Combating Frizz

Frizz seems to be the bane of every curly girl’s existence, especially in the summer months when humidity levels are higher. I am often asked about products and methods to combat frizz, so I compiled this information to help you tame your mane and get more frizz-free wear out of your styles!

What is frizz?

Frizz occurs when the cuticle layer of your hair is raised, allowing moisture to pass through and swell the strands. As a result, your hair appears dry and frizzy instead of smooth and defined. In general, curly hair tends to have more frizz than straight hair because of dehydration in the strands, which leaves it more vulnerable to frizzing.

Hair can become dehydrated for many reasons…

• You aren’t drinking enough water (at least half your weight in ounces per day) and eating a balanced diet.
• You are not sleeping with satin or silk accessories and your hair is rubbing against drying materials.
• The oil your scalp naturally secretes is not making it down the strands of hair over the days after washing (which is very common with coily and kinky hair types).
• You are not deep conditioning often enough, or with the right types of products for your porosity level.
• Your protein to moisture balance is off from improper cleansing and conditioning.
• You are not cleansing your hair often enough.
• Medications you are taking are causing changes in your body that affect your hair.
• You have over-processed chemicals in your hair, such as high-lift dye or bleach, that have damaged the cuticle.

Frizz fighting products.

Products that claim to ward off frizz are almost always going to contain silicones. That’s just the way it is. Silicones attach to the hair and create a barrier that stops external moisture, mainly humidity, from getting in the hair shaft. The trick to using styling products with silicones is to use a hydrating shampoo with a deep conditioner or treatment that has essential, fatty oils and other nutrients prior to styling.

You constantly hear me say in tutorials that I install moisture while my hair is wet. I do this because I use heat protectants when I diffuse my wash-n-go, and heat protectants contain silicones. It’s almost unavoidable if you want heat and humidity protection in a styling product.

In addition to silicones, frizz fighting products also tend to contain certain types of proteins, like wheat or soy protein, that help with hydration and strength. Other common ingredients are essential fatty oils like avocado, olive and coconut oil, and sealants such as mango or shea butter.

Frizz fighting oils.

If you prefer to combat frizz without the help of styling aids, you can find products with these as key ingredients to add your regimen.

• Argan Oil seals the hair cuticle and protects it against frizz caused by external elements like humidity.
• Sunflower oil has more of a bulky structure that does not penetrate the hair shaft, but when used in products or in hot oil treatments, it can tame frizz because it contains linoleic acid, a fatty acid good for hydration.
• Olive Oil contains vitamin E, an antioxidant good for growth and moisture. Olive oil (or Olea Europaea Fruit as it’s commonly referred to) can help tame frizz as its molecular structure is small enough to penetrate strands, and it acts as an emollient to pull moisture into the hair shaft.
• Avocado oil is high in saturated fat, making its molecular structure small enough to get in the hair shaft and provide lots of moisture to strands.

Here are some tips you can use to help avoid frizz after styling.

1. Coat your fingers with a silk/oil serum before situating curls into styles and fluffing.
2. If you diffuse, make sure your blow dryer is ceramic, and if you want it to be even better, choose a tourmaline, ionic ceramic blow dryer. Ionic dryers reduce frizz by compressing the cuticle, which locks out external moisture.
3. Always sleep in satin and silk accessories, and use a satin pillowcase if you pineapple so your ends are protected.
4.  Make sure you are using a hydrating shampoo, alternating with a restructuring/repairing shampoo.
5. Always deep condition your hair. The more hydrated it is, the longer your styles last, and frizz stays at bay. Alternate moisturizing treatment with repairing treatment.
6. Try using a microfiber towel instead of regular bath towels so you do not disturb your hair’s cuticle layer after washing.
7. Look for alcohol-free styling products.
8. Consider use of a heat protecting leave-in, even if you aren’t planning to style with heat. Why? Because they are specifically designed to create a barrier between your hair and external elements. Heat protectants have silicones, so if you feel build-up is an issue, no worries, just use a clarifying shampoo on your next wash day.

I hope these tips and information help you find ways to help control frizz, but know that there is no one, perfect, frizz control product or solution. Changes to your regimen, such as addition of new treatments or oils, can take several applications to show a true, recognizable difference. You should not expect perfect, frizz-free tendrils after one use of a new product. Also keep in mind, if you live in a climate where humidity levels are frequently above 60%, expect your hair to frizz no matter what you use or do.

In addition to product patience, I encourage you to try and be reasonable with your expectations of perfectly controlled curls. There are just some things that come with natural hair territory, and frizz is one of them. If you become fixated on fighting frizz every single day, you will find yourself with tons of products you won’t use and lots of frustration. You will have to, at some point, just become comfortable with a bit of frizz from time to time. Embrace it…it’s all natural, and it’s all you!