It can certainly be agreed upon that frizzy braids are never a good look! But what exactly causes this and is there anything you can do to prevent this? I’ve done some digging and here’s what I discovered.
Frizz on braids is typically caused by shorter hairs coming out of the braids and sticking straight upwards and out. This can also be caused by the new growth of hairs, resulting in a frizzy look. Wearing mini braids may be one way of preventing this and making sure you part your braids correctly to prevent hairs from crossing between braids.
Keep reading to learn how you can prevent your braids from becoming frizzy, as well as how you can effectively treat and style braids that are already frizzy with a few simple tips!
How To Prevent Frizzy Braids
When it comes to hair, my general rule of thumb is that prevention is always better than cure!
The best way to prevent frizzy braids is to use a hair gel or pomade when you get your hair braided; this will add hold and lay your hair to conceal any split-ends and fly-aways. That being said, when you have finished braiding your hair, apply hair mousse to set your braids and keep them fresher for longer.
I’ve gone and laid out some must-know tips before braiding your hair at home, so you’ll know what to do next time. Here they are below:
1. Begin WithClean, Deep Conditioned, & StretchedHair
Most importantly, your hair needs to be entirely clean and free of any product buildup before you get started on your protective style. You can add a protein and deep conditioning treatment to add some moisture to your hair and strengthen your hair to prepare for the longevity.
Please don’t forget to add your leave-in conditioner and your sealant to continue to ensure your hair is in the best possible condition. To stretch your hair, you can either air dry it in 8-12 twists or braids or simply blow-dry the hair when it’s 80% damp.
The trick to stretching your hair is that the more stretched it becomes, the less chance it has of frizzing up in your braids. This way your braider will be able to style the whole length of your hair for a completely sleek and smooth finish.
2. The Sleeker The Part, The Neater The Braid
Whether you are getting a feed-in protective style, or simply braids on your natural hair, a neat parting is absolutely vital! If you get this wrong from the get-go, chances are your braids are going to end up appearing frizzy.
This is why the key to preventing frizz is to ensure you begin by sectioning your hair extremely carefully. You can use a thin, metal-tipped comb to separate your hair. Just make sure that you tie any hair away that is not being touched to prevent extra pieces becoming mixed in with the braiding.
“If your parts aren’t perfect and your hairs are crossing between braids, you are more susceptible to those pieces becoming frizzy,”
Sarah Potempa, Celebrity Stylist
3. Get Smaller Braids Instead Of Large Ones
If you are intending on keeping your style for at least 6 weeks (I’m sure you are), then I recommend that you rather get box braids or Senegalese twists for smaller extensions.
If you put the care and effort in, your style will remain fresh, neat, and flawless!
4. Use A Pomade Or Gel
Once you have carefully parted your hair and sectioned it off, the next step is making sure that you get the technique and the products right (this really is essential)!
A good pomade will provide extra hold as well as coating the hair and hiding any split ends or flyaways and will make sure that your hair, or any synthetic hair, will lay flat for long periods of time.
I recommend Chronos And Creed – Certified Organic Hair Pomade because it’s 100% organic and free of any added chemicals (plus it works like a charm)!
“A good pomade will add hold while coating the hair and concealing any split ends or flyaways,”
Simone Cremona, Brooklyn-based hairstylist and owner of MyTresses salon
5. Detangle As You Go
The smoother your braid is, the less frizz! This is why it is so important that you constantly detangle as you braid. When all of your hair is laying flat facing the same direction, it prevents pieces from quickly separating and causing frizz.
Insider Tip: Every few layers should be followed by a soft, gentle detangle with a fine-toothed comb as you braid.
6. Finishing Products Are Essential
Just because your braids are now complete does not mean that your work is done! Finishing steps are so important, as you need to make sure that your braids remain perfect as time goes on.
If you are using synthetic hair to add thickness and length, your hair should ideally be set with extremely hot water so that your braids do not unravel. In order to keep flyaways flat, Simone Cremona recommends using a foam mousse.
You can simply apply a few pumps of mousse to your hair to keep everything laying flat as it should be. If you plan on hitting the beach or swimming pool, allow the hair to dry completely post-swim or workout, and then apply some mousse to help conceal any frizz.
