Frizzy Curly Hair: How to Tame & Style Curly Hair Without Frizz
We’re all about embracing what we’ve got. But sometimes what we want – defined, bouncy, glossy curls – doesn’t come naturally (we’re looking at you frizz!!).
And based on the amount of curly girls all over TikTok wondering what to do with frizzy curly hair, we know a lot of you are feeling the same way.
Frizzy curls are a totally normal part of being a curly girl. But if you prefer a more defined and smooth finish, there are an endless amount of methods and products that you can experiment with.
In order to help you find exactly what your curly frizzy hair needs, we consulted with our team of frizz experts who have decades of experience formulating products to help tame the fuzz.
Meet the team below and check out their advice for how to help with frizzy curly hair.
Meet the Experts
Gail Federici – Founder + CEO of Color Wow, and co-creator of the first-ever anti-frizz products.
Dr. Joe Cincotta, Ph.D. – VP of Research + Development at Color Wow, and co-creator of the first-ever anti-frizz products.
Kendall Dorsey – Curl expert + celebrity hairstylist, whose clients include Rihanna, Alicia Keys, and Kelly Roland, to name a few.
Why is my curly hair frizzy?
If your curly hair is always frizzy, you’re not alone! While frizz can happen to anyone (through heat damage, excessive coloring, etc.), most curly girls are born with it due to the nature of their spirals. Because of the bends and twists that make up curls, it’s super difficult for your scalp’s natural oils to travel down each strand to provide critical moisturization.
This is why curly hair is notoriously dehydrated. And when hair is super dry, the cuticle layer lifts to try and absorb moisture from the air around it, causing the hair to swell and look frizzy. Now, if on top of all that, you add in heat styling, color and chemical processing, and harsh products (aka, anything that dries out or damages your hair), you’re really blowing that cuticle layer wide open.
Which will result in… yes, you guessed it, SUPER frizzy curly hair.
How to keep curly hair from frizzing
So what’s the secret for how to make curly hair less frizzy? There are many ways you can adjust your routine to help prevent frizz from happening in the first place.
1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
The real secret for how to keep your curly hair from frizzing? Maximize moisture! As we mentioned, curly hair struggles to retain moisture. Here’s what you can do to help:
- Shampoo less – People with drier hair types don’t need to wash as often as this further dries out the hair by washing away your natural oils.
- Deep condition regularly – This is a surefire way to ensure your curls get the deep down moisture they’re missing. Plus, it helps bring back bounce, elasticity and shine.
- Moisturize at every step of your routine – The exception being when you shampoo (more on this later!)
2. Limit damage as much as possible
Anything from breakage to split ends will compromise the cuticle layer, resulting in frizz. Here’s how you can help minimize damage to your curls:
- Take a break from chemical treatments – These can weaken your already fragile curls, resulting in more frizz, split ends and breakage. Make sure to give your curls breaks in between treatments!
- Get regular trims – An easy way to nip split ends in the bud is to keep up with your haircuts.
3. Reduce friction
You’ve most likely already heard this advice around how to make curly hair not frizzy. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t bear repeating!
Any kind of friction against your curls not only disrupts your definition but can also rough up your cuticle layer. Luckily, the solution here is easy. Three simple ways to reduce friction:
- Get a silk pillowcase or silk hair wrap – Cotton pillowcases are rough on the cuticle, plus they rob your hair of moisture. Swap in a silk pillowcase or silk protective hair wrap for a much gentler sleep routine.
- Opt for a microfiber towel – Microfiber towels are much gentler on the cuticle and will absorb moisture without dehydrating your hair.
- Brushing your curls – Most curly girls already know this, but brushing out your curls can disrupt your curl pattern and leave them looking fuzzy. Instead, it’s best to only comb your curls when they’re wet. Use a wide tooth comb or a detangling brush to get rid of knots and to distribute product. But when your curls are dry, leave them be.
How to fix frizzy curly hair
If you’re wondering how to keep curly hair from frizzing during the day or between wash days, there are a few touch ups you can use to help defrizz curly hair.
Rehydrate with an anti-frizz styling cream, like One-Minute Transformation.
Packed with mega moisture and nourishing ingredients, like Avocado Oil, it instantly depuffs and smooths fuzzy curls.
