What I brought home from Florida: a very mild tan (I managed to not get sunburned for perhaps the first time in my life, which meant that I hid out under an umbrella a lot and also managed to not get that tan, but I suppose that’s good too), a lion-shaped pool toy, some phenomenal chocolate-coconut things, and a renewed appreciation for completely (or…ok…mostly) au naturale hair.
Us on spring break.
See? That’s how I wore it most days that we were there: loose and curly and styling-tool free. And I had so much fun experimenting with different ways to wear my crazy waves while on vacation (pinned up! with a silk scarf! side-braided!) that I decided I wanted to take them home with me. Not for all the time – I still obviously love my curling iron – but an easier, more natural look is a fun new option to have in my repertoire for spring.
Me and my waves and my son in the back of the limo that inexplicably showed up to transport us from our hotel to the airport. (House of Harlow sunglasses; Crocs sandals.)
– Condition. First, and most important: I’m a broken record on this topic, but conditioning is absolutely crucial for wavy hair if you want to let it do its own thing: nourished hair is less frizzy hair, and less frizzy hair is probably what you’re going for. Try Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner – the system targets split ends and breakage and repairs damaged hair proteins, resulting in smoother, more healthy-looking waves.
– Smooth. Apply a small amount of anti-frizz product (two of my favorites are Dove Nourishing Oil Care Anti-Frizz Serum, which I tend to use before blow-drying, and Dove Frizz-Free Shine Cream-Serum, which I use for touch-ups over the course of the day) while hair is still damp, and then let it air-dry. Try to resist the temptation to throw it into a bun until it’s completely dry.
– Add Polish. If you’re on vacation or looking to go totally casual, just a little more anti-frizz product on the ends should do the trick…but if I’m wearing something other than a bathing suit I like to add just a hint of polish with three easy steps that maintain the undone effect, but take the look a couple of notches up from “beachy”:
- Dampen just one or two pieces at the front of the hairline (bangs if you have them, or just a few shorter pieces if you don’t) and blow-dry them so they’re smooth;
- Use a curling iron to add extra bend to one or two pieces on each side
- Finish with Dove Strength&Shine Flexible Hold Hairspray to keep strands in place all day long.
As a Dove® Hair ambassador, all products referenced in this post were supplied by Dove®.
