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The arid autumn air and recycled heat doesn’t just dry out your skin, it can also take its toll on tresses, sapping much-needed moisture and whipping up a flurry of frizz, wisps and fly-aways. Rather than walking around like you had a close encounter with a party balloon, head off the drought with a weekly deep conditioning treatment. While it’s easy enough to just slather the stuff on damp strands, I personally heed this nifty pro-approved advice from Amit Abraham, a L’Oreal Professionnel portfolio stylist.

“Bring a hand towel into the shower so that when you’re done shampooing, you can squeeze out any excess water,” he says. By wringing out moisture, your mane will be better able to absorb nourishing hydrators. “Once you apply the masque, cover your hair with a shower cap. The heat generated by both the shower and your body will be trapped inside the cap and this opens up the cuticle allowing nutrients and vitamins to penetrate more effectively,” he explains.

My all-time favorite deep conditioner is Amika’s Nourishing Mask ($40), which is brimming with sea buckthorn berry and argan oils, as well as omega 3, 6 & 9, and the rare omega 7 (usually this is only found in fish oil). And boy oh boy does it smell amazing; so amazing that I wish they made body products so I could slather it from head to toe. After a measly three minutes, my hair is soft and bouncy again – like it was before I began torturing it with blow-dryers, curling irons and quarterly color appointments.

Whatever product you prefer, rinse it with cool water – as cool as you can stand. This helps reseal the cuticle so it lays flat while simultaneously locking in moisture for the long haul. Sayonara static!

For more hair tips, check out the new beauty galleries at MarthaStewart.com