Another option is to seal the cuticle closed with a serum, like Pop + Lock High Shine Finish. This glosser simultaneously conditions inside each strand while locking down the cuticle.
The result? Instant frizz control for curly hair plus a serious dose of gloss.
How to style frizzy curly hair
If you’ve spent any amount of time of TikTok, you know there are an endless amount of methods for how to style frizzy curly hair. Finding out which method works best for your curls can take some trial and error, but the frizz-free results will be worth it in the end!
Squish to Condish
Rather than applying your conditioner and rinsing it out, this method has you squish the conditioner into your hair to encourage the moisture to penetrate beyond your cuticle layer. The key indicator that it’s working? Listen for the squelch!
Rake + Shake
Section your curls off into small sections. For each one, grab some product and rake it through your curls from roots to end. Then, gently shake your curls to encourage your natural curl pattern to form.
Praying Hands
One of the easier curl styling methods, this one entails rubbing your product all over your hands before smoothing it over your hair using flat “prayer” hands.
Plopping
Apply product to your wet curls, then flip your head over and secure your hair in a microfiber towel or t-shirt. The towel or t-shirt will help absorb moisture faster while also reinforcing your spirals and definition.
The Bowl Method
After washing and conditioning, apply a leave-in conditioner or cream and comb through. Then, dunk your curls in a bowl of water, lift them out, scrunch the product in, and repeat.
What products to use for frizzy curly hair?
There are a million different products for frizzy curly hair out there. But if your goal is frizz-free plus major definition, serious gloss, and bounce with a crunch-free, weightless finish, here’s your line up:
1. Dream Coat for Curly Hair
Best for: Wavy and curly hair (types 2a curls through 3a curls)
Meet the one-step solution for frizz-free, crunch-free curls!
This light-as-water mist combines the benefits of gels, serums and creams without the typical crunchy, greasy or heavy feel. Packed with mega moisture (with zero alcohol in sight).
2. Curl Wow
Best for: Curly and coily hair (types 3a curls through 4b curls)
The key to perfectly bundled, bouncy, juicy curls that look and feel totally natural? Curl Wow’s “Naked Technology” (aka our proprietary Profaxil-18 Complex™)!
This revolutionary system uses new micro-dispersion technology to better moisturize, defrizz and define curls so there’s no weight, greasy feel, or crunch.
a. Snag-Free Pre-Shampoo Detangler
Made with Pracaxi and Coconut Oils, this pre-spoo detangler adds slip to curls for easy shampooing, a deeper clean and less breakage.
This super sudsing, sulfate-free, no-residue formula is the best shampoo for curly frizzy hair. Unlike anti-frizz and moisturizing shampoos, this 100% clean formula leaves no residues behind on your hair or scalp. That means less buildup to irritate your scalp and prevent your moisturizers from penetrating.
That means you won’t have to wash as frequently! It’s also made with root-locking technology that helps anchor your hair in your follicles for less shedding.
c. Coco-Motion Lubricating Conditioner
Our favorite conditioner for curly frizzy hair is Coco-Motion, hands down. Formulated with Marula and Coconut Oils, it lubricates the protein chains inside dehydrated curls to bring back bounce, elasticity and fluid motion. Leave it on for longer for a deeper conditioning.
d. Floetry Vital Natural Serum
Remember those natural scalp oils we keep mentioning? This serum uses Jojoba, Pequi and Coconut Oils to mimic your natural ones for juicy hydration from your roots to your ends. Plus, it’s clinically-proven to reduce breakage by 84%.
e. Shook Mix + Fix Bundling Spray
This mix-to-activate spray combines a “layer” of advanced styling polymers with a “layer” of powerful moisturizing oils (Jojoba, Rice Bran, Passion Flower, Grape Seed) for perfectly defined, weightless, glossy, frizz-free curls. Plus, it’s clinically proven to deliver 78% less frizz in high humidity.
We hope this guide has given you the tools you need to achieve your frizz-free curly goals! Always know that just because your curls are prone to frizz doesn’t mean you have to live with undefined, dull spirals forever.
It might take some trial and error to find the exact combo of products and routines to find what works for your curls, but it will be worth it in the end. And remember, our Color Wow team of frizz experts are always here to help!
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Read more about keeping your hair frizz-free and fabulous on the Color Wow Blog:
