You know that episode of Friends, where they go to Barbados for Ross's boring presentation and Monica ends up with an Afro? The fro won’t be tamed, so she resorts to braids, which she then tangles in the shower curtain during an energetic rendition of Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry.
Well that’s my life – minus the reggae.
Cornrows can be a tad of an overreaction when it comes to dealing with frizz but, honestly, sometimes things can become that desperate when you're of the fine and fair Irish hair persuasion that I am – and frizz is the bane of your life! Worn up or down, the texture of my hair drives me crazy. The slightest humidity, rain, wind, whatever, and my hair reacts like I’ve been electrocuted (which, incidentally, I was once, and yes, my hair looked mental then, too).
Having tested my share of frizz products – some work and some really don’t – here are a few tips for you if, like me, you’re this close to chopping the lot off…
Get yourself acquainted with John Frieda Full Repair Touch-Up Flyaway Tamer, £10.99
This little beauty will, literally, change your life. It’s a fast-acting clear-frizz serum with a mascara wand. I use it to smoothe the crazy fluffy, frizzy bits that poke out from the sides of my head when my hair is tied back. Smooth a little over the offending hairs and give it a second to dry. I’m not lying when I say I own 10 of them – they’re that good.
**Aveda’s new Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight, £21.50, promises to be a winner when it's released later this month
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It doesn’t penetrate the hair and interfere with its bonds like chemical treatments. Instead, it coats the hair with an invisible and completely lightweight layer which gradually smoothes out the hair. It has an accumulative effect, so expect the results to get better the more you use it. Apply it to washed and towel-dried hair before blow-drying.
Kérastase’s new Discipline line uses morpho-keratin to reduce friction
It works by strengthening the surface of the hair which, in turn, means less friction. Less friction = less frizz. There’s also a Bain Fluidealiste shampoo, £17, and Fondant Fluidealiste lightweight conditioner, £20, and a brilliant Scellage Fluidealiste blow-dry spray, £19.50, which is a must if you want your blow-dry to last the day without an attack of the frizz. My hair was calmer even after the first wash. There will be an intensive in-salon treatment too, which I haven’t got around to trying yet, which will no doubt do something magical. Visit kerastase.co.uk.
**Garnier Ultimate Blends: The Marvellous Glow Oil, £9.99 **
If you fell foul of the genetic lottery twice – meaning that, like me, your hair is both frizzy and fine – then steer clear of the heavy oils. They are amazing, as they are incredibly nourishing and perk up dehydrated hair and make it feel ridiculously silky – on normal hair that is. On fine hair, they can make everything limp and gunky. However, I’m currently in love with Garnier Ultimate Blends: The Marvellous Glow Oil, £9.99. It’s light, but still does the trick and it smells bloody incredible.
Follow Suzanne on Twitter @Suzanne_M_Scott
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.