Summer is a great time of year. The sun is warm, the flowers are blooming, and life seems a little bit easier for a few months. One downside to summertime is humidity. Depending on where you live, you could be dealing with incredibly muggy air that leaves your hair frizzy and unmanageable. Rather than just resigning yourself to having crazy-looking hair for the summer months, here are three ways to beat frizz amid the heat and humidity.

Improve Your Products

The first way to beat humidity in the summer is by improving the products you use on your hair. While it’s easy to use the same shampoo and conditioner year round, you should be on a seasonal rotation that accommodates for weather changes. Your tresses have different needs depending on the weather, and your haircare products should reflect that.

For instance, your wintertime haircare routine will likely be focused on deep moisture and protein treatments to keep your hair from getting too brittle. On the flip side, your summertime routine will have more heat protection and surface moisture to accommodate for sun damage.

As the days start to get longer and hotter, consider adding in topical treatments to your routine. Using a hair serum or dry oil after each wash can help you fight frizz from the outset by hydrating your hair and fighting damage.

Treat Your Hair Internally

The next way to beat frizz in the summer is by treating your hair internally. If you can make your hair healthy from the outset, you’re far less likely to end up dealing with frizzy and unmanageable locks. So how do you treat your hair internally? The simple answer is by improving your diet.

Just like any other system in your body, your hair relies on food to grow. While your hair will still grow without proper nutrients, it’ll be brittle, dull, and overly porous. Additionally, you may see increased hair loss and breakage if you’re not eating well. While it’s easy to think that your diet doesn’t affect the way your hair looks, it’s one of the most influential factors in the appearance of each strand.

Eating whole, healthy meals will help your hair grow well, preventing frizz from the outset. While there’s nothing wrong with takeout every once in a while, if that’s all you’re eating, you can’t expect your hair to look radiant and frizz-free during the summer. Maintaining a balanced diet that’s high in healthy proteins, fats, and sugars will help your hair look its best, no matter what the weather is outside.

Alter Your Hair Care Routine

The final way to beat frizz in the summer heat is by altering your hair care routine. Just like with the products you use, the way you take care of your hair should change a bit depending on the seasons. You may not want to tie your hair back after a wash in the wintertime to avoid breakage, whereas you may need to during summer to keep it from frizzing up.

Another helpful addition to your hair care routine is a bonnet. Traditionally worn by African American women, silk bonnets have been proven to help any hair type and texture fight frizz and breakage that comes overnight. Putting one on before you go to bed can help prevent your bedding from damaging your hair in your sleep. Whether you sleep in one position or roll around, wearing a bonnet to bed will keep your hair safe from breakage and tangles, allowing you to wake up with far more manageable locks.

The frequency that you wash your hair may also need to change in the summer. You may not want or need to wash as often as you do in the winter, depending on the moisture levels in your area. If you have oily hair but want to avoid breakage, keeping your hair tied back can help you look your best while protecting your strands.

Overall, summertime doesn’t mean you have to be resigned to having frizzy hair. With these steps, you can keep your hair soft and manageable through the worst humidity.