We take care of our face and body, buying hundreds of lotions and creams and making viral videos on Instagram about our morning routines. But sometimes, our hair condition is 50% of our look. So, I suggest we do not wait until our hair starts sending SOS signals — because if you live in a hot and humid climate, trust me, it will. Below are several personal tips to ensure your hair looks healthy and well-groomed — all are budget-friendly, time-efficient, and can be easily integrated into your daily routine.

Living in a hot climate is one thing, but what if that climate is also humid? UAE residents have to deal with a wide range of challenges to enjoy the benefits that this metropolis offers — especially in the summer! One of them — bad hair days.

Here is an interesting fact: many of my friends have noticed a sharp decline in the quality of their hair after living in Dubai for a while. That got me thinking, so I gathered the best hair care tips — based on both my own and my friends’ experiences — and voila, here is what we came up with!

Tip 1: Avoid using organic hair products and products with natural oils.

Why? The short answer: all these products tend to remain on the hair and scalp after washing and oxidise badly in the sun and humidity.

Also, organic products:

I personally really like “Bed Head” hair products. Unfortunately, I am not their  ambassador (yet), but I can honestly say my hair improved once I switched to this brand.

For hair that needs urgent saving and repair:

Tip 2: Blow-dry your hair and always use heat protection.

Humidity is not necessarily bad for healthy hair, but it could be really bad for damaged hair. Hair stylists even use the term “Hygral Fatigue”, describing hair that loses its elasticity and turns limp and fragile in humid conditions.

Contrary to popular belief, it is better to dry your hair immediately (or almost immediately) after washing it. And please, use a hairdryer — do not let the sun do this job. Remember, that UV rays break down keratin protein, making hair dry and brittle, so, if you have noticed your hair beautifully sun-bleached like a surfer’s curls in Bali, that is a warning sign!

Also, always use heat protection. Think of it as SPF for your hair. My personal recommendations are:

Tip 3. Use a protein hair mask.

Personally, I use a protein mask 3–4 times a week, but feel free to decide on a routine that suits you. According to most brands, it is enough to leave the mask on for just 1–2 minutes, so it will not steal much of your time.

We all know how important proteins are for our health, as their primary role is to build and restore muscles, and organs. Protein hair masks work similarly — proteins fill in the damaged areas of the hair, restoring its strength. Additional bonus for me is the smoothness of the hair after using the mask — it is always nice to see the effect immediately.I recommend picking a mask from the same brand as your shampoo, but just in case you need references, here are a few options:

Since my hair is not dyed, I borrowed this life hack from my blonde friend: if you are heading out for a swim — whether it is in a pool or in the sea — try not to wet your hair.

Both salty or chlorinated water are quite bad for hair. However, in the first case, it just dries out quickly, while in the second, it also loses its colour. Chlorinated water is especially dangerous for blondes, as their hair can take on a lovely mermaid-green tint. And no, it is not Christmas yet, so there is no need to channel your inner Grinch!

Salon professionals occasionally share stories on their social media about girls who have complained their whole lives about frizzy hair, only to realise that they are actually just curly.

The rule is simple: if hair frizzes and changes its structure in a humid climate, it means it could potentially be curly. So try the curly hair method.

There are various interpretations of the curly hair method on Instagram, but the basic steps are:

And my main tip: no matter how many tips there are — try different methods and choose what works best for you. And remember, 2024 has given us an amazing life hack for bad hair days — the Bella Hadid hairstyle — a trendy slicked-back bun!