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

When you don’t trim your hair regularly, it can result in split ends that ultimately unravel strands, causing damage and frizz.

These lifestyle hacks help lay the basic groundwork for frizz control. But if you want to actually achieve next-level smoothness, shine and powerful, long-lasting frizz-resistance, it’s time to incorporate the most scientifically advanced anti-frizz formulas into your routine.

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. 

STEP 2: Hydrate, Detangle and Smooth the Cuticle with Frizz-Foiling Conditioners 

Conditioner is critical for smoothing the cuticle layer and should always follow shampooing. Definitely use an in-shower conditioner, then for best results amp up your anti-frizz game with a leave-in treatment, reparative defrizzing mask and/or strand-smoothing blow-dry boost. 
1. Start defrizzing in the shower
For easy detangling, strand smoothing and ideal hydration (without heavy build up or colour warping side effects) choose Color Security Conditioner (formulas for fine or thick hair). 
2. Incorporate a “puff-proofing” treatment mask into your routine

Take strand smoothing care to the next level with an intensive, anti-damage, anti-frizz treatment like Dreaming Advanced Repair and Resurfacing Treatment.

Powerful new anti-frizz technology developed by our renowned Color Wow chemists, our Dreaming mask refinishes and polishes every strand, transforming even dehydrated, puffy, frazzled hair into smooth, refined and aligned results in mere minutes. 

As Dr. Joe explains, “Effectively, Dreaming forms a strong, tightly sealed, ‘pseudo cuticle layer’ that bonds to hair’s surface, like a clear veneer of protection and perfection. It provides supplemental hydration, moisture and conditioning benefits that improve your hair’s elasticity and strength.”
Designed to last through 2-3 shampoos, it delivers an instant transformation PLUS long-lasting “no puff, no fluff” results. A clinical test proves Dreaming to be a powerful humidity blocker.


(Untreated hair absorbed 3.4X** more moisture than hair treated with Dreaming.)

**Independent study. Average results after 8 hours in 86 degrees at 70% humidity

3. Add a multi-tasking leave-in conditioner for next-level frizz prevention

For major frizz reduction plus a whole slew of health-boosts for your hair, our go-to is Money Mist – a luxe, lightweight leave-in conditioner designed to elevate your entire routine thanks to its 10-in-1 multitasking benefits. 

This award-winning formula is powered by proprietary ingredients that instantly reduce frizz by 81% and deliver 69% less breakage* whilst hydrating, strengthening and detangling.

STEP 3: Block Humidity with the G.O.A.T. water-resistant top coat – Dream Coat

If your end goal is a silky-smooth blowout that stays sleek and won’t re-frizz even in high humidity, you styling holy grail is Dream Coat.

This award-winning new humidity-blocking technology has ushered in a whole new era in frizz-prevention... (and spawned a lot of “dupe” formulas that don’t actually deliver the same powerful moisture-proofing, anti-frizz protection).

Color Wow chief chemist, Dr. Joe Cincotta, explains:

“Dream Coat is a superlight spray featuring groundbreaking polymer technology to clamp down cuticles, compress, tighten, and seal every single strand. Your hair literally becomes impermeable to moisture/humidity.”

💡 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.


Whether it’s the most powerful new technology to make your hair immune to frizz or easy, instant cures for unexpected frizz flare-ups, at Color Wow, we’re out to help you live your best frizz-free life!

Read more about fighting frizz:

Not sure where to start on your Color Wow hair journey? Take our 60-second hair quiz to discover the perfect personalised routine for your hair type.

Dr. Cincotta holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the City University of New York, and is currently VP of Research + Development at Color Wow.

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