Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. All views expressed are my own.
Shockingly, my hair was actually pin straight, smooth and manageable growing up. I rarely gave a second thought to it, usually opting to leave it down, where it fell to just below my chin for the majority of my childhood. But when I hit puberty, I all of a sudden was left with a frizzy, wavy mess which clashed with the thickness of my hair. I’ve spent years trying to find the right products, going down rabbit holes on the internet, following advice from beauty creators and grabbing bottles off the Target shelf that look the most promising.
Finally, at almost 23, I can say I have a lineup that is consistent and rock solid, which I rarely deviate from. I mainly owe that to my hair salon in my hometown for putting me onto Redken and also my TikTok research skills. While I encourage everyone to do as much research as possible, here are the best products I have found for managing thick, frizzy locks.
1. Redken Frizz Dismiss Shampoo and Conditioner
The Redken Frizz Dismiss shampoo and conditioner are really the standouts here. I was first introduced to Redken when my local hair salon (Hair Lab in Charleston!) used it to wash and style my hair. She also used other products from the line to style and blowout my hair. I immediately noticed a difference in the softness of the hair and the lack of frizziness. I was in the midst of trying to find a reliable shampoo and conditioner and decided to take a chance on Redken myself. While I cringed at the price tag and it took a second (a casual few months) to figure out my new hair routine, I made the right decision. I now can only wash my hair once to twice a week after thoroughly using the shampoo twice and every third wash with my favorite Redken clarifying shampoo, which brings me to the next product.
2. Redken Detox Hair Cleansing Cream Clarifying Shampoo
The next product is truly my lifesaver. I struggled for years with product buildup and oiliness with no end in sight. I was told multiple times by hairdressers to shampoo twice but I always felt like it gave my hair a dry, weird feel to it once it dried. Looking back, I wonder if the fact that I was using cheaper drugstore shampoo, which I have nothing against but I have just realized it’s not for me, may have been the culprit. I had tried a few other clarifying shampoos before this one but noticed some dryness after and was almost deterred from trying more, until a hairdresser at my hair salon used it on me before going in with normal shampoo. I actually felt relief immediately after, like a heaviness on my head had been stripped away. I bought the bottle on Amazon barely two weeks after and the rest is history.
3. Living Proof No Frizz Instant De-frizzer
Although my shampoo and conditioner have helped tremendously, in the days between washes I still have trouble taming frizzy hair, especially in a humid climate. I had tried a few other Living Proof frizz products but decided to try this spray after doing research and realizing I wanted a quick, dry fix to frizzy flyaways. I purchased the mini version first, which I love to try before dropping at least $20 plus shipping on a product for the first time. The spray is applied in a downward motion on the hair and then smoothed down. It feels light and I only have to apply it a few times in between washes. I recently discovered that my boar bristle brush can be used to smooth it down and produce perfect results, way better than my hand ever could.
4. JVN Complete Air Dry Cream
I have looked high and low for a leave in conditioner that doesn’t feel too heavy on my hair but also adds noticeable moisture. I primarily airdry my hair so many leave-ins felt like too much on my hair and left an almost greasy residue. Fed up, I was about to give up my search, until I found this air dry cream. I loved that they had a mini version so I decided to try that. I was nervous that it would still have the same effect as the others and decided to wash it out after a few minutes while still in the shower. It added smoothness and there was a noticeable lack of frizz but I didn’t feel any heaviness. I purchased it right after I finished the mini up.
5. Redken One United Leave-in Conditioner Spray
The final Redken product that impressed me at my local hair salon was their One United spray. The spray has a whopping 25 listed benefits including heat protection, anti-frizz, lightweight conditioning and hair strengthening. I had used a few other leave-in conditioner sprays before this but was drawn to this product because of the obvious- the long list of benefits- and it was highly rated. I now use it after every wash and haven’t looked back.
6. Hair Scalp Massager
I got this for under $10 on Amazon and its easily become integrated into my shampoo routine. Not only does it feel nice but it also allows me to get a deeper cleanse without tiring out my hands or fingers too much. I use it during my first shampoo and then go in with my hands during my second. It’s also small enough that I easily can throw it in a suitcase and bring it along while traveling.
7. Dae Cactus 3-in-1 Styling Cream
This cream actually popped up on my TikTok fyp last summer and quite frequently. I’m sure my phone was tracking that I was looking for a good styling cream and decided to help me out by sending this one my way via influencers. Well, consider me influenced. I had to buy the full-size version as I didn’t see a smaller one, so I was nervous to try it. I liked that it was advertised as a multi-use product, with pictures even showing it being used for slicked-back styles which I had just started getting into, but it also works for blowouts. It’s lightweight and can apparently be used as an air-dry cream (so if god forbid JVN ever discontinues their cream I guess I know what I’ll be using). I have used it for the few blowouts I’ve done on myself and boy does it help. I am also obsessed with the smell, a fruity and sweet but not overwhelming scent. I will continue to use this while I slowly but surely (like at a snails pace) figure out my hair and how to do a blowout on myself.
Pin it:
Leave a Reply