Frizzy hair occurs when the protective outer layer of the hair's cuticle, which is usually smooth and flat, opens up due to dryness and becomes rough and prickly. Dryness causes the cuticle to fray, letting in moisture that swells the strands, resulting in a "frizz" effect. They are often challenging to manage and can lead to numerous issues, such as hair breakage, curls loss, and split ends. It can also be caused by the hair's texture or its chemical composition, so regardless of your particular hair type, it's likely that you've experienced some degree of frizziness at least once in your life.
In this article, we will be exploring six simple yet effective tips on how to manage frizzy hair, from everyday maintenance to deep-conditioning treatments, here is all you need to know about smoothing and revitalizing your locks!
Several environmental factors and habits can cause our hair to become frizzy. Let us look at a few notable reasons behind frizzy hair.
6 Important tips to manage frizzy hair
1. Avoid shampoos with harsh surfactants/sulfates
While choosing a shampoo for frizzy hair, ensure it is free of sulfate and other harsh chemicals. Sulfate-free shampoos do not strip the natural oils from your hair. Moreover, it does not leave the ends of your hair dry, which can cause breakage. Since it lacks sulfates, it does not dry the scalp and prevents itchiness.
Go for gentle shampoos instead, as they can be an excellent choice for managing frizzy hair. Compared to harsh shampoos, gentle shampoos are designed to clean without stripping away natural oils. As such, they will leave your hair with the necessary lubrication to help reduce frizz while keeping it nourished and soft.
2. Apply conditioner to replenish lost moisture after every head wash
Open or raised hair cuticles are the biggest culprit for causing frizzy and rough hair. Conditioning after shampooing helps to seal the gaps between cuticles further making the hair softer and easier to manage. Furthermore, a conditioner seeks to detangle your hair without increasing the chances of breakage.
Ingredients to look for in your conditioner
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Babassu Oil
Babassu oil is derived from the seeds of the babassu palm. It acts as an excellent hair-conditioning ingredient for rough and frizzy hair. When applied to hair, Babassu oil penetrates the hair shaft to nourish and hydrate it. It's rich in antioxidants and fatty acids like Lauric acid, which are beneficial to the hair and scalp, helping to keep the skin hydrated and moisturized. Furthermore, this oil helps control frizz by sealing moisture and nourishing the hair follicles. It gives incredible softness and resilience over time, perfect for those with dry and brittle hair!
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Murumuru Butter
Murumuru Butter is obtained from the palm Astrocaryum murumuru. Being a great source of antioxidants and natural fatty acids, it aids in deep nourishment of the scalp and hair. Its natural emollient properties give your hair amazing detangling effects.
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Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
As per the latest research, hydrolyzed pea proteins have numerous benefits for frizzy, rough, and damaged hair. The most significant benefit is to offer optimal hydration. It is loaded with a high amount of many essential amino acids which helps to improve hair elasticity and texture.
Tip - Hair masks can be like your spa done at home. They help repair the damage caused due to environmental factors and breakage caused due to frizziness, along with restoring the lost moisture. You can use a hair mask twice a week to ensure that it provides the right amount of moisture and nourishes your hair enough.
3. Avoid heat styling and coloring your hair frequently
The heat from the tools such as blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons can make hair weak and brittle, leaving it more prone to breakage. Additionally, when the heat is used too often, you will likely strip away the hair's natural moisture, making it drier and more at risk of developing split ends.
Also, remember that the lifting and lightening process used in color treatments can strip away the natural oils from your hair, leaving it dry, brittle, and vulnerable to becoming frizzy. In some cases, the combination of chemicals in the color treatment can cause a reaction that leads to further dryness and even more frizziness. With the right hair care products and treatments, you can help prevent this issue.
Quick Enlightenment - Do not miss out on heat protection while heat styling your hair. Heat protection can provide a barrier between your hair and the styling tool. Heat protection sprays should be applied to wet or damp hair before using styling tools. Make sure to evenly distribute the product all over your hair to ensure optimal protection against heat damage.
4. Air dry instead of towel dry
Air drying your hair is always a better option than using a towel or a blow dryer to dry it. Using a towel can cause friction and increase the chances of hair breakage. As a result, it leads to vigorous hair fall. Since air drying requires no vigorous rubbing, it allows your strands to keep their natural texture and retain moisture, which helps tame frizziness while keeping your hair healthy, and hydrated and preventing breakage.
Pro tip - In case you still want to use something to dry your hair, you can opt for a soft t-shirt that will absorb all the excess water and prevent friction as well.
5. Use wooden combs
Compared to plastic combs, wooden combs are softer on your hair and scalp. Furthermore, wood is a bad conductor of electricity, and hence it will not damage your hair by static charge. It also provides a massaging effect, thereby improving blood circulation.
Wooden combs also distribute the natural oils evenly throughout your scalp while combing, leaving them healthy-looking, shiny, and voluminous. They are also beneficial while detangling your hair and preventing split ends.
6. Create your own anti-frizz DIY
You can start by using a weekly rinse with apple cider vinegar to remove any dirt and product build-up that might be causing your hair to look frizzy. Next, try using avocado for its natural emollient properties. It works especially well on coarse, curly, or frizzy hair textures that can struggle with products that contain alcohol.
Avocado is packed with fats and proteins that help to nourish and strengthen hair. Plus, it helps block out moisture during hot or humid days. The fatty acids in ripe avocados also help reduce frizziness by adding shine, softness, and hydration to your hair, creating an even texture and making it easier to manage.
Tip - Use silk pillowcases when sleeping at night as they reduce friction between your hair strands while you sleep, which helps keep your hair smoother and less frizzy.
Takeaway
A proper hair care routine is a must. It ensures that your hair receives timely nutrition and hydration to become stronger and healthy. Routine hydration will reduce the chances of frizzy hair and keep it clean. It allows you to pay attention to all aspects, ensuring the best of hair and scalp health.
