If you’re a girl who’s spent any amount of time in New York or Montreal in the summertime then you’ve probably wanted to kill yourself over frizzy hair at some point. For years my morning routine went something like this: sleepwalk to shower, wash hair with some frizz-busting shampoo and conditioner (Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine was a favorite), towel dry, slather on a handful of Phytodefrisant and then do something utterly optimistic: I’d blowdry my hair. I’d finish with some leave-in like Frizz-Ease and, confident I’d tamed my hair into submission, book it to work.

Of course, the minute I stepped outside? Bam! Poodle hair.

Those of you who’ve read our sample chapter know that this whole shebang started because of our vain search for perfect summer hair. Well, this is my first summer as a truly clean girl—it’s been over a year since I’ve used chem-y shampoos and conditioners on purpose (and even longer since curly Alexandra has washed her hair at all)—and guess what? Zero frizz.

Now, I only use two hair products: shampoo and conditioner. Half the week I don’t blowdry at all and my hair looks beachy (not poodly), and on the days I bother with the dryer, my mane stays reasonably sleek all day. No leave-ins, no frizz-busters: Just a high-quality shampoo and conditioner, every single day. (Yeah, yeah I’m a daily hair washer.)

My favorite haircare line is John Masters Organics. I live and die by his Lavender Rosemary Shampoo and Lavender and Avocado Intensive Conditioner, but I also love all of Alaffia’s shampoos, and Alba’s Volumizing Conditioner is nice as well.

If you’ve made the switch to clean products and are still beefing with some frizz, here are my two favorite tricks: A spritz of pure aloe juice (like, really, no gunk added please), stored in the fridge in a spray bottle before drying, and for a finisher, pure argan oil—just a dab, smoothed over the top layer of dry hair.

Do you have any natural tricks?

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