Answering Your Questions: Minimizing Frizz in High Humidity

Khadijah Frrahkhan asked:  Can you provide some tips on products to minimize frizz & puffiness in the humidity?

Well, Kahdijah we're certainly in the dog days of summer!  According to the weather channel, if we have 2 more 90 degree days we will have had 26 days in NC over 90 degrees which will be a new record for our state.  With the heat in NC, comes the high humidity.  The heat and humidity certainly presents a challenge for those of us with natural hair.

Here are a few tips that we hope you'll find helpful:

1.  Condition your hair well.  As part of your regular maintenance, you cannot skip conditioning your hair.  You should deep condition you hair at least once a month, however if needed your deep conditioning could be done as frequently as once a week.

2.  Drying your hair.  Try to stay away from using a terry cloth towel.  The terry cloth towel can create frizz.  If you don't have the time to allow your air dry, you can use a t-shirt or a microfiber towel to or even a hooded dryer as an option.

3. Nighttime maintenance.  Always sleep on a satin pillowcase or a satin bonnet not on a cotton pillowcase.  It will draw the moisture out of your hair and is a contributor to frizz.

4. Product recommendations.  Khadijah's main question was around products to use.  Well no product is guaranteed to prevent frizz.  However, I would recommend the use of a pomade, which is usually a heavy grease like consistency to hold frizz at bay. One Aveeda's Brilliant Anti-Humectant Pomade.  Speaking of humectants, in especially high humidity conditions you want to minimize the use of products that contain humectants.  Humectants draw moisture from the atmosphere into the hair which causes it to swell. These include: glycerin, honey, panthenol.  Instead, look for products that include these ingredients which are natural anti- humectants:  coconut oil, EVOO, beeswax, shea butter.

5. Learn to love a little frizz.  Sometimes in pursuit of the perfect defined look for our curls and coils we shun the true nature of our hair.  Though it is discouraging when we want a look for a special occasion, a little frizz can be beautiful!  It makes our hair appear fuller and definitely adds some character!  The more that one accepts that some frizz is going to occur the less stressful styling your hair will be.  And if you remember to always have in your purse and ouchless headband and some bobby pins you'll be able to whip a frizzy hairdo into a cute puff or bunn.


I hope this helps to answer your question!  Please keep them coming!

Submitted by NaturallyNita