frizzy hair
 

My hair frizzes really badly in the humidity do I ususally just wear it in a pony tail in humid climes. Is there any point in taking my curling iron for evenings and while in Vietnam? I know, I am oh so vain!

Get a haircut and is meant for curly/frizzy hair. Did it 30 years ago and it was the most liberating event of my life. No longer worry about humidity and don't even own a hair dryer or curling iron. Just have a drip dry weather proof hair do. That after ironing my hair, wrapping my hair in toilet paper at night and avoiding humidity whenever possible. Fabulous new freedom!

OK, I have to ask. What is a frizz proof haircut??? I now have frizzy hair (very curly) for about the last 4 years. Never had it before... result of surgery. Won't go into specifics.

Anyway, I have my hair shampooed and "straightened" once a week at a salon. I'd love to know how to get it cut so that I could "cut out" the salon visits, and still be able to wear the ponytail when I want to.

Carol

The simple answer is that there is no reason to take a curling iron.

Carol, I consider my haircut "wash and wear." I don't even own a hairdryer. My hair is naturally curly and it looks its best in humid climates or light rain - no wonder I live in Seattle!

Gloria, no wonder Carol considers us "twins!"

I've tried that, but it doesn't work. the frizz starts at my roots, but the curl starts about 3 inches out from that. If I had tight curls it wouldn't be a problem, but as I've grayed I have lost my curl

carol,

They use a thinning scissors. I think thats what it is called. I get it done every fourth haircut or so. Others need it more often. It depends on your hair.

Aloha!

It's all in the cut and in your telling the person who is cutting it (and who knows frizzy hair) what you want (i.e. drip dry).

Y-they have really good hair stylists/salons in Asia-I have long hair, and I get a wash, blow dry and FLAT IRON-and it really works very well in the humidity. I can get all of that for the equivalent of about US 6.00-8.00. There's a hair salon right across the street from Yaang Come in Chiang Mai, and the dude did a fabulous job on my hair, to the point that people stopped me on the street to comment favorably-he charged me $5.00! So do consider going in and having your hair styled while there-I don't know where you are going, but it is well worth it. And I WOULD take my curling iron if that is what you use, but I think to tame frizzies, a flat iron is 100% better-and I took mine all over SE Asia-so what? (but all the hair salons I went to-both upscale, and local salons, had flat irons, so that wasn't really a problem).

I have very thick hair that gets frizzy when the humidity is high. Before we went to SE Asia 2 years ago, my hair dresser got me a product called Moisture Block made by sabino. Along with my curling iron it worked well. It will also make your hair nice and shiny! Cost is around $ 20-25 for 3.5 ounces. You can order it online or buy it at most beauty supply houses.

thanks for great advice. The iron is going with me and so is the moisture block. I wear a ponytail all day but like a sleeker look if we ar e having a nice dinner

i have long(ish) hair and always take my straighteners. just make sure its bone dry before you go out (after you have straightened it of course) and spray a bit of humidity hairspray on. works ok for me

I'm not sure but I think you can only take 3 oz tubes, so be careful that the screeners at the airport don't confiscate your tube.:0)

I have hair which curls up if I let it dry naturally and gets frizzy in humid weather, sometimes so frizzy that the curl totally diappears and it is a mass of frizz! In dry weather it is smoother, but never totally straight. I do not have it thinned out with thinning shears, that makes it even more frizzy for me. Unfortunately, I look awful in flat hair, especially on top, so a pony tail is not something I can do with my curly hair. I fought the curl when I was young and straight was the "in" thing, but now I go with the curl if it is humid and use products to keep it controlled and relatively frizz free.

Presently, my hair is layered, a bit longer than chin length and it works well for me. A good hair drier (with the cooling button or ionizer) helps along with the products. If you want it smooth, then it needs to be fully dry and treated with the products before you go out into the humid air. Even doing that, depending on your own hair tendencies, and even with the curling iron, it may work for a short while and then it will frizz up anyway. I aleays have something to smooth it out in my purse. I put it in a small container and carry with me when I go out.

