Must-have frizz-fighting tips to help you whip your get your curls back in shape in no time.
Share38
10ShareAlicia Ward
April 28th, 2011
Get a good haircut for your curls.
We know how frustrating frizzy hair can be, and we’re here to help! We’ve compiled this must-have list of our favorite no-frizz tips for curly hair.
1. A Good Haircut is Key
Split ends are the beginning of frizz, so stop them before they start by getting your curls trimmed every 6-8 weeks. Don’t cut hair too short, since shrinkage can be a real problem in humidity. You can find the best stylist for your curls using NaturallyCurly’s Salon Finder.
2. Don’t Shampoo Every Day
Curly, kinky and wavy hair needs the natural oils from your scalp to reduce frizz. No more than four washes every week is good. For your off days, go the rinse and condition route.
3. Lots of Conditioner!
Moisturize = Happy Curls! Aѕ curls succumb easily tο dryness, regular conditioning іѕ crucial. Never skip thе conditioner, аnԁ avoid two-іn-one, shampoo/conditioners. Once уου аrе done shampooing, squeeze extra moisture frοm уουr tresses (never wring), thеn work уουr conditioner іn frοm root tο tip. Leave thе conditioner іn fοr at least two minutes before rinsing. Using a deep conditioner once a week can be a major hеlр іn combating frizz.
4. Rinse with Cold Water!
Try a cold rinse to seal the hair cuticle and make it extra shiny. Let your hair drip after you rinse, and do not comb through it any more. Whеn rinsing out your conditioner, υѕе thе сοldest water уου саn tolerate, since сοƖԁ water helps smooth thе cuticle, diminishing frizz аnԁ fluffy, flyaway hair. Cold water also locks the follicle, which keeps the hair sleeker and shinier.
5. Avoid Terrycloth Towels; Use Microfiber Instead
Avoid wringing or rubbing your hair with a towel as this creates friction, breakage and split ends. Gently scrunch out most of the water with your fingers while you’re still in the shower. Always avoid rubbing the towel over your head as this will break up the curls you just shaped. The key when using any towel is flip your head over and scrunch up. Microfiber towels not only reduce frizz but speed up drying time. Microfiber is a super-absorbent fabric that soaks up excess water. Microfiber does not disturb the cuticle – instead it smooths it down, reducing frizz.
6. Air Dry, Hood Dry or Use a Diffuser
Curls and kinks can quickly become frazzled into frizz in the drying phase of the styling process. While using a diffuser can add a much-needed boost to looser curls, a hooded dryer is often the best option for kinkier curl types. If you have a really tight curl and kinky texture, try a hooded dryer because it will make heat flow down so it won’t disturb the curl as much as a blow dryer or diffuser. If you don’t have a hooded dryer at home, try air drying instead.
7. Comb Conditioner Through Hair in the Shower
Conditioning is a must, and distribution is the key. Distribute conditioner in the shower to help your so your hair will absorb more as the steam opens the hair follicle. Comb your hair out, parting it as you go. Be sure to apply lots of conditioner and really work it in there using a wide-tooth comb.
8. NEVER Use a Brush
Skip the hairbrush—separate your curls and define your hair style with a wide-toothed comb or your fingers. Don’t brush your hair—EVER! Get yourself a wide-toothed comb and comb your hair while it’s wet (you may want to comb the conditioner through in the shower to help with tangles). Brushing while wet will break your hair, and brushing while dry is a curly hair sin.
9. Don’t Touch Your Hair
Don’t touch your hair even though it’s tempting! The more you play with and tousle your hair during the day, the more frizz you’re going to get. If you need to, you can perform a mid-day touch up by moistening broken curls and wrapping them around your finger to reshape them.
10. A Pomade is Great for Mid-Day Touch Ups
Pomade is great for controlling frizz and even repelling humidity—if you use the right product. Use these products very sparingly by emulsifying the hair pomade into your palms until it’s barely there. Then skim gently over the surface of the hair, coaxing stray hairs into the natural waves where they are supposed to be. Follow through to the ends for best definition…and don’t forget about the back. Certain pomades combat puffy, frizzy hair. Pomades do not harden in the hair, and because they are rather thick, work well to define the hair while controlling flyaways, which will make your hair appear smoother. Pomades also weigh the hair down slightly, keeping it from appearing so puffy.
11. Apply Styling Products to Dripping Wet Hair
Add products to your hair while it’s still wet. A good place to start is a gοοԁ leave-іn conditioner. Always υѕе conditioner liberally аftеr washing, directly οn уουr damp hair, paying special attention tο the ends. Aftеr applying thе leave-іn conditioner, apply serum evenly, mаkіnɡ sure еνеrу curl іѕ coated. Thеѕе steps, plus deep conditioning weekly, ѕhουƖԁ ɡеt rid οf frizz. Ensure thаt thе products уου υѕе аrе mаԁе fοr уουr type οf hair аnԁ thе type οf styling уου prefer. Each hair type responds differently to weather conditions. Make sure you are using the right no-frizz products for your hair type.
