There is hardly anyone who likes frizzy hair. It’s difficult to tame and near impossible to style. Most of us have had our tryst with frizzy hair at some point in our lives. Remember that beach holiday?
What Makes Your Hair Frizzy?
Well, your hair is a complex structure made up of three different layers and multitudes of cells. The first layer, medulla is a loosely packed, disordered region near the centre of the hair. It is surrounded by the cortex, which contains the major part of the fibre mass, mainly keratin proteins and structural lipids. The cortex is surrounded by the cuticle, a layer of dead, overlapping cells forming a protective layer around the hair.1
Ideally, cuticle should remain smooth and flat, which would then give the hair a smooth and shiny look. However, hair that is not well hydrated causes these shingle-like cuticles to lift in order to absorb moisture from the air. This results in frizz. To put it simply, lack of water in the hair or loss of water from it and the inability of hair strands to retain moisture cause frizz.2
So what can be done to tame frizzy hair? While there are many chemical treatments available in the market, home remedies are safer and quite effective, too. Here are some home remedies you can try.
Home Remedies For Frizzy Hair
1. Oil Treatment
Oils prevent your hair from getting damaged. It also helps smooth out frizz and moisturize dull hair. But just any oil might not be enough to do the trick. Internet is rife with various oils and masks that can help manage your hair and make it look better, research has shown that the best of all the oils is probably coconut oil. While one research showed that coconut oil treatment prevented damage from combing in various hair types, another research studied the properties of coconut oil, mineral oil, and sunflower oil on hair. The study results proved that among the three oils, coconut oil was the only oil found to reduce the protein loss remarkably for both undamaged and damaged hair when used as a pre-wash and post-wash grooming product. Both sunflower and mineral oils did not help at all in reducing the protein loss from the hair. Coconut oil, being a triglyceride of lauric acid (principal fatty acid), has a high affinity for hair proteins and, because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft, the study revealed.3
Some other beneficial oils are olive oil and almond oil. Almond oil contains very small amounts of super-unsaturated Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are very nourishing. It helps soften and strengthen the hair. Almond oil also proves to be a very good cleansing agent.4 Its light texture allows it to work exactly like a leave-in conditioner or shine enhancer, making it a good substitute for the same.
Olive oil, like almond oil, is an emollient. This means that it has softening qualities. Like coconut oil, olive oil too penetrates the hair shaft and helps the hair retain moisture. This, in turn, makes the hair soft.5 It is also believed that olive oil helps smooth the cuticles of the hair, thus leaving it non-frizzy.
2. Hot And Cold Water Rinse
Many women who have won their battle against frizzy hair vouch for the fact that all it takes to calm your strands down is a water rinse. Not any rinse, but a warm and cold one, to be precise. It may take more than a couple of attempts to see any noticeable change, but you will get there for sure. Here’s what the combination does.
Hot water and steam open up pores. This is especially good for exfoliating and getting rid of the oil and the dirt. It also helps rinse away any accumulations of hair products that you may have used. In effect, washing your hair with hot water is probably the best way to cleanse your hair. However, heat also causes frizz. While the hot water strips your hair of oils, it also leaves it dehydrated and frizzy.
Cold water, on the other hand, does the exact opposite of hot water. It closes pores and cuticles and helps retain or seal in the moisture in your hair, it smooths out the hair by closing the cuticles, gives hair an enviable shine, and also prevent frizz. However, it can leave your hair all flat and lacking bounce, too, especially if you have thin hair or hair that lacks volume.
The correct way to wash frizzy hair is to use both hot and cold water. Start off your head bath with hot water and clean it. Then condition it and detangle it. Once you are ready to wash out the conditioner, use cold water. You can use this same technique even if you do not want to use a conditioner. The hot water will cleanse your hair and scalp well and the cold water will close the pores and cuticles that have opened and leave your hair looking smooth and shiny.
How About Hair Masks?
Hair masks are believed to be more beneficial than regular conditioners. Unlike conditioners that stay only on the outer surface of the hair, the mask goes inside the hair cuticle to repair it. Applying hair masks regularly can help the hair look shiny while making it more manageable.
People with dry, wavy or curly hair that frizzes should go for masks that are intensely moisturizing. Here are some:
1. Coconut Oil Hair Mask
Gently massage warm organic coconut oil to your hair strands and scalp. Wrap a warm towel around your hair and leave it there for 20 minutes. Wash your hair with a mild shampoo.
Coconut Oil And Honey
We know coconut oil is a great hair moisturizer. So is honey. Mix one tablespoon of coconut oil and two tablespoons of honey. Apply the mixture on the hair strands. Wrap a warm towel around the hair and leave it there for about 20 minutes before you rinse your hair.
2. Almond Oil And Egg
An almond oil and egg mask is rated high as an ideal mask. While the oil gives the hair the much-needed moisturizing effect, the high protein content of the egg repairs damaged hair shafts. To make the mask, combine one-fourth cup of almond oil with one raw egg till you get a smooth mixture. Section your hair and apply the mask all over the scalp and through the length of your hair. Wait 40 minutes and then rinse off with a mild shampoo. Do this once a week.
3. Coconut Oil And Vitamin E
Another excellent mask is a coconut oil and vitamin E mask. Mix one part vitamin E oil with four parts cold-pressed coconut oil. Apply about 2–3 tablespoons of this oil all over your scalp and hair. Leave it for 40 minutes and then wash it off. The antioxidants in vitamin E fight free radicals and prevent damage while the penetrative properties of coconut oil give the hair and scalp a good deep conditioning—much needed to manage that frizz. You can do this once or twice a week for best results.
4. Avocado, Honey, And Olive Oil
Mash a ripe avocado and blend it with one tablespoon of honey and two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Apply the mask on your hair strands and leave it for 20 minutes before you rinse it off.
5. Papaya And Yogurt
Mash some papaya with unsweetened yogurt and apply on your hair. Leave it there for 20-30 minutes before you wash it with a mild shampoo.
A Few Things To Remember
- Go for an apple cider vinegar rinse as it can help clarify and smooth hair cuticles. The acidity in the vinegar will seal the cuticles and flatten them.
- Aloe vera is good too as it can form a protective layer over hair strands, preventing moisture loss, and leaving the hair smooth and soft.
- Get a good haircut or trim your hair every two months as it is the best way to control the frizz.
- Do not wash your hair with only hot water. The heat can make the cuticles rise and frizz up.
- Avoid heat styling tools as heat can damage hair.
- Avoid cotton pillow covers as cotton can absorb the moisture in the hair and leave it all dry.
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