We get it. Weeks ago when the call for social distancing was made to slow the spread of the coronavirus, your hair and its maintenance were furthest from your mind. But as #TanAhYuYard orders remain in effect, and the uncertainty of businesses returning to normality looms, you are now having your worst hair days (or weeks) ever! Under The Dryer (UTD) is here to help you adjust to the new reality, and we too have discovered that personal grooming — with guidance from an expert — is not too shabby after all. With hair salons shuttered, or scaling back on, operations we enlisted celebrity hairstylist Adolph Raynor to help make your mane more manageable.

Dry Shampoo — Don’t count it out just yet! We were told that dry shampoos actually work! The newest formulas are a great option to remove grease and dirt from hair, without the use of water.

Hair Spray — This should already be in your beauty stash. So if you’ve missed your latest hair appointment and are desperate to maintain your existing style, grab your trusty hair spray and lock in that look.

Hair Polish/Sheen — Raynor recommends a lightweight formula like the Kerastase Discipline Fluidissime Complete Anti-Frizz Care. An equally good option is the Alfaparf Milano Semi Di Lino Sublime Cristalli Liquidi Smoothing Hair Serum, the Italian salon quality finishing product gives hair a radiant shine and Raynor says the perfumed formula is great to camouflage funky smells.

Leave-In Conditioner — If you’re not already using a leave-in conditioner, then now is the time to add it to your hair-care routine. They typically treat damage and make hair more manageable and easy to style.

Styling tools — Whether your hair is shoulder-length or cascades down your back, an arsenal of combs will come in handy while maintaining any hairstyle. The must-haves are a tail comb for parting and teasing, wide-tooth for easy detangling and a hair pick for grooming curly hair.

Raynor’s Rules

Maintaining bobs, shoulder-length and long hair can be a breeze with the following style tips:

For a long, sleek look

Even if you haven’t been to the salon lately, you can prevent next-day frizz by wrapping your hair at night, says Raynor. The celebrity hairstylist recommends a padded brush, bobby pins and a silk wrap or scarf to secure the hair in place and reduce friction between your hair and the pillow.

Bangin’ Bob

Raynor says those heated rollers that your grandmother may have used are actually effective! With new technologies on the market, rollers remain the most underutilised tool in your artillery. Crack out your old ones or grab redesigned offerings from brands like Remington or Conair and achieve bounce, volume and shine in no time. Raynor’s advice: never sleep in traditional rollers; they are unattractive, create unsightly crease marks and cause stress on the hair. He suggests popping in a few heated rollers an hour before your day starts and watch the magic unfold.

Your Curls Called…

…they want their bounce back! A good mousse is the key to revamping lacklustre coils. Get a spray bottle with water, add some hair polish for shine, then mousse for extra hold and voilà, your curls are happy again.