"Official" frizz thread?

[Talula]

Hi, is there an official frizz-helper thread? I've tried so many things & always have a curly frizzy-halo. I'm really tired of it.:rolleyes::confused::( I rarely notice anyone else with frizz like mine on the top of their head... everyone's hair seems so smooth..... but hair products just don't seem to do anything for me. And I've tried lots of tips from LHC including CO washing with only rare use of shampoo, and still no luck (altho I do think it's even worse with shampoo, but still a problem w/ CO). The only time the frizz goes down somewhat is if I let it get greasy, but that's no good either! Is there a nice long thread on the subject I can sink my teeth into?

Thanks! :)


This is a picture of the kind of frizz I'm talking about.... at it's worst: http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab114/talula1968/DSC_1307.jpg
Here's another: http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab114/talula1968/DSC_1314.jpg

And here's a picture of how curly it can get (though nicer looking) underneath: http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab114/talula1968/IMG_0460.jpg .... other days it's more straight (it's fickle!). I always air dry.

[Debra83]

I'm putting a link to a thread I started yesterday (?) or day before about a product I've ordered and will be getting next week. PM me if you want a link to the video to watch about it. It only cost 5.99 cad for the intro price. I really hope it works. It is supposed to last through 3 washes, and the technology is based on the water lily. We'll see. http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=48950

[Arriens]

I use a mixture of conditioner (200ml), some jojoba oil (40ml) and a knife point of honey. This mixture I use as product to style my hair. Oddly enough it keeps the frizz away for a day.

[maskedrose]

I'll be watching this thread. For me its more poof than frizz, but it's the combo that kills me. Finding the right balance is tough, because most of the times where I succeed in taming the poof, I also end up with limp and somewhat piece-y hair. Sigh.

[chopandchange]

I am the ultimate Frizzy Lizzy!

Basically I've just grown to accept that my hair is that way and there's not a lot I can do about it. I do use a serum. Not sure if it makes much difference, really.

The only thing that used to work temporarily was hair straighteners - and I'm not going back to them after spending four years growing out the damage they inflicted!

OP, I hope you find a solution for your hair. There are a lot of frizzy/curly people about, so probably half of the "smooth-haired" people you describe are in actual fact fellow frizzies who are torturing their hair with daily straightening. It may LOOK smooth and healthy, but once washed and air-dried I bet the damage would show.

[Barniie]

I have the kind of frizz that is like its own miniature bobbles of strands sitting on top of my haiR. vERY ANNOYING.

[naereid]

I have that, too. Drives me crazy, too. :grnbiggri Aloe vera gel works for some people.

[julliams]

I have that as well. I find it's most like this when there is alot of humidity in the air. Using loads of silicone in my conditioner seems to help but then over time my hair goes almost straight.

I think it's something that mostly we notice about ourselves - others probably don't notice as much. Oil can help too but you have to be careful not to overdo it.

[Tovah]

I have that issue too. Lately I've been rinsing with COLD water and it has made a great difference. I figure it's worth the pain. It's particularly humid here today so I may try a bit of coconut oil as a leave in after the cold rinse. If I put my hair up while it's damp that seems to help too, but then I lose the curls. I say we start a new movement..."Embrace the Frizz" and make it a stylish thing. ;)

[lapushka]

I have that as well. I find it's most like this when there is alot of humidity in the air. Using loads of silicone in my conditioner seems to help but then over time my hair goes almost straight.

I eliminated cones from shampoos, not necessarily conditioners and have a styling cream for curly hair these days to tame frizz (with cones, something from got2be). I love it! I used to use Jessicurl styling products, and they're more natural too, and they were fine, but they were just too pricey in comparison. Some days, though, there's just no getting away from frizz. I think it's important to moisturize frequently (rewetting a tiny bit, putting a bit more leave-in into it here and there). I've been frizzy for so many years, wish there was an easy answer... my hair can be stubborn. But you know... a bit of frizz won't kill me. :D

[TammySue]

Frizzy here and ain't kean about embracing it. :D

[Dreams_in_Pink]

Talula, those pictures you posted could be mine. :D

I don't have any recommendations for fellow frizzies. I only found that styling the hair is the best way to prevent them. Like, wet-setting or damp braiding...

[chopandchange]

So, let's be clear. Is this an "embrace the frizz" thread, or a "tips to minimise the frizz" thread, or a "reluctantly accept the frizz but let's have a moan about it" thread?

It could well be a mixture of all three! :D

[Kristin]

I have pretty straight hair, but I get a frizz halo in humidity. Aloe gel helps a lot and doesn't leave my hair greasy likes oils can.

[UltraBella]

I smooth my frizz out with a large barreled curling iron. Often. I know, I know, heat is bad. But my hair is healthy and I don't have split ends, so I am going to keep doing it on the days I don't wear my hair in a bun.

[Athena's Owl]

I don't really have this problem any more.

but the way I deal with my hair is kinda different in approach. I write about it in my blog, which I have devoted exclusively to my hair.

The poblem is that you can't do exactly what I do and have it work. :) The method starts from a pretty individual assessment of your hair, your water, your climate, and daily weather changes.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

I smooth my frizz out with a large barreled curling iron. Often. I know, I know, heat is bad. But my hair is healthy and I don't have split ends, so I am going to keep doing it on the days I don't wear my hair in a bun.

Do you go over your whole head or just the roots?

[TrudieCat]

I have this kind of frizz, too. It's so so so so frustrating. I found it lessened when I started accepting that my hair is more curly than I'd thought it was, and started styling it more curly rather than brushing it out all the time. I am using a modified curly girl approach, no cones or sulfates in my shampoo/condish, and then I use a LOT of condish as a leave-in, and then I put on just a little of a leave in over that with a teeny amount of water-soluble cones, and THEN I scrunch in a teeny amount of gel... this is the only regimen that seems to have much of an effect on my frizz, and even now it's not perfect. And I wish it was simpler, as I am by nature more of a minimalist when it comes to my hair.

Frizz can be very complicated. It's my understanding that your hair needs to be properly moisturized to reduce frizz, but there's also more to it than that. If you are using products with humectants there can be issues from dew points that are either too low, or too high (they tend to be high where I live at this time of year, so my condish w/glycerin can cause frizz in those conditions). That's why I use a coney leave-in also - it's an attempt to seal the hair a little and make it less porous in the high humidity & high dews. I don't know if this is scientifically logical, but it seems to work ok.

There are many here with much more knowledge about all this than me, so please feel free anyone to be more specific or make corrections about what I've written! Your hair looks pretty wavy, so I would check out the "Wurly & Curly" thread on LHC for lots of helpful stuff, also. Good luck!!

Oh yeah, and your hair is really pretty & I love your waves!! :) Just saying.

[naereid]

Okay, so I know that when I see "glycerin" in the ingredients list, it means the conditioner has humectants.

But what are some anti-humectant ingredients? A mere lack of glycerin?

[UltraBella]

Do you go over your whole head or just the roots?

Sometimes I just do my frizziest area at the crown of my head, but in general it looks the prettiest if I do my whole head. I section my hair off and I have been doing it so long that I can do my whole head in ten minutes. It looks so shiny and no flyaways.

[TrudieCat]

Okay, so I know that when I see "glycerin" in the ingredients list, it means the conditioner has humectants.

But what are some anti-humectant ingredients? A mere lack of glycerin?

Here (http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/ingredients/humidity-humectants-and-the-dew-point) is some info from NaturallyCurly.com about humectants/anti-humectants. It looks like oils qualify, at least according to this. Honestly, I use humectants and then seal with cones & oil in an attempt to keep moisture in. I don't know if this is scientifically sound, but I have noticed some improvement. I don't want to forgo humectants b/c my hair needs moisture.

[ancilla]

Talula, I get that same exact halo around my head! Usually a bit of coconut oil or Kimberlily's defrizz spray helps.But when its humid sometimes there's nothing I can do.

Your hair is beautiful in that last pic! wow!:)

[Mahars]

I have a ton of frizz too. I've found that it's gotten better once I've embraced my curly texture and stopped brushing and straightening. The two best things that work for me are deep conditioners and styling procts with some sort of hold - like gel or mousse. Aubrey GPB and HSR both work well for me. Jessicurl is a good natural gel. I think you just have to experiment with what works for you, but moisture followed by hold seem to be a good combo for me. Oh also, no brushing or towel drying - those are two of the biggest causes of frizz for me.

[x0h_bother]

Try oiling with a light oil, and careful not to get greasies. Start with a little and see how it works. In my experience I find this smooths flyaway frizzies like halos.

[GlassEyes]

I think there's a thread like this already, but I can't remember if it was on new or old LHC.

Anyway, lately, my hair has been rather well behaved, and for a lower price than in the past. My frizz has been minimal, and I'm pleased with it.

However, now that I've said that, it will begin to hate me. :D I use Co, straight conditioner as a leave in, a denman, and then a hard hold gel. I plop, then scrunch the crunch out later. Sometimes I twist the individual curls, and that cuts down on poof. Depends on how I want it.

If I want it bigger, I roll all my hair into 4-6 big sausages, plop, then pull them apart, coating them with a bit more gel. It's not frizzy, but it has move volume, I guess.

Granted, this is only when I wear it down. :shrug:

Edit: I think I misunderstood this.

There WAS a thread, but I have no idea what it was actually called. xD;

[Pixna]

I'm not going to be much help. First, I think your hair is beautiful just the way it is -- I love your curls!! Second, I'm a frizzball, and I embrace my frizz. I like my frizz....a lot. The more humid it is, the frizzier I am, and the happier I am (about my hair, at least--not the humidity, though). If you want to embrace your frizz, just say the word and I'll give you all the support and encouragement you could possibly handle. If you want to annihilate the frizz, I'll hand that task over to someone else. :smirk:

[petitepraline]

I've crazy frizzies lately, but this Wednesday I mixed some conditioner, amla oil, castor oil, olive oil, glycerin, and honey.......Today is day three and my hair is so soft and NO FRIZZIES :)

[naereid]

I've crazy frizzies lately, but this Wednesday I mixed some conditioner, amla oil, castor oil, olive oil, glycerin, and honey.......Today is day three and my hair is so soft and NO FRIZZIES :)
Wouldn't glycerin and honey theoretically attract moisture, and thus result in more frizzies? Maybe I'm going about it the wrong way...

[chopandchange]

Wouldn't glycerin and honey theoretically attract moisture, and thus result in more frizzies? Maybe I'm going about it the wrong way...

I don't know about everyone else, but my hair is frizzy whether I moisturise it or not. It's just a different kind of frizz!

If it's feeling parched, I get brittle-feeling frizzy hair.

If it's nicely moisturised, I get smooth-feeling frizzy hair.

[gretss]

I used to get crazy frizzy before I hennaed. Now it's all gone! Henna was the only thing that worked for me, and I tried a number of anti frizz products before. Maybe a henna gloss could help without any major change in hair color?

[Pixna]

I don't know about everyone else, but my hair is frizzy whether I moisturise it or not. It's just a different kind of frizz!

If it's feeling parched, I get brittle-feeling frizzy hair.

If it's nicely moisturised, I get smooth-feeling frizzy hair.

For the most part, that's true for me as well. However, if I overmoisturize, I end up with flat, heavy, yucky hair -- minimal frizz, but hair that is totally disgusting. :brains: I'd rather have frizz!! :p

[Talula]

Wow, great response, thanks guys. Maybe this will turn into the lengthy "official" thread I was trying to find!

Can anyone tell me more about why using a regular towel causes frizzies? Is that only if you rub your hair? I just gently wrap my hair up in one for a while till it's not so drippy, then maybe scrunch the ends a little for drips, but that's just pressing the towel against my hair, not rubbing with the towel. Is that still bad, & if so, why? I do have a couple special hair towels that are supposed to dry your hair faster - maybe microfiber? They're thin & white & no little loops like the terrycloth towels. I'm not sure that I notice any difference when I use them, though.

[Talula]

I'd also like to encourage others to post pictures of their frizz halos --- so I don't feel so alone! Especially if you're one of those frizz-embracers! I'm not really sure how to "love my frizz", and I'd love to see what you're dealing with if you've been able to love yours!

I do recommend standing against a white wall for the best frizz picture!

Thanks to all, you guys are great. :):D:eyebrows::p

[Pixna]

Here's my frizz photo:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5290&pictureid=69192

I didn't take it to show off my frizz, but since all of my pics show it to one extent or another, this one is probably a fair example of it from the back. From the front, however, I look more like Professor Irwin Corey:

http://joedevitohypnotist.com/celebrities/professor_irwin_corey.jpg

[jeanniet]

I like your frizz, and I like your grays, too! Your hair looks a lot like mine, only mine is a darker brown. After years and years of fighting with my frizz and hating my hair, I've decided that this is me and I might as well get along with it. So now I concentrate more on keeping my hair in good condition. I'm not exactly embracing my frizz yet, but we get along OK. :D

[Pixna]

Thanks, Jeanniet. And welcome to LHC! Ah, my silvers. They shimmer quite a lot these days, much more so in a frontal view than from the back (another quality I have in common with the dear professor). I'm glad you and your frizz are simpatico. It's good to get along, even if you aren't best friends yet. :gabigrin:

[Roseate]

Can anyone tell me more about why using a regular towel causes frizzies?...