12. Avoid Frizzy Hair Stressors
Smoking, excessive ingestion of alcohol or caffeine (which are diuretics and have a drying effect on the whole body), chemical treatments (including coloring and perming), and excessive consumption of processed foods can create or worsen frizzy hair.
13. SPF For Your Locks!
To decrease sun damage, use a shampoo with a built-in SPF. SPF protects your hair just like your skin – and prevents it from drying out.
14. Sleep on a Satin Pillowcase
When you sleep, you toss and turn, which creates friction causing tangles, split ends and breakage. Satin pillowcases reduce frizz-causing friction by minimizing hair breakage and reducing split ends. A satin pillowcase also makes it easier to maintain hairstyles. Use satin whenever possible, whether that’s a scarf bonnet to protect spirals or a pillow case to rest a curly head. Sleeping with satin helps to maintain the moisture in the hair. Cotton and other materials dry hair out, which adds to frizz.
Note: Some curlies ask about silk pillowcases. Silk is a natural fiber, and while some believe that silk provides hair and skin benefits, it does have a tendency to have tiny irregularities in it, which can cause friction. We recommend satin pillowcases. Satin is a type of smooth finish more effective in reducing frizz.
15. Cut Down on Hot Styling Tools
The heat from styling tools, such as hair dryers, curling irons, flat irons or hot rollers, can leave hair dry and damaged which leads to more frizz. In addition, hair tends to form uniform curls more easily when it dries naturally. Try to keep the use of these hot styling tools to a minimum. When a flat iron or hair dryer is a must, use a silicone-based serum beforehand to protect hair from the heat and control frizz.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Silicones and other sealants for natural hair
by Nicole Hollis of Hair Liberty
When compared to other hair types, African American hair is particularly fragile. That's because any type of curly hair is dry due to the bend or kink in each curl. The area where the curl bends has raised cuticle scales, which means it's porous and can't hold on to moisture well. The more kinks in a strand, the more porous and dry the strand will be. With that in mind, the #1 goal of a good regimen for African American hair is to keep the hair moisturized and therefore minimize breakage.
As you've learned by now, there's no point in applying moisture to porous hair, without sealing it in. When you apply an effective sealant to moisturized skin or hair, the moisture can stay in and benefit the keratin cells, instead of quickly evaporating away. If you don't apply an effective sealant, the skin or hair will become dry quickly and you'll need to re-apply moisture over and over again. African American women with natural hair often prefer natural sealants like coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter. Those oils are rich in nutrients like fatty acids and Vitamin E, so they can replenish what the strands may lack. Plant-based oils have many proven benefits for the hair, but they actually don't make the best sealants.
For many years, the best personal care sealant available was mineral oil, a byproduct of petroleum. In scientific studies, mineral oil was shown to provide a better seal or protective layer than other oils. Since African American hair is known to be porous, mineral oil and petrolatum began to appear in most ethnic hair care products. Even though the products created back then were very simple, they provided two crucial elements: water for moisture and mineral oil as a highly effective sealant (and pretty good heat protectant too).
Fast forward a few decades and moisturized hair is not enough. African American women want their hair to be soft, but not greasy and strong, but not stiff. Customers also want their hair to be easy to comb, even if it hasn't been washed in days and thermal protection for flat irons that get as hot as 450°F. There is no natural oil that can meet all of those demands, which explains why hair care companies began using silicones.
Slicones are synthetic oils. They come from "silicon", the naturally occurring element that makes up glass and sand. The first commercially available silicone, dimethicone, has been used in skin creams and lotions since the 1950s, but about 20 years ago, the hair care industry began adding it to shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in products. In studies, dimethicone was found to condition the hair and protect it from dehydration better than mineral oil. Companies have continued to create new and better silicones over the years and now there are silicones that can help the hair dry faster (cyclomethicone), target the most damaged areas of the strand to provide deep conditioning (amodimethicone), and even strengthen the hair (aminopropyl phenyl trimethicone).
Despite the proven advantages of silicones, some women make a big effort to avoid them. These women are often choosing to follow the hair care method promoted by Lorraine Massey in her 2001 instructional book for curly-haired women, Curly Girl: The Handbook. Regarding silicones, Massey wrote:
I suggest that you avoid conditioners that use silicones. Although they do add temporary shine to the hair, I find they weigh down curly hair. (That means avoid using products with ingredients whose name end in -cone.) The ingredients you absolutely need in conditioner include emollients, humectants, proteins, and moisturizers.
Four years later, in a Q&A featured on naturallycurly.com, Massey admitted that her original book was written before she ever heard of more sophisticated silicones like amodimethicone. Unfortunately, misinformation had already spread across the Internet and to this day, silicones are wrongly blamed for drying out the hair due to build up when in reality the opposite is true.
Any oil, natural or synthetic, can build up on the hair, but you can easily avoid build up by using shampoo (not just co-washing). And, if you're concerned about damage caused by shampooing too much, simply choose a pH-balanced shampoo for your hair type. Hair care companies use words like "dry", "coarse", "fine", and/or "chemically-treated" on their labels to help you choose the products that they think you'll like best (and therefore continue to buy). So, if you're concerned that shampoo will make your dry hair even drier, instead of avoiding shampoo, choose a shampoo formulated for dry hair. That usually means a conditioning shampoo that's effective enough to remove build up, but gentle enough that it can be used every wash.
