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For the longest time, one of my great hair questions was how to blow dry my wavy hair without getting frizz. There was truly nothing more irritating than going through the trouble of blow drying my long hair only to end up with poofy hair that that was bubbling up with frizz at every angle.
I was worried (worried I tell you!) that the solution might have been for me to improve my blow drying technique. Holding up a blow dryer that long washed enough without having to worry about doing it correctly!
But after a lot of research, trial and error, and a few tears (ok, maybe not that last one), I discovered that the secret is in the prep. That and avoiding a few pitfalls will keep your hair shiny and smooth after a blow dry, whether your hair has frizz-prone waves or curls.
The truth is, the wavier or curlier your hair is, the more likely it is to get frizzy. This is because the more movement in hair pattern, the drier the hair is likely to be. Frizz is your dry hair searching for moisture in the air to make up for what it doesn’t have. Nourishing your hair properly and taking care to not dehydrate your hair will keep your hair smooth.
Leave-in conditioners add moisture to the hair. Applying it to your mid-lengths and ends will ensure your hair has the moisture it needs as it dries and keep it from seeking moisture elsewhere. Also, brushing your hair out while you have the leave-in conditioner in wet hair while help your wavy or curly hair keep frizz away.
Air dry and/or gently towel dry your hair until it is at least 50% wet. You want your hair damp before you blow dry and not super wet and the reason is simple: wet hair is most vulnerable and therefore the most prone to damage.
If hair isn’t fully dry, the still-wet cuticle gets bigger and causes hair to frizz. Blow drying until your hair is 100% dry will ensure a smoother, frizz-free result.
I’m sure we’ve all done this at least once, at least on accident. Blow drying your hair up towards the root will cause the hair to frizz. Using a concentrator nozzle helps you concentrate the airflow more directly on your hair and direct the heat and air towards the ends of your hair.
Mixed-bristle and vented brushes are going to be your best bet for a frizz-free blowout. Mixed-bristle brushes contain both soft boar bristles and synthetic bristles. The boar bristles help distribute your hair’s natural oils throughout the hair and smooth the cuticle, while synthetic bristles help detangle.
Vented brushes meanwhile allow the airflow to pass through without getting trapped and dry your hair evenly. Look for vented round brushes with mixed-bristles for the smoothest blowout.
Prep is key and heat protectant helps your hair in the short and longer term. Many heat protectants come with extra properties like helping your hair to dry faster or smoother. I like to look for one that is lightweight but still adds shine.
After you blow dry, styling creams and oils help to tamp down frizz and add a last dose of shine. I like to use something lightweight that won’t weigh my hair down, but after prepping my hair for a blowout you likely won’t need a lot of product at this point anyway.
If you have fine waves or curls, It’s a 10 has expanded their leave-in conditioner range to include one that is lightweight. It’s a nourishing treatment that also helps with styling without weighing down hair.
Pureology’s leave-in conditioner is pretty popular for its effectiveness and for all it does: it protects against heat, preserves color, detangles, and adds shine. This is an awesome multi-purpose product.
This frizz-fighting heat protector has moisturizing ingredients like rosehip oil, coconut oil, and argan oil which all help smooth the hair. If you have really intense frizz, using this with a leave-in conditioner should do a bang-up job banishing your frizz.
This is a leave-in conditioner and smoothing cream that can act as your all-in-one product to achieve a smooth blowout. A little goes a long way, but it tames frizz without weighing our hair down. An amazing product.
Getting wavy or curly hair frizz-fee and smooth after a blowout is easy with the right products in small amounts and avoiding some common pitfalls. With a leave-in conditioner and a smoothing heat protectant, hair is protected from damage and looks shiny and smooth.
