How to Keep Curly Hair From Frizzing in Humidity

Regardless of where you are in the world, every curly girl faces her own climate-driven challenges.

But there is one weather report that seems to make all of us freak out: humidity! 😱

For some of us, humidity = a hot mess and it seems like it's the one thing you just can't prepare for, so what's a curly girl to do?

In this blog, we explain what humidity is, what it does to your hair and what you can do to keep it from messing with your curls.

What is Humidity?

Let’s start with the basics. Simply put, humidity is just moisture in the air. The more humid it is outside, the more microscopic water droplets there are in the air around you. But curls love moisture, right? So why do they freak out in humid climates?

Why Does Humidity Make Curly Hair Frizzy?

For some people, humidity makes their curls turn into a hot, frizzy mess. Others swear that humidity actually makes their curls pop even more.

So what’s the science? As always, it comes down to the condition of your strands.

It may not be visible to the eye, but on a microscopic level each strand of hair is actually made up of several thin layers. The outermost layer, called the cuticle, is made up of many overlapping cells that resemble tiles on a roof.

The cuticle layer is important because it serves as a protective barrier for your hair. Think of it almost like a shield of armor. When your curls are strong, healthy, and hydrated, your cuticle will open up to let in moisture, and then once it’s soaked up all of the moisture it needs, it will close, or flatten, so it can lock the moisture in.

What Humidity Does to Ur Curls

We all have to deal with unwanted frizziness from time to time. However, if you feel like you are experiencing chronic unmanageable frizz, your curls may be trying to tell you something!

If your curls are healthy and happy, you probably find that humidity doesn’t have that much of an effect on your curls. Why? Because healthy curls are hydrated curls. The cuticle layer remains sleek, smooth, and closed, giving you and your curls the perfect hair day.

If your curls are damaged or high in porosity, the cuticle layer around the hair may be broken and lifted. While this means that the cuticle lets in a lot of moisture, it loses it just as easily, leaving the hair feeling dry and straw-like. When exposed to high humidity, the hair shaft takes on the excess moisture from the air, causing it to swell. This causes individual strands to break apart from their clumps, creating the frizz-fest we all fear.

Tips & Tricks for Handling Humidity

If your curls are feeling dry and in need of some extra TLC, we have a few tricks to help fight frizz and keep your curls popping.

MORE MOISTURE

Frizz is a sign that your curls are dehydrated, so one of the easiest ways to combat frizzy hair is to hydrate your curls. This will help your curls set and keep your cuticle layer closed and ready to take on extreme humidity. Make sure you have a rockstar deep conditioner with ingredients that can help penetrate your hair shaft and truly moisturize your strands from the inside out

DRYING UR CURLS

On humid days it's best to allow your curls to completely dry and set before going outside. This way you know your hair shaft is closed and it won’t immediately take on excess moisture in the air which will cause your curls to separate and frizz.

Are you still drying your curls with a terry cloth towel? If so, it may be time to opt for a cotton t-shirt. Towels are normally made from synthetic materials that soak up all of the moisture from your hair and rough up the layers of your cuticle. So ditch the towel, and start plopping your curls with an old cotton t-shirt for frizz-free results.

DRYING UR CURLS

On humid days it's best to allow your curls to completely dry and set before going outside. This way you know your hair shaft is closed and it won’t immediately take on excess moisture in the air which will cause your curls to separate and frizz.

Are you still drying your curls with a terry cloth towel? If so, it may be time to opt for a cotton t-shirt. Towels are normally made from synthetic materials that soak up all of the moisture from your hair and rough up the layers of your cuticle. So ditch the towel, and start plopping your curls with an old cotton t-shirt for frizz-free results.

SEAL IT IN... SEAL IT OUT

Once you’ve given your hair all of the moisture it needs, you need to lock it in. One of the best ways to do that is to lightly coat your curls with oil. The great thing about oils is that they not only lock moisture in, they also lock excess moisture out, which is exactly what you need to fight frizz on high-humidity days.

LUS Elixir Oil

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You just have to be mindful of the kind of oils that you use on hair; something too thick or heavy will just sit on top of your strands and leave them feeling greasy to the touch (and might even leave oil stains on your clothes and pillows).

Our Elixir Oil is a pure blend of 7 different oil plus vitamin E. Since this formula is light and velvety it’s easily absorbed into the hair shaft so that your curls neither look or feel oily. While it does the work of locking moisture in and sealing humidity out, it also contains essential nutrients that help to nourish and repair your hair.

Don't Sweat It

Sometimes frizz is a fact of life. Striving to have perfect curls allllll the time can be really time-consuming and is only one part of what makes you, you. You don’t want to miss out on the amazing things going on around you because you’re worried that a curl could be out of place.

It doesn’t matter if your mane is super defined or completely wild, what it all comes down to is the confidence that you rock it with! Going somewhere humid this spring? Snap a pic on IG and tag us (@lusbrands). We can’t wait to see those poppin’ curls!