Looking for how to keep African American hair from frizzing in humidity? We have four simple ways to combat frizz in different climates.
African American hair is amazing and complex. It’s full of kinks, coils and turns. No matter how great our hair is, we still encounter issues. One of the more common issues is frizz. We’ve heard the word throughout our lives, no matter what our hair texture is but do we know the definition.
What is frizz?
Frizz, by definition, is when hair is formed into” a mass of small, tight curls.” By definition our hair is naturally frizzy, but that is not the case. Frizzy hair occurs when the hair cuticle is separated from the shaft. This creates a dry and tangled look. Curly hair, especially African American hair, is susceptible to frizz. One of the main reasons is because it takes so much work to keep our hair moisturized. Due to our beautiful curls, it takes longer for moisture to reach the entirety of our hair shaft.
At this point, you might be thinking “Will my hair always be frizzy?” The answer is complicated, you will experience frizz, but there are ways to combat frizz. If you live in a humid place, you are more likely to have frizzy hair due to the amount of moisture in the air. On the other hand, if you live in a dry climate, you can get frizzy hair due to the lack of moisture in the air. At some point during the day, usually in the late afternoon, my hair gets frizzy. I live in Japan and it’s either very humid or very dry. Sometimes, it is difficult to manage the frizz. However, there are ways to tame frizz for locs and for natural African American hair. Here is a list of four ways to combat frizz for natural hair and locs:
1. Cleanse
For natural hair and those who have locs, cleansing your hair properly is the first step in combating frizz. It’s necessary to choose a shampoo that is free of sulfates. Sulfates can be too harsh on your hair follicles, especially those with fine hair. They are great for removing dirt and oils, but will leave you with dry hair.
Try to use a sulfate-free shampoo or a mild cleanser. When I had curly hair, I used the Eden Bodyworks Peppermint and Tea Tree shampoo. It had no sulfates and left a nice tingly feeling on my scalp. Currently, I use African black soap and the Cream of Nature Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse These two are great for locs and leave your hair fresh, clean but not dry.
2. Moisturize:
Moisturizing is an essential daily step to keep frizzy hair at bay. For those with locs or curly hair, this is where our routines start to change. Locs should be well moisturized but its best not to use cream based moisturizers. The cream can adhere to the locs and cause buildup. Instead, use oil sprays or leave-in-conditioner sprays. I recommend using the Palmers Coconut Oil Roots spray and the Jamaican Mango No More Itch spray. If those aren’t available in your area, coconut oil or argan oil are great daily moisturizers and won’t add weight to your locs.
For curly hair, cream based moisturizers and anti-frizz serums are great, but nothing too heavy or it will weigh down your curls. I loved the cantu line of products. They are affordable and available in most places. Coconut oil is a great option as well.
No matter what kind of hair you have the best way to moisturize is to start at the roots and end at the tips. Gently massage the products into your hair to ensure your hair is thoroughly moisturized.
3. Hydrate:
At this point we have cleansed and moisturized our hair so what more do we need to do? We need to hydrate from the inside out. Water is key to keeping your hair from getting dry and frizzy. Drinking water throughout the day not only helps your skin, but it also helps promote hair growth and keeps hair hydrated. Keeping a bottle of essential oil spray can help with frizz as well. Just mix a few drops of your favorite essential oil with one or two cups of water. Put it in a spray bottle, shake it around and spray your hair. You can keep it at home or throw it in your bag to spray throughout the day.
4. Protect and Style:
Wearing a satin cap at night is a good start to keeping your hair protected, but there is so much more to do. This is also where those with curly hair and those with locs will have to take slightly different routes for protection and styling.
Air drying is great for those with naturally curly hair. After cleansing, remove some of the excess water with a microfiber towel or t-shirt, moisturize your hair, spray a little essential oil spray and let it air dry. If you just air dry your hair without moisturizing and rehydrating, your hair is more likely to frizz up. To speed up the process, you can use a blow dryer with a diffusor attachment on the cool setting. Naptural85 also has a great routine for protecting and styling. You can check out her video here.
Locs need to be blow dried. Air drying locs can take a long time and isn’t recommended. If they aren’t dried properly, your locs will become frizzy. After washing your locs, squeeze out the excess water and dry with a microfiber towel. Next, lightly spray your hair with the essential oil spray, moisturize and style. Finally, spray your hair with a heat protectant spray, and blow dry. Keisha Charmaine is a YouTuber with long and luxurious locs. She offers great advice on how to protect and style your locs.
Taking care of frizzy African American hair shouldn’t be intimidating. The more you care for your hair the more you will learn about it. Just remember to cleanse, moisturize, hydrate, protect and style. No matter your hair texture, length or budget these are simple ways to keep frizz at bay.
About The Author
Maia is the creator of Better My Veggies, a food and lifestyle blog. She has worked and studied in Costa Rica, China, and Japan. During her travels, she became interested in learning more about different cuisines and how to prepare them. Outside of cooking, she enjoys running, playing video games and exploring cooking. Find more from Maia @bettermyveggies
Works Cited.
https://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/home/the-amazing-beauty-benefits-of-drinking-enough-water
https://www.healthline.com/health/sulfate-in-shampoo
https://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/wavy-hair-type-2/what-is-frizzy-hair-how-to-stop-it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo1EHYkFP8I
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-humidity-makes-your-hair-curl-21127724/