Frizz Happens — But It’s Not Always About Moisture
Frizz and curly hair tend to get blamed on one thing: dryness. And while dehydration can absolutely cause frizz, it’s far from the only culprit. In fact, many curlies pile on conditioners, oils, and masks trying to solve frizz that actually comes from something else entirely. If your curls still puff up, lose definition, or frizz shortly after styling — even when they feel soft and moisturized — the issue might not be dryness at all.
Frizz can also be caused by humidity, product buildup, poor styling technique, damaged hair cuticles (porosity damage), or even your haircut. Yes, your haircut!
Understanding the real cause of your frizz is the first step toward curls that stay smooth, defined, and vibrant longer. Learn about the most common non-dryness causes of frizz and exactly how to fix them.
The Frizz Breakdown
With a few different causes, it helps to understand what frizz actually is.
Frizz happens when the hair cuticle (the outer layer of the strand) lifts, allowing moisture from the air to enter the hair shaft. This disrupts the curl pattern and causes strands to expand and separate from the curl clump.
But here’s the key..cuticles can lift for many reasons beyond the most popular reason of dryness.
When cuticles do lift, curls lose their structure and begin to appear fuzzy, undefined, or puffy.
When Humidity Crashes the Curl Party
Even perfectly moisturized curls can frizz when exposed to high humidity. Curly hair is naturally porous, which means it easily absorbs water from the air.
When humidity hits:
• Hair swells
• The curl pattern expands
• Individual strands separate
• Frizz forms around the curl clumps
This is why curls can look amazing indoors but suddenly puff up and frizz out the moment you step outside.
How do you fight frizz caused by humidty? the answer is hold. Use strong hold styling products like gels and custards to create a protective cast around the curl, helping to seal the cuticle and prevent excess moisture from entering the hair shaft.
Look for styling products with ingredients like non- silicone film forming polymers, aloe, flaxseed, plant gums.
These ingredients help lock curls into place and protect them against humidity. Always avoid silicones as they coat the hair with a plastic like coating that will indeed fight humidty and all moisture including products meant to moisturize intentionally. Silicones are also non-water soluble, making them hard to remove during washing. This leads to layers and layers of stubborn build up which can lead to breakage and brittle strands.
Tip: Don’t scrunch out the gel cast too early — letting it fully set improves humidity resistance. Only scrunch out the cast once hair is 100% dry.
Patience during drying often leads to smoother, longer-lasting curls
When Your Routine Gets a Little Heavy
One of the most overlooked causes of frizz is buildup.
Curly hair routines often involve layers of products like leave-ins, curl creams, gels, oils and refresh sprays between wash days.
Over time, these can accumulate on the hair and scalp, creating a coating that blocks moisture from entering the strand evenly.
Ironically, buildup can make hair look frizzy even when it’s super moisturized, because hydration can’t properly penetrate the hair shaft.
You will notice signs you have buildup frizz and are in desperate need of a curl reset when:
• Curls look dull instead of shiny
• Roots feel heavy or greasy
• Hair feels coated or sticky
• Products stop working the way they used to
Clarifying & detoxing regularly helps reset the scalp and strands.
A proper clarifying cleanse removes residue so conditioners and stylers can perform properly again.
Rizos Reset:
Rizos Curls Detox Scalp Scrub starts a scalp reset at the root. Pink clay pulls impurities from around the follicles, while hydrated silica beads gently exfoliate layers of flakes and buildup to reveal a clean slate.
Rizos Curls Apple Cider Vinegar Scalp & Hair Rinse is perfect to gently clarify strands while also restoring pH balance to the scalp and reviving shine.
Tip: Rizos Curls Scalp Massage Brush has silicone fingers that will further lift scalp debris without risking microtears on the scalp that can be caused by scrubbing with fingernails. The massage action also awakens circulation and promotes relaxation which are both important for scalp health.
Many curl experts recommend clarifying once every 3–4 weeks, depending on your routine.
Layer Like a Pro
Sometimes frizz isn’t about the products themselves — it’s about how they’re layered.
When curl products are applied in the wrong order, they can interfere with each other’s ability to absorb or hold.
For example, applying oils before water-based stylers can block hydration from entering the hair, leading to frizz later in the day. This is the perfect example of water and oil don't mix. The fight between the two equals frizz.
