Your Frizz Isn’t Dryness — It’s Over-Conditioned
Most people describe their curls as dry, but what you’re seeing might not be dryness at all.Soft frizz, limp curls, dullness, and lack of definition
Most people describe their curls as dry, but what you’re seeing might not be dryness at all.
Soft frizz, limp curls, dullness, and lack of definition are usually signs of something completely different.
Today, I’m styling my hair using a routine that’s balanced with moisture and hold, and showing you how to tell if you’ve been misdiagnosing your hair this whole time.
After coaching hundreds of clients, almost everyone thinks their hair is dry, but most of the time, it’s actually an imbalance.
Before we get into styling, take a look at my hair below.
Do you think it’s dry or just lacking hold?
My hair here is just lacking hold. I let it air dry naturally without any styling products. It’s soft and moisturized because I just deep-conditioned!
Frizz doesn’t automatically mean dryness. And because dryness and lack of hold look very similar, it’s easy to reach for the wrong solution.
True dryness is often caused by a lack of conditioning. If you identify actual dryness, the fix won’t come from styling alone. Clarifying (if it’s been a while) and then deep conditioning can make a big difference and help restore slip so your styling products can actually work
Lack of hold is often caused by using too much moisture or conditioning, or by using a gel that doesn’t provide enough structure.
If you’re still unsure, that’s normal. Sometimes a bit of trial and error is needed — adjusting moisture and hold one step at a time to see what actually improves your results.
The amount of water you use while styling affects how your products perform.
Using a spray bottle can help you control the water content and not overdo it.
I start with my hair evenly wet, but not dripping, so products spread smoothly and form natural clumps.
The easiest way to figure out how much moisture your hair needs is to isolate variables.
Only change one thing at a time over multiple wash days.
For conditioning, I’m using Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Cream. It’s lightweight, has good slip, adds flexible moisture, includes heat protection, and doesn’t overpower my hold.
If your hair is naturally soft or fine, skip the curl cream.
For gel, I’m using Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly. It’s lightweight with low conditioning and medium hold. For my hair type, it needs a moisture base underneath to perform well.
This combo gives me softness without sacrificing structure.
Gel is what gives curls their shape and longevity.
I apply gel in sections with plenty of water, rake it through, then style and scrunch. If it starts to feel draggy, I add more water.
Seeing a slight grip or texture from gel is normal — that’s not dryness, it’s hold.
After gel application, I keep styling simple:
I diffuse using the Curlsmith Defrizzion Hair Dryer with the XXL diffuser, keeping it simple and diffusing until my curls are completely dry and set. This usually takes about 10 minutes.
Once my hair is dry, I gently scrunch out the cast.
If your hair is truly dry, this is the point where you can add a small amount of lightweight oil to soften stiffness and lock in moisture.
If your hair is naturally soft or struggles with hold and longevity, skip the oil — it can soften the cast too much.
Now that my hair is fully dry, I can see that I have balanced my moisture and hold levels properly. It’s defined, not overly clumped, and has just normal subtle frizz. Even though I have adequate hold, it still feels soft.
If my hair was soft, undefined, and very frizzy, that would tell me I didn’t have enough hold.
If my hair was defined but brittle feeling and frizzy, it could be dry.
Day 1 doesn’t always tell the full story, which is why I always check again on Day 2.
Day 2 is usually the most accurate indicator. Here, I have not refreshed. My curls have a little more frizz, which is normal lack of hold from using a medium hold gel plus that curl cream underneath. My hair is still soft and touchable, not brittle or rough to the touch.
How to interpret this:
If you’re still unsure, that’s exactly what we work through inside my Group Curl Coaching Program. Most people join thinking their hair is dry — and within a few calls, they realize it was a moisture and hold imbalance the whole time. Oftentimes, it just takes that second, expert opinion on your hair to truly get to the bottom of your curl issues.
If you’re ready to stop struggling alone and want to finally stop hating your curls in 2026, reach out to see if you’re a fit for my Winter Group Curl Coaching Membership. Enrollment is only open through December 31st or when spots fill.
You don’t have to guess anymore — you just need the right support. To discuss if you are a fit, email me at info@genamarie.co or send me a DM on Instagram or Facebook with the word GROUP.
Win products selected by me based on your hair type!
I’m giving away curated curl product boxes during the holiday season, with 4-6 products personally selected by me based on your hair type and what your hair actually needs.
This isn’t a random bundle. I’ll choose products intentionally, using the same thought process I use when coaching clients — so you’re getting things that make sense for your hair, not just what’s popular.
To enter, join my email list using the form below.
No purchase necessary. U.S. only. Winners are notified by email.
I’ll be shipping out your custom box of products when the giveaways conclude in January.
Good luck and Happy Holidays!
Most people describe their curls as dry, but what you’re seeing might not be dryness at all.Soft frizz, limp curls, dullness, and lack of definition
Light and medium-hold gels are one of the biggest categories out there — and honestly, most of them don’t work. I’ve tested hundreds of gels.
If you’ve ever felt frustrated with your hair or caught yourself thinking, “I just have bad hair,” “Nothing ever works for me,” or “My curls
If you’re still getting frizz even though you’ve tried so many products, the issue may not be the products at all — it might be