10 Hacks for Frizzy Curly Hair

I have some of the most stubborn frizz, and these 12 hacks actually tame it so that my curls last for days.

Frizz is something that all curly and wavy hair people experience, and it’s often inevitable. But there are some minor tweaks and hacks you can try to reduce frizz.

Use a gel with multiple polyquats

Do not blindly buy gels if you’re looking to tame frizz! Most gels do not provide enough hold, and most of the time brands inaccurately label hold levels.

Look at the ingredient label and see if there are “polyquaternium” ingredients towards the top of the list. The best hold gels that I have tried contain more than one polyquat.

Download the free Anti-Humidity Ingredients Checklist for more help with picking products with long-lasting hold in humidity. 

Anti-frizz products used in this routine

#1 Apply gel to your fingertips to get more coverage root to tip

This is one of those little things I do during product application that I often don’t call out, but it makes a huge difference if you struggle with root frizz and flyaways. I have a lot of shorter hairs all throughout from new growth, and they stick straight out and result in frizz when my hair is dried. Most people advise avoiding the roots when you’re applying products, but I disagree, especially when it comes to gels. We can’t just leave the hair at the top naked if you are prone to frizz. However, you do want to avoid getting product on your scalp.

#2 Apply gel in sections before brush styling for more coverage

If you brush style first then just scrunch in your gel, you’re really only coating the outer area and it’s not being applied evenly. This can result in more volume but also more frizz that pokes through from underneath. Instead, try sectioning your hair, applying gel, then brush styling. This will help to evenly coat every strand with gel for more frizz protection. You may get less volume, but you can still use your brush to create volume such as lifting the hair up and away from the scalp as you style.

#3 Use a dense bristle brush for more smoothing

Brushes help to smooth frizz and define the curls, and the more dense or tightly spaced the bristles are, the more tension which smooths and creates more defined curls. A dense-bristle brush is also great for grabbing those small baby hairs right at the root and blending them into the curl clump. The downside to dense-bristle brushes is they can be more damaging, so use with caution.

#4 Finger coil short hairs

If you have a lot of baby hairs from new growth or breakage, they can dry frizzy and stick out when they are not specifically styled. Finger coiling is a great technique to define them individually. I also like finger coiling my front, face-framing section where the curls are stubborn and go in different directions. This also helps them last longer.

#5 Stop diffusing and mist a hairspray or add more gel

Have you ever noticed a bunch of frizz forming while you’re diffusing? This is a sign that your gel didn’t have enough hold, you didn’t apply enough, or you used too much water and diluted your gel. Once your curl shape has set where you like it, which for me is about 50% of the way dry, stop and add a bit more gel or mist with a hairspray. Hairsprays are nice because you don’t have to touch your hair and disturb it while it’s drying. I recommend using a water-based spray on damp hair and avoiding aerosol sprays for this purpose.

#6 Don’t scrunch out the cast

If you want super long-lasting frizz control, leave your gel cast in. It will gradually release throughout the day, especially if it’s humid. This is also the best way to preserve your curls when you’re styling at night and going to bed, or about to travel. You can scrunch it out the next morning if needed.

#7 Fluff with dry hands from underneath

To scrunch out the cast without causing frizz, ensure your hands are dry and not sticky from product. Reach underneath the hair and fluff and shake out the roots. If your hands are wet, they will stick to the hair and cause frizz. Another method for releasing the cast without causing frizz is to scrunch within your hair around the mid-shaft area versus scrunching from the ends upward.

If your hair frizzed up as soon as you scrunched out your cast, then the gel didn’t have enough hold for you or you didn’t apply enough.

#8 Apply gel to frizzy pieces after hair is dry

If you notice a few frizzy pieces after you scrunch out the cast, you can touch them up by using just water, water + more gel, or just gel. This is going to result in so much more hold because you’re applying gel to dry hair. Isolate the frizzy piece, and smooth over the strand with wet hands or gel on your hands. Finger coil it to redefine the ringlet and then diffuse or air dry.

Final results

I loved how my curls turned out with this wash day! It held up great in humidity and I didn’t need to refresh on day 2. This was my first time trying out the cream, and I was impressed. It seems like a great pair with the Ouidad gel. I did notice that it softened my hold as I had more frizz than usual on day 2, but not bad overall. I will plan to just use less cream next time.

#9 Wear a bonnet or scarf when doing tasks that cause frizz

Aside from protecting your curls while you sleep, bonnets and scarves can protect your hair from frizz when going out in humidity, cooking, lounging on the couch, etc. I wear my bonnet while I workout since I workout at home and it’s perfect because it doesn’t stretch my curls like a scrunchie can.

If you’re lounging on the couch, drape a silk scarf over the back of the couch or couch pillow.

#10 Hide frizz with clips or headband

If your curls get frizzy and you’re like me and don’t like them touching your face, you can pin them back with mini claw clips or headbands that won’t stretch or dent your curls. You can also tie your scarf in a headband or other hairstyle. Silk scrunchies are also great for keeping the curls back without damage.

Remember to embrace frizz

Frizz is inevitable, and there’s only so much you can do sometimes. Frizz gives us volume and fullness. Incorporating these techniques can lessen your frizz but it’s important to remember that some frizz is normal!

If you need more help selecting the best products to prevent frizz, especially in humidity, you can check out this post on the Best Anti-Humidity Curly Hair Products.