Happy February, guys! Since the weather is beginning to warm, it's the perfect time to talk about the f-word. That's right, "F-R-I-Z-Z". Now, frizz can be a blessing a curse. Oftentimes, the right amount and type of frizz will give you the gorgeous volume that you might crave (We call this, "good frizz"). However, frizz can sometimes take a turn for the worse, creating unruly and unmanageable tresses. In this month's blog post, we're going to cover frizz from root-to-tip (See what I did there?) We'll define frizz (there I go again), discuss the various types, causes as well as how to prevent and treat it. Let's get started!
What is frizz?
Basically, when your hair strands clump together, you get a curl. But when the strands decide to do there own thing? Voila, frizz. In a nutshell, frizz is caused by a raised cuticle layer. But it's so much deeper than that.
The 5 types of Frizz
When you get down to it, there are 5 basic types of frizz. Each of these can be further broken down, but for our conversation, they'll do nicely and we'll tackle them one at a time:
- Pouf- ball frizz
- Surface frizz
- Halo frizz
- Wet frizz
- Frizz at the ends
Pouf-ball frizz
The term "Pouf ball" sadly speaks for itself. This type of frizz occurs all over your head, giving you the appearance of, well, a "pouf ball". The most common type, Pouf-ball fizz is often humidity related. This specific topic is so dear to our hearts at Ecoslay, that we've devoted an entire blog post to the subject: Enough's Enough.
Another cause of pouf-ball fizz is damage. This damage can be chemical (from coloring, relaxing, etc), heat (from blow-drying, flat-ironing, etc), environmental (from the sun, wind) or physical (from over-brushing or combing, over-manipulation, not protecting your hair at night)
In these situations, it's best to lay-off the culprit (at least for awhile) and start incorporating protein treatments like Aphoghee 2-step (best for severe damage) or Ecoslay's Matcha Boost (best for mild-to-moderate damage and prevention). Always remember to follow up your protein treatments with a moisturizing deep conditioner like Banana Cream.
If the cause of your frizz is from the lack of night protection, consider using a Satin Bonnet or Pillowcase.
Using products with silicone or sulfates can also cause pouf-ball frizz. Silicones give you a temporary sleek, shiny and healthy look. However, since they work by coating the hair, they prevent moisture from entering the hair shaft. So, unless they are thoroughly removed (most often by using a harsher sulfate-based cleanser), they'll end up causing dryness, damage and frizz in the long run. Likewise, over using sulfate-based cleansers can be super harsh on the hair, especially when not consistently followed up with a moisturizing deep conditioner. These cleansers, if not carefully used, can lead to frizz as well.
Poor product application is also known to result in pouf-ball frizz. If you're experiencing frizz, it's best to ditch the dry or damp styling and apply your leave-in and stylers to soaking wet hair - this is best way to ensure that you won't end up with a frizzy final result.
Poor drying techniques can lead to pouf-ball frizz as well. If you're touching your hair while drying, using a cotton towel to dry, diffusing on high (especially if moving the diffuser and your head all over the place) or blow-drying on high, you're looking for trouble, my friend. Consider switching up your drying techniques to see if you achieve a better result.
Finally, an often overlooked cause of frizz and overall hair challenges is stress. When we're under stress, cortisol is released which causes inflammation and, in turn, our hair follicles to swell. This has a direct effect on the strength of of hair strands, making them weaker and more susceptible to damage.
If you feel yourself coming under stress, you know the drill: Eat well, sleep well, exercise and protein-treat! Adding in a treatment like our Matcha Boost will help keep your strands their strongest until your stressful period passes.
For other tips on how to identify and manage the effect that stress can have on your hair, check out our blog post on the topic.
Surface Frizz
This type of frizz only occurs on the surface of the hair. That is, it’s on the outer layers of your hair, but not on the layers underneath.
Simlar to pouf-ball frizz, the main cause of Surface frizz is also humidity. Again, our Enough's Enough blog post will get you completely squared away before the dewpoint rears its ugly head!
Frizz at the ends
"Frizz at the ends" kinda speaks for itself. This kind of frizz typically shows itself mainly at the ends of our lengths. The tell tale sign is that the ends seem to unravel from their defined clumps, leaving a ragged, tangled and unmanageable look. I find that I get frizz at the ends when it's time for a refresh or a trim. Thanks to my Banana Cream, Orange Marmalade and Jello Shot combo, I'm usually able to get 7 solid days from my wash day. However, around Day 5 or so, my ends need some love. On these days, I reach for Rice Pudding or Lemon Buttercream if my ends feel dry or Jello Shot if they need more definition. Ultimately, it's getting close to another wash day and time to reset my style.
However, sometimes, products just won't do the trick. If your ends are constantly looking haggard, it might be time for a trim.
Halo Frizz
There's absolutely nothing angelic about Halo Frizz, folks. This type of frizz centers on the crown of your head and throws off your otherwise perfect style.
There's been a lot of conversation about Halo Frizz lately and the experts agree that the cause seems to center around hair frizzing at the roots The thought is that enough moisture isn't getting to the roots although there's a plethera of it on the length and ends of your hair. There can be a few reasons for this, but clarifying is a great place to start, (We love a half Apple Cider Vinegar and half water mixture) especially If you're low-porosity or only co-washing. Since your oils originate at the scalp, they can easily build up at the roots, preventing moisture from penetrating, therefore causing frizz. A few other tips are to:
- Try washing your hair upside down to give your crown a break
- Concentrate deep conditioner on the roots instead of at the ends
- Glaze with a gel
- Seal with an oil
Wet Frizz
Wet frizz is the frizz that you encounter when your hair is, well, wet. It can seem as if all of the water kinda gushes from your hair and causes hair strands to appear stringy and dry rather than smooth and sleek. Rather than forming “clean” curl clumps, the curl clumps will have strings of hair sticking out.
There are a few causes of wet frizz:
- Lack of moisture
- Product buildup
- Flash drying
- Moisture overload
If your hair feels dry and you feel that this lack of moisture could be contributing to your wet frizz, reach for the clarifier and Banana Cream. Similarly, if product build up might be the reason for your wet frizz, a clarifier is going to be your best friend. Always remember to follow it up with a moisturizing deep conditioner like Banana Cream and to apply it with a heat cap or steamer for 30 minutes, especially if you're low porosity.
If you believe Flash Drying to be the cause of your wet frizz, check out this blog post on the topic. We discuss Flash Drying in full, offering tips on how to identify, prevent and combat it.
YAY! You made it to the end! I hope that you found this post to be super-helpful in defining frizz, identifying the different types and how to prevent/treat them!
What types of frizz do you most commonly struggle with? What tips do you have to share?
Until March,
Adria
Credit:
https://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/wavy-hair-type-2/what-is-frizzy-hair-how-to-stop-it
https://lusbrands.com/blogs/news/9-reasons-your-curls-are-frizzy
https://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/frizz-forecast/how-to-stop-halo-frizz-at-the-roots
https://wavyhaircare.com/wet-frizz-in-wavy-hair/
https://skinkraft.com/blogs/articles/frizzy-hair
