The best products for frizzy hair work as a routine, not a single bottle: a gentle shampoo, a conditioner that matches your hair's thickness, a leave-in or oil, and a humidity spray on sticky days. Which version of each you need depends on whether your hair is fine, thick, curly or color-treated, so every pick below is labelled by hair type.
Frizz happens when hair soaks up water from humid air and swells, and when a roughed-up surface stops strands lying flat. Well-conditioned, coated hair takes on less of that water. If you want the step-by-step routine first, start with how to fix frizzy hair, then come back for the products.
Quick picks
| Badge | Pick | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|
| Best for color-treated hair | Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo | Silicone-free and sulfate-free, and the brand says it's safe for color-treated hair |
| Best drugstore conditioner for dry hair | SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Conditioner | Rich, rinse-out conditioner with shea butter and manuka honey |
| Best leave-in for curly hair | Moroccanoil Smoothing Lotion | Made for medium, curly and coarse hair; an NBC Select editor's go-to for her curls |
| Best serum for thick or coarse hair | John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Hair Serum | One pump on damp hair; the brand cites humidity resistance up to 90% |
| Best hair oil for fine hair | Moroccanoil Treatment Light | The lighter version of the original, made for fine hair |
| Best for humidity | amika the shield anti-humidity spray | Humidity spray and heat protection (to 450°F) in one |
| Best splurge | Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer | Ionic dryer with five attachments; NBC Select's best overall |
Best shampoo for frizzy hair: Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo
Best for: color-treated hair and anyone with frizz-prone waves or curls who wants smoother styles.
What we love
- Living Proof says it's safe for color or chemically treated hair, and it's sulfate-free (no SLS or SLES).
- It's silicone-free. The brand says it uses a silicone alternative it calls Sili-CLONE HairTech to get the shine and detangling people like silicone for.
- NBC Select named it the best shampoo in its anti-frizz roundup, noting it's color-safe and works well on wavy and curly hair.
- It has a light citrus scent, according to the brand.
Keep in mind
- If your hair is fine and frizzy, Living Proof itself points you to its Perfect hair Day shampoo instead.
- NBC Select noted it doesn't come in a pump bottle.
Key ingredients: Sili-CLONE HairTech (the brand's silicone alternative); free of silicones and of SLS and SLES sulfates.
How to use: Shampoo only when your hair needs it. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says dry, curly or thick hair may go up to 2 to 3 weeks between washes.
Best conditioner for frizzy hair: SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Conditioner
Best for: dry, frizzy hair on a drugstore budget, and especially hair you heat-style often.
What we love
- SheaMoisture calls it an ultra-moisturizing rinse-out conditioner blended with manuka honey and shea butter.
- The brand says it "helps to restore vitality to heat styled hair", which is where a lot of frizz comes from.
- NBC Select editor Cory Fernandez has used it as both a regular and a leave-in conditioner, and said it's "not overly greasy and really helps define curls."
- NBC Select lists pump packaging, more shine and easier styling among its pluses.
Keep in mind
- It's rich. On fine hair, keep it to the ends, which is what the AAD recommends for fine or straight hair in general.
Key ingredients: manuka honey, shea butter, yogurt powder, baobab and avocado oils, mafura butter.
How to use: Work it through from roots to ends, leave it on for 3 minutes, then rinse (the brand's directions). Dry or curly hair can take it along the full length.
Best leave-in for curly hair: Moroccanoil Smoothing Lotion
Best for: curly, wavy, medium and coarse hair that frizzes as it dries.
What we love
- Moroccanoil says it's for medium, curly and coarse hair and "specifically formulated for unruly, frizzy hair."
- It's a styling cream that also works as a leave-in, with a soft, flexible hold for definition.
- NBC Select's Rebecca Rodriguez, who has curly hair, calls it her "go-to leave-in conditioner" because it "hydrates my curls and noticeably reduces my frizz."
- NBC Select also found it doesn't weigh hair down, and it has a pump.
Keep in mind
- NBC Select says it's not for very fine hair.
- It contains fragrance.
Key ingredients: argan oil, argan butter, vitamin E.
How to use: Apply a small amount to damp hair after washing, then style. The brand also suggests it as a next-day refresher.
Best hair serum for frizzy hair: John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength
Best for: thick or coarse hair, on a drugstore budget.
What we love
- John Frieda says this anti frizz serum gives "glossy shine" that "resists humidity up to 90%" (brand page).
- One pump does damp hair. Use less on dry hair, just on the frizzy spots.
- NBC Select lists it among its best serums, noting it's humidity-resistant and has heat protection.
- The brand says it's non-greasy and leaves no residue.
Keep in mind
- NBC Select flags it as best for thick or coarse hair. If your hair is fine, use less or try the oil below.
- John Frieda's site now calls it The Controller Extra Strength Serum, so the bottle may look different from the Amazon photos.
Key ingredients: vitamin E and rice oil, per the brand.
How to use: Rub one pump between your palms and spread it through damp hair, avoiding the roots. Don't rinse.
Hair oil for frizzy hair: Moroccanoil Treatment Light
Best for: fine or light-colored hair that frizzes but goes limp under heavier products.
What we love
- Moroccanoil made it for fine or light-colored hair, including white and gray hair. It's "lighter in formulation, texture and color" than the original.
- The brand says it smooths frizz and adds shine "without weighing hair down."
- It works on damp hair before drying, or on dry hair to tame flyaways.
Keep in mind
- It's still an oil. Start with one pump on fine hair, not two.
