Dryness vs. Lack of Hold: What’s Really Causing Your Curly Frizz? + Refresh to Fix It

Is your hair actually dry or does it just not have enough hold?  Knowing the difference is key to fixing frizz, and piling on more moisture may not be the solution.

I’m going to show you how to tell the difference between dryness and lack of hold—and how to fix it while refreshing your curls.

For this routine, I used the Jessicurl Spiralicious Gel on wash day. This is a strong hold gel that is pretty low in moisture. By day 3, my hair continues to hold up well and I don’t need to refresh much at all.

I recommend focusing on the problem areas only when refreshing. The less refreshing you can do the better. I first sectioned it off so I could treat each section differently because my top section is really what needed attention. I normally don’t do this, but I wanted to show you various refreshing scenarios.

Since my lower section looks good and has plenty of hold, I’m focused on separating large clumps and removing some of the loose hairs that may cause tangles. For the top, we’ll be addressing more issues so stay tuned.

Why Knowing the Difference Matters

Curly hair needs both moisture and hold, but how much of each depends on your hair type and climate. Many people are told that curly hair is dry and just needs more moisture when it’s frizzy. However, too much moisture can weigh hair down and make it lose its hold. You don’t want to over-moisturize because that can prevent the products from holding your curls properly.

Note: Moisture and hold are not opposites, but too much moisture can reduce hold. It’s all about balance.

Frizz from Dryness and Lack of Moisture

Curly hair is naturally drier than straight hair due to its shape. Our natural oils have a harder time traveling down the strands because of the bends and turns of curly hair. Wavy hair may experience oilier roots since the oil can travel more easily than in coily hair.

Also, curly hair often isn’t brushed daily like straight hair, which means less oil distribution throughout the hair shaft.

You also want to make sure your hair is adequately moisturized in dry climates, like I’m experiencing right now in the winter.

Clarification: When I refer to dryness, I’m talking about a lack of conditioning, which helps make curls more pliable and manageable.

Signs of Dryness

• Rough, brittle, stiff feel when dried
• Tangly, rough texture when wet (no slip)
• Dull appearance and lack of shine
• Less color vibrancy
• Staticy flyaway frizz or frizz that stands straight up
• Overall frizz with stringy curls

How to Fix Dryness (or lack of softness & slip)

We need to add conditioning products to the hair to increase softness and slip.

Refreshing:

• Use a bit of leave-in conditioner or curl cream mixed with water. Smooth it over your hair and scrunch. Lightly detangle if needed.
• Avoid soaking your hair. Add water to your palms instead for better control.

Wash Day:

• Deep condition if needed.
• Use a leave-in conditioner or curl cream, followed by gel. If you want to skip the leave-in, choose a gel that provides moisture.

Since I’ve determined that my top section is dry, I need to refresh with a leave-in or a curl cream. I know Confident Coils pairs well with the Spiralicious Gel so I’m going to use that, but only a very small amount and I’m diluting it with some water. 

If your hair is very tangly, you may want to opt for something that has even more slip, like a primer, serum, or leave-in.

Why my hair became dry on day 3

Using just the gel on wash day and the very dry climate I’m in right now are the reasons my hair turned out dry on day 3. Moisture will naturally evaporate as the days go on after wash day, especially in dry weather, so our products will need to lock that in.

As I mentioned, I used the Jessicurl Spiralicious Gel. This is one of my all time favorite gels and one I often recommend for people who need something lightweight but strong hold.

This gel mainly consists of holding ingredients and sealing ingredients. It contains some emollients which can help to soften the hair. It has one humectant, panthenol, which can help moisturize the hair but it’s low on the list indicating it’s possibly low in concentration. It does not contain any glycerin.

You may have heard the myth that glycerin can dry out your hair in the winter, but I’ve done a full video breaking down how glycerin alone will not cause your hair to become dry. In fact, I’ve found the opposite to be true. Products that do not contain glycerin seem to cause my hair to be dry after wash day.

My hair is also medium to coarse textured and has some high porosity areas. I need more conditioning and moisturizing ingredients in my routine. This is why I usually use this gel on top of a curl cream or a leave-in. I usually pair with it is the Confident Coils.

When refreshing, you want to be mindful of the products that you’re layering together because you can get a buildup feeling if you layer the wrong thing. A general rule of thumb is that products from the same line combine well together, but not always. I also usually recommend just using the same products that are already in your hair.

Frizz from Lack of Hold

Hold is essential to define curls, tame frizz, and get lasting results. A gel’s “crunch” or cast helps maintain that definition. Once your curls dry, you can scrunch out the cast for softer curls while still retaining hold.

Signs of lack of hold

• Soft, limp curls (even when wet and dry)
• Less color vibrancy
• Lack of definition or fluffy, puffy curls
• Waves fall straight
• Flyaway frizz
• Overall frizz, even when curls are clumped

How to Fix Lack of Hold

If you’ve determined that your curls are moisturized and soft, but just need more hold, then you can do that with just water or additional gel.

Refreshing

• Apply more gel mixed with water to help distribute. Smooth it over frizzy areas and finger-coil to redefine.
• Avoid excessive scrunching, as it can create more frizz.
• Diffuse to help curls spring back up.

Wash Day

• Don’t overdo the water, and don’t layer too many leave-in products under the gel.
• Apply gel thoroughly and, if needed, a second layer for stronger hold.
• Opt for gels with strong holding ingredients or polymers for longevity.

Key Differences Between Dryness and Lack of Hold

If your curls feel rough and break easily, you likely have dryness. If your curls feel soft and undefined, you may be missing hold.

How to Tell if You Need Both Moisture & Hold

Needing both moisture and hold is common and most likely the case depending on your hair type. I needed both for my refresh day on day 3.

How to Fix both Dryness and Lack of Hold

If you need both moisture and hold, a combined approach is necessary. Here’s the refreshing routine that worked for me:

Refreshing:

• Apply a leave-in or curl cream + water for moisture, followed by gel for hold (if needed)

OR

• Apply a leave-in or curl cream + water for moisture and if a strong cast returns, go to diffusing or air dry. 
• Scrunch and detangle as needed, but avoid soaking the hair down—light application is key.

If you already have a gel in your hair from wash day that had strong hold, you likely don’t need to add more. Some gels can be reactivated with just water and the cast returns. As you’re refreshing with just water or just your leave-in and you’re noticing the cast come back as it’s air drying, then you may not need additional gel. 

However most of the time, if you’re adding a leave-in or a cream on top of a gel that doesn’t provide enough hold in the first place, it could cause frizz. This is why additional gel as the last, sealing product is necessary.

Wash Day:

• For gel, go for one that provides both moisture and hold for long-lasting curls.
• Deep condition if your hair is very dry, and use a leave-in or curl cream, plus a gel.

Day 3 Refresh Results

My hair needed both moisture and hold. It needed more moisture then it did hold because the gel I used on wash day did provide enough hold and the cream I used to refresh also had a little bit of hold. Since it was dry and brittle feeling, stringy, and still a little defined that’s how I knew I needed to refresh with the cream. I only needed to add gel to my ends that were very frizzy.

Need personalized help?

I offer both group coaching and private coaching where I assist clients with diagnosing their exact hair issues and reducing the need to refresh. This saves them both time and frustration in their routine. If you’ve tried everything and you’re still not getting the longevity out of your routine, I would love to discuss how we can improve your routine. Join the waitlist for my private coaching here, or my next round of group coaching here.