Almost everyone has had to deal with frizzy hair at one point or another; people with curly hairs are even more prone to this annoying plague. Some have come to the hasty conclusion that that’s just the way their hair texture is. However, there are several factors responsible for frizzy hair and contrary to popular belief, with the use of the right products, it is indeed possible to keep those frizzes away and have the perfect hair you desire.
What is Frizzy Hair
In simple terms, frizz is hair that doesn’t align with the surrounding hairs but stands out on its own, creating an irregular texture and making the whole hair look fuzzy. Frizzy hair is noticeable in different hairstyles and textures. They can be strands of curly hair standing up independently or strands of a straight hair sticking up at the part and throughout the entire hair length. The best adjectives to describe Frizzy Hair would be, rough, stiff, damaged or dry hair. Now that you know what frizzy hair means, you may wonder why people have frizzy hair.
Causes of Frizzy Hair
1. Frequent Use of Hot Hair Drying and Styling Tools
One of the major reasons why the hair frizzes is lack of moisture in the hair. When you frequently use hot hair drying tools such as blow dryers, there is every tendency that your hair will suffer a significant loss of moisture leading to frizzy hair. It is important to minimize heat styling and use of hot hair drying tools on your hair and learn to allow your hair air-dry as often as possible.
Besides, using hot drying tools a lot on your hair can also damage your ends. Damaged hair is another leading cause of hair frizz. When you have split hair ends, you are more prone to have hair frizzes.
2. Washing Your Hair with Hot Water
Most people wash their hair with very hot water in a bid to make it neat. This practice, however, has proven to be detrimental to the overall health of hair cuticles. Use lukewarm water to rinse your hair instead of very hot water if you want to prevent frizzy hair.
3. Humidity
The hair is far more sensitive to humidity than most people are aware of. When it’s humid, the outer layer of the hair takes in the moisture in the air, causing it to swell and freeze. Hair reacts to humidity by curling or freezing. This makes humidity one of the leading causes of frizzy hair.
4. Towel Drying
Most people are guilty of using their regular towel to hair dry; after all, it appears to be the most convenient way to get the hair dry after a shower. This practice has negative effects on the hair cuticles as it can make the cuticles lift and swell, thereby causing a frizz. Instead, use a micro-fiber towel or a t-shirt. This ensures that your hair retains moisture and reduces frizz.
5. Using Hair Products With Sulphates
Although sulphates are supposed to act lathering agents to make the hair clean, it can sometimes be too harsh on your hair strands. The hair produces natural oil that keeps it moisturized, when you use products with sulphate, you risk losing some of this natural oil, thereby causing your hair to frizz.
To avoid this problem, you can opt for sulphate-free hair products or look out for sulphates products that have a frizz neutralizing agent, like non-ionic surfactants.
6. Washing Your Hair Everyday
While it is important to keep the hair neat, frequent use of harsh foaming shampoos on the hair can alter the natural condition of the hair, causing it to frizz. Shampooing too much can cause the hair to lose its natural oils and moisture, resulting in a dry, flaky scalp and hair.
If you notice a lack of luster in your hair, using moisturizers and hydrating the hair can help restore shine instead of washing the hair. There is no exact cut rule on washing the hair, but experts agree on two to three times, a week, depending on your hair type.
How To Manage Frizzy Hair
- Use Essential Fats and Oil: the number one cause of Frizzy hair is dryness in the hair. Using hair products that are rich in essential fats and oil will help prevent dry hair.
- Use Hair Products With Glycerin: Glycerin will give your hair strands a protective coat which keeps it hydrated at all times. Since dryness is the number one culprit of frizzy hair, using shampoos with glycerin will help you tackle the frizz.
- Use Heat Protectant Sheets And Sprays: Since it may be impossible to abstain totally from using hot styling tools on your hair or to stay away from blow dryers, you can help reduce the level of heat on your hair by using a heat protectant spray or wearing a heat protectant sheet before using hot styling tools.
- Use Hair Products That Are Rich In Proteins: Proteins are essential in treating Frizzy hair as it helps to repair damaged hair shafts and strengthen the hair. You can also look out for other moisturizing ingredients like silicone, glycerin when buying hair products. Care your hair hairs at home.
Natural DIYS That Can Help Tame Frizzy Hair
- Coconut Oil: This is perhaps the most common home remedy for frizzy hair. It is rich in nourishing vitamins and minerals that are essential for keeping the hair hydrated.
To use: Apply a small quantity of coconut oil on your hair and gently massage it through your scalp and to the top of your hair. Leave in for 15 minutes and then wash it off. You can decide to leave a small quantity of oil on the hair overnight to get better results.
- Honey: This is an ingredient that commonly found in most hair conditioning products because of its unique ability to increase the volume of the hydration in the hair.
To use: Mix two tablespoons of honey with two tablespoons of lemon juice and add a cup of water. Massage the mixture gently through the hair. Leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse the hair with lukewarm water and shampoo.
- Raw Egg and Olive Oil: Egg yolks are rich in proteins, and egg whites also contain an enzyme that fights bacteria and removes unwanted oil in the hair. The egg helps to repair damages in the hair shaft, which might be the culprit for frizzy hair.
To use: Mix 1 raw egg and 2 tablespoons of olive oil perfectly until you have a smooth blend. Gently apply the mix to your hair and massage it through to the scalp. Leave it on for 40 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water and shampoo.
- Banana: Bananas are very effective for hair conditioning, especially if it is combined with honey.
To use: Take one ripe banana and mash it until there are no lumps. Add two spoons of honey and 1/3 cup of olive oil. Mix and apply to the hair and scalp. Leave it on for 25 minutes and then rinse it thoroughly with shampoo.
- Aloe Vera: Aloe vera applied to your hair will form a protective layer over your cuticles and prevent dryness which causes Frizzy hairs. It is a well-recognized remedy for dryness in the hair.
To use: Apply the aloe vera to your hair and massage to the scalp. Leave it on for 20 minutes and then rinse with shampoo and conditioner.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple Cider Vinegar helps in close any open cuticles in your hair. It also helps to balance the pH level of your hair, making it possible for your hair to retain moisture and reduce dryness.
To use: Mix 2 tablespoon of ACV with 2 cups of water. Wash your hair and rinse thoroughly with the ACV mixture and leave it in your hair for 10 minutes. Use a conditioner to rinse the mixture off your hair.
Conclusion: Nourish your hair
Living with frizzy hair is very frustrating, but they don’t just happen, it is a result of several factors, one of which is inadequate hair nourishing. With the information above, you can easily identify the causes of your frizz and restore the needed moisture.
Written By
Nwankwo Jessie @ Evansblackminds@gmail.com
Jessie is a freelance writer at Upwork. With a professional experience of over four years, she creates contents for businesses that want to optimize their search ranking on Google.
With a friendly and informative tone, Jessie’s articles have appeared in a number of websites, including Autonomous.ai, Semalt.com, Jobsera.com, to mention a few.