How to Help Control Frizz: A Step-by-Step Styling Guide for Smooth, Humidity-Resistant Hair
KEY TAKEAWAYS
If you often ask yourself, “why is my hair so frizzy?,” you’re far from alone. Frizzy hair is a very common issue, caused by the hair cuticle lifting and then swelling when moisture distributes unevenly; hair is then left feeling rough, dry and looking unruly, and can be difficult to get under control.
Some of the main frizz triggers include humidity drawing water to dry strands, using hot water and harsh hair products and roughing up your hair with towel-drying or vigorous brushing. And no, frizz is not only a problem for those with curly hair: all hair types and textures can experience it.
The best way to manage frizz? Understanding how and why your hair frizzes in the first place, then using the right products and hair care routine that support frizz control so styling your hair can be smooth sailing.
Discover how our new e.l.f.conic hair care line – which includes our professional-level Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz Spray – can help you achieve the smooth, frizz-free hair of your dreams!
The 3 Types of Hair Frizz
Fun fact: there are three different types of hair frizz. Understanding the kind of frizz you’re dealing with and what’s causing it is the first step in combating it:
- Thirsty strands. When your strands are lacking moisture, this can cause your entire head of hair to puff out with frizz and lose texture definition. Using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner like our Never Thirsty Moisturizing Shampoo and Never Thirsty Moisturizing Conditioner will help deliver moisture to the inner layers of the hair while working to seal in hydration from the outside for a smooth-as-e.l.f. mane.
- Humidity: When you’re in a humid environment, the moisture in the air can enter a dry or porous hair shaft unevenly, leading to all-over frizz. Reach for our Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz styling spray before your next blow out, which is designed to be humidity resistant* for long-lasting frizz control* (*vs. control)
- Dull hair with split ends: That top layer of your mane is more prone to dryness and breakage, since it’s more exposed to the sun, heat styling, pollution, and other environmental factors. Breakage caused by harsh brushing and styling as well as new hair growth can give pesky flyaways at the top of your head and split ends. Smooth your strands with our Gloss Mode Treatment Oil, which strengthens hair and seals split ends, helps protect it from heat styling and boosts shine for soft, silky-as-e.l.f. hair and a glossy finish.
All hair types and textures can struggle with frizz. To the rescue: our Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz Spray, which offers long-lasting frizz control* for straight, wavy and curly hair and their unique needs:
- Color-treated and chemically-treated hair: Our color-safe anti-frizz spray can help tame any frizzies while giving you a smooth-as-e.l.f. finish.
- Fine hair: Fine hair can frizz too! Our blow dry spray is lightweight with a non-greasy feel, allowing it to tame the frizzies without weighing your mane down.
- Curly hair: Curly strands are extra prone to dryness because the unique spiral shape makes it harder for the scalp’s natural oils to travel downward. Before your next blowout, mist your hair with our new anti-frizz to provide long-lasting frizz control* and help you lock down that silky-smooth style!
Building Your Anti-Frizz Foundation
Dry, thirsty strands are much more prone to frizzing and poofing out. Using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner enriched with ingredients like Provitamin B5, which helps deliver moisture to the inner layers of the hair, and argan oil, which helps seal in hydration from the outside, builds the foundation for a sleek-as-e.l.f. style.
To prep your mane for a smooth blowout, cleanse and moisturize your strands with Never Thirsty Moisturizing Shampoo; this will help gently remove oil and buildup while maintaining moisture.
Rinse, then follow up by applying Never Thirsty Moisturizing Conditioner from mid-length to ends to detangle, smooth and moisturize; rinse, then towel dry hair until damp.
The Anti-Frizz Spray: When & How to Use It
Meet your secret weapon for glossy, silky-smooth hair: Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz Spray.
Our new heat-activated styling spray is designed to be humidity resistant* in all climates for long-lasting frizz control* and glossy, silky-smooth hair. *vs. control
To use it and do’ it your(e.l.f.), apply Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz Styling Spray generously to clean, towel-dried hair before any other products. Applying any products before can prevent Humidity Hero from evenly coating each strand, reducing its performance.
Next, blow-dry your hair on hot with tension to activate the frizz control and humidity protection. Leave your style as is or, use your favorite hot tools to achieve your desired glossy look.
Common Anti-Frizz Spray Mistakes
For a frizz-free, smooth-as-e.l.f. style, be sure to avoid these five common anti-frizz spray mistakes:
- Using too little product: Generously spray Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz Spray, ensuring your hair is fully saturated for best results.
- Applying to soaking wet (or completely dry) hair: Apply our anti-frizz spray to clean, towel-dried hair (aka, damp)—your hair should not be dry or dripping wet.
- Not activating with heat: After you apply the anti-frizz spray, you must blow-dry on hot with tension on your brush — this is how you activate the frizz control and humidity protection.
- Applying other styling products first: Our heat-activated styling spray must bind to clean hair in order to do its thing. Make sure to apply Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz Spray before other styling products.
Sealing in Smoothness with Shine Gloss Oil
Pro tip: Want to achieve e.l.f.conic smoothness? Post blow-out, follow up by smoothing a small amount of Gloss Mode Treatment Oil through mid-lengths and ends. Not only does it add shine, but it helps strengthen hair and seal split ends** without weighing hair down.
**Temporarily, after a single application on dry hair
Taming Frizz When Air Drying Your Hair
On the days you’re skipping the blow dryer and air drying your mane, using the right products will help you keep frizz at bay and tame unwanted flyaways.
If you have wavy or curly hair, apply a small amount of 3-In-Wonder Hair Styling Cream to soaking wet or towel dried curls for enhanced definition, shape and frizz control.
Do you have straight or wavy hair and need to tame frizzies on the go? Glide our 3-In-Wonder Hair Styling Cream Wand directly over flyaways and frizz to instantly smooth and set your look back into place.
Touch-Up Techniques Throughout the Day
Need to combat some frizzies that popped up mid-day? Here are our pro tips:
- Glide our 3-In-Wonder Hair Styling Cream directly over frizz to instantly smooth and set them back in place.
- Our Gloss Mode Treatment Oil can be used on dry hair to smooth strands and boost shine. Bonus points: the bottle is small enough to fit in your purse for on-the-go touch ups!
The Complete Frizz-Fighting Product Stack
The secret to humidity-resistant hair isn't just applying one single product to your strands – it’s using a complete anti-frizz routine for your hair comprised of the best anti-frizz products to use together:
- Step 1: Gently cleanse and moisturize strands with Never Thirsty Moisturizing Shampoo and Never Thirsty Moisturizing Conditioner. Towel dry hair until damp (not wet).
- Step 2: Section hair and generously spray Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz Spray from roots to ends until your hair is fully saturated, then comb through to evenly distribute before you blow-dry on hot with tension. Pro tip: Don’t apply any products prior to this, as this can prevent the anti-frizz spray from coating each strand, thus reducing its performance.
- Step 3: Follow up by smoothing a small amount of Gloss Mode Treatment Oil to help smooth and split ends and add shine.
Frizzy hair doesn’t stand a chance against our heat-activated Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz Spray, which delivers long-lasting frizz control* at an OMG price point (just $9!)
When used with our Never Thirsty Moisturizing Shampoo and Never Thirsty Moisturizing Conditioner as a foundation, plus our Gloss Mode Treatment Oil for a smooth, glossy-as-e.l.f. finish, you have a complete anti-frizz system that gives you a smooth, shiny, frizz-free style in any climate—all for less than one bottle of salon anti-frizz spray.
*vs. Control
