Your curls can be rebellious, rambunctious and a bit of a rascal. But sometimes their feistiness can get them into trouble. If you’re not careful, curls left unattended (and unhydrated) can become prone to frizz. 

Frizz isn’t always a bad thing – we dig that big and beautiful look. But it can also be the first sign that your hair has been damaged by too much heat and chemical styling. When nasty chemicals and sizzling heat come into contact with your cuticles, these little scales that cover the hair cortex act as a moisture-locking shield to strengthen the strand and keep things silky smooth.

But they can only take so much stress, and after a while the cuticles begin to weaken and break apart, allowing precious moisture to escape and leaving the hair brittle and porous. Step outside and your hair will soak up those pesky water droplets hanging about in the air, and BOOM. Frizz. 

What are the causes of frizzy curls?

So, what actually causes frizz in curly hair? Let's get into it.

Heat styling: Overuse of straighteners, hair dryers and curling irons is a one-way ticket to frazzled, fried and frizzy hair. When hair is exposed to high heat, the chemical bonds are broken down, the hair fibre weakened and precious moisture is drawn out from the core. The drier your hair becomes, the more likely it is to frizz.

Chemicals and colouring: The chemicals used in colouring, chemical straightening and perming actually alter the very structure of your hair in order to change its appearance. They weaken the hair shaft to break down the natural pigment, which causes the cuticles to swell and splinter apart. Split ends and frizzy flyaways are just a step away.

Weather: The heat and harmful UV rays from the sun sucks out precious moisture from your hair. This weakens the natural pigment needed to filter out the light radiation and prevent it from penetrating the hair shaft, leaving it vulnerable to damage. And then there’s the worst enemy of frizzy hair: humidity. The microscopic water droplets in humid air are easily absorbed through the cracked cuticles of dry and damaged hair. Remember: lack of moisture in your hair + humidity in the air = frizz.

What hair products are best for managing frizz in curly hair?

The first step to smooth and shiny strands is to keep your curls moisturised and hydrated, then it’s all about giving your curls the definition they deserve. Luckily for you, our Curl Heroes do just that.

04 Curl Gel

Gelled with natural gum and enriched with moisture-boosting baobab oil and conditioning coconut oil for perfectly defined curls, the 04 Curl Gel also contains soothing aloe vera leaf gel to promote shine and sweet orange essential oil for wash day bliss.

Use in the shower as part of your wash day routine. This means putting it on as soon as you’ve rinsed your conditioner off while your hair is still dripping wet. Do it in sections if your hair is super curly to make sure it’s covering all of your hair. If your hair needs extra moisture, follow up with your favourite oil. You can also apply a little to dry hair to instantly smooth frizz and fly-aways.

05 Curl Mask

The 05 Curl Mask is formulated with fancy fiberhance to penetrate the hair shaft to strengthen, repair and restore your curls. Moisture-boosting shea butter and nutrient-rich baobab oil work together to nourish, soften and hydrate. 

Apply on dripping wet hair after cleansing. Use your pretty fingers to gently detangle or comb through. Start from the bottom up to gently tease out the tangles. If you hit a rough patch, apply a dollop more to loosen up the knots. Wait at least 15 minutes before rinsing out.

For some extra love and a deeper treatment, wrap with plastic and cover with a hot towel. If your curls are dry and damaged, leave some of the mask in to act as a leave-in. Keep diluting with water when rinsing instead of rinsing out completely. You can even use it for each wash instead of a normal conditioner for dry and damaged curls.

As a general curl care tip, try to avoid rinsing your hair in super-hot water as this can strip away the natural oils, elevate the cuticles and make your hair drier. Lukewarm water is the way to go, your curls will thank you for it! Rubbing your hair with a rough towel can also weaken the cuticles and break the hair fibre, so once you’re out the shower swap the towel for an old cotton T-shirt to gently blot your hair dry instead.

What are the best ingredients for frizzy hair?

Aloe vera leaf gel

Cooling, soothing, healing, strengthening… Is there anything this plant can’t do? With fatty acids to reduce the inflammation caused by dandruff and deep-conditioning qualities, aloe vera is a dry scalp’s best friend.

Much gentler than your average hair product, it removes excess sebum and buildup from other products to cleanse the hair and scalp. Some say it even makes your hair grow faster – explained by the high count of vitamins A, C and E that contribute to cell renewal. Aloe there, dream hair.

Fiberhance

Sounds fancy? Well, it is. This active ingredient works at a molecular level to penetrate deep into the hair cortex, creating new hydrogen and ionic bonds that support and restore the internal keratin structure. Building up the inner strength of the hair fibre, it works from the inside out to repair damaged hair and bring back the power to the curl. Chemicals, heat and harsh treatments don’t stand a chance. It also goes by the name of Hydroxypropyl Gluconamide.

Baobab oil

There’s a reason why this superhero ingredient features in all five of our products. Extracted from the seeds of the fruit that blooms on the majestic Madagascan baobab tree, this nutrient-rich oil has been used by women for centuries for its deep conditioning qualities.

Packed full of fatty acids and vital vitamins, including all three omegas, this wonder oil absorbs quickly into the hair to nourish, moisturise and soften your curls.

Cupuaçu butter

Moisture-rich and filled with fatty acids, butters are a curl’s best friend. But not all butters were created equal. Cupuaçu is an Amazonian superfruit, and the butter pressed from the seeds is one of nature’s most powerful moisturisers.

With healing hydrophilic (water-loving) properties that lock in moisture and a whole alphabet of vitamins and antioxidants to feed your hair with nature’s goodness, this butter will banish breakages. Plus, it creates a protective barrier against the sun’s harmful UV rays. Hello, summer and shine.