Frizzy hair is the bane of many a curly girl’s existence. How do celebrities such as Minnie Driver and Susan Sarandon manage to rock their curls without descending into the frizzies? Of course, it helps to have a personal stylist but anyone can get rid of frizzy hair by adopting a few lifestyle changes and using effective products.
Step 1
Determine the type of curly hair you have. Stylist Andre Walker invented a template for classifying curly hair that should be every curly girl’s guide to how to cut and style their tresses. The first level is straight hair, which requires no explanation. After that, it is wavy hair which is the only type of curly hair that can survive a layered cut. Then there are the loose curls as seen on Julia Roberts, a hair type that soaks up conditioner and looks great medium-long to long. Finally, there is the kinky, corkscrew curls of Macy Gray, typical in African-American and Jewish hair.
Step 2
Lose the shampoo. This step is revolutionary for many but it can make a phenomenal difference in the banishment of frizzy hair. According to stylists and authors Lorraine Massey and Deborah Chiel, who wrote the curly girl handbook “A Celebration of Curls: How to cut them, care for them, love them, and set them free” using shampoo is like washing curls in laundry detergent. It dries, damages and breaks fragile curls. Some women modify this step by only washing the scalp with shampoo or rubbing in a little conditioner to clean the scalp. Others use Massey’s own No Poo all natural shampoo replacement product that cleans without drying.
Step 3
Find a stylist who knows curly hair, or learn how to cut it yourself. Many curly hair stylists opt to cut curly hair dry, because wet curls have unpredictable levels of shrinkage. The heart of a good haircut for curly hair is to maximize bounce while minimizing frizz. The way to get bounce is to cut individual curls rather than groups of them. Select a curl and imagine that it is an ocean wave. Trim each curl at the point that it is about to crest, right where the foam would form.
Step 4
Style with curls in mind. Wet the hair and squeeze out excess water. Apply leave-in conditioner. While wavy and loose-curl styles respond well to thin conditioners, these products may as well be water for thick and kinky curls. Move from lotions and creams to puddings or muds and you will notice the difference. People who have longer or thicker curls should then use clips to pin up the top layer of curls while their hair dries, allowing the underlying layers to have their own bounce. Remember never to brush dry curly hair.
Step 5
Shop for different products or try a curly hair cocktail of various products. The stylists and curly haired women at NaturallyCurly.com (see Resources) regularly review and discuss the latest products for naturally curly hair. Among the top recommended products to get rid of frizz are Hot Buttered Curls, Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding, Curlaccino, Blended Beauty Happy Nappy Styles, Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner, Curl Junkie Guava Curl Creme and Long Lovely Locks Coco Light.
Warnings
- Layered, wedge and bob cuts are death to naturally curly hair and almost always result in frizz.
