Frizz is likely something that everyone, regardless of hair length, type, or style has experienced at some point in their lives, and if that includes you, chances are you’ve tried a number of anti-frizz products.
So have we, and we’re fed up with products that promise to keep our hair looking smooth, and protected from the elements but that don’t actually work.
With this in mind, we’ve spoken to the experts at Philip Kingsley to discover what types of anti-frizz products we should be using and then we’ve hunted down the products that actually do as they claim!
FURTHER READING: This hair porosity test will reveal if you have high, medium or low porosity hair
As you can read in our science of frizz guide, frizz is caused by a lack of moisture in the hair. This can be down to a number of things but ultimately it depends on how porous your hair is. Curly and natural hair is typically more porous, as is hair that has been damaged from heat styling or bleach.
Anti-frizz products work by either getting more moisture and locking it into the hair cuticle, or by creating a barrier that stops moisture from escaping. In humid weather, dry hair desperately tries to get moisture from the air and this causes it to swell, so some anti-frizz products stop that too.
Getting rid of frizz can be done at every step of your hair washing and styling routine, and throughout the day, and there are various types of products to choose from. These include:
FURTHER READING: Curly hair products 101: The must-have products for curly hair types to fight the frizz and tame their tousles
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On subscription | Buy now from Hairstory
Why we love it: Inspired by the so-called “no poo” movement, which encourages people to ditch shampoos in favour of jumping straight to conditioning, Hairstory New Wash is a sulphate-free shampoo alternative that cleanses the hair, conditions it and does it all without harsh detergents.
It uses natural ingredients, including apple cider vinegar, which get rid of excess oil, dirt and styling products, without stripping the hair of its natural oils and protective barrier. Two of the things that lead to frizz.
The main benefit, according to Hairstory is “the softest, shiniest, healthiest hair” you’ve ever had since you were a child, which also means you can go days without washing it, it’s frizz-free and fade-resistant. What’s more, it offers three versions designed to suit all hair lengths and types.
You can read more about these in our Hairstory New Wash review but to summarise, since we’ve switched to Hairstory we’ve never looked back (and can’t imagine ever going back to regular shampoo again!)
Buy now from Hairstory
£25 | Buy now from Feelunique
Why we love it: With dry and damaged hair being more prone to frizz, the best place to start is to give it some extra TLC. This deep conditioner is a pre-treatment that’s applied before washing the hair. It helps hydrate dry hair, strengthen and reduce breakage and most of all it helps reduce frizz and overall improve hair health.
The key ingredients that make this treatment so great are that it contains hydrolyzed elastin castor oil, olive oil and glycerin – all hydrating and nourishing ingredients. The hydrolyzed elastin ensures there will be less breakage and it is proven to stretch and strengthen hair.
How to use: Apply this before shampooing. Dampen hair with water and liberally apply Elasticizer in sections from mid-length to ends. Cover your hair with a shower cap or towel, leave for 20 minutes. The heat from covering the head opens hair’s cuticles so this can properly absorb all the nutrients. Rinse thoroughly then shampoo and condition as normal, if you have thin hair it’s suggested to shampoo twice. It’s coloured hair safe too.
You can also leave this treatment on overnight. If you’re comfortable to sleep with a cap or towel around your head.
Buy now from Feelunique
Why we love it: GHD’s much-loved Bodyguard Heat Protection Spray not only smells amazing, it’s so lightweight it doesn’t leave the hair feeling heavy. According to GHD, it uses a two-fold action of protecting polymers and conditioning agents.
This heat protection helps stop hair cuticles from lifting which in turn improves how smooth your hair feels and is anti-frizz.
Buy now from Cult Beauty
£7.99 | Buy now from Boots
Why we love it: This is a little bottle of goodness. Not only is it weightless, meaning it won’t pull your hair down and leave it looking flat like so many oils and serums can do, but its blend of coconut oil and silk protects each strand of hair. This prepares it for the wear and tear used in daily styling and it leaves hair feeling silky, shiny and most of all strong. All while keeping hair looking frizz-free.
How to use: Place a few drops to the palm of your hands, apply to clean towel-dried hair and before blow-drying. If you have fine hair, work the serum through the ends of the hair and avoid the roots.
Buy now from Boots
£18.50 | Buy now from Lookfantastic
Why we love it: Using a smoothing creme before styling will not only, as the name suggests, help smooth the hair cuticle but it also protects the hair from further heat and damage. This is key if you’ve skipped the leave-in hair conditioner step (which we highly recommend).
This leave-in treatment isn’t cheap but it protects against the effects of humidity and speeds up blow-drying time, meaning that you’re subjecting your hair to less heat meaning you’re getting a number of products in one.
How to use: Smooth through lengths and ends of towel-dried hair, pay attention to dryer areas. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb and dry as normal.
Buy now from Lookfantastic
£20.80 | Buy now from Amazon
Why we love it: We love the entire Olaplex range but this little bottle of oil is our absolute must-have. Even more so than the conditioning and leave-in treatments. As with the rest of the range, it’s designed to protect and repair the hair without weighing it down.
This means it repairs damaged hair while keeping it soft, shiny and making it more resilient; it protects your hair from heat, up to 230°C. Plus, because it’s an oil it means it helps minimise flyaways and frizz.
What’s more, it can be used on damp or dry hair.
How to use: To use, turn the bottle upside down and gently tap to dispense a size of a ten pence piece. Run through your hair. Once hair is dry you can use this to tame hair from frizz and give it that extra protection.
Buy now from Boots
£7.95 | Buy now from Boots
Why we love it: This medium-hold hair spray helps tame flyaways and adds shine while also protecting it from damp and humid conditions. It creates a barrier without weighing hair down or leaving it feel stiff. It also brushes out super easily. An all-round anti-frizz product for just £8.
How to use: Shake can well before use. Spray from about 15cms away evenly over finished style.
Buy now from Boots
£20.50 | Buy now from Feelunique
Why we love it: Keeping hair frizz-free throughout the day is all about caring for, and maintaining your scalp as well as your hair. Sweat and excess oils can cause the hair to frizz so using a lightweight dry shampoo like One More Day will refresh and soothe the hair and scalp.
This lightweight dry shampoo absorbs excess oils, sweat and odour. What makes this so great is that it contains Zinc PCA that prevents flakes and regulates sebum production, it also contains Oryzan Sativa which is Asian rice starch. This is the stuff that absorbs the excess oil and gives volume to the hair.
How to apply: Shake the can vigorously, keep 30cm from your hair and spray into the roots. Leave it for 10 seconds and then massage it into the scalp and hair. Brush well and style as you desire.
Buy now from Feelunique