Silicones, especially dimethicone, are in many parts of our lives. You can find them in lotions, deodorants, skin medications, and even Chicken McNuggets. The reason thousands of hair products contain silicones is because they work extremely well to condition, soften, and seal the hair. If you've been following a "no cones" or "no poo" regimen and you aren't seeing the results you hoped for, it's certainly time to explore the other side!
Hair Liberty is a comprehensive resource for African American hair care information. We sort through the latest hair care advice and compare hundred of products to find the most accurate recommendations for our readers. Visit hairliberty.org to learn about your hair and how to achieve your hair goals. And be sure to Like the Hair Liberty Facebook page for extra tips and info!
When compared to other hair types, African American hair is particularly fragile. That's because any type of curly hair is dry due to the bend or kink in each curl. The area where the curl bends has raised cuticle scales, which means it's porous and can't hold on to moisture well. The more kinks in a strand, the more porous and dry the strand will be. With that in mind, the #1 goal of a good regimen for African American hair is to keep the hair moisturized and therefore minimize breakage.
As you've learned by now, there's no point in applying moisture to porous hair, without sealing it in. When you apply an effective sealant to moisturized skin or hair, the moisture can stay in and benefit the keratin cells, instead of quickly evaporating away. If you don't apply an effective sealant, the skin or hair will become dry quickly and you'll need to re-apply moisture over and over again. African American women with natural hair often prefer natural sealants like coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter. Those oils are rich in nutrients like fatty acids and Vitamin E, so they can replenish what the strands may lack. Plant-based oils have many proven benefits for the hair, but they actually don't make the best sealants.
For many years, the best personal care sealant available was mineral oil, a byproduct of petroleum. In scientific studies, mineral oil was shown to provide a better seal or protective layer than other oils. Since African American hair is known to be porous, mineral oil and petrolatum began to appear in most ethnic hair care products. Even though the products created back then were very simple, they provided two crucial elements: water for moisture and mineral oil as a highly effective sealant (and pretty good heat protectant too).
Fast forward a few decades and moisturized hair is not enough. African American women want their hair to be soft, but not greasy and strong, but not stiff. Customers also want their hair to be easy to comb, even if it hasn't been washed in days and thermal protection for flat irons that get as hot as 450°F. There is no natural oil that can meet all of those demands, which explains why hair care companies began using silicones.
Slicones are synthetic oils. They come from "silicon", the naturally occurring element that makes up glass and sand. The first commercially available silicone, dimethicone, has been used in skin creams and lotions since the 1950s, but about 20 years ago, the hair care industry began adding it to shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in products. In studies, dimethicone was found to condition the hair and protect it from dehydration better than mineral oil. Companies have continued to create new and better silicones over the years and now there are silicones that can help the hair dry faster (cyclomethicone), target the most damaged areas of the strand to provide deep conditioning (amodimethicone), and even strengthen the hair (aminopropyl phenyl trimethicone).
Despite the proven advantages of silicones, some women make a big effort to avoid them. These women are often choosing to follow the hair care method promoted by Lorraine Massey in her 2001 instructional book for curly-haired women, Curly Girl: The Handbook. Regarding silicones, Massey wrote:
I suggest that you avoid conditioners that use silicones. Although they do add temporary shine to the hair, I find they weigh down curly hair. (That means avoid using products with ingredients whose name end in -cone.) The ingredients you absolutely need in conditioner include emollients, humectants, proteins, and moisturizers.
Four years later, in a Q&A featured on naturallycurly.com, Massey admitted that her original book was written before she ever heard of more sophisticated silicones like amodimethicone. Unfortunately, misinformation had already spread across the Internet and to this day, silicones are wrongly blamed for drying out the hair due to build up when in reality the opposite is true.
Any oil, natural or synthetic, can build up on the hair, but you can easily avoid build up by using shampoo (not just co-washing). And, if you're concerned about damage caused by shampooing too much, simply choose a pH-balanced shampoo for your hair type. Hair care companies use words like "dry", "coarse", "fine", and/or "chemically-treated" on their labels to help you choose the products that they think you'll like best (and therefore continue to buy). So, if you're concerned that shampoo will make your dry hair even drier, instead of avoiding shampoo, choose a shampoo formulated for dry hair. That usually means a conditioning shampoo that's effective enough to remove build up, but gentle enough that it can be used every wash.
Silicones, especially dimethicone, are in many parts of our lives. You can find them in lotions, deodorants, skin medications, and even Chicken McNuggets. The reason thousands of hair products contain silicones is because they work extremely well to condition, soften, and seal the hair. If you've been following a "no cones" or "no poo" regimen and you aren't seeing the results you hoped for, it's certainly time to explore the other side!
Hair Liberty is a comprehensive resource for African American hair care information. We sort through the latest hair care advice and compare hundred of products to find the most accurate recommendations for our readers. Visit hairliberty.org to learn about your hair and how to achieve your hair goals. And be sure to Like the Hair Liberty Facebook page for extra tips and info!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)