There are tons of smoothing products out there now. I do not know where you live, but in the US, you can get Selecca Shine Smoothing Balm. I use this and it tames the frizz and shines the hair) and Fructis Smoothing Masque (name may have changed recently) and other smoothing products as needed. You can put more than the 3 oz. in your suitcase but not in a carry-on.

Good luck with the frizz and don't worry about it too much unless it really bothers you. If it does, take a good smoothing product and your curling iron or use a hair drier. Try products out before you go. For me, if it is curly, that's fine...I just try to tame the frizz.

Most of all, enjoy your trip!

Thanks so much. I went to the Beauty supply today and bought a hair spray for humid weather and a defrizzer. I'm leaving in Wednesday on will report on my trip when I return

You could always shave it off like Britney spears did. Imagine the freedom you'd have.

I just pray that in my reincarnation I have straight hair. My curly hair has been my karma.

Before my trip to China this coming Thursday I have a stopover in LA and wonder if Mariana could tell me where to find the Smoothing Balm. Is it a drugstore product? I live in a cold climate city with no humidity, except when it rains, like today. I usually can manage my hair but Im wondering what to do when in Shanghai.

Bea

Mango...thanks a bunch, but no thanks.
I live in LA and went to a beauty supply today asking for high humidity hair spray and a defrizzer.
They sold me a travel size hair spray called ICON Finishing spray and a product by preology called supersmooth that you spray on wet or dry hair and when using an iron. there is a little shopping mall very close to the LA airport called Howard Hughes Center. They have a beauty supply there

bea...
oops, it is called Pureology

It's pretty funny how those of us with frizzy hair pack so much stuff to deal with it. I am so jealous of the woman I travel with. She is a "wash and wear" gal and I'm a "I'll be right there, I just have to tame this mane" gal. For those of you who don't understand, frizzy hair just makes you feel unattractive and can really put a damper on your day.

During the day, I ususally pile my rapidly expanding hair inside a hat and put on a big pair of sunglasses (trying to channel my Jackie Kennedy), and at night I take out the hair curling iron using it to both smooth and curl.

I would never travel without my curling iron. I'd rather give up an article or two of clothing (which I should anyway) than my hair stuff.

So to all the women with frizzy hair, we do understand why this is such a popular thread.

A lifelone member of the Frizzy Sisterhood. :-)

This thread is really awesome. I am reading everyone's responses with great interest. I am now tempted to try a layered haircut. Since my curl is such a new thing for me (since about 4 years ago) I have had hair that is shoulder length and longer. Each time I get an inch or two of it cut off, the curl seems to get tighter. Makes me quite concerned about getting a shorter style, but it just may be the right time to give it a try.

Kathie, I do like your hairstyle! I wish (but don't know for sure) that my hair would look like that if I were to cut a lot of it off.

Keep the frizzy hair comments coming! I need "support" in my decision to go shorter.

Carol

Thanks ylibierthal, would you know of a store closer to Beverly Hills. Ill be arriving late at night and departing the next day at 1,00 am, so Im afraid the store in Howard Hughes center might be closed.

Have a nice trip.

Bea,
Here are 3 in the BH area:
La Peer Beauty
310-859-8899
8950 W Olympic Blvd No 113
Beverly Hills CA 90211
Bill's Beauty Supply
310-275-0519
311 N Robertson Blvd
Beverly Hills CA 90211-1705
Parvaneh Beauty Supply
310-271-2565
9617 Brighton Way
Beverly Hills CA 90210-5109

Thanks!!! Thanks!! ylieberthal, you are a darling. Ill post pictures of my straight hair when I get back.

Enjoy your trip!!

I've got curly hair that likes to get frizzy. I have found that the longer it is, the more frizz issues I have, so now I keep it fairly short - it just brushes my shoulders. It curls up more than when it is longer, but as long as I have a good cut, it is very manageable. When it is longer, the length pulls out the curl and all that is left is frizz. If I have it much shorter though, it curls up too much and is hard to deal with.

Having a good cut is the key though - by someone who really knows how to cut curly hair. I have been going to the same hairdresser for 20 years. When you've got curly hair and you find someone you like, you stick with them :)

I blow dry my hair - regardless of the cut, it gets flat on top and a bit bushy on the sides, and then more frizzy.