The Ideal Product Layering Order
1. Leave-in conditioner (hydration and slip)
Rizos Curls Refresh & Detangle Spray
Rizos Curls Heat Protection Multivitamin Leave In
2. Curl cream or custard (definition and moisture balance)
Rizos Curls Curl Defining Cream
Rizos Curls Curl Custard
3. Gel (hold and frizz control)
Rizos Curls Light Hold Gel
Rizos Curls Strong Hold Gel
This layering method allows hydration to enter first and then locks it in with hold.
Hands Off the Curls (Almost)
Believe it or not, how you touch your hair during styling can directly impact frizz.
Some common technique mistakes include:
• Over-raking through curls..once you have applied products keep your hands off.
• Styling hair when it’s too dry..hair should be wet during product application. Not damp, not semi-dry but wet.
• Using rough towels..cotton towels have tiny loops that hair can easily get caught in. Frizz is one issue, and breakage from tugging is another. Opt for a better option like Rizos Curls Microfiber Towel + Wrap.
• Separating curl clumps too early..leaving curls undistrupted until completely dry is key. Once dry, add a few drops of Rizos Curls Nourish Oil to hands before separating large ringlets into smaller defined curls without surface frizz. The oil provides just enough lubrication to allow for separation without frizz causing friction.
Curly hair thrives when minimal manipulation is used to style. Over touching especially once curls are dry significantly increases surface frizz.
Try curl-friendly methods like:
• Prayer hands – smooth product over curl sections with palms in a prayer position
• Brush coiling/curl clumping – use brush to comb small sections to form and separate curls
• Rake and shake – distribute product then gently shake curls into formation, allowing curls to bounce naturally into their pattern.
• Scrunching – encourage curl pattern without disrupting clumps by scrunching upward toward scalp
And instead of regular towels, use microfiber towels or cotton T-shirts to dry hair and scrunch.
These materials reduce friction and help maintain curl structure.
When Hair Takes A Beating
Frizz can also come from physical damage to the cuticle layer.
Repeated friction can rough up the hair shaft, cause breakage and lead to split ends making strands more prone to frizz.
Common sources include:
• Rough towel drying.. microfiber only, no cotton towels. T-shirts can also be used.
• Cotton pillowcases..silk or satin is better
• Brushing dry curls... BIG no no!
• Not detangling from the bottom to the top
• Tight hair ties...silk or satin scrunchies are gentler
• Frequent heat styling...
Even small daily habits can contribute to long-term frizz.
Switch to gentler hair practices:
• Sleep on silk or satin pillowcases
• Use scrunchies ( preferable silk or satin like Rizos Curls Vegan Silk Scrunchies) instead of elastic bands
• Detangle only when hair is wet and conditioned ..best time is in the shower with conditioner!
• Minimize heat styling
Protective nighttime styles like pineappling or loose braids can also help curls stay smooth overnight and help you avoid creating more frizz and the dreaded fairy knots.
The Cut That Didn’t Understand the Assignment
Sometimes the cause of frizz isn’t your products or routine — it’s your haircut. Curly hair requires specialized cutting techniques that account for shrinkage, curl pattern, and density.
When curls are cut like straight hair:
• Layers may become uneven & disconnected
• Curl clumps separate making defintion a challenge
• Ends may appear frizzy and unruly
A curl-specialized cut helps shape curls in a way that encourages natural definition. If your hair is constantly frizzy at the ends, it may be time to visit a curl-focused stylist that will trim according to your curl pattern as no curl is created equal and each snip should be done with precision.
The Frizz Fix Recap
Dryness gets blamed for almost every curly-hair challenge, but frizz often has multiple underlying causes.
From humidity and buildup to styling technique and haircuts, many factors can influence how smooth or defined your curls appear.
The good news? Once you identify the real cause of your frizz, the solution becomes much easier.
Instead of simply adding more moisture, focus on:
• Maintaining a clean scalp and strands
• Layering products correctly
• Protecting curls from friction
• Using techniques that support curl clumping and low manipulation
• Using products that provide hold
• Adding a gloss or product that will seal split ends to lay down rough, lifted cuticles
Because when curls are supported from root to tip, frizz doesn’t stand a chance — and your natural texture can truly shine.
@zayinjoy Curly Styling Starter Kit from @Rizos Curls #rizoscurls #rizosresults #curlyhair #curls #blondecurlyhair #curls #curlygirl #curlyhairtutorial #curlyhairkit #curls #foryou #fypシ ♬ Yasashi - CXSPER