Picture this: you’ve spent hours working on your hairstyle, you’ve used all kinds of expensive hair care and styling products to secure your flawless look, and right before leaving home, you take a final look in the mirror.
To your horror, there’s strands of hair sticking out all over your head, completely ruining your hard-worked look. This frizzy nightmare is a scenario that is all too familiar to most of us, and even the healthiest of hair can succumb to a frustrating bout of frizz from time to time.
Given how irritating and prevalent this issue is, it only makes sense that there are countless frizz-fighting products out there, with millions of customers all too eager to pay top dollar to prevent and treat frizz.
Unfortunately, the effectiveness of these products tends to be all over the map, leaving many even more frustrated than before.
To truly tackle this issue, the best course of action is to address the underlying cause of the frizz, which is easier said than done. Luckily for you, we some helpful tips that can help you banish frizz for good!
What is Frizz?
We all know exactly what frizz looks like: weightless, unstructured bits of hair that stick up and go against the direction of your intended hairstyle. A mild case may involve a few bits of hair, typically near the crown, that lie limp or stick out a bit, while an extreme case looks something like what would happen if you rubbed a balloon all over your head!
Frizzy hair, to put it simply, looks the way it does because it lacks weight and density. Non-frizzy hair carries a small amount of weight to it, which keeps it anchored in place when you style and allows it to be arranged in a pattern when brushing. Without this weight, however, the hair strand is free to move whatever direction gravity or the wind takes it, going an opposite direction than the rest of the hair which in turn makes it all the more noticeable.
It’s All About the Cuticle
Technically speaking, frizzy hair suffers due to a raised cuticle. This cuticle layer, as we’ve discussed, is what keeps the hair filled with moisture, and is responsible for softness and shine. Thus, in order to maintain beautiful, healthy hair, the key is to keep this cuticle layer closed. However, when the hair is damaged due to excessive styling, dryness, or chemical treatments, the cuticle becomes raised, allowing moisture to seep out from the hair strand and causing that lifeless, weightless appearance.
How to Fight Frizz
Now that you know what frizz is and what causes it, you’re now ready to draw up a plan to conquer it! Even when you’ve moved past your frizzy phase, you may want to continue using these tips in your daily life to prevent frizz from returning in the future.
Moisturize, Moisturize, and Moisturize
If it wasn’t obvious enough from the title, let’s say it again: moisturize! Frizzy hair is completely depleted of any moisture and adding that moisture back into your hair should be the very first thing you do. Additionally, adopting a more hydrating, moisturizing hair care routine will prevent the issue from getting worse while protecting your hair from future frizz. Switch your shampoo and conditioner to more hydrating, rich formulas, and make it a habit to use leave-in conditioner and a hair mask.
Treat Your Hair Gently
Many times, frizz is a result of damage from styling or hair treatments. If you notice your hair starting to get frizzy, this may be a sign that you’ve been too aggressive and harsh with your hair. Here’s a couple of things that may cause damage and frizz:
· Using too high of a heat setting on your blow dryer or straightener
· Too strong or too frequent of chemical hair treatments
· Dying your hair too bright of a color
· Brushing your hair while wet
· Washing your hair everyday
· Using too fine and/or rigid of a comb
· Being too aggressive when towel-drying your hair
If you’re guilty of any of the above, then make sure to cut out the habit immediately! If you can’t completely cut out any of these, then try and at least make some slight changes to make the habit less damaging to your hair. For instance, space out your chemical treatments more, and try and decrease your frequency of hair washing. Additionally, invest in tools that are gentler on the hair, such as a gentle, wide-tooth comb that avoids snagging and pulling, as well as a microfiber hair towel that can dry your hair without causing breakage.
Embrace the Pre-Styler
When it comes to hairstyling, the pre-styling process tends to be overlooked. However, in the case of preventing frizz, this may be the most important step of the styling process! Frizzy hair can be amplified to an incredible degree after you’ve subjected it to high air speeds and temperatures, and the frizz will only get more dried out and damaged. By applying a moisturizing pre-styling product beforehand, you can help mitigate that moisture loss and cut down on the extra frizz. Additionally, a heat protectant can provide a buffer between your styling device and the hair, further limiting the amount of frizz you deal with.
Use the Correct Post-Styler
One of the most common mistakes made by frizzy hair suffers is the over-application of styling products or hairsprays to try and fight the frizzy hair. Unfortunately, too strong of a product will actually have the opposite effect, as it will only weigh down the frizz too much and cause it to fall out of place and look worse than before. The solution is to use lightweight yet effective products that can hold the frizz in place without adding any extra bulk. Some options to tame frizz include:
· Lightweight or flexible hold hairsprays
· Lightweight hair oils
· Hair serums
· Thin hair creams or paste
· Low-hold pomade
Additionally, you may want to keep products on hand that you can apply on an as-needed basis throughout the day if you notice the frizzies begin to act up. Invest in a travel-sized hair oil or hair serum to add an extra line of defense!
