Frizzy Hair Begone!

July 5, 2006 8:25 PM

My friend is a young Indian woman in her early 30's and this NYC weather is killing her hair. She has long, naturally black thick-stranded (coarse, really) hair and her problem is that it's frizzy. Really really frizzy. Okay, ladies, how can she make her hair more healthy? Anti-friz shampoo isn't working here. Grease isn't either. It's been a life-long problem, too. Advice from Indian women welcome :D
posted by missed to clothing, beauty, & fashion (23 comments total)

I use Lush's American Cream conditioner + Paul Mitchell Styling Gel (on wet hair) which helps keep my frizzies under control.
posted by k8t at 8:33 PM on July 5, 2006

Bumble & Bumble styling creme is what my coarse-haired friend uses. Or she can do what I did, and just dye in into submission.
posted by snickerdoodle at 8:34 PM on July 5, 2006

Indian man here. I gave some advice regarding this situation here. This happens to me during especially humid days and I've found that using a shampoo that is less soap and more conditioner in addition to using a detangler (and drying with a deionizer) do the trick very well.

I have pretty long hair, some as long as 5-6 inches, and it's coarse and thick as well. One product that has really changed my hair for the better is Bumble and Bumble's Alojoba Shampoo. It doesn't even lather; it's more a conditioner than anything else, which is really great for your hair. Too much soap while washing strips the hair and makes it frizzy. Get into a routine of shampooing at most 3 times a week.

BTW, my hair now compared to 6-8 years ago is completely different. After years of conditioning and salon products, my hair is much softer (almost on par with WASP hair) while still maintaining its body. It's a lifestyle that makes your hair work for you. There are no quick fixes.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 8:36 PM on July 5, 2006

BTW, I have plenty of aunts that have naturally frizzy hair. It's just genetic. For them, the only real solution is always having their hair tied in a pony-tail or some other hair control apparatus. Of course, none of these women follow my regimen (in fact, they all look at me as some crazy white girl trapped in an Indian guy's body), but sometimes the only solution is severe hair management.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 8:42 PM on July 5, 2006

Things with silicone in are supposed to be good for the frizzies. Maybe something like Bed Head's After Party? Everyone I know with a severe frizz problem has curly hair, which tends to be more coarse than my hair, and they all swear by a serious hair-moisture regimen such as described by other answerers so far -- maybe a hot oil treatment? Unless her hair is already oily.
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:44 PM on July 5, 2006

Pave from Walgreens. Cheap and incredibly effective.
posted by fshgrl at 8:47 PM on July 5, 2006

I am not Indian, but I feel her pain. Frizz is very hard to combat, especially in humid weather. There are ways to reduce frizz, but she may never be frizz-free.

I find that serums work well. Just a tiny amount, the size of a pea or smaller, rub well between palms and smooth on the top of hair. I wouldn't concentrate too much at the hairline level, because serums can weigh hair down, and if you use too much serum it can look oily. They are very good in very small amounts. I love Chi serum and Citre Shine serum.

I wonder if she is blowdrying in the morning. Heat calms the curl and the frizz down. Maybe you can suggest that she blowdry washed hair in the morning with a brush like this. Aim the heat on sections of hair while straightening with the brush. When completely dry, use a bit of serum and a bit of anti-humidity hairspray.

Straightening irons are fabulous. I love the way they make hair look. They aren't practical for everyday though. Hair can eventually look dull from heat damage. Special occasions and hot dates are a great time to break out the flat iron.
posted by LoriFLA at 8:52 PM on July 5, 2006

I'm Indian AND my hair is super curly and fine (yes, this happens). What works for me is to mix Frederick Fekkai's moisturizing lotion with their medium hold gel and apply mostly to the ends. Applying to the roots makes the top flat.
posted by sweetkid at 8:54 PM on July 5, 2006

I'm not Indian, but definitely thick/curly/prone to frizzy.

Like the above posters mentioned, i find the best frizz solver is to use both a smoothing hair gel AND some kind of creamy hair product as well. I use Vavoom Forming Gel (it's a Matrix product, you can find it in salons and beauty supply stores; ignore what the product description says about volumizing - i use it to de-volumize!) and Marc Anthony 'Simply Straight' Instant Straightening Cream. (I don't actually straighten my curls, i just use it for its frizz-fighting properties.) Layer one on, and then the other (rather than blending them in your hand). The combination works soooooooo well.

(IANAB - I am not a braggart, but fellow curly-haired strangers come up to me and ask me what i use in my hair, I get it that frizz-free. And I have the kind of hair that makes me stylist purse her lips and book one and half appointments for me, to deal with all the thickness!)
posted by Kololo at 8:57 PM on July 5, 2006 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'm not sure if this is what snickerdoodle was refering to, but I swear by Bumble and Bumble styling wax.

Take a tiny bit, rub it between your palms to "melt it" (it's liquid soluble, so it's okay to get it all over you!) then just smooth it over your hair, avoiding the roots. It works amazingly to seal the cuticle against moisture, which is part of what makes hair frizzy. It also weighs the hair down just enough to make it lie flat.

The only downside is that it makes your hair less shiny but, hey, frizzy hair isn't shiny either.

There's a product called Frizz-ease, a serum, but I haven't had much luck with it; it didn't stop the frizzes and it made my hair look really greasy.
posted by chickletworks at 10:16 PM on July 5, 2006

Find a good hairstylist and get a straight perm. If possible, find one that uses Japanese straight perm products. If you find more than one, go for quality not price.

Prepare to spend an entire day (or half-day) and lots of money... but it will be worth it.

Also, remember to schedule the appointment for a sunny day (preferably during a sunny week). Keeping the straight perm dry for the first 24-48 hours makes it last longer.

