What Causes Frizzy Hair?

Whatever your hair type, anyone can find themselves fighting a losing battle against frizz. However, once you know what causes frizzy hair, you can take some simple steps to prevent it. There isn’t just one simple trick to smoothing frizzy hair - there are several ways to keep your tresses looking sleek. We’ve put together the main causes of frizzy, dry hair - and some helpful hair care tips to ensure your style stays smooth and defined.

Why is my hair so frizzy?

It’s a mixture of two things - humidity due to hot weather, and how hydrated your hair is to start with.

The main cause of frizz is a lack of moisture in your hair. This causes your hair to seek out and absorb moisture from the air, causing frizz - which also explains why humidity can make frizz even worse.

Do some people have naturally frizzy hair?

Yes - naturally curly hair is more prone to frizz as the natural oils produced by your scalp can’t travel down the hair shaft as well as they can in straight hair, so curly or wavy hair is prone to natural frizz.

Straight hair can get frizzy as well, but it doesn’t tend to be as noticeable unless the hair is really dry and damaged, or it’s hot and humid outside.

Factors which cause frizz;

Here are six reasons why your hair might be so frizzy, coupled with easy steps you can take to try to ensure frizz control.

1.) Rough towel drying

While you may think drying your hair with a towel is better than using a hairdryer, wrapping your hair in an abrasive bath towel and rubbing it dry can actually draw the oils out of your hair, resulting in frizz. Instead, try a microfibre towel or braid your hair whilst damp and leave it to dry overnight for perfect waves in the morning.

2.) Over-brushing

Brushing your hair too much can cause breakage, and when you have brittle lengths and split ends, your hair is more prone to frizz. Stick to brushing twice a day - once in the morning, and a quick, gentle brush at night to smooth out any tangles before you go to bed.

3.) Not using heat protection

Frequently using heated styling tools can strip hair of its natural moisture, leading to dry and damaged strands that are vulnerable to frizz. 

4.) Rinsing your hair with hot water

While a hot shower may feel relaxing, it can strip your scalp and hair of the natural oils that keep it moisturized and shiny. That lack of moisture can lead to more frizz. It’s an easy fix - just turn down the temperature slightly when you’re washing your hair. If you can stand it, rinsing your hair with cold water smooths your cuticles, minimizes frizz, and increases shine. 

5.) Split ends

Split ends are extremely prone to frizz and the longer you leave them, the worse they’ll get. We recommend regular trims to prevent dry ends. You can now use our serums on dry hair as well, so you can touch-up during the day to tame flyaways - and if you’re a newbie to serums, have a look at our tips on how to use hair serums.

6.) Humid air

Humidity is a major cause of frizz. In humid weather, your hair’s cuticles become rough and open to absorbing moisture from humidity. Over dried hair becomes frizzy as the outer layer of the hair soaks in the moisture from the surrounding air. While it’s impossible to control the level of humidity in the air, the right products can defend your locks. On wash days, use one of our anti-frizz shampoos and conditioners, and finish off with a Frizz Ease serum to lock in hydration and shine.  Source

BALAYAGE TUTORIAL UNDER 30 MINUTES

 

This video is a tutorial of a under 30 minute balayage technique

10 EASY HEATLESS BACK TO SCHOOL HAIRSTYLES!

 

In this video I show you how to create 10 easy heatless hairstyles for back to school! These take less than 5 minutes to do and require no hot tools so perfect for those days when you're running late!

Knotted Braid Pony

 

Knotted braid pony is a great way to jazz up your pony! To achieve this look you need patience and the right products! 

What Is a Hair Cuticle?

Every hair strand is made up of three layers, the cuticle, cortex and the medulla.

• What is the hair cuticle?  The hair cuticle is the outermost surface layer of the hair strand. It’s comprised of over-lapping layers of dead cells that form a protective barrier, in the same way that roofing shingles form a protective cover and barrier on a house. The cuticle layer plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and appearance of the hair.

