serum ($32, kohls.com); OGX Quenching Coconut Curls Frizz-Defying Curl Mix ($10, walgreens.com); Amika Frizz-Me-Not Hydrating Anti-Frizz Treatment ($30, kohls.com); and Crown Affair The Smoothing Air Dry Hair Styling Cream ($38, sephora.com), can be diffuser-dried or air-dried to prevent frizz and keep your hair, and its curls or waves, soft and glossy.
Women ask me, “So what’s the difference between a salon keratin treatment and an anti-frizz styling product with keratin?” The former is intense, semipermanent, affects the hair’s structure, and lasts a few months until it grows out. The latter adds a temporary protein boost but doesn’t affect the hair’s structure, and washes out with your next shampoo.
(From left) Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett.
AARP (Getty Images, 2)
5. Loosen up your updos
Ponytails and updos are the hair’s equivalent of sandals and slides. Instant AC. However, slicked-back, tight hair is not your best friend — especially at 50, when hair is thinner and facial skin has loosened. That taut look only emphasizes any sag or slackness at the jaw and neck. And the wrong pony, when worn daily, can lead to a type of hair loss called traction alopecia.
Celebs over 50 and their stylists often choose very tight, slicked-back ponytails for a photo op or red carpet appearance, but these are very deliberately styled looks, like wearing a strapless gown or stilettos.
If you’re a fan of ponytails in summer, alternate pulled-back days with looser updos, and vary the point where the elastic goes from nape to midway to a soft bun at the crown. (See Gillian Anderson, Cate Blanchett and Michelle Williams for examples.) Keep the pull-back relaxed, not taut, to reduce tension at the roots, and use silk scrunchies or soft padded elastics to eliminate breakage. You can also pull out loose tendrils around the face for an “undone” look that’s pure style.
(From left) Unique Bargains Textured Cotton Knot Soft Headband in Yellow; Scunci Fine Hair All Day Hold Claw Clip With Extra Teeth; Headbands of Hope Wide Woven Headband in Black; The Hair Edit Sleek Chignon French Hair Pin in Gold.
AARP (Kohl’s, CVS, Macy’s, Target)
6. Make hair accessories your plan B
Even women who never wear hair accessories from September to May can’t resist them in summer. You never know when a last-minute invitation, a change of plans or a blast of rain or humidity may pop up. No one wants to be seen with sweaty, frizzy hair, or bedhead.
Get ahead of the game and keep a clip, hair band or scrunchie in your bag, tote, car glove compartment and desk. Stick to uncomplicated tortoiseshell, black, silver, gold, ivory and other neutral colors for a sophisticated look that’ll upgrade even the grimiest second- or third-day hair and dress up a makeup-free face without looking costumey. Treat yourself to wide, soft styles like the Unique Bargains Textured Cotton Knot Soft Headband in Khaki, Black or Yellow ($12, kohls.com); Headbands of Hope Wide Woven Headband in Natural or Black ($18, macys.com); or By Anthropologie Soft Twist Headbands, Set of 2, in Neutral ($26, anthropologie.com), that make frizzed or growing-out bangs disappear, and, unlike hard acetate bands, won’t give you a headache. Add a couple of chic updo clips, like Teleties Medium Flat Round Hair Clips in Neutral, Set of 2 ($26, anthropologie.com) — these lie flat on the head so you can even nap or lounge around in them; the Scunci Fine Hair All-Day-Hold Claw Clip With Extra Teeth ($6, cvs.com), which grips fine, fragile, damaged or “slippery” silky hair; A New Day Classic Hair Claw Clip Set in Gold, Black, White ($12, target.com), a stylish assortment; and the elegant The Hair Edit Sleek Chignon French Hair Pin in Gold ($13, target.com).
And don’t skip stocking up on stretchy ponytail elastics and scrunchies that won’t crimp or stress your hair. Look for classy neutrals, like Kitsch Satin Hair Scrunchies in Cameo ($8, ulta.com); Heliums Soft Hair Ties in Neutral ($9 for 20, amazon.com); and Emberly 5-Pack Please Scrunchies ($7, kohls.com), that make ponytails and buns safe, secure and stylish.
(From left) Not Your Mother’s Texturizing Beach Babe Dry Shampoo Powder; SGX NYC Dry Touch Shampuff Volumizing Dry Shampoo Powder.
AARP (CVS, Target)
7. Use dry shampoo, but not every day
Sweat is the body’s natural cooling response to heat. Daily showers, deodorant under your arms and a spritz of your favorite fragrance help, but what about a sweaty scalp? Step outside on a steamy day, and even the most stylish lob and highlights wilt and feel greasy. Many women reach for a dry shampoo to sop up moisture and oil, perk up damp hair roots and erase odor. It’s become an indispensable daily do, like sunscreen. But unlike sunscreen, you don’t wash it off at night.
Sometimes, too much of a good thing can cause an itchy scalp and irritation. Here are the mistakes I see most women make: holding the spray too close to the head and overdoing the amount (stay around 8 to 10 inches away); spraying all over, like hair spray (target a specific area, like the roots, your part or bangs — only where you need it); or using it more than two days in a row (you will get buildup that isn’t easy to scrub out, and an itchy head).
Blondes and those with gray, white or silver hair rarely show visible residue; it’s brunettes who have to watch out for showy flakes or chalky-looking roots. While dry-shampoo fragrances have improved and can mask oily scalp odors, anyone who is sensitive to fragrance in skin care should look for an unscented dry shampoo.
Check out three of the freshest options: Batiste Light Dry Shampoo, Fragrance-Free ($13, walgreens.com), for those sensitive to fragrance; Not Your Mother’s Texturizing Beach Babe Dry Shampoo Powder in Toasted Coconut ($11, cvs.com), with rice starch and algae to absorb excess oil (coconut is the fragrance winner in hair products this year); and SGX NYC Dry Touch Volumizing Dry Shampoo Powder ($10, target.com), a nonaerosol, plant-based, starch-and-tapioca formula.
A final note: There are new, pricier dry shampoos with brushes and luxury labels, but do yourself a favor and stick with drugstore offerings. Like toothpaste and deodorant, the technology is at the same level. Save the splurge for your highlights and haircut.
The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
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