How to Stop Your Straight Hair from Frizzing After Washing

What is Frizzy Hair?

Frizzy hair is characterized as hair strands that stick out or curl up in random directions, resulting in uneven and messy textures that do not align with the main body of the hair. Frizz can appear in various ways depending on your hair type and condition. Regardless, the result is almost always the same: fuzzy and irregular textures that refuse to blend in, giving your hair an unruly, unkempt, and difficult-to-manage appearance, and most women would describe it as their number one hair-care struggle.

Also Read: What is frizz & how to get rid of curly frizzy hair

What Causes Frizz?

While there are no frizzy hair genes or frizzy hair syndrome, certain hair types may be more prone to frizzing due to their texture and reaction to moisture, styling products, and lifestyle. If you have frizzy hair, you understand how difficult it can be to manage. But first, let’s dive down into what causes frizzy hair in the first place.

Humidity

No one wants frizzy hair in humidity. It is the hair’s worst enemy because it causes the protein cells in the hair to swell, making, for instance, straight hair frizzy or puffy in minutes. Humid air infiltrates areas of low moisture, and hair is an ideal destination if it is not adequately moisturized. When extra moisture penetrates the hair, it forces the cells to expand, disrupting the outer cuticle layers and causing frizz.

Overwashing and Washing Hair with Hot Water

When you wash your hair every day, you deprive it of the natural oils it requires to stay healthy. Experts recommend washing our hair only two to three times per week, depending on our hair type.

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Aside from that, washing your hair with hot water can cause it to become dry and brittle by removing the natural oil layer that keeps the hair cuticles lubricated and moisturized. Hot water, like hot steam, creates a high concentration of steam that lifts the cuticles and expands the hair fibers from the inside.

Too Harsh Hair Products

Chemicals or harsh products deplete the hair’s natural oils. Our natural oils smooth the hair, and removing them completely can cause the hair to frizz. Excessive lightening, bleaching, and coloring of hair with formulas containing too much ammonia can also damage the surface of the hair, making it feel rough to the touch, stealing its shine, and causing frizz.

Towel-Drying and Using Too Much Heat

When hair is wet, it is at its weakest. Rubbing it with a rough cotton towel to wring out excess moisture will chip off the cuticles, resulting in rough edges on the outer layer of hair. Friction is created by the rubbing action, which contributes to the frizziness all over your head.

Also, the heat from a regular, non-ionic hair dryer can cause the hair to become frizzy, try to avoid using a hairdryer or hot styling tools daily and instead let your hair air dry. Try to look for conditioners, oils, or sprays that help minimize heat damage before and after styling when using heat.

Tips and Tricks to Avoid Frizzy Hair

What most people don’t realize is that preventing frizz begins in the shower. The lack of moisture in the hair causes it to seek moisture in the environment around it. Moisture is essential when it comes to reducing frizz. Here are some more tips on how to stop frizzy hair:

1. Slow Down with Hot Tools

Heat and frizz go hand in hand. It is recommended to use cool or warm water to wash and rinse your hair. Also, use the lowest setting on your styling tools as well. Before styling or blow-drying, always use an anti-frizz or smoothing cream to protect your hair.

2. Use Hydrating and Sulfate-Free Hair Products

Most shampoos contain harsh detergents and sulfates, which can dry out your hair by stripping it of its natural oil. If the shampoo is not hydrating and pH balanced, it will leave your hair alkaline, causing the hair shafts to swell and the cuticles to remain open.

Remember that a good hair care routine begins while your hair is still wet in the shower. Always use plenty of conditioners after shampooing to hydrate and moisturize your hair. Wet hair absorbs hair products better and helps in detangling when you have conditioner in your hair. It has a lot of slip, which reduces friction, statics, and flyaways. Also, do not use a cotton towel to dry your hair, blot excess water with a smooth microfiber towel instead.

3. Trim Hair Regularly

Split ends can cause the hair shaft to expand, increasing the frizziness of your hair. It is essential to keep the ends of your mane smooth and well-trimmed to avoid frizz. Trimming your hair every 6 to 8 weeks can also help prevent frizz caused by split ends.

4. Lock Moisture and Air Dry

Try carrying an anti-humidity hairspray or anti-frizz hair sheet with you when you’re out and about, especially in the summer. It’s a fantastic way to control frizz and flyaways. An anti-humidity spray or sheet also helps to restore moisture to dry strands while protecting them from other environmental factors like wind and rain. Leave-in conditioners are also great on-the-go products for keeping your hair hydrated, smooth, and in good condition when you want to lock in your style.

5. Clarify your hair

Sometimes product build-up, protein build-up or over-moisturising your hair can contribute to frizz. If your hair is out of balance the best way to start counteracting this is to clarify your hair. If your hair is frizzy and feels a bit like straw, you could have protein-overload. If your hair is frizzy and mushy, you could have moisture-overload or hygral fatigue.

6. Sleep on Silk

Sleeping on silk can prevent breakage, tangles and moisture loss, leaving your hair in a healthier condition than if you were to sleep on cotton. In fact there are several more reasons why sleeping on silk is a good idea.

7. Establish Hair Care Routine

Prioritize your hair care by establishing a routine for keeping your hair frizz-free. Try weekly masks and frizz-reducing products to keep your hair looking sleek no matter what the weather or activity.

Products and Tools to Use to Minimise Frizz

Frizziness can be reduced by using the right products and tools. Always choose hair care products with beneficial ingredients and avoid those with alcohol or harsh cleansers like sodium lauryl sulfate. Keep some of these products in your stash:

• Hair Masks
• Leave-In Conditioners
• Hair Oils
• Hair Serums
• Anti-Humidity Sprays

Also, here are some tools that you can swear by to keep frizz at bay:

• Microfiber Towel
• Wide-tooth Detangling Comb
• Diffuser
• Boar Bristle Brush

Conclusion

A common goal is to have soft, luminous hair. However, life can get the best of your hair. Whether it’s due to aging, lifestyle factors, or poor hair care techniques, a variety of factors can affect our delicate hair cuticles. Once you’ve found the right balance of hair products, you’ll breeze through your wash days with sleek, smooth, and frizz-free hair that looks like you just stepped out of a shampoo commercial.