How to Get Rid of Frizzy Hair for Good: The Science-Backed Routine from the #1 Frizz Brand

Frizz. It’s one of the all-time top hair frustrations you share with us in social comments, in product reviews and in your comments on our hair quiz. 

Whether it’s caused by humidity, dryness, or damage, one thing’s for sure: frizz-proofing your hair requires the right products, grounded in serious science-backed research. And that’s where we come in.

Color Wow’s unmatched frizz slayers (our G.O.A.T. Dream Coat humidity-blocking sprays and new Dreaming humidity-proofing mask) continue to provide easier, high-performance, long lasting solutions to the age-old challenge of frizz.

Let’s break down what causes frizz — and the best way to stop it once and for all.

What Causes Frizzy Hair?

Frizz happens when the outer cuticle layer of your hair is raised. As a result, your hairs can’t sit in smooth alignment with each other and instead go in all different directions, creating that fuzzy, poofy look we all know as frizz.

For some people, frizzy hair is something they’re born with. For others, frizz is created or made worse by humidity, heat styling, colouring, sulphates, rough towel drying, and even harsh brushing.

In other words, any activity that dehydrates or damages the cuticle layer, causing it to lift up. Visit our guide on the causes of frizzy hair for more information.

How to Prevent Frizzy Hair: Lifestyle Changes + Power Products

Daily Habits That Help Stop Hair From Frizzing

Frizz can feel like a never-ending battle, but small changes in your daily habits can make a huge difference. Simple tweaks in how you wash, dry, and handle your hair can help keep frizz at bay.

Here’s what the pros (and the science) recommend:

1. Turn down the heat in the shower

Hot water strips hair’s natural oils and opens the cuticle. Rinsing with cooler water helps smooth the outer layer of the strand.

2. Use a microfiber towel or cotton T-shirt to blot hair dry

Rubbing hair with regular towels can rough up the hair shaft, raising cuticles and creating friction. Microfiber or T-shirt drying is gentler and helps reduce frizz. 

3. Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase

Cotton can snag and pull at your strands overnight. Switching to a silky fabric helps reduce friction and breakage while preserving your style.

4. Handle wet hair with care

Wet hair is more vulnerable to damage. Avoid brushing right after the shower—instead, use a wide-tooth comb and detangle gently, preferably before you rinse conditioner. 

5. Always use heat protection

Using hot tools on unprotected hair is a surefire way to damage your cuticle layer. We add heat protection to most of our leave-in treatments and stylers.

6. Get regular trims

Your Ultimate Dream Hair Frizz Prevention Plan (Powered by Color Wow)

Stopping frizz from starting in the first place is the heart of effective frizz control. Our Color Wow anti-frizz formulas proactively counteract frizz at every step of your cleansing, care and styling routine.

Here’s how to build a long-term, frizz-free routine:

STEP 1: Start with a Gentle Shampoo + Conditioner

Many frizz issues can be avoided by protecting and prepping your hair the right way from the moment you step into the shower. But not... as many people think... by using an “anti-frizz” shampoo! 

It’s a common misconception that using a defrizzing, hydrating, or conditioning shampoo is the best first step in preventing frizz.

The truth is your frizz-prone hair is best served by starting with a “clean slate” – which means using 100% clean, residue-free shampoo like our Color Security Shampoo or Hooked. 

• Sulphate-free + non-stripping
• Rinses completely off – no residues or buildup
• Delivers optimal hair + scalp conditions
  

When your hair is truly fresh with no stay-behind residues, your anti-frizz treatments and stylers have a better chance of performing. 

💡 While pretty much any anti-frizz fighter out there can give you the silky-smooth blowout of your dreams, it’s keeping it sleek long term that’s the real problem. The moment you step out into humidity, get sweaty at the gym or take a steamy shower… poof! Frizz.

That’s what makes Dream Coat so different from other frizz-reducing formulas. Activated by the heat of your blow dryer, Dream Coat forms a powerful humidity-blocking shield that is virtually waterproof to stop your style from reverting back to its natural frizzy texture even in very high humidity.

Even better? Unlike traditional anti-frizz products that coat hair in heavy oils or waxes, superlight Dream Coat is undetectable on your hair and delivers amazing transformative results without buildup or weight.

STEP 4: Lock in style, block out humidity with a strong hold hairspray

Prepping your hair with an anti-humidity treatment is a critical step to ensure smooth style results, whether your end-game is silky straight glass hair, a cascade of glossy waves or big bombshell volume. 

But, especially if you’re creating a gravity-defying updo or high profile volume, an added measure of bold hold will keep hair from frazzling and collapsing in humidity.

Color Wow’s Texas Hold ‘Em Hairspray is the lightweight answer that stops flop and frizz... delivers heavy duty hold, heat protection, UV protection and 82% style retention in high humidity**. 

**Independent study. Average results recorded after 8 hrs in 60% Relative Humidity

Our Fave On-the-Spot Frizz Fixes: How to Get Rid of Frizzy Hair in 5 Minutes

Despite your best efforts, sometimes frizz makes an unwanted appearance. At that point, your solution might one of our quick-fix solutions that silken, depuff and hydrate on the spot and are designed to work on dry hair.

1. One-Minute Transformation

One Minute Transformation is a non-greasy style cream formulated with ultra-nourishing avocado oil. 

Use it on dry hair to instantly depuff, silken, shine and rehydrate frizzy hair. Apply a pea-sized amount to each section of hair and brush through. For a more polished finish, wrap hair around a round brush and hit with quick heat.

2. Pop & Lock

Pop & Lock Glossing Serum is also a quick and easy frizz fix.

It combines the nourishing hydration of an oil with the smooth, shiny finish of a serum. Use it on damp or dry hair to smooth frizz and flyaways, add moisture, temporarily seal split ends and protect against UV and heat damage.

Read more about fighting frizz:

• How to Stop Puffy Hair
• How to Air Dry Your Hair without Frizz
• What Causes Frizzy Hair?