I’m not sure how I feel about this, but Google knows me. As soon as I start typing into that little search bar, it helpfully throws up ‘how to stop frizzy hair’ – clearly, I’ve been spending far too much time online researching how to flatten my own flyaways into submission.
If your search history contains a litany of frizz-related queries too, then please, join me on this mission to keep the curls, but ditch the fluff – without resorting to maniacal heat styling. I’ve spoken to the experts, and tried a potentially obsessive amount of smoothing products, in my quest to find the very best frizz-proof hair routine – and I’m pretty sure I’ve cracked it. Here, see the products that really work, as well as the expert tricks for maximum success..
So, what actually causes frizz?
Sorry to quote a completely unrelated beauty tagline, but if you’ve got frizzy hair, you were born with it. Whether or not your hair puffs up depends on your hair type, meaning some will never know the battle. (Jealous? Us?)
As celebrity hairstylist Luke Hersheson explains, it’s moisture in the air that’s responsible for creating that frizzy halo – as rain or humidity penetrates the hair strands, it’ll revert them back to their natural state.
However, if you were born with a frizz-inclined hair texture, fear not – the right prep and styling products are here to help. According to Hersheson, lanolin is your friend here. (You’ll find it in spades in his own, excellent Almost Everything Cream.) Derived from sheep's wool, this fatty substance shields from static while imparting seriously deep moisture (you’ll also find it in your favourite cuticle softeners and lip balms).
What’s more, silicones are your friend here. (Yep, forget all that fearmongering.) “Certain types of silicones can form a seal around the hair, stopping the moisture from getting back into the hair,” says Hersheson.
The best products for frizz-prone hair
On my own mission to get sleeker curls, I’ve tried endless shampoos and conditioners, oils and creams. Here, see the ones that earned a permanent place on my bathroom shelf.
The shampoo and conditioner: Living Proof No Frizz
Oils and silicone creams do a great job at masking frizz, but we all know that prevention is better than cure. This genius shampoo (and conditioner) contains a patented molecule that coats each hair strand more lightly and evenly than a silicone, stopping moisture from penetrating in the first place. It’s safe for coloured hair, and free from both sulphates and silicones.
The multi-use cream: Hershesons Almost Everything Cream
This multi-purpose cream is an absolute no-brainer: scrunch it into wet curls for sleeker definition, run it over a neat ponytail, or use it throughout the day to tame flyaways. A hero product that wildly belies its price tag.
The oil: Davines Oi Oil
The ultimate shine serum, this has been a holy-grail product in my kit for years. It’s fairly dense, so go lightly if you’ve got fine hair, but when it comes to smoothing the flyaways that spring from a sleek chignon or pony, there’s nothing like it. Apply a single pump into damp hair, or use it on dry hair for highlighter-level shine.
The lighter oil: Percy & Reed No Oil Oil for Fine Hair
Percy & Reed Smoothed, Sealed & Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil For Fine Hair 60ml
If your hair is fine, you’d be right to steer clear of most heavy, silicone-laden oils. However, Percy & Reeds’ lightweight oil is the perfect middle ground: it’ll seal strands from the frizz-inducing moisture and impart deep nourishment, without turning your roots into an immediate oil slick.
The quick fix: Living Proof No Frizz Instant De-Frizzer
This weightless spray shrinks pouffy, voluminous hair down to size in seconds. Mist it directly over dry curls for more definition and less fluff, or spray it onto a paddle brush and run through a blow-dry. The handbag-sized mini should be in every handbag.
The taming treatment: Olaplex No6 Bond Smoother
For hair that’s frizz-prone and damaged (straightener addicts, I’m talking to you), few things come close to the healing powers of Olaplex. This reparative cream is essentially a security blanket for your hair, working to shield it from moisture and other damaging factors, while actively repairing broken bonds that leads to breakage and split ends. Regular use leads to noticeably stronger, healthier hair.
Roberta Schroeder is the Senior Ecommerce Editor at Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, overseeing shopping strategy and content across fashion, beauty, and travel. Roberta has reported on everything from market-leading skincare brands to the world’s most iconic fashion pieces, while also regularly updating a range of shopping guides, including LED masks, heritage cashmere brands and niche new dress brands to know.
Roberta has more than 15 years' experience in the luxury sector, spanning editorial consultancy, trend forecasting and journalism. Over the years, she has worked for global brands including Farfetch, Chanel, and Vogue.
When not testing beauty products, trialling trends and curating content that spotlights the very best in fashion and beauty, Roberta can usually be found trawling resale sites and vintage stores for a long-coveted designer find. Follow Roberta on Instagram at @roberta__schroeder