“Mousse also comes in handy weeks later if you’re experiencing slight frizz. You can apply some more and tie your hair down to smooth any loops left-out.”
Simone Cremona, Brooklyn-based hairstylist and owner of MyTresses salon
7. Care For You Braids While You Sleep
While this may be the last step to preventing frizz, it’s certainly not the least important! Caring for your hair while you sleep is absolutely vital to preventing frizz, and it only involves making a few small changes to your routine.
Moving around while you sleep creates tension on your hair, and this can result in breakage, friction, and you guessed it—frizz! To avoid this, invest in a satin scarf, bonnet, or silk pillowcase. This will reduce tension and friction, meaning you’ll wake up with smoother, neater braids every morning.
If itching is a problem for you, then you can also get an anti-itch spray for when you sleep. Often we don’t realize that we are scratching our hair when are sleeping and this can disturb our roots and cause unwanted frizz.
You can also choose scalp treatments that contain charcoal, witch hazel, or apple cider vinegar to help absorb excess sebum from your scalp. This will help keep both your hair and your scalp in their best condition!
“Spray asoothing scalp treatmentwith tea tree or peppermint oil on before bed, that way you aren’t tempted to itch your scalp.”
Simone Cremona, Brooklyn-based hairstylist and owner of MyTresses salon
3 Great Styles To Fix Frizzy Braids
If you’re already stuck with frizzy braids and don’t know where to begin, then I’m here to help you salvage them with a few simple and effective styles! These will help you to temporarily make frizzy braids appear better.
The best style to fix frizzy braids is Bantu knots, as they are a great way to smooth and stretch braids. All you need to do is wrap your braids in a circle near your scalp and continue to wind the hair around itself, facing one direction until you’ve formed a neat bun. Then secure it in a ponytail holder or a pin.
Just make sure that you try these methods on freshly cleaned, damp braids and leave them in until your hair is totally dry.
1. Bantu Knot Outs
If you have mini braids, Bantu knots are a perfect way to smooth and stretch them out. The end look will leave you with loose waves and bends. This is most likely the best way to make your braids appear less frizzy. However, this method does take the longest to dry and is rather uncomfortable to sleep in.
The resulting look will be loose waves and bends. This is probably the best way to make braids look less frizzy, however, it takes the longest to dry and is uncomfortable to sleep in.
2. Flat Twists Or Single Twists
The aim of the flat twist is to stretch the hair and encourage the roots to lay flat. They are also pretty easy to do! Single twists, on the other hand, will stretch and smooth the lengths of your braids perfectly. These two styles are ideal for removing the appearance of frizz!
Simply pull the twists across your head and pin them in place or use some perm rods on the ends. Lastly, conceal with a scarf until they are completely dry. You’ll be left with a wavy, flawless finish!
3. Cornrows or Single Braids
You can cornrow or braid bigger sections of mini braids to stretch them out and get rid of frizz. Make sure that you braid on freshly co-washed hair. Conceal your hair using a scarf until the hair is completely dry. When you remove them, you’ll have noticeably tighter bends and waves than what you would get if you were twisting!
Additional Methods To Revive Frizzy Braids
Another way to revive frizzy braids is to use a moisturizing braid spray with conditioning properties; this will add slip to your hair and tame fly-aways. The best braid spray for frizzy braids is the Jamaican Mango No More Itch Gro Spray as it moisturizes your hair and keeps your braids looking fresh by preventing frizz; it also eases itching.
Keep reading to see what other methods you can try to revive your frizzy braids:
1. Treat Your Braids To Some Hot Water
You can also revive your braids with something as simple and easy as hot water! Simply boil a pot of hot water and dip a towel into it. Using some tongs, remove the towel from the pot and let it cool a little. Simply lay the towel down on your braided hair and allow the hot water to tame the frizz and freshen up your braids!
2. Light It Up!
When it comes to braids, you can sometimes tame frizz by quickly running a lighter across the length of the braid and quickly smoothing it out. This works best with kanekalon hair. Just make sure that you do NOT light the area where your natural hair begins and ends.