• What is the hair cortex?  Underneath hair’s outer cuticle layer you’ll find the middle layer, known as the cortex. The cortex makes up the bulk of your hair mass. It’s the cortex that gives hair strength and defines whether your hair is fine, normal or thick. The cortex is also home to the pigments (colors) that determine your hair shade, whether natural or artificial coloring from chemical dye molecules. The cortex consists of long keratin (protein) filaments, which are linked together by disulphide and hydrogen bonds. The integrity and elasticity of these bonds is what determines how strong, resilient and supple your hair is. 

• What is the hair medulla? The medulla is hair’s innermost section, typically found only in very thick hair types. It’s made up of soft, thin transparent cells and air spaces.

What does a healthy cuticle look like?

A healthy cuticle is smooth and flat, so it creates a unified, reflective surface (this is what gives your hair the quality of shine!). When the cuticle layer is flat and tight, it acts as a barrier to stop critical inner moisture from leaching out AND to stop excess moisture (humidity!) from entering the strand and making it puffy. A closed, smooth cuticle is the key to keeping your hair properly hydrated, promoting strength and flexibility, and preventing frizz.

What does a damaged cuticle look like?

A damaged cuticle layer looks rough, ragged and uneven. When the cuticle layer is raised, individual hair strands can’t fall in smooth, sleek, flat alignment. The overall effect of a raised cuticle layer is dry, dehydrated hair that looks dull, puffy and frizzy. 

Can you open/close a hair cuticle?

The cuticle can be opened by heat styling, chemical treatments (perms, hair color, bleach, hair straighteners) aggressive brushing or styling (tight braids or weaves, use of tight elastics) or environmental stressors like UV rays which can lead to dry, frizzy, and unmanageable hair. Even showering with very hot, steamy water can force open hair’s outer cuticle layer. 

An open-cuticle is the first sign of damage....and could lead to more serious hair problems like dehydration and breakage. Once the cuticle layer is lifted by any of the factors mentioned above, it never closes permanently. But there are several types of hair products and new cuticle-smoothing treatments and appliances that can dramatically smooth, seal and hold the cuticle closed and flat for an extended time.

Source

Why Fermented Hair Care Is the Next Big Thing — Think Kombucha for Hair

Fermentation has been gaining popularity in skincare and nutrition for years, and it’s now made its way to hair care. The process is thought to amplify the power of a product’s ingredients and make them more bioavailable. The Rootist’s products contain the patent-pending Rootbiomic Ferment, a multivitamin superfood made of red ginseng root, reishi mushroom, coffee berry, rice and pea proteins, and other fermented ingredients –– think of it as kombucha for hair.

I only recently learned the importance of treating my scalp before shampooing, and I’ve been guilty of not giving it enough love on wash days. So I found The Rootist AHA+ACV Pre-Shampoo Scalp Clarifying Rinse to be the perfect introduction to fermentation. It gives you an easy way to get rid of excess oil and product buildup. I applied it all over my scalp using the nozzle, massaged it in well, and let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing. Glycolic and lactic acids along with hibiscus and apple cider vinegar balanced my scalp pH. The rinse is fragrance-free, but it contains peppermint oil, which gives it a pleasant, minty smell.

“A clarifying rinse is a great way to reset the pH of your scalp and restore scalp health,” says Dr. Margarita Lolis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Hackensack, New Jersey. “Its purpose is to deeply cleanse the scalp, removing buildup that regular shampoos might not be able to fully eliminate. This can help prevent dandruff, scalp acne, and other scalp conditions associated with clogged follicles.”

A Small Amount for a Big Result

I tend to use a lot of shampoo because of my hair’s thickness, so I was intrigued when I first heard about concentrated hair products. Instead of the water typically added to shampoos and conditioners, The Rootist Strengthen Concentrated Shampoo and Strengthen Concentrated Conditioner contain Rootbiomic Ferment, so you can use less. I only needed half of my regular shampoo and conditioner amount.

I was surprised at how much the shampoo lathered even though I was applying half of what I normally use. Along with the Rootbiomic Ferment, the shampoo and conditioner contain bio-peptides to strengthen hair as well as fruit extracts and other ingredients to help improve shine, softness, and smoothness. Both products are subtly scented but not overpoweringly so. Source

Hair Elasticity 101: Why Is My Hair Stretchy?

