If you're struggling with frizzy hair, you're not alone.
We, too, are soldiers in the never-ending battle against frizz. For years, we've attacked it regularly with all the usual tools: all manner of anti-frizz shampoo, moisturizing conditioner, and leave-in hair care products; messy home remedies of coconut oil and olive oil carefully massaged into our strands; pricey salon treatments that bust frizz by penetrating and calming the hair shaft. We've done it all, and we've got the credit card bills to prove it.
And it all works…until the treatment washes out, we tire of having hair that smells like salad, or a family member swipes our conditioner. Then, one day, we wake with a raging case of bed head to discover it's 100% humidity outside! That's when we know it's over. Our hair reverts to a frizz-filled crown that leaves us looking somewhere between Bride of Frankenstein and Monica Geller on her worst hair day ever.
But all is not lost on the frizz-fighting front! We've got a new weapon that's helping us gain real ground in the war on frizz: silk pillowcases and silk hair accessories.
What Is Frizzy Hair?
Before we unlock the secrets of taming frizzy hair, let's spend a moment defining what frizzy hair is and is NOT.
To begin with, frizzy hair not necessarily synonymous with curly hair. You can be plagued by frizz whether your natural hair is pin-straight, gently wavy, curled in ringlets, or wiry. Similarly, even the curliest hair types and styles don't necessarily mean frizz, although curly hair is definitely more vulnerable for reasons we'll discuss below.
Most frizz is the result of a damaged cuticle, which is the outer layer of the hair shaft. If you look at a strand of hair under a microscope, the cuticle resembles shingles on a roof. When hair is healthy, the "shingles" or cuticle scales lay flat; when hair is damaged, the scales stand up, or frizz. The scales on curly hair naturally stand up more than on straight hair, which makes them inherently more prone to frizz. Add in external humidity, which invades the areas between scales, and you've got the perfect recipe for frizz, especially if you're rocking a curly style.
What Causes Frizzy Hair?
As we said, frizzy hair is generally caused by a damaged cuticle, in which the scales are standing up rather than lying flat. Curly hair is more prone to frizz because the scales on the cuticle of a strand of curly hair are already raised.
So what's the source of all this cuticle damage? Look in the mirror…it's us! We damage and dry out our hair shaft by over-processing color-treated hair with chemicals, bleach, and dye; over-styling it with heat; shampooing too often and conditioning too little, and subjecting it to trauma and tearing with rough towel drying and aggressive combing and brushing. Is it any wonder our hair is dry? Or any mystery why that damaged hair turns into untamed frizz?
There's one more thing that most of us are doing -- probably on a nightly basis -- that's stressing our strands out big-time: sleeping on a cotton pillowcase. Cotton has two innate properties that make it a hugely popular fabric: absorbency, and texture, the very same two properties that cause damage to hair! Our hair is made of protein and contains oils and moisture essential to keeping it healthy. A cotton pillowcase actually absorbs and removes that moisture from hair as we sleep. It actually acts as a reverse conditioner, especially if your hair is dry, curly, coarse or wiry. Now let's talk about friction. We may not feel it, but cotton fibers tug and tear at strands of hair while we sleep, causing damage, breakage, tangles, and of course, frizz.
Simple Steps to Tame Frizz
Everyone's hair is different, but there are a few simple steps we can all take to undo the damage that leads to frizz. Here are a few suggestions for keeping hair hydrated and healthy:
- Take a break from the harsh color regimen and any chemical processes that are damaging and drying your hair out.
- Avoid hot hair dryers, flat irons, or other styling tools. If you must, blow-dry on a cool setting.
- Use a shampoo and conditioner formulated for your hair type; a sulfate-free shampoo is also helpful for not stripping hair of moisture.
- Towel dry your hair by gently patting it, never rub or pull.
- Use a wide-tooth comb after a shower to detangle.
- Add a leave-in conditioner to your hair care regimen; argan oil is a popular option that works on many hair types.
- Tame flyaways with an anti-humidity spray.
- Drink plenty of water to improve overall hydration; this will help your hair!
- Eat a well-balanced diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.
- SWITCH YOUR COTTON PILLOWCASE FOR ONE MADE FROM PURE MULBERRY SILK!
- Definitely consider using silk hair accessories
The Big Secret: Sleep on a Silk Pillowcase from Mulberry Park Silks
Swapping your cotton pillowcase for one made from 100% mulberry silk is one of the best things you can do to tame frizz.
Silk is friction-free
Your hair will glide gently across the surface of a silk pillowcase, no matter how much you toss and turn. We've found that silk pillowcases gave us a new morning look: smoother, silkier, and definitely tangle-free.
Silk helps hair retain moisture
Like your hair itself, silk is a natural protein that contains vital amino acids that help keep hair moisturized and foster growth. In fact, many high-end hair products contain silk protein, known as sericin. During the silk processing, the water-soluble protein sericin is removed. The protein retained in the silk is called fibroin, which is rich in 18 amino acids.
Stay Frizz-Free with 100% Mulberry Silk Accessories
You can get the frizz-taming benefits of silk through your waking hours as well with 100% mulberry silk accessories including scrunchies and head scarves.
Silk Scrunchies
Traditional elastic ponytail holders -- and even cotton scrunchies -- rip and tug at your hair which is a BIG "no-no" when you're fighting frizz. Putting scrunchies in, wearing them, and removing them can be damaging and even painful! Our silk charmeuse scrunchies are a fabulous alternative that will leave you with fewer snags, reduced pulling, and minimal "dents"… all of which help fight frizz. They're available in two sizes, Large (for thick, coarse, or curly hair) and Small (for shorter, delicate, or fine hair) and a range of eye-catching colors.
Silk Head Scarves
Made with 100% Pure Mulberry Long Strand Silk, our head scarves are also great for fighting frizz. They're gentle for any hair type; help hair retain moisture, and protect hair from breakage.
The beauty (and benefits) of silk
Once a secret of beauty insiders, sleeping on silk and using silk accessories has gone mainstream! Taming frizz is just one of silk's many benefits to hair, skin, and overall wellness. Silk prevents tangles, is non-drying, hypoallergenic, and naturally resistant to mold and dust mites. All products from Mulberry Park Silks are made from 100% pure mulberry silk, grade 6A, and have been independently certified to be free from harmful chemicals.