- If your hair is medium to thick or curly, Moroccanoil itself recommends the Original instead.
Key ingredients: argan oil, plus silicones (cyclomethicone, dimethicone).
How to use: Apply 1–2 pumps to clean, towel-dried hair from mid-lengths to ends, then blow-dry or air-dry.
Best products for frizzy hair in humidity: amika the shield anti-humidity spray
Best for: blowouts and straightened styles in hot, sticky weather, on any hair type.
What we love
- amika says it's for all hair types, 1 to 4c, and shields hair "from frizz, humidity + 450° F heat."
- It's a heat protectant too, which saves a step before the dryer or flat iron.
- The brand says its own testing showed styles staying frizz-free for 24 hours.
- NBC Select's Rebecca Rodriguez says it keeps her blowouts smooth "for two to three days" in hot, humid months, instead of one.
Keep in mind
- NBC Select notes it's heat-activated, so it does the most when you use a hot tool after it.
- It's an aerosol, so keep the can away from heat.
Key ingredients: sea buckthorn, hydrolyzed vegetable and wheat proteins, UV filters.
How to use: Spray on damp or dry hair before heat styling.
Best hair dryer for frizzy hair: Dyson Supersonic
Best for: anyone who blow-dries most days and wants a splurge that's comfortable to hold.
What we love
- It's ionic, with five attachments, including a diffuser for curls and a flyaway attachment for sleek finishes. Dyson says they're designed for all hair types.
- Dyson says it helps decrease frizz and flyaways by up to 61% and increase shine by up to 132%.
- NBC Select named it the best hair dryer overall. Editorial director Lauren Swanson says she can "see a positive difference in the health of my hair since using it."
- NBC Select reports that, according to Dyson, it checks the air temperature more than 40 times a second so the heat doesn't get extreme.
Keep in mind
- It's a true splurge. NBC Select lists the price as its one drawback.
- Dyson also sells a newer Supersonic Nural, so check the model name before you buy.
Key specs: 1,600 watts, three speeds, four heat settings including a cold shot (per NBC Select).
How to use: Use low or medium heat, as the AAD advises, and use a heat protectant first. Finish with the cold shot.
How to choose
Good products for frizzy hair aren't one-size-fits-all. What changes by hair type is how much product your hair can carry before it looks flat or greasy.
Fine hair
Go light. The AAD says people with fine, straight hair need a lighter leave-in so hair doesn't look limp and greasy. Condition only the ends, use one pump of a light oil such as Treatment Light, and skip creams.
Thick or coarse hair
You can use more product. A serum like Frizz Ease Extra Strength on damp hair, plus conditioner through the full length, is a good base. Add a humidity spray on wet days.
Curly or wavy hair
Curls need the most moisture. The AAD's curly-hair advice is a thick conditioner, then an oil or leave-in, and not washing too often, because that can leave curls dry and frizzy. A leave-in cream like Smoothing Lotion fits here.
Color-treated hair
An AAD dermatologist says that if your hair is color-treated or heat-styled, a rinse-off conditioner may not be enough on its own. Look for a shampoo that says it's color-safe, add a leave-in, and use a heat protectant every time. The AAD also points out that a leave-in with heat protection will say so on the packaging.
Comparison table
| Pick | Product type | Best hair type | Use on | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo | Shampoo | Color-treated, wavy, curly | Wet hair, scalp | Mid-range |
| SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Conditioner | Rinse-out conditioner | Dry, heat-styled | Wet hair, 3 minutes | Drugstore |
| Moroccanoil Smoothing Lotion | Leave-in cream | Curly, medium, coarse | Damp hair | Mid-range |
| John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength | Serum | Thick, coarse | Damp or dry hair | Drugstore |
| Moroccanoil Treatment Light | Hair oil | Fine, light-colored | Damp or dry ends | Mid-range |
| amika the shield | Humidity spray + heat protectant | All types | Before heat styling | Mid-range |
| Dyson Supersonic | Ionic hair dryer | All types | Damp hair | Splurge |
FAQs
What's the best shampoo for dry frizzy hair?
Pick one that's gentle and sulfate-free, and wash only as often as your hair needs. The AAD says dry, curly or thick hair may only need shampoo every 2 to 3 weeks. Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo is our pick, and on dry hair always follow it with a rich conditioner.
Hair oil or serum for frizzy hair: which is better?
They overlap more than the labels suggest. Serums like Frizz Ease are made to smooth and shine, and suit thick or coarse hair. Light oils like Treatment Light suit fine hair because you use so little. Either way, keep it to mid-lengths and ends.
What are the best products for frizzy hair in humidity?
A humidity spray that goes on before styling, such as amika's the shield, plus a serum or oil on top. Heat-styled looks hold longest when the spray goes on before the dryer or flat iron.
Does an ionic hair dryer help frizz?
It can be part of the answer. Dyson says the Supersonic, an ionic dryer, helps decrease frizz and flyaways by up to 61%, though that's the brand's own figure. How you dry matters just as much: keep the heat low or medium and use a heat protectant first.
How often should I use an anti frizz hair treatment?
Leave-ins, oils and sprays can go on every time you wash. The AAD says a leave-in applied from mid-strands to the ends can stay in for up to a week before you wash it out. Richer masks are an extra. NBC Select's Rebecca Rodriguez uses one once a week in place of conditioner.
The best hair products for frizzy hair are the ones that match your hair type, so start with the one step you're missing and build from there.