How to Reduce Frizz in Wavy Hair

Co-authored by Martin Nepton and Amber Crain

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References

Most frizz is caused by a lack of moisture in your hair. Dry strands become porous, and frizz occurs when your hair attempts to absorb moisture from the humid air around you. During this process, the hair shaft swells and kinks up, which appears as frizz. Keeping your hair well-hydrated will prevent this from happening. Unfortunately, wavy hair tends to become dehydrated faster than other hair types. The key to combatting frizz is keeping your hair hydrated and locking that moisture into the strands. Using hydrating products and the proper tools can help you keep frizz under control.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Shampooing and Conditioning Wavy Hair

1
Shampoo and condition with sulfate-free products.^{[1]
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Research source} Sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate are common ingredients in shampoos and conditioners, but sulfates can damage hair and cause frizz. If your current products include these ingredients, replace them. Look for new products that list glycerin as one of the top ingredients, since glycerin can deeply hydrate and protect your hair. Avoid shampoos that advertise as “clarifying” – these will strip moisture from your hair.
- Check product labels for words like “smoothing,” “moisturizing,” and “frizz-reducing.”
- Look for hydrating ingredients like Argan oil, keratin, avocado oil, vitamin E, Moroccan oil and coconut oil.^{[2]
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- Avoid hair products, including shampoos, conditioners, gels, and hairsprays, that contain alcohol, which can dry out and damage your hair.
2
Use a deep conditioner after every shampoo. Wavy hair requires more moisture than straight hair to combat frizz. After shampooing, apply a rich deep conditioner for a boost of hydration. Don’t skimp on the conditioner – apply plenty of it. Then run a wide-toothed comb through your hair to distribute the conditioner evenly. Leave the deep conditioner on for at least five minutes.^{[3]
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- Look for deep conditioners that contain ingredients like shea butter, glycerin, coconut oil and Argan oil.
- If your hair gets weighed down too much by deep conditioner, avoid applying it to your roots. Try applying it from the mid-shaft down to the ends.
- This is also a great way to detangle your hair.
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3
Rinse out the conditioner with cold water.^{[4]
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Research source} Cold water will smooth and close the hair cuticle, which helps to prevent frizz and adds extra shine.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 17 November 2020.} Right before you get out of the shower, rinse what’s left of the conditioner out of your hair with the coldest water you can tolerate. Avoid using the wide-toothed comb during the rinse, since at this stage it can damage your strands.
4
Avoid terrycloth towels.^{[6]
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Research source} Terrycloth fibers cause friction on hair strands, which creates frizz. Switch from terrycloth bath towels to microfiber towels for your hair. Microfiber towels absorb water better and faster than traditional terrycloth towels, and they don't disrupt the hair's natural wave. Flip your hair upside down, wrap it in the microfiber towel and gently squeeze the water from your hair.
- Start at the roots and work your way down to the ends.
- Be gentle with your wet hair. Never rub at or use rough motions on your hair with a towel, which will disturb the hair cuticle and create frizz.
5
Allow your hair to air dry 90 percent of the way before blow drying.^{[7]
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Research source} Blow drying wet hair can damage it and cause significant amount of frizz. Blow dryers focus a lot of hot air on your strands and this will dehydrate your hair, especially if you live in a dry climate or during the winter when there’s less humidity in the air.
- Let wavy hair air dry 90 percent of the way and then use your blow dryer to dry the remaining 10 percent.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Choosing the Right Products and Tools

