Beat The Heat With These Summer Essentials
I love living in Florida, but let’s face it. The summer weather in Florida is basically the worst possible conditions for pregnant ladies and hairstyles. While normally it’s just my hair that suffers through the hotter months, I also have the privilege of being pregnant this summer. Believe me, I am not complaining about my baby girl for one second. In fact, I’m not even going to complain about the heat and humidity too much in this post because I’ve found a way for my hair and preggo hormones to survive the summer. And no, the secret isn’t staying inside in the air conditioning – although that is a fantastic idea.
Outfit Details: Off The Shoulder Floral Dress (very oversized, order 1-2 sizes down | I’m 5’3 and 8 months pregnant in this picture, and I’m wearing an XS.) | ( this week, fits true to size) | | Cream Tassel Fan Earrings c/o | (similar -) | (similar) | Light Pink Nail Polish | (shade is ) c/o
Ok, my number one secret for warm weather is to skip any type of pants or shorts and stick to dresses. Dresses may have a reputation for being fancy, but there are so many casual options on the market now. Whether you’re a fellow pregnant mom-to-be or just a girl who’s trying to survive in the heat, dresses are your friend. You’ll find that you’re quite a bit less hot when you’re wearing a dress, and there’s less clinging, less sweat, and less irritation. Oh, and there’s the added benefit that you don’t have to worry about putting together an outfit. Simply throw on your favorite dress, and you’re ready to walk out the door!
My most recent summer dress purchase has been this non-maternity beauty for . It’s oversized and breezy, and the fun floral print puts a smile on my face. This dress also comes with cute tassel ties that go over your shoulder, but I tucked them because I preferred the look of a clean neckline. If you’re looking for a fun summer purchase, definitely check out . It’s extremely oversized, so you’ll want to go down at least 1-2 sizes. For example, I normally where a small/size four when I’m not pregnant, and my 8 month-pregnant frame fit easily into a size extra-small. Add these and my favorite fan earrings, and you’re good to go!
How to Use Dry Shampoo
Now that we’ve gone over my favorite outfit for the warmer months, let’s talk about help your hair survive the summer heat and humidity. No matter how bad my hair may look, there’s just no way that I’m going to wash and style my hair everyday. Especially since we’ve had daily, if not twice daily, rainstorms or thunderstorms this month in the Sunshine State. It’s just not worth the effort! Thankfully, I rely on dry shampoo to save my hair when the heat starts to get the best of it. Dry shampoo is extremely easy to use, but it’s extremely important to use the right product and the right technique and I’m here to show you how to use dry shampoo for frizz-free hair.
I prefer a dry shampoo with a dry texture, even spray, and lightweight scent, and lately, my favorite has been the . It was recommended by my Hair Cuttery stylist during my last visit to the salon, and I finally got the chance to test it out earlier this month. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed! It absorbs oil, adds volume, and gives your hair a great texture without the heavy residue that some dry shampoos can leave behind. Another thing that I love about this product is that it’s available in full-size and travel-size bottles. I’m definitely going to pick up a travel-size bottle for my purse from the . By the way, if you’d like to try out this product for yourself, you can get 20% off your entire Cibu purchase with the discount code ASHLEY20 through August 24th! Ok, now that you have the specifics, let me show you how to use dry shampoo.
Step 1: Before I apply dry shampoo, I like to have my hair completely styled if I plan on wearing it down. I find that this technique helps my hair retain the most volume; however, you can apply it before styling too. In this case, my second-day hair was flat and lifeless after nearly two days in the heat, so I added curls to give my hair a bit of movement at the ends. If you’re planning to wear your hair in an updo or braid, you can skip this step completely.
Step 2: Once you have your desired style ready to go, it’s time to pump up the volume. I take a small piece of your hair and spray the dry shampoo onto my roots. (Note: Please forgive the fact that the spray isn’t going the right way in the photo above. It’s hard to show the actual spray AND get it on your roots in a photo without a mirror haha! I went over to my car and used the windows as a mirror to get it in the right place after this photo was taken.) Be sure to hold the bottle about 5-6 inches away from your head in order to prevent too much product from being spray onto your roots. The goal is a light mist – not a concentrated and wet spray in one spot. As I mentioned before, the key is to use a great dry shampoo. If you don’t have a favorite dry shampoo, definitely considering checking out the during your next trip to Hair Cuttery or the .
Step 3: My final step is use my fingers to rub the product into my scalp and roots and shake away any excess product. I also like to flip my head over during this part of the process for an extra boost of volume. You’ll be left with hair that’s less oily and quite a bit more voluminous!
If you don’t mind adding an extra step to your hair routine, you can also use the Cibu 8 Days A Week Texture Finishing Spray to help absorb excess oil and add volume and texture. After testing this product throughout July, I’ve decided that my favorite way to use it is on wet hair before blowdrying. It gives my hair an extra boost of volume, and it might be my imagination, but I kind of think this product makes my curls last a little longer too. I’ll keep testing it out and let you know for sure! I used this product on wet hair the day before this photoshoot, and as you can see from my before photos, my hair really looked pretty good considering it had already survived over 24 hours of 95-degree weather, off-the-charts humidity, and me racing in and out of my car in the drizzling afternoon rainstorm. If you prefer a more beachy or bedhead look, you can also spritz this product on dry hair to add extra texture to your look.
Both products are high-quality salon grade but without a totally ridiculous price tag – especially with the ! While I always look for products and services that are actually worth the money, I’m paying extra-close attention to what I’m spending now that we have a baby on the way. Babies are a blessing, but they are also an expensive blessing haha! If you’re looking for other affordable hair care options, definitely take a trip to your local (find your nearest location here) I literally haven’t gotten my hair cut or styled anywhere else for probably the past year (at least), and I haven’t been disappointed yet. I’ve had everything from cuts to color tinting to styling, and the value for the money always astounds me.
Another thing I love about Hair Cuttery? They’re a family-owned chain, and they offer basically every hair treatment under the sun without an appointment. As someone who’s a notorious procrastinator, being able to walk into a salon without prior notice is absolutely fabulous!If you want to see the results from all of my trips to Hair Cuttery, you can see all of my posts here.
Despite the high heat, this hairstyle and outfit has helped me survive several sweltering summer (alliteration FTW) nights already. Plus, I’m really excited that this lightweight dress will continue to work for my remaining six weeks of pregnancy AND after the baby arrives. It may be a different look without the baby bump, but I think it will be just as cute and comfortable!
Outfit Details: (non-maternity but very oversized, order 1-2 sizes down | I’m 5’3 and 8 months pregnant in this picture, and I’m wearing an XS.) | Nude Lace-Up Heels ( this week, fits true to size) | Tortoiseshell Cat Eye Sunglasses | Cream Tassel Fan Earrings c/o | Cognac Handbag (similar -) | (similar) | Light Pink Nail Polish | (shade is ) c/o | Photography by KT Crabb Photography
Shop Today’s Maternity-Friendly Summer Outfit and Stay Chic in the Heat
Now that you’ve seen my take on two summer essentials and how to use dry shampoo, I’d love to know your favorite beauty and fashion products for surviving the summer heat. Whether it’s a beauty secret or a fashion item you’ve had for years, I’d love to know all of your best tips! By the way, don’t forget to use the discount code ASHLEY20 to get 20% off your entire Cibu purchase with through August 24th! If you want to learn more about Cibu products, I reviewed quite a few of their products here.
