Rachael Berndet, 8, Baldwin, gets her hair done by stylist Aubree Miller at Salon Lucca, 3727 W. 6th. Miller uses L'Oreal's Mythic oil on Berndet's hair to fight frizz.

Mythic Oil is a natural product from L'Oreal that helps keep hair frizz-free.

An hour spent in front of the mirror in the morning fashioning the sleekest hairstyle can be an hour wasted during these sticky summer days.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re curly or straight,” says Salon Lucca hair stylist Aubree Miller. “Anyone can have frizzy hair.”

Frizz results from lack of moisture, she says. When hair is not moisturized adequately, it tries to pull any moisture it can from the air. That’s why humidity wreaks havoc on hair and it becomes pillowy and undesirably larger than life.

With a few adjustments in the hair care beauty regime and some trendy styling tricks from some local hair experts, fight off frizz and finish this summer with great hair despite the aggressive weather.

Conditioning

The number of times a week that hair is washed with shampoo increases the level of frizziness, Miller says.

“Washing strips out all the natural oils and moisture in there, so the less you wash the better,” she says.

Miller likes to wash her hair once a week during the summer, but condition every time she gets in the shower.

Drying without damage

Constant exposure to the sun is enough heat for hair to deal with during the summer, Miller says. To lessen heat damage, opt for air drying after washing it instead.

Use a microfiber towel or an old cotton T-shirt to towel dry hair. Terry cloth on the hair is comparable to Velcro on a nice cashmere sweater, she says.

Miller then likes to put oil through her hair to counteract that frizz, with L’Oreal’s mythic oil being her favorite because it has a lot of avocado oil in it.

Sleeping on a satin pillow will also reduce frizz, Miller says.

Product is key

“You want to find something that is going to balance the hair’s natural pH,” Miller says.

At Salon Lucca, stylists use DevaCurl products to control frizz. These products have natural moisturizing agents like avocado oil, lemongrass, beeswax, grapeseed oil and lemon balm.

Hair is made up of three layers (cuticle, cortex and medulla) and thousands of cells, Miller says. The top layer — the cuticle — is made up of close-knit layers that make the hair look shiny, healthy and lustrous. If the layers get lifted up, hair will appear frizzy and with split ends.

Natural oils will go directly into the hair cuticle and moisturize from inside out, she says.

Avoid products with silicon listed among their ingredients. It will feel moisturizing, Miller says, when really it’s just sitting on top of your hair.

Hands off

Jami Flynn, of Head Rush Salon, 1401 Massachusetts St., says it’s important to talk a stylist about the right products for specific hair textures. Head Rush offers Surface Hair Health Art products made with all-natural, sustainable ingredients.

“There are hair products made specifically to target those needs,” Flynn says.

Whether it’s a gel or mousse, she says, look for natural reconditioning products without alcohol in it because that will dry out your hair.

After the product is applied, scrunch it up (if curly), and leave it alone.

“That’s the biggest problem,” she says. “People with wavy or curly hair constantly have their hands in it, pulling it, combing it, brushing it. What it does from there is frizzes out.”

Styling

Luckily, current summer styles cater to masking this humid side effect, Miller says.

Top knots, braids and twisties are her three go-to hairstyles that look classy but can be fashioned quickly.

For the twisted look, she says, part hair into two sections. Starting from the bottom on one side, start twisting your hair bringing in new pieces as you make your way to the top. Fasten in place with a bobby pin, and do the same to the other side to form a crown on the head. Leave out bangs or wisps of hair for an ethereal look.

“Sleek is not in right now,” Miller says. “Texture is in, which means messy, undone. Little pieces falling down. That’s the look right now.”