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Cute Hat! But Your Hair Is a Train Wreck

Berets, fedoras, and beanies -- love the look for fall, hate the hat hair. Here's how to fix it
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DO: Hit your hair with the cool shot
Try stylists' favorite finishing touch: the cool shot. After blow-drying and styling hair, Perez seals in shine, keeps the hair cuticle frizz-free and tames flyaways with a few seconds of the cool shot button. "Rowenta Beauty's Infini Pro Dryer has the coldest button on the market, reaching 75 degrees in under two seconds," says Perez.

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DON'T: Cinch your hair back too tight
It may be tempting to slick your hair back to avoid a swampy mess, but a tight hairstyle close to your scalp can backfire. "Hats trap heat, and heat styles hair, so it'll cause your hair to hold whatever shape it's in," says Perez. So if you have a tight, pulled-back ponytail, your hair will fall flat. Perez recommends styling your hair with a little extra volume at the roots, or tease your ponytail so hair doesn't look limp.

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DO: Get picky about your hat material
If you want to avoid looking like you were electrocuted, steer clear of hats made with synthetic materials, like polyester and poplar fleece. "The synthetic fibers cause static cling and will leave hair frizzy," says Perez. Instead, opt for cotton or cashmere hats, or loose berets, which help hair retain some of its volume.

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DON'T: Neglect your scalp
We've been harping on hats as the main cause of hat hair, but other factors may be in play, namely, your scalp's transition from fall into winter. "A dry scalp can augment the problem of hat hair, so it is important to maintain a healthy, daily conditioning routine as temperatures cool," says Gonzalez. Try Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy Nourishing Conditioner, $5.99, or John Frieda Root Awakening Conditioner, $6.49 to moisturize the scalp and balance oil production.

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DO: Switch your side part
If you decide to wear a more form-fitting hat like a beanie, Gonzalez recommends a simple trick that ensures your hat won't flatten your style. "Simply section your hair the opposite way of your go-to part. If you always go to the left, try a deep side part to the right," says Gonzalez. "This way, when you flip your hair back and over after you take off your hat, it will have more volume."

Summertime hats are built for covering up -- those floppy hats and fedoras shield your face from scorching UV rays, and hide those sweaty, salty "beachy waves" or your chlorine-crunchy mop. But when cool weather hits, hats are all about keeping your noggin' warm. Problem is, the minute you set foot inside and take off that beret, the damage is done: Your hair looks like it's been run through a turbo engine.

Whether you live in colder climates where wearing a hat is a necessity, or you're like me -- donning a hat for strictly sartorial reasons in Southern California -- you can prevent (or fix) a self-inflicted bad hair day with a few simple tricks. Click to see the top do's and don'ts for wearing winter hats from celeb stylist Josue Perez of Serge Normant at John Frieda in NYC, celebrity hairstylist George Gonzalez of George the Salon Chicago, and NYC based hairstylist Kyra Dorman.

BY ERICA SMITH | NOV 13, 2014 | SHARES
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