The Wrap

Oct 26 2020


The Facts on Frizz Everyone Needs to Know

Is frizz one of your main hair concerns? You are certainly not alone. There are literally thousands of hair products on the market that promise frizz-free hair, from hair masks to argan oil, and millions of women who turn to them for relief. But do you know what frizz actually is? Find out what’s going on under the surface and how to protect your hair and prevent what is an everyday annoyance for too many people. Read on to learn how to get rid of frizzy hair. 

What does frizz look like?

This may seem like a no-brainer but just in case you didn’t know—frizz is when hair appears puffy with ample space between strands. Hair will not lay smoothly when it is frizzy, creating flyaways and irregular waves and curls.

How does frizz work?

No matter if your hair is dry or moisturized, all hair is porous—kind of like a sponge. And like a sponge, it absorbs water—not just the water with which we shower but also water vapor (humidity) in the air. When water is absorbed into the hair, it literally swells. Yes, just like a sponge.

In our last blog about hair damage, you learned about vital structures of hair—the cortex (inner core) and cuticles (outer protective layer), and your hair shaft is the part of your hair that you can see. When hair absorbs water, the cortex swells and pushes the hair's cuticles open. Open cuticles are not ideal since they leave the cortex vulnerable. They also allow even more water absorption, more cuticle pushing. Thus, a vicious cycle is born.

Basically, frizzy hair is opened cuticles. Curly hair has particularly open cuticles, especially at the ends, unfortunately making it even more prone to frizz. The key to preventing frizz is to keep hair healthy so cuticles stay as closed and smooth as possible – not just using heavy cuticle-smoothing styling products that fake the look of healthy hair. Too much product will weigh down your hair as well, or worse, trap water in and lead to more damage in the future. 

What else causes frizziness?

While even perfectly healthy hair can absorb water and get frizzy, damaged hair is even more vulnerable. Heat, chemical treatments and bleaching, even sunshine can cause your cuticles to lift up and leave your hair vulnerable to humidity. Heat styling also reduces your scalp’s production of natural oils, which keep your hair moisturized. And did you know prolonged sun exposure can make any hair type even more porous? Then it is even more vulnerable to frizz.

Do you know the pH levels of the products you are using? High pH products increase the negative electric charge on the hair’s surface, and build-up of these products makes things even worse. This creates more friction between your individual hairs, leading to frizz. 

Leaving your hair wet for too long is also an issue. While letting your hair air dry can prevent heat damage, water blasts cuticles open (more on that here), and neglecting to get it out fast (air drying) leaves them open, causing more frizz. And remember, wet hair is weak hair, and is more prone to breakage and split ends. By using one of our hair towels to wick excess moisture out quickly without rubbing, you can skip the heavy-duty bath towels and help tame frizz. On the other hand, if you blow-dry your hair at a high temperature, you're still causing damage.  

What can I do to prevent frizz?

Here are some obvious hair care tips to tame frizzy hair:

  • Cut back on heat styling, as it leads to dry hair. When you do use heat, make sure to use a heat protectant. The straightener can wait. 
  • Use chemical and bleaching treatments sparingly and always consult a professional.
  • Use products that will ensure pH balance and reduce friction between hairs.
  • Use a hydrating leave-in conditioner (with low pH) on damp hair to lock in natural oils, seal cuticles, and help with moisturizing.
  • Limit sun exposure and use a hair sunscreen

But above all, always remember to be extra gentle with wet hair and protect it from water fatigue. The worst thing you can do to wet hair is expose it to harsh terrycloth towels, hair brush bristles, or hot styling tools. Blow dryers were meant to style damp hair, not dry soaking wet strands.

Our products remove water fast and gently. No more fighting frizz. Take care of your hair needs and prevent frizz every time you wash with our Aquis microfiber towel.