Anyway, keeping my good old 'fro tame takes time and effort, no doubt, but with some snazzy new tools, techniques, and products, my styling efforts LAST. Dear friends, what's worse than slaving over your hair, just to step outside and have it pouf up in minutes? Nada.
First thing's first: If possible, blow-dry your hair at night. Sleeping on your blow-out will smooth it even more. Plus, did you know that humidity is highest in the early morning? Another reason that blow-drying before your AM commute is not a wise idea.
1. Non pouffy hair, believe it or not, begins in the steamiest place known to (wo)man - the shower. Start with a creamy, thick moisturizing shampoo, like L'Oreal Vive Pro Hydra Gloss Shampoo. Steer clear of clear formulas, as these tend to have a clarifying effect on the hair and remove oils, which are essential in this whole bye-bye frizz project. Don't be afraid to deep condition every time you shampoo, but remember to apply to middle and ends of hair (not roots). The more weight and moisture you can give your hair, the better.
2. Squeeze excess water from hair and apply a quarter-sized dollop of hair straightening product. I love Redken Blown Away 09 Blow-Dry Gel because it protects hair from the heat of your dryer. It also has enough control to fight frizz all day but keep hair soft, not stiff.
3. Get a good brush. None of that plastic bristle paddle brush nonsense - that's for detangling. Invest (or don't - drugstore is fine) in a boar-bristle brush to better pull your hair taut while blow-drying and better distribute oils through your hair.
4. Blow-dry in small sections. You might have heard to separate hair in four sections ("quadrants") but think that 6-8 works better. It's much easier to smooth a small section of hair than a huge chunk of it. When you're done with each section, blast it with cold air from your dryer to seal the cuticle and add shine. Cold air is frizz's worst enemy.
5. If absolutely necessary, run a flat iron over your hair. I like to refrain from doing this every day because it leads to more dryness which, in turn, leads to more frizz. It's a vicious cycle!
6. Finish with this genius combo of shine serum (John Frieda Frizz Ease is a classic favorite) and light-hold hairspray. Apply a pea-sized amount of serum (again, avoid roots), and spray all over. The serum works to smooth the hair and add shine, while the spray holds the straightness in place, if you will.
I wish all of you the best of frizz-fighting luck. Remember: if all else fails, you can always try this:
Here's to a summer of good hair days!
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