Frizz-Busting Part I: Creating Beautiful Natural Curls

Overheard on Potomac Avenue, "Man, my hair is so frizzy it looks out of focus."

Frizz: the hair-killer. What to do about it? Well, it depends on a few things.  Frizz can be natural or come from damage from sun, hair color and treatments, or not-so-good styling techniques. This week I will show you how to create natural curls with a good curl cream and a diffuser.

Natural frizz, I hate to say it, is natural. Unfortunately, over time our hair changes and that beautiful hair that used to behave in our teens becomes a wooly mess as time goes on. Most frizzy hair has some curl to it, and so there is hope if you want to show off your curls. The trick is  to apply a curl cream to hair that has only been lightly towel dried so it is still wet but not dripping.

Stay with me people, it's okay. I'm talking about curl cream, not mousse. We don't want you looking like you're going to a 1987 Bon Jovi concert. Curl cream has the look and feel of hand lotion, and it's designed to hold wet hair and keep it from frizzing as it dries, without getting crunchy. Most salons carry some brand of curl cream, or first timers can try a drug store brand, though I'm not sure it will be of the same quality.

Then use a generous amount of curl cream. I know, right? (I use about a tablespoon for my shoulder-length hair. Experiment some time on your day off to find the right amount. Too much it can look dirty, too little and it will be a frizzy mess).

Flip your hair upside down and blow dry on low speed with a diffuser. Use only the diffuser, and not your hands. You want to let the curl cream do its job and curl the hair as the water evaporates. Running your hands through it will break the curl cream up and cause it to frizz. It takes patience, but it's worth it.

Once the hair is about 90% dry you're done. Now don't touch it. Pin it up if you must, but don't touch it. The curls will soften throughout the day and lay beautifully for you. A great curl cream set can last a few days.

Next week: Frizz-Busting Part II: Flat Ironing Like a Pro