I use Pantene products on my hair - either the smoothing balm or the curl serum - along with a bit of curl lock hair spray. Also, my hair is less frizzy if I don't wash it everyday.

Japanese thermal straightening. I went from frizzy corkscrew curls to straight hair that never frizzes, no matter what. Truly a life transforming experience.

what is thermal straightening and where do you get It?
I think we should all post pics of our frizzy hair when we get home!

Larger asian beauty salons offer japanese style thermal straightening, google it to see if you find one near where you live...... and I have wanted curly wavy hair all my life!

the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence!

Oh, how we gals with straight hair wish we had curls. Instead we have to take perms that make our hair like hay as we get older!

What's the deal with Japanese Thermal Straightening. Does it last a day, a week, or (be still my heart) a lifetime?? I've got to find someone who can do this for me while we're in Thailand! Any ideas in Phuket would be fantastic : )

Thanks!!!

Watergirl, here is a great article with before and after pictures of Japanese Thermal straightening. It is VERY expensive ($600-700) and is a long procedure (4-5 hours).

This should tell you everything you need. It lasts a long time, although not, unfortunately, a lifetime due to those pesky roots that keep growing.

Laurico, how often do you have to do it? Is there a "touch up" like with color or do you have to do the full straightening each time?

http://home.comcast.net/~gaelen/yuko.htm

Fodors system doesn't like the tilde (~) in an URL, so you will have to copy and paste the link in the message above.

Sadly, especially since the "touch up" is almost certainly not available in my neck of the woods, such a treat will be a little steep for my budget and long for my time there...bummer.

For now, will stick to gel, round brush blow out and flat iron. Sigh...

What a great idea. Unfortunatley i can't use it either because I color my hair.

Japanese thermal straightening is a process that has become more popular and many salons now offer it. The price has also come down a lot. I used to pay over $600 for it, I now pay $200 (+tip). It's not harsh on your hair the way old straighteners were as no lye is used. It takes about 3 hours for my hair although on occasion it has taken 5 hours.

I have it done between every four to eight months, depending on what time of year it is (not needed as much in the winter since it's less humid here in NY so if I have a few inches of roots, when I dry my hair, they will stay straight) and I also try and time having it done before a vacation.

The amount of time

Opps, hit post too soon...

The amount of time between straightening depends on how fast your hair grows. Once your hair has been straightened, it will stay that way forever. You only need to have the new growth done. In fact, they never redo what has already been straightened. For me, even when I paid over $600, it was worth every cent. I no longer care how humid it gets or if it rains since my hair will stay stick straight. I can either let it air or "finger" dry it and it will be stick straight or I can use my blow dryer for about 5 minutes with a round brush and give it some volume and more style, which is what I usually do. I hope this answers all the questions but if you have more, post 'em!

ylieberthal, you can still have it done itf you color your hair. If you have your hair highlighted, you need to let the hairdresser know since they have to do some extra step. Not necessary with a one process color though. Also, the "touch ups" cost the same as having your whole head done. My cousin sometimes has just the front done so her bangs don't curl and they do charge her significantly less for that.

I have long hair that I straighten with a flat iron every day. Last year on my month-long honeymoon to Thailand, HK, Tokyo I straightened my hair the first day in Bangkok and then never touched my hair dryer or flat iron the rest of the trip. It took too long and then I would go outside and it would frizz and curl so my time spent straightening would be in vain. I consider my vacation a vacation away from all the wasted time I spend primping myself. This time when we go to Asia over the Christmas holidays I am considering not even bringing my hair dryer or flat iron. The decision is personal.

When I'm traveling, there are some days when I shampoo in the shower and go "au natural" with all the curls. But, I also find time to visit salons along the way, where I have a shampoo and blow dry that I can wear down or pull back into a clip or ponytail.

Being able to pull my hair back is hard to think about giving up, should I opt for a short but very curly style.

UGH... decisions, decisions... It's especially hard since, as I've said before, I've just been curly for about the last four years and have not cut my hair very short during that time. It has always been at least shoulder length.

Now that I've been here for three days I have the definitive answer on what to do with frizzy hair. Either cut it short and let it frizz or wear it in a pontail. It is so humid here that I don't understand how how one would be comfortable with hair on their neck!