Summer feels like it has declared war on your hair, you are not imagining it. Humidity is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to frizz. It essentially reactivates the hair’s texture, causing strands to swell and puff outward. But humidity is far from the only offender.

Natural hair texture plays the biggest role of all, and that damage from excessive bleaching or daily heat styling can make things significantly worse. Celebrity hair stylist adds that over washing is another underrated trigger, as it strips the hair of the natural oils that help keep strands smooth and manageable.

The good news. Experts agree that frizz is completely normal, and that working with your hair’s texture rather than against it is the key. The healthier and more hydrated the hair is, the easier it becomes to manage.

Ways to stop frizzy hair this summer

The shower routine that makes all the difference

The foundation of any effective frizz fighting regimen starts in the shower, and it begins with moisture. A hydrating shampoo and conditioner are non-negotiable. Stripping the hair of moisture through harsh cleansers is one of the fastest ways to invite frizz in.

For hair that feels particularly dry or damaged, a weekly hair mask is the next essential step. The classic overnight mask method applying it before bed and washing it out in the morning for a deeper treatment that truly soaks in.

Before stepping out of the shower entirely, Pardoe recommends one final, often overlooked move: a cool water rinse. