Try a DIY Avocado Hair Mask

For an all-natural moisturizing and strengthening treatment, trichologist Leata Williams recommends applying the following mask monthly:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 ripped avocado
• 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoon of raw honey
• 1 whole egg
• 3 drops of rosemary oil

Instructions:

Combine ingredients and apply evenly to hair. Leave on for 15-20 minutes before shampooing.

Williams explains that avocado and honey are good at-home ingredients as they will help to moisturize the hair. The measurement of honey all depends on how dry your hair is, so if you’re feeling extra dry, go for a higher dose. She shares that “Honey is a humectant; it locks in the shine everyone wants for their hair. Rosemary oil is an added bonus, as it helps to stimulate hair growth.”

Deep Condition Weekly

Moisturization is one guaranteed way to treat dryness and manage frizz. Curly hair specialist Marissa Rullan explains the connection, saying, “Dry hair is caused by a lack of moisture. Frizz is often a result of dry hair. Dry hair, or dehydrated hair, leads to more snapping and breakage due to the lack of elasticity in the strands.”

All of our experts agreed that deep conditioning on a weekly or biweekly basis is a great way to bring moisture back into the hair. There are deep conditioners designed to treat all kinds of specific hair concerns, such as color-treated and fine hair, so choose the one that best pertains to your hair type.

Remove Excess Build-Up

While dryness is a leading contributor to frizz, build-up is often not far behind. Curl expert Daisy Henson explains that frizz can occur when there is a buildup of minerals on our hair, like iron and calcium, from hard water. This leads to dryness, as “these minerals can form a barrier that inhibits the hair’s ability to absorb moisture.” Product build-up can cause these same issues as well. Henson recommends using a clarifying shampoo, but if you don’t have access to one, the following home remedy will eliminate build-up:

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 2 cups of warm water

Instructions:

Combine to create a clarifying rinse. Add this rinse to damp hair, making sure to coat all of the strands from root to end. Follow with a conditioning shampoo. This can be done once per month.

Rebuild the Bonds of Your Hair

Heat styling and damage are two of the leading causes of excess frizz. To repair the damage done to hair by coloring and heat, it is necessary to rebuild the bonds of the hair on a molecular level. Olaplex offers several products designed to repair and strengthen hair, some of which can be used at home. Henson explains that “it will rebuild, repair, and strengthen your hair from the inside out, thus making your hair healthier, shinier, and less prone to frizz.” Williams agrees that Olaplex products focus on repairing the hair strand, adding, “I like to recommend Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector paired with Olaplex No. 7, which is their bonding oil.”

Steam Your Hair to Add Hydration

Depending on the porosity of your hair, you may have trouble adequately hydrating your strands. Rullan explains that hair is made of proteins bound together by fatty lipids/acids, and the outermost layer– the cuticle– lies like roof tiles or scales. How open or closed these scales are determines how easily or difficultly different hair types can absorb and hold onto moisture. High porosity hair cuticles are very raised, meaning water easily absorbs into them but is quickly evaporated out. Low-porosity hair cuticles, however, are so tightly closed that it’s very difficult for water to get through. The challenge with this hair type is that products often sit on the strand instead of absorbing into it. “Even water rolls off and will evaporate off the strand before it’s able to be absorbed,” she explains.

How can those with low porosity infuse hydration? Rullan suggests you use steam. She shares that steam encourages the scales of the cuticle layer to open, which allows for moisture to work its way in.

To steam your hair at home, apply conditioner to freshly washed hair. Cover your hair with a shower cap and wrap it with a hot, damp towel. The steam will open the scales of the cuticle layer of your hair, allowing the conditioner to soak in.

Select a Hydrating Shampoo

Shampoo for frizzy hair can play a vital role in taming frizz and keeping your hair healthy. With that in mind, choose a shampoo that is made with hydrating ingredients, such as glycerin, which, according to experts, retains moisture and helps to soften and smooth the cuticle.

Apply Humectants to Seal In Moisture

For those with high-porosity hair, the issue is not so much gaining moisture as it is maintaining it. There are many naturally occurring humectants that can be applied to the hair to seal in the moisture gained by wetting the hair. Rullan mentioned the following humectants as being beneficial to high-porosity hair.

Natural humectants include:

• Honey
• Aloe
• Glycerin

It is important not to overapply these products, so start with a tablespoon-sized amount.

Invest in the Right Linens

Even if you are using all of the right products, you could be losing moisture and causing frizz and dryness with the linens that you use. Henson recommends using a silk or satin pillowcase to prevent moisture loss from your hair. She explains that “a cotton case will soak up the moisture in your hair while sleeping, and cause friction that can result in breakage.” While some of these can be pricey, they protect the investment you are making in your hair and skin products as well.

Ditch Your Bath Towel

Don’t towel-dry your hair with just any towel. Instead, Henson recommends using a microfiber towel to dry your hair. A regular cotton towel can rough up your hair and cause unwanted frizz, while a microfiber towel removes excess water without stripping the hair or disrupting the cuticle.

Towel Gently

Regardless of the type of towel you choose, go forth with a gentle hand. Dry, frizzy hair is fragile by nature and becomes even more vulnerable when wet. Rough drying hair can not only rough up the cuticle for a less-than-smooth dry down, but the excessive friction could also lead to split ends and breakage that results in greater damage, static, and frizz.

Consider Gels

Rullan shares that flexible hold gels help high-porosity hair retain moisture, “many people like to make their own flaxseed gel for moisture. Shea butter is great for weight for people who like a more weighted look.” She also stresses the importance of properly cleansing the hair to ensure the buildup of these products does not occur.

Apply Styling Products to Wet Hair

All of our experts agree that getting adequate moisture into hair starts with the essence of hydration: water. One of the biggest mistakes people with curly hair can make is allowing their hair to dry before applying products designed to seal in moisture or lock in styles. Williams explains that “we see frizz occur once a product is put on dry hair because it is trying to absorb the moisture.”

Applying the product to wet hair encourages the hair to absorb moisture and the product. On high-porosity hair, moisture will not remain without something to seal it in. Henson agrees, saying, “If your hair is curly, add products while your hair is very wet and the curls are clumped together.” These products improve both the appearance of dry and frizzy hair and the overall health of the hair.

Schedule Regular Trims

All experts agree, once the hair has gotten to the point where it can no longer retain water or moisture (aka those hydrating treatments just aren’t working anymore), it’s time to let it go. Scheduling quarterly trims can help dust off any dead ends and fried tips that can’t be salvaged, to leave healthier strands in their wake. The more frequent trims can take off a nearly imperceptible length while reducing the look of frizz and promoting shiny, lustrous locks.