The Best Tips For Fighting Frizz

Don’t you just hate a bad hair day? I know that for me, even if my new heels look fierce, my makeup is perfectly applied and my outfit is on trend and flattering, I still don’t feel one hundred percent confident unless my hair is great, too. And one key ingredient for a great hair day? Not a bit of frizz on my strands of hair! As a hairstylist, I know there are tons of options out there and I’ve performed and tried most of them. But what most women don’t know is that just a simple change in routine can also help you fight frizz on a daily basis. Some are pretty simple, such as adding one more new item to your morning or switching out the towels you’re using. And I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather try out a smaller, less expensive solution than opting for that $250 keratin treatment to start. Though, I have to say that a keratin treatment is a great option when the following list can’t do a strong enough job of taming those tresses!

• Use cool water when you rinse out conditioner: It’s a known fact among hair experts that an opened or roughed up cuticle (the outermost layer of the hair strand) can promote frizz. And it’s also a known fact that warmth opens up the cuticle while coldness closes it down. When that cuticle is completely sealed, your hair is much less susceptible to the elements and anything that would try to damage your hair. Therefore, a cold temperature can shut the cuticle down and keep your hair looking healthier, shinier and sans frizz. So the next time you jump in the shower, turn the water temperature down a bit before rinsing out your conditioner. Part of the conditioner’s job is to close the cuticle, so combining that with cool water is setting you up for perfection.

• Use microfiber towels on your hair: Most towels are made from cotton, which can be surprisingly hard on the hair. When you get out of the shower and your hair is still wet and not brushed, the worst thing you can do to it is take a rough towel and rub that vigorously against your hair to dry it. Not only will you get extra breakage, but you are encouraging frizz by roughing up the outermost layer of the hair strand. In the future, pat your microfiber towel on your wet hair until a lot of extra moisture has been taken out, comb through your hair gently with your fingers and then wrap it up until you are ready to style it or let it down to air dry. I get my microfiber hair wraps at Forever 21 for literally just one dollar, but you can also find them at places like Sally Beauty Supply or Beauty Brands. Or just get plain microfiber towels at most home goods stores.

• Make use of that concentrated nozzle: You know that weird little attachment that comes with your blowdryer that you’ve yet to use? That piece is called a concentrator and it is absolutely essential to use if you are going for a smooth blowout. Not using it allows the air to flow in several different directions, even against the hair strand. And of course, we all know that blowing hot air directly against the hair strand will only give you one thing: a frizzy texture! The best way to blowdry for a smooth finish is to start with a “pre-dry”, which means you want to take out excess moisture before putting a brush to the hair. Do this by taking your dryer to your roots first, but when you need to dry in an upward motion to get to a certain spot, move the hair as well so that you aren’t going against the hair strand. And then when the hair is only damp, you’ll want to section out the hair in 4-8 sections (depending on how much hair you have) and blowdry each section individually while keeping the nozzle end of the dryer facing down.

• Learn to use the cool shot button on your blowdryer: And speaking of the blowdry process… Did you realize that pretty blue button with the word “cool” on your blowdryer actually serves a purpose? Well, it does and you should start using it! Just like how I’ve explained the importance of finishing your hair washing routine with a shot of cold water, you should also finish out your blowdrying or heat tool styling with a shot of cool air from the blowdryer. After using your blowdryer and a round brush or your curling iron to create a gorgeous style, your hair is still warm and open to manipulation from the elements. What this means to you is frizz as soon as you step outside… not fun! But do the exact same routine and add one step at the end of pushing that blue button, putting the airflow on low and letting the cool air blow through your strands and you’ll be prepared to step outside in any weather.

• Change your sleeping habits: Even the habits you keep while sleeping can affect how much frizz you have to deal with the next day. If you are someone who moves and shifts around a lot at night, the friction from having your hair roughing up against your pillow can give you frizz or even breakage. Obviously if you are washing your hair on a daily basis (which you shouldn’t do), then you’ll wash your hair in the morning and restyle it anyways after a bad night on your hair. But if you are like me and try to wash less frequently, you have to think about your style before you even hit the sheets at night. And by allowing your hair to stay down at night, you are setting yourself up for a hard time. So to prevent any of these problems, I like to wear my hair up at night in a loose bun on the very top of my head. I use a soft elastic which doesn’t leave much of a dent and doesn’t pull on my hair as I move around at night. I also use a satin or silk pillow cover to give my hair a soft and smooth place to lay on. You can get these at home goods stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond at really reasonable rates.

• Add moisture through a daily product or deep conditioning treatment: If taming frizz can’t be done by changing certain aspects of your routine, then a topical product or a deep conditioning treatment can get you closer to your desired result of smooth, healthy hair. I love a product like Young Again from Kevin.Murphy. It’s a very lightweight oil which can be used in literally every hair type. You can comb some through before blowdrying, finish with a small amount after for extra shine and control or do both. I also love this product because it has the added benefits of giving your hair protection from heat, rebuilding elasticity and giving your locks a healthy dose of moisture. And for those ladies who have a few more items to consider such as daily use of heat tools, the use of lightener to achieve a blonde color or a history of regular chemical treatments, a weekly deep conditioning treatment is even more beneficial. A treatment like the complete Young Again line from Kevin.Murphy will go a step beyond and help to repair each strand while still adding moisture to tame the frizz. I’ve also used this treatment on several different hair types and it works well for all of them. But the bottom line with this point is that the healthier your hair is, the less frizz you’ll have to fight in the first place. So adding more moisture can be a more serious step to try if more topical options haven’t worked completely.

Try out these tricks and be patient with them. It might take up to one month to begin seeing results, but I have given these tips to several clients in the past and have seen the amazing results. I even have my fiance doing the ones that apply to him and his wavy hair is so gorgeous, smooth and shiny that I’m pretty much jealous on a daily basis! Sometimes we think we have to take drastic measures to make a drastic change, but we forget that all of our daily habits can be combining and leading to a result. When it comes to enjoying a lifestyle free from the annoyance of frizz, the habits are easy to change and that change can lead to some truly amazing results. And in this case, I want that result to be a gorgeous head of frizz-free, smooth, shiny hair for you!

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