How To Combat Frizz

My hair is as dry as the Sahara desert, during a heatwave, in July and ever since going natural it's gotten much frizzier. Natural curly hair has a low porosity so it does not retain moisture leaving my hair prone to breakage and looking brittle. However, there are tips and tricks I've learned to add moisture to my hair and attempt to reduce the frizz produced by dryness:

1.  Water frequently- Water is a small molecule and its size allows it to penetrate even low porosity hair. I wash my hair two to three times a week with conditioner and spritz it daily with water. Basically, pretend your hair is a plant.

2.  Shampoo less frequently- By now we've all hard how sulphate shampoos are the nemesis to natural hair. Shampoos are essentially harsh soaps that dry your hair out. Instead opt for a natural cleanser- I use diluted apple cider vinegar once a week. I smell like a salad after but at least my hair is  moist and shiny.

3.  Avoid towels- On your hair that is. My sister gave me this trick and it pains me to say she's right. Rubbing wet hair with a towel creates friction between your strands and the fabric which increases the frizz, adds tension and can lead to breakage. Instead, use a cotton t-shirt or simply let your hair air dry.

4. Do a hair mask- Use rich oils such as coconut or olive oil to do a hair mask. Leave it in the hair for minimum 30 minutes and help your hair re-gain moisture. Oils are much larger particles than water so it takes longer for them to twist and turn their way into the hair shaft so the longer the product is on your hair, the better. This will significantly reduce the appearance of frizz.

5. Invest in better hair tools- A well constructed wide tooth comb or an efficient detangling brush that detangles more than it pulls remove tangles instead of pulling your hair and causing more frizz. So no, the dollar store comb won't cut it.

6. Get a hair cut- Simply for aesthetics but split ends make frizz appear exponentially worst.

4.  Embrace the frizz- Curly hair is frizzy and dry and it's a fact. Most anti-frizz products can only coat the hair, giving you an artificial idea of moisture but on a cellular level, the hair is still as dry so add some distracting red lipstick and embrace the frizz.