Frizzy hair happens when a lack of moisture, humidity, friction or heat damage lifts the outer cuticle layer of the hair shaft, letting moisture in and causing strands to swell, kink and separate from the rest of your hair. It isn't a sign of unhealthy hair on its own, but it is usually a sign your routine needs a rebalance. Here's what's actually causing it, the signs to look out for, and a step-by-step routine to smooth it down for good.
What Actually Causes Frizzy Hair?
A few things typically drive frizz, often at the same time: a lack of moisture in dry or dehydrated strands, humidity penetrating the hair shaft and causing it to swell, friction from overbrushing or rough towel-drying, heat damage that compromises the hair's moisture barrier, and harsh sulfates or alcohol-based products stripping natural oils.
To understand why, it helps to get a little scientific. Hair contains hydrogen bonds, which make up around a third of its strength. These bonds are weak and break easily with water or heat, then reform as hair dries or cools, which is how straighteners and curling irons create a style. The catch is that it's temporary: the moment sweat or humidity touches the hair again, the bonds can break and frizz reappears. Under a microscope, frizzy hair typically shows a weathered, lifted cuticle layer, which lets moisture in more easily and causes the kinks and flyaways you see.
Because those bonds are naturally fragile, a bond-strengthening treatment like OLAPLEX No. 6 Bond Smoother can help. It contains bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, an active ingredient that repairs bonds broken by colouring, heat styling and everyday brushing.
How Do You Actually Fix Frizzy Hair? A Step-By-Step Routine
Start with the basics: turn the shower temperature down. Hot water feels great but strips the natural oils that keep hair moisturised and shiny, so lukewarm is better for frizz-prone hair. Washing two to three times a week, rather than daily, also helps reduce dryness.
When you do wash, reach for a hydrating, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner such as Redken Frizz Dismiss Shampoo and Redken Frizz Dismiss Conditioner. Both are formulated with babassu oil, a fatty-acid and vitamin E-rich ingredient native to Brazil that hydrates hair and scalp while helping repair and smooth strands. KEVIN.MURPHY SMOOTH.AGAIN WASH is another option worth adding to your shower routine, combining monoi oil, sunflower seed extract, murumuru seed butter and olive fruit oil to restore elasticity and protect against heat and styling damage.
After washing, air-dry where you can rather than rubbing hair with a towel, since friction is one of frizz's biggest triggers. If you're not patient enough to air-dry fully, a microfibre turban like the Hairhouse Rapid Dry Turban Towel wicks away moisture gently, cutting down on the friction a regular towel creates. Getting a trim every six to eight weeks also helps, since split ends travelling up the hair shaft make frizz worse over time.
Finish with a nourishing treatment. Moroccanoil Original Treatment conditions and manages frizz while doubling as a finishing product, using argan oil's vitamin E and omega fatty acids to smooth frayed cuticles and seal split ends. For extra hold and hydration before blow-drying, apply evo Easy Tiger Smoothing Balm.
If you're not ready to give up heat styling altogether, choose tools designed to minimise damage. The ghd Duet Style 2-in-1 Hot Air Styler uses Air-Fusion™ technology to dry and style simultaneously, while the Halo by Elchim 8th Sense Run Digital Hair Dryer uses a next-generation digital motor for ultrafast, lightweight drying, cutting down on the heat exposure that leads to frizz. Always apply a heat protectant, such as sexyhair Smooth & Seal Shine & Anti-Frizz Spray, before picking up any hot tool.
Expert Tip: Connie, one of Hairhouse's Senior Stylists, points out that touching curly or wavy hair once product is applied is one of the most common frizz triggers she sees in-salon. Running fingers or a comb through curls after styling disrupts the hydrogen bonds that were holding the shape, so it's best to let hair dry undisturbed once your products are in.
What Are the Signs of Frizzy Hair?
Frizzy hair tends to have an irregular or fluffy texture and can feel dry, straw-like or rough to the touch. Strands stick out or curl in different directions instead of blending into the rest of your hair, creating uneven, messy texture. Curly hair in particular often forms nicely as it dries after washing, only to lose definition and frizz up the moment it's combed or touched, since that disrupts the hydrogen bonds holding the curl pattern together.
Is Frizzy Hair Unhealthy?
Not necessarily. Frizz on its own isn't proof of damaged hair, it's simply hair that's misbehaving, usually because of moisture imbalance, humidity or friction rather than an underlying health issue. That said, frequent frizz is often a sign your current routine needs an update, which is where a targeted wash-to-style routine makes the biggest difference.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What causes frizzy hair?
Frizz is usually caused by a combination of dryness, humidity, friction from towel-drying or overbrushing, heat damage, and harsh sulfate-based products. Each of these lifts or weakens the hair's outer cuticle, letting moisture in and causing strands to swell and separate.
Is frizzy hair a sign of damage?
Not on its own. Frizz is more often a sign of moisture imbalance or friction than actual damage, though hair that's been heavily heat-styled or chemically treated is more prone to it because its cuticle and internal bonds are already compromised.
How often should you wash frizzy hair?
Two to three times a week is usually enough. Washing more often, especially with hot water, strips natural oils that help keep frizz-prone hair moisturised and smooth.
Does air-drying help with frizz?
Yes. Air-drying avoids the friction that towel-drying and vigorous brushing create, both of which lift the hair's cuticle. A microfibre turban is a good middle ground if you don't have time to fully air-dry.
Can heat styling tools make frizz worse?
Yes, if they're not used carefully. Heat styling can compromise the hair's moisture barrier over time, but tools with ionic or Air-Fusion™ technology, paired with a heat protectant spray, are designed to dry and style with less damage than traditional tools.
Ready to build your anti-frizz routine? Shop the full range in-store or online at one of Hairhouse's 100+ stores and salons across Australia.