If this makes you a little nervous, as a friend who’s done it before to help you out (it works, I promise)!
FAQs
How do you fix frizzy hair with braids? ›
Oludele recommends boiling a pot of hot water, then dipping a towel into it. Using tongs, remove the towel from the pot and let it cool enough so that it's still very warm, but not too hot to touch. Then, lay the towel on top of your braided hair. The hot water will tamp down the frizz and freshen your braids.
What products make braids less frizzy? ›Product Recommendation: Shea Moisture's Coconut & Hibiscus Frizz-free Mousse will offer sleekness, shine and minimum crunch or flaky residue. African Royale Braid and Extensions Sheen Spray has been a staple for box braids for over a decade, and is my personal favorite due to being infused with natural tea tree oil.
What can I do about frizzy knotless braids? ›First, apply some water to your braids to fix frizzy knotless braids. It will provide moisture and nourishment. Then, apply Controlled Chaos Curl Creme to the ends and any frizzy areas of your braids. Moreover, it will smooth and define them.
Does mousse help with frizzy braids? ›Frizz & Flyaways Control: When your hair is frizzy, flyaway and curly, use braid mousse to smooth and smooth your hair while adding shine to your braids. Easy to Achieve Long Lasting Soft Styling: All you need to do is apply the hair braid mousse to your finished braided hairstyle.
Why is my braid out frizzy? ›To avoid a frizzy braid out, make sure your hair is 100% dry before unraveling your braids. To dry your braids properly, sit under a hooded dryer for about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Once your hair is 100% dry, rub a little oil on your hands and begin to unravel starting from the ends.
Does water make braids frizzy? ›People can take a swim and enjoy the pool or beach, whatever hairstyle they have. However, swimming with box braids comes with concerns. Some hairstyles become dry and frizzy when getting wet for a long time. Box braids are one of those hairstyles that lose their shape and beauty due to dryness and frizziness.
What is the best gel for frizzy braids? ›AllDay Locks Braid Gel is your go-to edge control braid styling gel! Our extreme hold braiding gel can be used during and after the braiding process as an edge control and frizz tamer.
What should I moisturize my braids with? ›Two of the best ways to moisturize your hair under a protective style is to spritz your hair with a mixture of water and a light oil, such as olive oil, coconut oil, or jojoba oil, on a daily basis.
How often should you put mousse on braids? ›Mousse contain alcohol and other drying agents that may cause your hair to dry out. With that being said, though you can use it everyday, its best to only use when need and take note in any changes in your hair.
How do you make braids not frizzy overnight? ›Wrap box braids and cornrows in a silk or satin scarf to prevent frizz and breakage. Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase to prevent friction and keep braids secure.
What helps braids look fresh? ›
It's important to gently wash your braids at once every two weeks. However, you don't need to douse your braids in water if you don't want to. Instead, use a root rinse or treatment to cleanse your scalp. You can also use dry shampoo or dry-wash your hair by dampening a washcloth with warm water and shampoo.
Why aren't my braids smooth? ›There isn't enough product in it: Even if you aren't typically the type to use product, when creating your desired braid, you need to keep hairs in check. Whether it's loose plaits or tight and smooth hair, products like gel, dry shampoo, or hairspray help you achieve the right look.
What's the foam they put on braids? ›AllDay Locks️ Braid Foam is the perfect finishing touch to all your protective hairstyles, as it sets and seals your braids. It locks in moisture and helps you keep your styles for longer, all while adding a lustrous sheen.
Should you add gel to your braid out? ›Your choice of styler may just make or break the braid-out results. Gels are the best as they are stickier and highlights the good and not so good curls. In addition, it makes the curls more pliable to form into the pattern of the braid-out.
How do you soften stiff box braids? ›Use warm water.
To help loosen up your braids you can wet a cloth with warm water and gently rub your scalp. We suggest using warm water as cold water may feel a bit uncomfortable on your scalp.
Although braids can last anywhere between two to eight weeks depending on which kind you go for and how you wear them, you should be prepared to cleanse roughly every two to three weeks. If you've been swimming (or happen to sweat a lot), your scalp will require a bit of TLC.
