If you're wondering how to fix frizzy hair, the good news is that most frizz comes from a handful of daily habits, and every one of them is easy to change. Below: why it happens, nine steps that work on curly, wavy, straight, fine and thick hair, and a quick fix for when you're already out the door.
Why is my hair frizzy?
Frizzy hair is hair that's swollen and roughed up, so strands stop lying together. Four things cause most of it.
- Humidity. Hair holds its shape partly with weak hydrogen bonds, and water breaks them. A 2015 review in the International Journal of Trichology notes it's the same thing a regular blow-dry relies on. On a muggy day, hair soaks up water from the air, swells and loses its smooth shape.
- Porosity and damage. Healthy hair has a thin, water-repelling outer layer. Bleach, color and heat strip it, and researchers writing in Polymers describe the result: hair that's "more hydrophilic and susceptible to swelling", with more friction between strands.
- Dryness. Dry, porous hair takes on moisture from the air faster, which is why the frizziest hair is often the driest.
- Friction and static. Rubbing with a towel, brushing dry hair and tossing on a cotton pillowcase all rough up the surface. Strong shampoos also leave hair with a negative charge, which the same 2015 review links to more frizz and friction.
So the fix has three parts: gentler washing, a smooth coating, and less rubbing.
How to fix frizzy hair: 9 steps
1. Shampoo your scalp, not your lengths
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says to apply shampoo to your scalp, not the whole length of your hair. The suds that rinse down are enough for the ends. If your hair is dry or curly, you may not need to wash often: the AAD says some curly and dry hair can go two to three weeks between washes.
2. Condition every single time
Conditioner is the most direct frizz control you have. A review of hair cosmetics says conditioners "decrease friction, detangle the hair, minimize frizz". Their positive charge cancels out the static left by shampoo. If your hair is fine or straight, put it on the ends only; if it's dry or curly, the AAD suggests the whole length.
3. Blot, don't rub
Rubbing with a towel is one of the AAD's 10 habits that damage hair. Wrap and squeeze instead. A microfiber towel helps your hair dry faster, which, as the AAD notes, cuts down your time with the blow-dryer. No microfiber towel? An old cotton T-shirt is our budget swap: it's smoother than terry loops.
4. Smooth on a leave-in or serum while hair is damp
Damp, not dripping. The AAD's leave-in conditioner tips say to rub a small amount between your palms, run it through from mid-lengths to ends, and keep it off your scalp. Fine hair needs less; thick hair needs more. Silicone-based serums work by coating each strand so it slides past its neighbors instead of catching.
5. Use heat protection, and the lowest heat that works
The AAD recommends a product that protects hair from heat, and the label will say "heat protectant". Use the lowest setting on your dryer, and keep flat irons for dry hair on low or medium heat. Heat-damaged hair is more porous, and porous hair frizzes.
6. Blow-dry with the nozzle pointing down
Point the airflow down the hair shaft, from root to tip, with the narrow nozzle on. A hairdressing study guide explains that air blown down the strand presses the cuticle flat, while air blown up it lifts the scales and adds frizz. Keep the dryer about 6 inches away and keep it moving. In a 2011 lab study, hair dried from 15 cm (about 6 in) with continuous motion showed less damage overall than hair left to air-dry, though the dryer did cause more surface damage.
7. Let curls and waves dry undisturbed
Air-drying is gentler on the surface, but don't touch your hair while it dries. If you want it faster, use a diffuser on low heat: it spreads the air so it reaches curls gently instead of blasting them apart. Wait until hair is fully dry before you scrunch or fluff.
8. Stop brushing dry hair
Brushing curly hair while it's dry makes it break and frizz, according to AAD dermatologists. Detangle curls while damp, with fingers or a wide-tooth comb. If your hair is straight, the AAD says to let it dry a bit before you comb it gently.
9. Protect it while you sleep
Cotton pillowcases rub all night. The AAD suggests a loose "pineapple" ponytail on top of your head or a loose braid, and adds that satin or silk bonnets or pillowcases "may also reduce friction". It's an easy change, and you'll know within a week whether it helps you.
