Frizz is the frustration of any wavy, curly and coily. That hair nemesis that seems to creep up on you the day you have a big event, celebration or insta photoshoot planned (yes, those are a thing).
"Why????? you scream to the hair fairies "Why me? Why now?"
Surface frizz is frizz you get only on the outside of your hair (not underneath).
Halo frizz is only on the crown of your head but doesn't appear elsewhere.
In-the-curl frizz kills the look of smooth curls as it frizzes its way through them.
Regardless of what kind of frizz you have, the underlying cause is usually the same: a raised cuticle layer. As a result, the hair looks dry and frizzy instead of laying flat. When your cuticle layer is flat your hair appears smoother.
There are certain other factors that can cause your frizz to be even worse. While frizz is a reality for curlies, it can be made worse by certain factors. We went ahead and listed some, below.
Styling with extreme heat
Followers of the Curly Girl Method (and IntrinsiCurly Me's own philosophy) will know that this is a curly hair no no. Styling with heat can "cook" hair fibres and lead to raised cuticles and porous hair. Using heat too often or at high temperatures can make your hair more prone to damage. If you can't handle air-drying and you want to use a diffuser make sure to use low-speed, medium heat and the 'hover' method to dry those babies.
Incorrect washing techniques
Frizz fighting starts at the washing and conditioning stage. If your washing and conditioning technique is too rough you may be increasing frizz even though your hair is wet. Focus on smoothing down the cuticles as you wash and condition, by using a downwards 'milking' motion you are encouraging that cuticle to lie flat. The result? Less frizzy smoother looking curls.
Sulphates and drying alcohols
No. Just no. Sulphates are harsh cleansing agents which strip the hair of its natural oils, while drying alcohols do just that — they dry the hair of its essential (much needed) moisture. Luckily for you IntrinsiCurly Me products contain no sulphates, silicones, parabens or drying alcohols. If you are coarse haired, curly or coily our Mint To Be Peppermint Cowash is a great idea for you as it is a non foaming hydrating cleanser which helps to moisturise your hair. Trying to wash less often is also a great idea if you can manage it.
If it's Mint to Be you can check out our Cowash here
Damaged ends
If you've been bleaching, straightening or relaxing your ends may be damaged. Split and damaged ends are frizz's best friend. While you can nourish and moisturise with a good deep conditioning treatment to buy yourself some time, a trim or haircut is sometimes the only real solution. Healthy ends mean smoother, more defined curls from root to tip. Think of it this way — no amount of product can fix an end that is truly split. Regular trims every 8 to 12 weeks will keep frizz at bay and your curl pattern looking its best. Read our previous blog post to learn all about The Big Chop.
Looking for a curly hair specialist? Click here
No sulphates. No silicones. No frizz.
Every IntrinsiCurly Me product is formulated without the ingredients that make frizz worse — so you can focus on technique, not ingredient lists.
Terrycloth towels
A terrycloth towel (aka a regular towel) has a rough texture which is too harsh for your delicate curls. Invest in IntrinsiCurly Me's Scrunching Microfibre Towel to gently scrunch out that water after your warm-not-hot shower. The towel helps to smooth down the cuticles and enhance the clumps so it drastically reduces frizz.
Touching your hair too much
IntrinsiCurly Me fans will know our golden styling rule NO TOUCHY TOUCHY while your hair is drying. In fact we insist that you wait until your hair is 150% dry (it's so serious we invented a new number) before you scrunch out the crunch. Touching, even when dry, breaks up your curl pattern and leads to increased frizz.
Brushing
No brushing ever. Brushing not only breaks up the curl pattern but in drier climates it can lead to static which is like frizz on an energy drink. Dry and wet brushing also stretch the hair causing the cuticles to be raised and jip, you guessed it — this leads to frizz. Rather use your fingers to detangle when your hair is wet and has conditioner on it, it's kinder to your strands and will lead to much less frizz.
Sleeping on a cotton pillowcase
Cotton pillowcases leech the moisture from your hair and skin. The weave of the pillowcase is also too rough for those fragile curls so we advise using a satin pillowcase which allows your hair to gently glide over the top of it reducing friction, tangles and frizz and keeping your curls intact. It helps with wrinkles too so it's a double win.
Check out our luxurious satin pillowcases here
Water temperature
We know it can be a comfort after a long day or a cold morning but super hot water can strip your hair of the natural oils that keep it moisturised and shiny. A hot shower also opens the cuticle, which means frizz is practically invited in. Try and ease that water temperature to warm and (even better) end with a cold water rinse to seal the cuticle and lock in moisture. Your curls will thank you for it. Wim Hof method here we come!
Protein or moisture overload
If you don't have the balance of moisture and protein right in your routine you could be aiding that frizz. Over-moisturised hair feels very soft but lacks definition and produces wet, mushy frizz. Too much protein results in dry, straw-like hair that snaps and frizzes. Some hair is more sensitive to protein than others, so it's important to listen to and understand your own hair.
Your Frizz-Fighting Routine
Check out our favourite frizz-busting combos — everything you need to cleanse, condition, style, and protect your curls from frizz.
- Cleanse without stripping natural oils
- Lock in moisture to keep the cuticle flat
- Style without alcohol or silicone buildup
- Sleep protected on satin to wake up frizz-free
Find Your Frizz Fix
Not sure where to start? Take our curl quiz and we'll match you with the right products for your curl type and frizz concerns.
Take the Curl QuizCheck out our favourite frizz-busting combos here
12 comments
Huge thank you for the tips. It was very helpful.
Thanks for these tips. I always had very curly and frizzy hair. With over tinting, straightening with iron and recently medication for an over active thyroid, I have not only lost a lot of hair, I have lost a lot of the curl and only have “The Frizz” left!
I followed your advice to do my natural girly hair and it did worked
Thank you so mush
Awesome, so much great info in a nutshell!!🤩🤗
I am interested in your products… I have just done an Brazilian and hate the straightness of hair… Will your oricts support me getting my curls back