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Use a wide-toothed comb on wet hair.^{[8]
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Research source} After washing your hair, never use a regular hairbrush on it. This will cause a lot of breakage. Instead, use a wide-toothed comb to gently detangle your strands. If you don’t have a wide-toothed comb when you get out of the shower, use your fingers to comb through your hair. A wide-toothed comb can help you separate your waves and define your hair style, as well.
- Use a wide-toothed comb in the shower to evenly distribute conditioner through your hair.
- If you use any hair products on wet or damp hair, use a wide-toothed comb to disperse them evenly.
2
Invest in a high-wattage ionic blow dryer.^{[9]
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Research source} The heat and ionic technology work hand-in-hand to cut drying time in half and seal the hair cuticle so that it lays down flat. A sealed, flat hair cuticle will never look frizzy. Use the blow dryer on its medium heat setting. Avoid the high setting, which will make the hair cuticle swell. Try to get an ionic blow dryer that is at least 1800 watts.
- Don't shut off the blow dryer until hair is completely dry.
- Don’t blow dry your hair in the bathroom. The steam from your recent shower creates a humid, frizz-inducing environment. Do it in another room or wait until the bathroom has returned to a normal temperature.^{[10]
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3
Buy a smoothing serum.^{[11]
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Research source} Smoothing serums combat dry and frizzy hair by smoothing out the hair cuticle, forcing it to lay down flat.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 17 November 2020.} Serums also create shine and protect your hair from environmental damage. These products should be applied to damp hair right before blow drying. A tiny drop of serum can tame fly-aways and frizz on dry hair, too.
- Invest in a smoothing serum that lists Argan or Moroccan oil in the ingredients. These hydrating ingredients will provide frizzy hair with an added dose of moisture.
- Make sure your serum doesn’t have alcohol listed as an ingredient. Alcohol is drying and damaging, which creates frizz.
4
Get a brush with a mix of boar and nylon bristles.^{[13]
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Research source} Boar bristles help distribute natural oils from the scalp to the ends of your hair. This natural oil, called sebum, deeply hydrates the hair shaft, which can drastically reduce frizz. The nylon bristles help to detangle your hair gently while the boar bristles moisturize it by distributing the sebum. Brush from root to tip with each stroke to properly distribute the oils.
- Immediately after you brush wavy hair with boar bristles, it will probably puff up a bit. Gently twist your stands, which will relax them and they'll smooth out naturally.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Maintaining Frizz-Free Hair

1
Get regular haircuts.^{[14]
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Research source} If you haven’t had a haircut in a few months, you probably have split ends. This is normal. However, split ends can cause a lot of frizz. Get your hair trimmed every six to eight weeks to avoid splitting and breakage. Book your appointments well in advance so that you won’t forget.
2
Sleep on a satin pillowcase.^{[15]
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Research source} Cotton bed linens create friction during the night as you toss and turn. This friction causes frizz, along with tangles, breakage and split ends. Satin has a much smoother texture, so sleeping on a satin pillowcase will reduce the friction that causes frizz. Satin also helps hair maintain moisture, which helps combats frizz.
- Cotton and other fabrics tend to dry the hair out.
- Wrapping your hair in a satin or silk scarf before you go to sleep will provide the same benefits as the satin pillowcase.^{[16]
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3
Avoid touching your hair during the day.^{[17]
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Research source} Tousling and running your fingers through your hair causes frizz because it disrupts the smoothness of the hair shaft. The more often you touch your hair throughout the day, the frizzier it will become. Whenever possible, avoid touching your wavy hair to maintain your smooth style.
4
Reduce hair washings.^{[18]
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Research source} Natural oils from your scalp smooth and moisturize your hair, which prevents frizz. Shampooing frequently strips your hair of those natural oils. Whenever possible, wait at least two days between shampoos. This will give your scalp time to create more natural oil. Four shampoos every week should be enough. On the days when you don’t shampoo, rinse it and then apply conditioner as you normally would. You can also use dry shampoo in between regular washes.
- If you have fine hair, you probably need to shampoo every other day.
- If you have very thick hair, you can probably go three or four days without shampooing.
5
Use a deep-conditioning mask once per week.^{[19]
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Research source} Wavy hair tends to get dehydrated fast, which makes it prone to frizz. A weekly deep-conditioning mask can help to rehydrate your dry strands by delivering a large dose of much-needed moisture. These masks will also keep hair feeling soft and restore damaged hair cuticles.
- Look for deep-conditioning mask products that contain glycerin, proteins, shea butter and other hydrating ingredients to prevent frizz.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I stop my wavy hair from frizzing?

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist
Martin Nepton is a Professional Hair Stylist and Colorist at Bang Bang LA in Los Angeles, California. With over 11 years of experience, Martin specializes in helping clients express their Queer identity through hair. Martin offers personalized haircuts and color and style services with non-gender prices based on hair length. Martin holds a BA from the University of Québec at Montréal and is a Licensed Hair Stylist in California.

Martin Nepton

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

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After you wash it, apply a smoothing serum or curl cream to help keep your hair under control.
Question

How do I stop my hair from frizzing?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

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Make sure you keep it moisturized and try not to touch it, especially while it is drying. Frizz often results from disrupting the natural curl pattern.
Question

How do I keep my hair tangle free?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

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Getting regular trims to minimize split ends goes a long way toward preventing tangles. Leave-in conditioners also help a lot. You can apply them directly to knots.