What should I put in my braids? ›- Pearls. "These are amazing as a part of a cute denim outfit," Ojeifo says. ...
- Braiding String. "This is definitely what I use the most. ...
- Viking Coils. ...
- Feathers. ...
- Shells. ...
- Butterflies. ...
- Hair Hoops. ...
- Split Fasteners.
At first, braids might seem like a low-maintenance style. But, to keep your braids looking healthy and smooth, you'll need to moisturize them regularly. Apply a moisturizer and seal your braids to protect your locks. Moisturize your braids after any washing or at least 2-3 times a week.
What can I put on my braids to make them last? ›Shea Moisture Raw Butter Extra Moisture Detangler. Prepping your scalp and hair with moisturising oils and lightweight lotions can also help your hair strands to retain moisture, which will serve you well when your hair is twisted into beautiful braids away from your natural oil production.
Should you oil your scalp everyday with braids? ›To regularly take care of your hair in your braids, you should oil your scalp 2-3 times a week with moisturizing oils. Also, wash your scalp after strenuous activities such as swimming to ensure there is no dirt and product build-up.
How do you treat dry braids? ›
- Use jojoba oil on dry hair spots to moisturize your hair.
- Avoid using excessive hair care products. ...
- Wash your braids once a week with diluted shampoo and conditioner. ...
- Remember to apply a scalp pomade post-wash.
To maintain and care for your hair while it's braided, we recommend a leave-in conditioner. You can mix the leave-in conditioner with the strengthening oil and water in a spray bottle to moisturize your hair scalp every 1 to 3 days.
Do you put mousse on wet or dry braids? ›You can use mousse on dry hair but you're better off leaving it for damp hair. Because it helps to add definition and volume, it's best when your hair is still a little wet, before your style is locked into place.
Why do you dip braids in hot water? ›Dipping your braids in hot water (rather than cold or warm water) keeps the ends straight and frizz-free, and it helps keep them from coming undone. It's an easy way to set newly-done braids or to refresh older ones.
How do you clarify your hair after braids? ›After you've removed any excess buildup from braids, Miller suggests going in with either a hydrating or clarifying shampoo or rotating between the two. If you don't want to use a hydrating cleanser you can lean towards a co-wash, she says.
How do you deep condition your hair after braids? ›After I remove my braids, I divide my hair into sections and apply my pre-poo oils. I use a mixture of coconut and olive oil, and have found that these two oils deliver the best results for my hair—the coconut oil adds hydration, and the olive oil seals in moisture.
How long do knotless braids look fresh? ›Knotless box braids last for between two to three months with salon maintenance, according to Oludele, who recommends clients come in after one or two months of wearing knotless box braids.
Why is my hair so frizzy in braids? ›🙂 Frizz on braids is caused mostly by short hairs coming out of the braids and sticking straight up and out. New growth can also cause the braids to look frizzy but most mini braid wearers will not have significant growth until about 4 weeks of wearing mini braids.
How do you keep braids from frizzing overnight? ›Wrap box braids and cornrows in a silk or satin scarf to prevent frizz and breakage. Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase to prevent friction and keep braids secure. Moisturize your scalp and prevent itching with grapeseed, castor, or tea tree oil.
Does washing braids make them frizzy? ›Going slowly and washing your hair with care is essential to preventing your box braids from frizzing up after your wash. "Make sure you are gently massaging the scalp to reduce frizziness," says Mack. You should wash your hair every two weeks.
How do you keep braids fresh? ›
It's important to gently wash your braids at once every two weeks. However, you don't need to douse your braids in water if you don't want to. Instead, use a root rinse or treatment to cleanse your scalp. You can also use dry shampoo or dry-wash your hair by dampening a washcloth with warm water and shampoo.
How do you moisturize braids daily? ›Two of the best ways to moisturize your hair under a protective style is to spritz your hair with a mixture of water and a light oil, such as olive oil, coconut oil, or jojoba oil, on a daily basis. The second way is to apply a water-based leave-in conditioner to your hair.
How often should I wash my braids? ›Although braids can last anywhere between two to eight weeks depending on which kind you go for and how you wear them, you should be prepared to cleanse roughly every two to three weeks.