For folks with curly hair, frizz can be a common issue that’s hard to eliminate. Sometimes it’s the heat, sometimes it’s lack of moisture. Other times, who knows what the problem really is.
Either way, when frizz shows up there’s no way to ignore it and for good reason. When your hair is frizzy, it can be an indication that there is dryness or damage that needs to be addressed.
Flyaways, split ends, and broken strands can be caused by overmanipulation, subjecting your hair to harsh chemicals, excessive processing, or constant heat from blow drying or straightening.
It takes a combination of tactics — working from the inside and outside in tandem — to combat the annoyance. The way to get rid of the frizzies is by moisturizing and protecting your strands against the elements both natural and self-induced.
MORE: What Is Frizz?
5 Steps to Reduce Frizz
1. Go deep
Get yourself acquainted with a good deep conditioner that will penetrate the hair shaft and get your hair the moisture that it’s craving.
Factor it into your regimen following your shampoo, and leave it on for 5-10 minutes in the shower. Your hair will thank you for the extra love and attention.
2. Take it easy
Are you a little, um, violent with your curls?
If you are rough with your curls — especially when they’re wet — you need to lighten up. Combing, brushing, pulling, squeezing, and tugging on your hair can cause breakage and damage to your ‘do. Take note of how you handle your hair and make a conscious effort to be gentler.
3. Add a layer
When you walk outside with dry hair, the hair shaft swells from absorbing the moisture and it gives your hair that puffy look. You want to give your hair enough moisture so that it doesn’t need to get it from the humidity in the environment.
Try adding a nice, thick cream or serum in your styling routine to keep your hair hydrated and sleek.
4. Protect yourself
If you don’t have time to blow dry or air dry your curls, use a protective spray before you step outdoors and zap it with the hot, dry air.
Protecting the cuticle before subjecting your hair to heat is important when it comes to protecting against frizz; the same goes for when you use heat tools to style your hair.
5. Switch it up
Take a look at what you use to dry your hair after a shower. Your towel or blow dryer might be contributing to your frizz problem without you even knowing it. Upgrade your appliances by purchasing an ionic blow dryer. This will reduce frizz by compressing the cuticle and keeping your strands smooth.
If you towel dry, buy a super absorbent microfiber towel and make sure you aren’t roughing up your hair and disrupting the cuticle layer.
MORE: How to Dry Curly Hair