I just gently wrap my hair up in one for a while till it's not so drippy, then maybe scrunch the ends a little for drips, but that's just pressing the towel against my hair, not rubbing with the towel. Is that still bad, & if so, why?...

I think it's the little loops in the terrycloth that sorta pull the hairs in different directions and encourage frizz.

As to whether your drying method is bad, I dunno, is it? It doesn't sound damaging, and if it's not causing frizz for you then you're golden.

Personally, I get better results using something smooth, like flour-sack towels or an old t-shirt. My wurls stay intact better that way, and it's more comfortable for plopping, which I like to do.

I usually do have at least a touch of frizz, though. As long as my wurls are looking good, I don't mind the halo. When they get all un-wurly, poofy and just aimless, that's when I know I need to tweak something.

[jeanniet]

Thanks for the welcome, Pixna! I've been noticing a lot more silvers around my temple lately. I really don't mind having gray hair, although when I'm eventually all gray it's going to take some adjustment from being used to having such dark hair all my life. I think long, silver hair is really striking.

I really need to get a picture up!

[alwayssmiling]

Thanks for this thread Talula, I will be following it with interest. You are not alone, I have had natural frizz since being a teenager and is the bain of my hair life, mine looks just like yours. For years I've managed my frizz using hair straighteners, which led to some severe damage. Now I only use straighteners for special occassions I have started the battle with the frizz all over again.

I have found CO washing has reduced my frizz, plus using a pomade (I use black and white). But if its particularly bad I will use Frizzease spray styling gel along with my Boar bristle brush to smooth it all down, then tie my hair back. The spray gel does contain alcohol, so I only use it if its really bad.

[Talula]

Just wanted to add a link to this thread: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=46559 where people were telling me about their home mixes for frizz sprays. :)

[Debra83]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=48950

Here's a link to the thread I started the other day, and yesterday I added 2 photos in one post with the "after" results. I have one picture further up in the thread of my outside hair (quite a difference in color) showing the frizz and unruliness. I really do see a difference but the product I'm using has tons of cones and stuff. I think I'll keep using it though, I'm trying again today.

[Arriens]

@Debra83, I know that on this forum a lot of people complain about the cones, I do know out of experiance that there are people who benefit with the use of cones. If it works for you, great! If not, well it was worth the try. :)

[spidermom]

The best products for getting my frizz to lay down are wax, pomade, and styling putty. My favorite was Natures Gate Styling Putty because it had good hold and was easy to comb through. The other products that I tried tended to be too gluey. Unfortunately, it appears they've quit making, or the local stores have quit carrying, the NG styling putty.

Gel smoothed over the surface of my hair helps, too. "helps" not "eliminates"

[Beatrice]

I used to get crazy frizzy before I hennaed. Now it's all gone! Henna was the only thing that worked for me, and I tried a number of anti frizz products before. Maybe a henna gloss could help without any major change in hair color?

Hmm. This gets my wheels turning. I'm not sure I'm ready to take the plunge with henna, but maybe a protein treatment could help with frizz? Frizz can result from porous hair, and protein, like henna, can help seal hair. I imagine it wouldn't work for everyone, though. Too much protein on coarse hair would probably just cause it to become brittle and stick out all the more.

My younger sister used to fight the frizz. She embraced it when she discovered Kate Bush. :cool:

[SapphiraSilver]

Hello all.
I am a frizz sufferer, but my hair is not curly, it's wavy and it's thin. My frizz is probably due to blow drying, ironing and bleaching. I can't begin to tell you how many serums and creams and leave in's I have tried and nothing helps the frizz.

The only way to lessen it for me, is to use these serums before and after blow drying and ironing. (Sometimes a white vinegar rinse helps too) Only heat helps me with the frizz and that makes me upset because due to my recent decision to start growing out my bleach damage, I also decided I want to stop the heat stuff, stop blow drying.

Letting it air dry is murder on the frizz, it just wont dry smooth no matter what I put on the wet hair as it air dries. I don't mind waves, but not the frizz. I've tried air drying while clipping its straight, tied it, oiled it, put a scarf on it, and it still air dries frizzy. Kind of thin, flat and frizzy.

So, I am asking... if anyone ever finds a solution to air dry without frizz, or any no heat methods, please share.

Thank you.