BY MICHAEL AJAYI
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT
Frizz refers to hair strands that are irregularly and non-uniformly displaced, deviating from their natural alignment. In society, hair that deviates from a perceived "normal" orientation or shows irregularity is often labeled as frizz.
However, the problem with this labeling lies in the fact that what is considered "normal" and "natural" varies widely among individuals. Historically, when the standard for "natural alignment" is based on straight hair or aligned with the characteristics of a particular ethnicity, it creates unfair biases and misconceptions. As a result, the term frizz is frequently misapplied to describe hair that is perfectly healthy and natural.
Problem causes of frizz:
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Static Repulsion of Hair Strands
Hair strands with the same charges repel each other, while opposite charges attract. Damaged sites on hair often have an abundance of negative charges, causing strands with similar charges to repel. This creates the appearance of frizz.
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Raised and Damaged Cuticles
Raised or damaged cuticles disrupt the natural arrangement of hair strands. Damaged cuticles result in the loss of the hair's protective layer, reducing its ability to maintain a proper water balance. This can lead to excessive swelling or drying, affecting both shape and strand orientation.
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Hair Dryness
Dryness makes hair strands brittle, increasing their tendency to adopt disorganized orientations.
The same factors that give textured hair its unique shape are also responsible for what some may refer to as “frizz.” These include:
- Natural kinks in the hair structure
- Hair strand physiology and cross-section
- Cuticle layering patterns
These factors vary in intensity across hair strands, meaning healthy hair won’t always appear perfectly aligned. However, this does not indicate anything is wrong with the hair. Labeling it as "frizz" implies a flaw, which is misleading and unnecessary.
Our products are designed to target the problem causes of frizz. They are meant to support the factors that shouldn’t be associated with the negative connotation of frizz. By resolving problem causes of frizz, what remains is the natural beauty of textured hair—its imperfections and individuality that deserve to be celebrated and loved.
