The main causes of hair frizz and the best way to fix them

Frizz can be your best friend when you want to add texture or lift to an up-do, or when you’re embracing a more natural curly or coily look. But when frizz gets out of control it can ruin a hairstyle faster than you can say ‘humidity’.

Frizz happens when hair lacks hydration and has a rough cuticle; together this results in individual strands absorbing excess moisture to counteract the dryness and then swelling. While it’s something that’s more likely to happen in humid weather, there are also washing and styling habits that could be adding unwanted frizz to your hair too. Here are some surprising habits that cause it, plus quick and easy fixes for taming your hair…

1. Rough-drying your hair

It’s a common habit you’ve probably had since childhood but using a normal cotton bath towel to rough-dry your hair after a shower is one of the main causes of frizz. All that friction roughs up the cuticle and encourages it to stand in an upwards position, rather than lying flat and smooth. Not only that, but wet hair is extremely fragile, so rough-drying can also cause breakage in addition to frizz. Instead, use a microfiber towel to gently absorb excess water, and blot or scrunch it dry.

2. Washing with water that’s too hot

We know there’s nothing better than a hot shower, but extremely high temperatures can strip the natural oils from your hair – and it’s those oils that contribute to keeping hair smooth. Instead, use lukewarm water.

3. Washing with the wrong products

It’s easy to grab the product that looks best on the shelf, or the one your best friend swears by, but if you use products intended for a hair type that’s different from your own, it can lead to hair freak outs and frizz. But this is a mistake that’s super-easy to fix. Nexxus’ new Ultralight Smooth range is perfect for most hair types that need frizz tamed. Powered by the exclusive PROTEINFUSION blend with almond protein and jasmine flower, it restores strength while forming a weightless, invisible barrier around each strand to protect against frizz, so you’re left with salon-smooth hair that won’t fall flat. The range includes a weightless protection shampoo and conditioner and a frizz defy cream serum.

4. Touching your hair too often

As well as making it oily, touching your hair frequently can also cause excess frizz – especially if your skin has any sort of moisture on it. If you skip blow-drying in favor of letting hair air-dry, it’s even more important to avoid touching or playing with it while it’s drying, as that can also cause unwanted frizz.

5. Applying styling products at the wrong time

If you apply your styling products after you towel-dry your hair you’re not alone – but you’re better off putting product into your hair when it’s still dripping wet. That helps to add a protective layer against frizz and means you don’t have to brush your wet hair a second time to distribute the product (brushing hair too often also contributes to excess frizz).

6. Using silicone-laden shampoos

Silicones are an ingredient worth avoiding when it comes to tackling frizz. While they can work to protect hair from frizz on the surface, over time they can build up and coat the hair. This makes it appear dull, lifeless, lacking in volume, and (you guessed it) more prone to frizz. Enter the Ultralight Smooth range. Completely silicone-free, it tackles frizz head-on, strengthening hair from within and filling holes and cracks in the outer cuticle layer to restore smoothness. The new smooth is Ultralight Smooth.