After the perm has settled, remember to use high quality shampoo/conditioner (use the best conditioner you can find) and don't overwash.
posted by stringbean at 10:47 PM on July 5, 2006

I'm not Indian, but I've been told by several hairdressers that I have Indian hair (coarse, thick, straight - and usually very long).

Processing and harsh product may work in the short term, but in the long term she will be damaging her hair even further and making it even more frizz-prone.

I control the frizz by:
- only washing once per week
- never, ever using a hair dryer (makes it worse for me, and I need less volume, not more)
- using a good shampoo and leave-in conditioner (I use the Rusk sensories 'Smoother' range, and it's great)
- doing a hot oil treatment every three-four washes/weeks (heat some oil gently on the stove, then comb through the hair, wrap in cling wrap and leave for twenty minutes. Wash out well, doing a normal shampoo and condition. Don't put any oil on the scalp, just the hair).
- always wearing my hair up if it's humid (my hair is so thick it's more comfortable in the heat anyway).

Your friend is blessed. When she has soft, shiny, rock star hair like mine, she will know it too!
posted by goo at 1:32 AM on July 6, 2006

Also, keep your hair well trimmed of split ends, particularly if the hair is layered. Split ends are the devil for frizz.
posted by goo at 1:40 AM on July 6, 2006

Using the kind of conditioner that comes with hair coloring once a week works wonders to tame my course, thick, curly hair. I am so reliant on it, I'll buy a box of color, just for the conditioner.

Also, Sebastian Potion #9 is fantastic for this type of hair. Just apply while wet.

Finally, the best, best, best thing she can use is John Frieda Frizz Ease Moisture Barrier. Just spray on when she is done styling (it is fine to use on wet hair). It will totally cure the frizzies all day!
posted by necessitas at 2:45 AM on July 6, 2006

I agree with SeizeTheDay in not using a harsh shampoo. Find one with no lauryl/laureth sulfates (which is not always easy). That or just wash less.

I have naturally wavy/curly hair and I find that using a creme while my hair is still quite wet, scrunching the excess water out, then putting a clear thin gel on top works wonders. I learned all this from Naturally Curly forums. It is a great resource (and I'm sure lots of people would give advice for non-curly heads who deal with frizz).
posted by evening at 5:24 AM on July 6, 2006

Phyto Defrisant works well on my thick & frizzy hair. I don't use it to blow dry or anything, I just put it in after I wash.

I cannot stress enough how much washing my hair only once a week helps with the frizz-- it's really amazing.
posted by miss tea at 5:41 AM on July 6, 2006

I have stopped using silicone products on my hair (frizz serum, many frizz-reducing shampoos and conditioners) because they were frying it. When I started looking around for alternate solutions, it was actually search results on Indian hair oils that got me on the right track.

I use a few drops of oil (sometimes coconut oil, sometimes an oil blend I got from Jessicurl) to smooth down the "outside" of my hair, plus a bit applied to the ends. Oil does what wax and low-hold gel and hairspray do - make your hair a little dirty, so that it's more cooperative. There is also a colorless henna-type product that is popular for adding gloss to hair.

Split end control is also vital, and not overwashing. There are times of the year when I'm growing a lot of hair, so I have lots of short bits that'll stick out like a halo in humidity. There's not much you can do for that, but the oil helps.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:03 AM on July 6, 2006

Silicone serums are amazing. Even more amazing is the Chi hair iron. Very expensive (ebay has them now for about $90 - still better than the list price) but totally freaking miraculous. It makes your hair flat and shiny and straight. And though everyone says the high heat is so terrible, your hair feels softer and silkier and healthier (whether it really is or not.)
posted by CunningLinguist at 7:06 AM on July 6, 2006

A super-absorbent hair towel (ie, the Aquis towel) will get the moisture out quickly, and will make drying much easier -- try the Aquis towel.

I second the Chi iron recommendation and also the sulfate-free shampoo recommednation. It's tough finding shampoos without sulfates, but Chi & Burt's Bees both have such products.
posted by pricklypear at 10:11 AM on July 6, 2006

Indian woman here with the same hair issues as your friend!!

If your friend is using shampoo formulated for dry hair, please tell her that might actually be making it more curly which then makes the frizz more notable (shampoo for dry hair has lots of moisture, which makes my hair more curly, which is the opposite of what I'm looking for, so I use shampoo for frizzy hair, shampoo for normal hair, or even shampoo for curly hair). I also switch shampoos a lot, right now i'm using Aveda Brilliant and I really like it. The Dove therapy shampoos work really well for me too.

I blow dry my hair straight using a a 1.5" round barrel boar bristle brush (boar bristle gets my hair smoother than plastic drug store hairbrushes - buy it at a salon, my brush is from the Spornette brand). Before blow drying I use either Phytodefrisant or the Aveda straightening stuff. On days when I have enough time, I also flat iron my hair (use one with ceramic plates, it gets hair smoother and works faster than gold plates). After I'm done I spray a paddle brush with a silicone spray and run it through my hair (I can't remember the brand that I have, but there are a whole bunch of them out there for making your hair shiny, and they work great at keeping it less frizzy because it weighs your hair down).
posted by echo0720 at 11:19 AM on July 6, 2006

And yeah, frizz-ease made my hair look really greasy too :-)
posted by echo0720 at 11:22 AM on July 6, 2006

Previous related threads that may be useful.
posted by theora55 at 1:21 PM on July 6, 2006

Pure shea butter followed by Artec's Kiwi Shine Wax works for my hair (thick and curly).

Silicone-containing products used over time supposedly damage hair - I stopped using any a while ago, and have had far less hair loss/breakage.
posted by vers at 2:52 PM on July 6, 2006