Don’t let frizzy hair control your life. You can get the upper hand without straightening, relaxing, cutting it all away or pulling it back into a ponytail. Embrace your curls and maximize their bounce by using hair washing, conditioning and styling products and techniques that boost their smoothness and volume without drying out and damaging your hair. Remember to find a hair stylist who knows how to work curls and does not rely on the tired layer cut, which, for people with very frizzy and full hair, results in a hot mess. Locate a curl expert by stopping someone who rocks great curls in your hometown and asking her who does her hair.
No Poo
The no shampoo, or no poo, trend has gained momentum among people with frizzy, dry, brittle or voluminous hair. You have several options when eschewing shampoo. Some people opt for sulfate-free hair washes that still gently cleanse the scalp and hair. Other people use a natural elements, scrubbing a paste of baking soda and water into the scalp or rinsing with a bit of apple cider vinegar. For people with very dry hair, mixing a bit of honey with the baking soda paste moisturizes the scalp and makes hair feel smoother. You can also use a lightweight lotion-style conditioner as a shampoo.
Know Your Hair Type
Hair types vary widely, as do recommended treatment for them. Hairstylist Andre Walker developed a system for classifying hair that helps you determine how to avoid frizzy hair. Type 1, straight hair, usually does not frizz. Type 2, wavy hair, may be thin and easy to curl, responding well to lotion conditioners and gentle styling, or may be thicker and coarser, like Daisy Fuentes’ hair, requiring less shampoo and a leave-in conditioner. Type 3, curly hair, ranges from loopy S shapes to tight ringlets. This type of hair responds well to squeezing all excess moisture from the hair before gently finger combing thick, cream-style conditioner through the curls. Type 4, kinky and often ethnic hair, may be wiry and coarse, and usually is fragile. Avoid using a hair dryer and harsh chemical products on this type of hair. Stick to creams, butters and oils for conditioning.
Avoid Silicones
Silicone products proliferate in many hairstyling products, especially gels and mousses. However, people with hair prone to frizz should not use silicone products, which build up in hair and can make it look dull and damaged. If you adopt a no-shampoo routine, silicone products will not rinse from your hair.
Photo Credit
- Guitar Hero Afro image by Infs from Fotolia.com
