Frizzy and Fine
In order to tame that pesky frizz, your first impulse might be to slather your hair with a thick serum; however, if your hair is also fine, you'll want to smooth your strands without sacrificing volume. "The most common mistake that people with frizzy-fine texture make is thinking they need to weigh their hair down," says celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson. "They use heavy conditioners and serums that don't allow hair to breathe and have a life of its own."
Frizzy-Fine Hair Must:
ApHogee Two-Step Protein Treatment, $20.99, sallybeauty.com
To fight frizz and nourish dry, damaged locks, Gibson recommends a keratin and protein treatment like Aphogee's that will condition hair without weighing it down. If blow-drying, he suggests using a styling product with thermal protection: "Because the diameter of each strand of hair tends to be on the finer side, frizzy-fine hair can be more fragile and vulnerable than other types," he says.
Frizzy and Thick
"Unlike frizzy-fine texture, frizzy-thick hair can usually handle a product that's a little bit heavier," says Gibson. "You're not always going to get everything you're looking for in one go, so I encourage women with frizzy-thick hair to mix products—for example, use one thing for control and another for shine."
"Pomades and antihumectants can add shine," says Christo, hairstylist and curly-hair expert. "However, because of frizz you need to use dry pomade because it has a water base and won't attract humidity in the air."
Frizzy-Thick Hair Musts:
Ted Gibson Fix-It Gel ($28) and Tame-It Shine Lotion ($31), beauty.com
"I like mixing my Fix-It Gel with my Tame-It Shine Lotion because you get the control and the shine," says Gibson.
Frizzy and Color-Treated
"Even though it looks coarser and thicker, frizzy hair is actually very fragile," says celebrity colorist Rita Hazan. "When coloring this type of hair, you have to take this into consideration—use really mild chemicals and don't overprocess."
Frizzy-Color-Treated Hair Must:
Pureology HydraCure Intense Moisture Hair Masque, $45, pureology.com
"It's super important to apply a conditioning treatment right after coloring," says Hazan. In order to maintain your color and keep dry strands moisturized, Hazan also recommends using a deep conditioning mask once a week.
Curly and Fine
If you have fine, curly locks, select products that boost and shape your ringlets without letting them fall flat. Be silicone-savvy: "While some silicones are breathable, others are not," says Christo, who notes that water-insoluble silicones can build up over time and weigh down your hair. While a touch of product with "bad" silicone probably won't hinder your hair shaft's ability to absorb moisture, if you're hooked on the instant gratification (read silky, shiny hair), just be sure you're using a little versus a lot.
Curly-Fine Hair Musts:
Bumble and Bumble Curl-Conscious Defining Crème, $27, bumbleandbumble.com
John Frieda Take Charge Curl-Boosting Mousse, $6.49, drugstores
To battle droopiness and boost volume, you'll need a lightweight styling cream like this silicone-free one from Bumble and bumble, which promotes hair's water absorption and retention while keeping fine curls perky. A good silicone product to try? John Frieda's mousse makes curls soft and supple.
Curly and Thick
"For curly-thick hair, avoid styling products that contain alcohol—alcohol will dry out your curls and create more frizz," says Christo, who also suggests doing your research before getting a haircut. "Too many layers and cutting hair without texturizing can make already-thick hair puffy and out of control," he says.
Curly-Thick Hair Must:
Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment, $55, ojon.com
Using a light, oil-based treatment like Ojon's will moisturize curls instead of drying them out, like alcohol-heavy products can. If blow-drying, Christo says that it's also necessary to safeguard curls against heat: "Thermal protection will give curls a nice, soft finish, and using a diffuser big and round enough to circulate the air will protect against prolonged heat exposure."
Curly and Color-Treated
"Every curly-haired person who gets her hair colored is going to have a problem with frizz—the two kind of go hand in hand," says Hazan. "When highlighting curly hair, you have to make the color a touch more dramatic because you never know which hair is going to entwine with each other; the color has to be seen." If you also wear your curly locks straight, Hazan says to visit a professional: "You don't want the highlights to look overly dramatic when hair is straightened—it has to work both ways."
Curly-Color-Treated Must:
Curlisto Colorective Shampoo ($37) and Conditioner ($39), curlisto.com
"If you have curly and color-treated hair, you'll want to condition more," says Christo, who recommends his custom-blended Colorective shampoo and conditioner, which comes in red, dark brown, medium brown, black, and blond formulations.
Straight and Fine
Straight-Fine Must:
Aveda Volumizing Tonic, $14, aveda.com
Aveda's Volumizing Tonic contains just enough alcohol to boost limp locks (about 6 percent). It also comes packed with wheat amino acids and certified organic aloe that impart shine and increase hair's ability to retain moisture.
Straight and Thick
"The thicker the hair, the more product and the heavier product it can take," says Gibson. That means, if you're using a leave-in conditioner or thermal protecting cream before blow-drying hair straight, you can get away with using more than the usual dime-size amount. But just because straight-thick hair can take more product doesn't mean it can endure more stress: "Use a combination brush with boar and nylon bristles to smooth out and straighten without dehydrating," says Gibson.
Straight-Thick Must:
SuperSolano 3600 Micro Dryer, $220, beauty supply stores
If you have thick hair and regularly blow-dry it, consider investing in a high-powered ionic and ceramic hair dryer, say Gibson and Christo. As anyone with a thick head of hair knows, drying hair can take a while; a stronger hair dryer will ensure a quicker dry and less heat damage.
Straight and Color-Treated
"In general, straight hair tends to be a little stronger than curly or frizzy hair so you can be more aggressive when coloring it," says Hazan, who adds that the mildness of color and bleach should be tailored to the "most fragile" texture on the head.
Straight-Color-Treated Must:
Pantene Pro-V Expressions Shampoo and Conditioner, $5.49 each, drugstores
When caring for your straight, color-treated strands, colorist Gina Gilbert of the Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon in L.A. recommends using products made specifically for your hair hue. Lathering up with a shampoo and conditioner for color-treated hair ensures a gentler wash; however, Gilbert says using ones that are also geared toward your unique shade can make your color last longer, too. "This ensures that hair is getting the prescriptive attention it needs," she says. "For example, brunets lack shine and blonds battle brassiness."
Straight and Chemically Straightened
If you're a sucker for sleeky-straight strands, chances are you've gone the route of relaxers or are thinking about it. "African-American women tend to use lye relaxers—they are the strongest and break down bonds very easily and faster than most other relaxers," says Gibson. "Japanese relaxers are also good because they smooth the bonds of the hair and are great for stubborn hair that won't conform to a new shape." But if you're going to go the Brazilian straightening route, make sure your stylist uses a formaldehyde-free formula: "It's the newest on the market and is better for coarse, unruly hair," says Gibson.
Another precaution: Don't chemically straighten and color-treat your hair! "It's a disaster to do both," says Hazan. "I recommend women do one or the other."
Chemically Straightened Must:
Kérastase Sérum Nuit, $65, kerastase-usa.com
"Relaxers are good for wavy, coarse hair, but if you have tight curls, it's important to maintain the look," says Christo. "When it grows out, the ends will be straight but the top will be curly."
In between salon visits, Gibson suggests shampooing less frequently. "Sometimes overshampooing will make the hair revert," he says. "Deep overnight conditioners will give hair strength and help repair damage from overstyling and overrelaxing."
