Five For Frizz

Hair products guaranteed stronger than the weather

Aug 04, 2023

I’m sorry to do this but: It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.

People wouldn’t say it unless it were true! I have long avoided humid places (notably Florida, to boyfriend’s dismay) because I don’t love looking like Monica in that Barbados episode of Friends. Ever since childhood, I’ve accepted the inevitable: that product and heat tools would only ever be so useful to me. I’ve learned to live with the puff.

But apparently I’ve been wrong this whole time. Apparently, I just give up too easily!

Last month I met up with former-intern-turned-friend Pamela Ibañez (native Texan and brand marketer at Byredo, a truly stellar hook up if I do say) for drinks. It was humid in the city, and I was about to depart for an even-more-humid Maine getaway. I marveled at her hair. It wasn’t just frizz-free — it was SHINY. From one secretly curly girl to another, I demanded a product list. Shockingly, I didn’t own any of them.

Like me, Pam has thick, naturally curly hair. “If I actually did the curly girl method, I would be ringlets,” she told me. “But it’s so much easier to manage when it’s straight.” Pam’s routine starts with a Sunday wash day, followed by an at-home blow dry/straightening routine. The days between involve a lot of dry shampoo until she starts fresh the following week. “Unless I’m traveling — once I get off the plane, I have to clean everything.”

For Pam, the products are very much the point. No special blowdryer, brush, or straightener technique needed. Also no hair masks! “I have not met a mask that I’ve liked that much!” The things she does like are as follows…

Crown Affair Cleansing Scrub

“Because I only wash my hair once a week, I double up on shampoo. I start with the Crown Affair scrub because it has a grittiness to it that really gets the dirt out of your hair. But it’s not too harsh — some clarifying scalp products have a minty tingle to them that I don’t like. This doesn’t irritate my skin or strip my hair too much.”

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Super Moisture Shampoo + Conditioner

“I used to be a strict Suave girl. I was never big on expensive shampoos and conditioners — I just have so much hair and I end up going through it so quickly. But with Briogeo, I really notice the difference. When I started using it, the woman who cuts my hair even noticed. She could tell my hair felt healthier, that there was more moisture in it. My ends don’t feel as dry anymore, which is crucial. And for $36 a pop, I’m glad it works! [Laughs]”

Bumble and bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer

“After I towel dry, I spray the Bumble and bumble Invisible Oil Primer. I found it via a birthday set from Sephora, and I love it a lot. It leaves my hair hydrated even after I’m done blow drying it. It leaves it really shiny. I spray it like crazy — really get it everywhere.”

OGX Renewing + Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Penetrating Oil

“This is my tried-and-true since high school. I love this thing — you can get it for $10 at only the finest of CVS stores [laughs]. I’ve turned so many friends onto it, it’s that amazing. Particularly if I’ve done a rougher dry on my hair, this helps it from becoming a puff ball. And on days I need my hair to be really perfect, I’ll apply the oil and straighten my hair right afterward [she uses the ghd Original 1” Styler]. It makes my hair so shiny.”

Living Proof No Frizz Instant De-Frizzer

“If it’s going to be super humid or rainy, I will use this as needed. It’s one of those products that when you spray it, you can almost taste it — and it tastes bad. But it does keep your hair calm and at bay and a little softer when you need a little extra protection. So it’s worth it for that.”

Got frizz-fighters you swear by? Sound off in the comments!