Probably the most common hair question is this one: How to get rid of frizz? As a curly girl, I know aaaaall about the feeling of having a huge amount of frizz! When I was younger, I believed this was simply my luck and that having frizz is destiny.
Nothing I could do about it. Or was there?
When I got older and discovered how to really take care of curly hair, I realized that every hair problem has an answer. So I set out to experiment with all the tips and tricks I could find.
And yes, there are ways to deal with the frizz hair problem!
After much trial and error, I actually found some effective ways to get rid of frizz. So today I am sharing everything I learned about how to get rid of frizzy hair. We talk about what causes it and how you can avoid it, even if you have wavy or curly hair like me!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
What is frizzy hair?
What do people mean when they talk about frizzy hair? They usually mean the phenomenon where single hairs move away from the rest of the hair. So instead of building one smooth “body” of hair, they do their own thing.
Frizzy hair is very common among people with curly or wavy hair, but people with straight hair also get it.
My frizzy hair
For me personally, most frizz happens on the top of my head. The baby hairs on my head decide to stick straight up instead of flowing down with the rest of my strands.
See this picture? You can tell there is some frizz going on the side and top of my head. The filter hides most of it, but you can still see it a little bit. (Damn you, front camera filter!)
While I think that some frizz is nothing to be ashamed about, it can become a problem. Strongly frizzy hair will give you something like a cottony corona of hair. Usually not the best situation if you are planning on attending a chic event or something.
What causes frizzy hair
So why does hair get frizzy? We already know that it’s not limited to a certain hair type. Instead, it is more about how you treat your hair. Which is good news, because that is something we can work with!
External factors
Just to get it out of the way, let’s quickly look at the external factors that can cause frizzy hair.
There is one and it’s a beast.
You all know it, you’ve all experienced it: humidity!
Very humid air or even rain can seriously ruin your day. From sleek style to frizz in seconds.
Dry frizzy hair
Another reason for frizz can be the base condition of your hair. If your hair is super dry, it will get frizzy faster and stronger. Usually having dry frizzy hair has two main reasons.
Structural damage from not enough care
The drier your hair type by nature, the more care your locks need. Not “feeding” your hair with the right things will result in breakage and structural damage. This, in turn, leads to more frizz.
Related: What is hair porosity and why should you care?
Dry hair because of drying products & styling
Another cause for dry frizzy hair can be the wrong products. Shampoos with strong tensides or styling products with alcohol dry out your hair. The same is true for washing your hair with hot water or styling your hair with heat.
Many people with frizzy hair get caught in a vicious circle of straightening their hair. The heat from the straightening iron dries out the tresses and they get frizzier, requiring more straightening…
You see where this is going.
Frizz from wrong styling and treatment of hair
Okay, by now you take good care of your hair, don’t use heat styling or drying products. And still, there are a few frizz traps left. Several mistakes while handling your hair can cause frizz.
The wrong hair drying method
You probably know that your hair looks frizz-free when wet. Most people say “My hair gets frizzy when it dries”.
Unfortunately, the common hair drying methods actually cause frizz. Methods like wrong blow drying or forcefully toweling your hair are perfect ways to get a lot of frizz!
Related: Hygral fatigue: How to recognize and combat it
Touching or brushing hair while it dries
I know, this could go under the wrong hair drying method. But this cause for frizzy hair is too important, so I want to stress it separately.
Touching or even brushing your hair while it dries is a sure-fire way to make your frizz much worse! Especially if you have wavy or curly hair!
Brushing dry curly or wavy hair
This again might depend a little bit on your exact hair type. But for curly girls, brushing their locks will definitely cause or increase frizz.
This is only logical, as brushing curls breaks up their natural structure. Afterward, every hair has to find its own way. And boy, do they!
Washing with too much water pressure
I keep being surprised by how many people never realize that water pressure could be the cause of their frizz.
But think about it! Imagine how strong jets of water meet the hair. Naturally, it “flies” in all directions.
While frizz-free hair bundles nicely together, hair washed with too much water pressure is “broken up”.
Sleeping on rough bedsheets without protecting your hair
You might know the phenomenon. Everything was great and you had a really good hair day. But then you sleep on it for a night and wake up to the mother of frizz!
The cause for this night frizz phenomenon is usually your pillowcase. Cotton and other materials have a structure that roughens up your hair. Wild hair again means – you guessed it – more frizz.
Pin this for later!
Related: How to sleep with curls and not ruin them: 7 ways
How to get rid of frizz: Frizzy hair solutions
Now that we know all about the causes of frizz, let’s have a good look at how to get rid of frizz.
Luckily, there are quite a few ways in which we can minimize or even avoid it.
Home remedies for frizzy hair
When you’re looking for tips on how to reduce frizz, chances are, you want to try something right now. At home.
So how do you get rid of frizzy hair at home? By using home remedies to get rid of frizzy hair!
I love those, because homemade frizz remedies are asuper easy and affordable way to make your hair less dry and less frizzy!
Hair masks for dry hair
If the cause for your frizz is dry hair, make hair masks a regular part of your hair care routine. The more moisturized your hair is, the less frizz it will produce.
For inspiration check out my favorite homemade hair mask for dry hair.
Homemade hair gel
Homemade hair gel is another way if you are wondering how to smooth frizzy hair at home. This is more of a solution for people with curly frizzy ends. (Unless you want to put hair gel on your scalp. For me, that’s too much.)
Make yourself a DIY hair gel like this one and work it into your hair when it’s still very damp. This helps to stick the strands together and prevents runaway hairs.
Let the hair dry completely and only then scrunch away the “gel cast”.
Related: Curly girl approved gel: 8 products you can get online
Frizzy hair products
Before we go into the various hair products for frizzy hair, let me just say something first.
Many people start by looking at products when they wonder how to get rid of frizz.
That is understandable. But always be aware that hair products have whole marketing machines behind them. Many of them promise a lot of things that they cannot actually deliver.
So before you buy into the latest trend product, do some research about the ingredients it has. And read what other people have to say about the product.
Best shampoo for frizzy hair
For the reason I just stated above, I will not recommend one specific product to you here. Instead, I will tell you what kind of shampoo is the best shampoo for frizzy hair.
As we already learned above, your shampoo should not contain any strong tensides. Those can irritate your scalp and dry out your hair. They are also really bad for the environment.
Companies like Jessicurl* use mild tensides instead.
Ideally, your shampoo also doesn’t contain any alcohol, as this dries our your hair additionally.