Because of its structure and the deceiving language that we hear in commercials and on the back of certain products, more often than not we are pushed to believe that hair is not meant to be stretchy at all – but this couldn’t be further from the truth. On the opposite, though, if your hair is excessively stretchy, this could be a sign that your strands are not as healthy as you may think: read on to find out more about hair elasticity and its optimal state!

1.) What Does It Mean If Your Hair Is Stretchy?

Depending on the level of elasticity that we’re talking about, if your hair's a little stretchy, this is usually nothing to worry about. Quite the opposite, it is an indicator of your strands being correctly moisturized and retaining hydration! Your hair retains moisture in its cortex, aka the inner layer underneath the cuticles. This allows your strands to maintain that natural bounce and movement necessary to allow your hair to stay flexible without snapping off at the first blowout. When your hair is damaged by overprocessing, chemical treatments and too much heat, the strands’ structure struggles in retaining such moisture – resulting in dryness, brittle hair and breakage. However, too much moisture can also become a problem – causing your hair to become dull and lifeless.

Elasticity in your hair is a good sign, but just like with moisture, too much of a good thing can be fatal for your hair’s health. If we’re talking about strands of hair that go like a rubber band when brushing, feeling gummy and snapping off, stretchy hair is telling you that your hair is damaged and needs help ASAP.

2.) Why Is My Hair Elastic When Wet?

If, after a good shower, your hair feels gummy, mushy and stretchy, this could be the tell-tale sign that your mane is going through a hard time. This can also be confirmed after the drying stage, when instead your strands become dull and limp – lacking natural bounce and movement even during the “swaying hair” test, and laying flat on your head without any volume. Styling becomes a pain, as your hair won’t hold the blowout and you’ll feel forced to use heat-based tools at the highest temperature available – causing even more damage.

If you have curly hair, stretchy hair will alter the pattern of your natural curls, making them go looser and lifeless. So, how do you fix this?

3.) How To Check Elasticity Of Hair?

Even after reading all of this, it might not be so obvious to you if your hair still has its elasticity game on point, I get it. Some people will be able to tell right away if their hair has gone too far in stretchiness, especially if under the shower your mane feels like melted chewing gum. If not, just follow these easy steps to find out if your hair is healthily elastic or sending a desperate SOS!

Step 1: Get Your Hair Wet

Making your hair wet is the first step to bring it down to its most fragile state – which allows you to test it at its worst. The ideal conditions to find out what your hair really needs!

Step 2: Separate A Small Strand

No need to examine your whole mane – just isolate a very small section.

Step 3: Hold It And Stretch

Hold the small section at the root to prevent any pulling on your scalp, then start to softly stretch it out – don’t pull from your ends, but do it from mid-length instead.

Step 4: Let Go

At this point, healthy hair will bounce back to its previous state – whilst overly-stretchy strands will take longer to do so; the worst cases won’t bounce back at all or could even snap off.

4.) Does Stretchy Hair Need Protein Or Moisture?

Once you have established that your hair is too stretchy and needs some help to regain its natural shine and bounce, know that this ultimately comes down to the right protein-moisture balance. There are many different factors that affect this precious balance, such as: heat damage, excessive hair coloring, bleaching, perming, relaxing, and even over-moisturization. 

5.) How To Get Hair Elasticity Back

In order to restore natural elasticity in your hair, there is something that you can do...

Step 1: Use Repairing Products

Step 2: Use Heat Protectant Spray

Step 3: Balance Out The Proteins

Step 4: Reduce Heat Damage

Step 5: Wear Hair Extensions; Wearing hair extensions has been proven to be the solution for many hair problems: whether you have a mane that you’re trying to replenish with volume and bounce or simply have some texture and damage issues you’d like to minimize, real hair extensions are the perfect tool to give your hair a kick of glamour and beauty whilst you wait for it to regain its natural shine and strength.

Step 6: Get A Haircut

Source