Frizzy curly hair: what to change
Curly and coily hair frizzes more easily because curls already have bends where the surface lifts, and they tend to be drier. A few adjustments matter most:
- Wash less, condition more. The AAD says curly hair washed too often can end up "dry, frizzy, and hard to manage", and suggests a thick conditioner after washing, then a leave-in or oil.
- Refresh with water, not a brush. Between washes, wet your hair, add leave-in conditioner and detangle with your fingers.
- Diffuse or air-dry, then leave it alone until it's completely dry.
- Sleep on satin or in a bonnet.
Picks that help
Choose by your hair: fine hair does better with light serums and sprays; thick or curly hair can handle more oil.
Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Smoothing Shampoo
Best for: a budget-friendly anti frizz shampoo for dry, frizzy hair of any texture.
- Made with argan oil and what Garnier calls vegan keratin (plant-based amino acids).
- Garnier says the full Sleek & Shine set (shampoo, conditioner and leave-in serum) gives up to 72 hours of frizz control in 97% humidity. That's a brand claim for the set, not the shampoo alone.
- Use a quarter-size amount on your scalp, then condition mid-lengths to ends.
John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Hair Serum
Best for: the best hair serum for frizzy hair on a drugstore budget, especially thick or coarse hair.
- John Frieda's US site now calls it Frizz Ease The Controller Extra Strength Serum, with vitamin E and rice oil, and says it "resists humidity up to 90%" for 72 hours.
- One pump on damp hair, avoiding the roots; less on dry hair, just where the frizz is.
- NBC Select includes it in its roundup of anti-frizz products. On fine hair, start with half a pump.
Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
Best for: the best products for frizzy hair in humidity, if you blow-dry straight or smooth.
- Color Wow says the heat of your dryer activates a "hydrophobic" polymer coating that repels moisture and lasts through 3 to 4 shampoos. It also lists two levels of heat protection.
- It only works with heat: saturate damp hair, comb through, and blow-dry fully. If you air-dry, skip it.
- There are separate versions for curly hair and very dry or coily hair. NBC Select's editor found the curly version smoothed her curls.
Moroccanoil Treatment
Best for: a splurge hair oil for frizzy hair that's medium to thick or curly.
- Argan oil plus silicones, which the brand says smooths frizz, detangles and speeds up drying time.
- Apply a small amount to towel-dried hair, mid-lengths to ends, or a drop on dry hair to tame flyaways.
- Moroccanoil itself recommends its Light version for fine hair. Oils can weigh fine hair down, so start with one or two drops.
FAQs
How to get rid of frizzy hair in 5 minutes?
Rub a drop of serum or oil between your palms until they're barely shiny, then smooth it over the top layer and ends with flat hands. Something like John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Hair Serum is made for this: the brand says to use less on dry hair and only where you need it. Don't brush afterward. If the frizz is at your crown, a loose low bun or braid hides it while you're out.
How to prevent frizzy hair in the first place?
Most of it happens on wash day. Shampoo your scalp only, condition every time, blot instead of rubbing, and put on your leave-in while hair is still damp. Then keep friction low: no brushing dry curls, and satin at night.
What are the best products for frizzy hair in humidity?
Look for products that coat the hair. Conditioning films of silicones and oils restore some of hair's water-repelling surface, which healthy hair loses with damage. Silicone-based serums and heat-activated sprays such as Color Wow Dream Coat are designed for this. Put them on damp hair before you dry, not on top of frizz that's already there.
Is a hair oil or a serum better for frizzy hair?
It depends on your hair. Lightweight silicone serums are easier on fine hair, while thick, curly or very dry hair often likes a richer oil. Lab research has found some oils, such as coconut oil, can get inside the hair and reduce how much water it absorbs. Whichever you choose, start small.
How to make hair less frizzy without heat?
Blot with a microfiber towel or T-shirt, smooth in a leave-in conditioner while hair is damp, and let it air-dry without touching it. Comb straight hair once it's partly dry, and curly hair only while it's damp. Finish with a drop of oil on the ends once it's fully dry.
How to get rid of frizzy curly hair?
Wash less often, use a thick conditioner and a leave-in, and detangle only when wet. Diffuse on low heat or air-dry, and don't scrunch until it's completely dry. At night, a loose pineapple ponytail and a satin pillowcase help keep curls from rubbing flat and fuzzy.
Start with the towel and the leave-in this week; those two changes do the most for the least effort.