For us ladies, having generally long hair is a pain in the summer months, especially those of us (not so) blessed with the curls. Step outside for just a moment and that coif goes from fresh to ginormously frizzy. You could pull it into a pony tail and hold down the front with an over-sized headband, but you don’t want to spend the summer looking like you just left the gym. If only there were a cuter alternative…

There is, and in this video I’ll show you exactly how to do it so you can be frizz free, cool and still look hot. Best part? No washing required! I swear, it’s a gift from God.

Do you avoid wearing your hair wavy or curly in fear of the crunch? Do you blow dry and flat iron your hair just so you don’t encounter it? Then this video is for you.

For years I lived with crunchy waves, but now there are so many products to make your waves soft and lovable. Here are a few techniques you can use to have your hair looking beachy and touchable in no time!

At last, he’s shaved that gnarly, nappy beard.

Rest in peace, Jimmy Dean.

This iPhone app is a girl’s best friend.

More Brittany Murphy scandal hits the surface.

Office pranks are funny.

6 sexy beach-friendly hairstyles to try this summer.

This month’s Cosmo

And, of course, some semi-misguided advice…
This month’s “Get Him to Kiss and Makeup” bypassed the easiest ways to get your boyfriend to forgive you (lingerie, dinner, hypnotism) and found four surefire ways to earn redemption for anything short of “cheating on him with his brother in their parents’ bed while his dog watched.” For the most part, decent ideas, but Cosmo always finds a way to work in the darndest things…

Give Him Room

Cosmo Says: Even if you want to talk things out, let your man blow off some steam by going out with the guys. “That’s how guys multitask.”

Kari Says: Alright, I can understand this. Sometimes I just need a little time alone to sulk, scream, or commiserate with the girls, but watch the expiration date on that time apart. Allowing too much time to pass before apologizing and discussing can create tension, allow anger to steep, or at the very least will earn you some bad-mouthing to his friends. Give him some time to calm down, but don’t go to bed still angry.

Don’t Out-Argue Him

Cosmo Says: Even if you can logically prove you deserve forgiveness, don’t. Bringing up a time when he screwed up and you forgave him will only distract and annoy. Also, we’ll forgive you when we’re ready, but it shouldn’t take too long.

Kari Says: See?! He just doesn’t need that much time alone. But enough of me proving I’m right, that would just clash with this Cosmo tip, which I happen to wholeheartedly agree with. If Cosmo (and life) has taught me anything, it’s that women are far superior verbal warriors than our male counterparts. So outwitting him when he’s already pissed off at whatever I just did probably wouldn’t be the smartest idea. Good looks, Cosmo.

Stroke His Ego

Cosmo Says: “Guys are never immune to compliments. Doing or saying something that makes him feel good not only, well, makes him feel good, but it also reminds him why it’s way better when he’s not mad at you.”

Kari Says: First of all, I’m a little disappointed in the lack of innuendo that could have been used in a paragraph with the word “stroke” in the title. Anyways, when it comes to boyfriends, they’d prefer to be literally buttered up rather than metaphorically. A well placed compliment after you’ve made up is a good way to ensure forgiveness, but not a good way to earn it. Telling him how smart, handsome or funny he is won’t go over as well if you’re arguing; it will make him feel like you’re trying to distract him from the situation at hand.

Be Tough On Yourself

Cosmo Says: “We don’t want you to beat yourself up—unless you’re doing it for our benefit.” Crocodile tears pair nicely with this, but keep that advice on the low.

Kari Says: I definitely think that when apologizing you should own up to your mistake without making excuses, but a dramatic monologue about how horrible it made you feel will only detract from your boyfriend’s feelings about the issue. Make the focus of your apology why you’re sorry you hurt him and what you can do to make him feel better; your selflessness will go a lot farther than belittling yourself. And yes, just like getting out of a speeding ticket, tears do help.

So what do you think? Have you ever used any of this advice to earn forgiveness? What do you do to make up after a big screw-up?

Shockingly, neither of these are good looks.

But what am I supposed to do? If I let my hair go naturally, it blows up Monica-Gellar-goes-to-Hawaii-style. But if I add product, my hair becomes a slick, oily mess.  One summer problem would be enough; dealing with both of these can be tricky.  Luckily, I’ve devoted lots of time to fixing this problem before the heat sets in this summer and I’ve found some products that can help tame these heinous summer looks.

Control the Oil:

Shampoo: Oily hair is actually caused by an oily scalp.  Your scalp produces sebum (oil) and it transfers to your locks.  So when you are looking for a shampoo to combat the oil, you want one that will control the root of the problem.  Shampoos labeled “Sebo-control” are designed to remove the oil from your scalp, like this shampoo from L’Oreal. After lather/rinse/repeating with it, I’ve noticed that the grease stays away longer, especially when hair is straight.

To Condition or Not to Condition: If your hair is only mildly oily and you want to condition, make sure you don’t condition the roots of your hair.  If your hair is especially oily, condition only twice a week and just apply a small amount of conditioner to the ends.

Other Oil Control Tips: Don’t excessively brush your hair; it encourages oil.  Keep your hair pulled back from your face and away from makeup.  If you need some serious oil relief, Jonathon makes a dry shampoo powder that can be used in between washes or on-the go. I’m sure it works great…but then again, so does baby powder.

Combat summer’s other problem: Control the Frizz:

Use a small amount of hair serum on your hair when it is still wet; try Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny Hair Serum.  It will keep the frizz to a minimum and add a healthy shine, not oil.  For colored hair try Okara Protect Color Serum.  This can be applied in a small amount to dry hair to protect your color and control the frizz.  For a cheap alternative you can also try Suave’s Anti-frizz cream which happens to smell quite delicious.

Other Tips for Frizz-Control: Mousse and Hair Spray can help control frizz but you don’t want to overload your hair and create a build-up (which would add to the summer grease problem!). The serums and cream above are light and effective and thus a better alternative to piling on other products.

Best of luck with the summer hair care qualms!