If you have curly hair, chances are you’re used to dealing with frizz — a curly-haired girl’s number one enemy. Learning how to care of dry and damaged hair is essential to creating smooth, sleek strands, however it doesn’t guarantee that your hair will stay frizz-free all day.
“Curly hair is more prone to frizz because it is naturally drier than straighter hair,” says celebrity hair stylist, Dave Stanwell. “So it’s really important to know how to properly style frizzy hair, as well as create cute hairstyles that embrace its naturally coarse and curly texture.”
Read on to learn some of our top styling tips for curly hair, then try out one (or all!) of our four easy-to-achieve hairstyles for curly, frizzy hair. They work like a charm, no matter how you plan to style your hair.
Because curly hair is so dehydrated and fragile, brushing it dry with a traditional bristle brush can wreak havoc on the hair cuticle. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb to gently comb out your knot. "It's much more gentle on the hair shaft, and won't cause friction or disrupt the cuticle," says Dave Stanwell.
If you start detangling your hair from the top, you risk pushing the knots farther down which can cause breakage, unruly ends, and frizz. A better technique is to gently remove tangles from the bottom up, using your comb to tackle each knot one at a time.
Treating your tresses to a deep conditioning hair mask at least once a week will go a long way toward taming frizzy locks, especially if it's color-treated hair. Dave Stanwell suggests looking for products with ingredients such as milk protein and avocado oil, which quench curls and add moisture to your hair.
Getting a trim every six to eight weeks is essential for keeping hair healthy. It keeps split ends at bay, and makes curly hair more manageable and easy to style. Worried your stylist might chop too much off? "Ask for a dusting," suggests Dave Stanwell. "Whereas a trim typically involves cutting off length, a dusting never takes off more than a quarter-inch and targets only the messy, frayed ends."
In between cuts, get rid of frizzy hair by using a leave-in conditioning spray right before you style, paying extra attention to your ends.
"Hair serums are great styling products for curly hair, especially when you want to air dry," says Dave Stanwell. "They not only fight frizz, but also help define each curl and give them shine." For best results, drop a dime-size amount of serum onto your palm and rub your hands together, then distribute evenly to soaking wet hair.
To add definition and bounce to your curls, try creating your own cocktail by mixing a nourishing oil with your favorite styling product (such as a smoothing cream or mousse). While the cream or mousse locks your look into place, the oil hydrates your hair, seals the cuticle, and prevents your curls from feeling stiff or crunchy.
It may seem redundant to use a curling iron on curly hair, but it's actually a great tool for revitalizing saggy, limp locks in between shampoos. The trick is to use a thin barrel iron (no bigger than an inch) to gently curl any ends that have gone flat.
If you want to prevent your curls from changing shape while you sleep, try the pineapple trick. Simply gather your hair into a high ponytail and secure it with a scrunchie. Let the curls fall naturally to each side (you'll look a little like a pineapple, hence the name), then cover them with a silk scarf or sleeping cap and hit the hay. When you wake up and remove the cap and scrunchie, your curls will still be intact.
As tempting as it may be to play with your hair, it's something you really want to avoid. Touching your hair causes frizz, so once you're done styling, keep your hands off.
Want more easy-to-style ideas? Check out these tutorials for a frizz-free chignon and a twisted braided bun.