(Part 2 of the Summer Essentials series. See also: Made for Walkin')

For most of us, heat + humidity + seawater + anything else related to summer activities = bad hair.

Sometimes I think it's a futile effort to try to straighten hair in the summer - it never seems to want to stay that way! But, whichever way you wear it, here are a few essentials to get you through the hot weather with gorgeous tresses.

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Straight
First off, I would advise investing in a good quality straightening iron. My favorites are the T3 and the Sedu. To battle the humidity, you're going to need some high-powered special ingredients. The two best straightening products I've ever tried are TIGI Bed Head Control Freak Extra Extra Straight, and Fekkai Straight Away. The Control Freak can be a bit hard to handle - it's a bizarre foam-to-lotion spray, which makes for an odd texture - but the stuff would keep your hair straight through a thunderstorm. Fekkai's Straight Away is a gel, making it much easier to work with, and the results are excellent. Use a bit before blow-drying and you're all set.

Wavy/Curly
On the days when I just can't deal with straightening, I let my hair return to its normal wavy state. It's easy to make the most of waves and curls during the summer; you'll just need something to keep your hair smooth and banish frizz. Some of my favorites: Oscar Blandi Jasmine Oil Hair Serum, Chi Silk Infusion, and the old standby, BioSilk. (All of these are great on straight hair, too.) To intensify waves, I love Fekkai Wave Creating Spray.

Beach
This is the only season you can rock beach hair and not look like either a crazy hippie or an unwashed bum! Achieving the beachy look - even without the beach - is easy with the right texture. Bumble & bumble Surf Spray is the gold standard; it's better than dunking your head in the ocean and then letting it dry in the sun - and it smells better, too. John Frieda always has great "beach" products, too; but, it seems like the names change every once in a while, so without a quick trip to CVS I'm not sure which ones are on the shelves this year. Frieda's Beach Blonde Ocean Waves spray is a great alternative to the B&b; I hope it's available this year!

Sun
If you have highlighted or color-treated hair, throw a sun-protectant spray in your beach bag to protect your color and keep your locks moisturized. You'll also get the added benefit of SPF on your scalp, something nearly impossible with normal cream sunscreens. Frederic Fekkai has a new product - Sun Bandana - just for this purpose. (This is part of the new Summer Hair line, which I have found to be outstanding. The Wash & Wear hair refresher, also part of the collection, is a lifesaver and will be covered in an upcoming post.)

What are your summertime must-haves for hair? Share them in the comments!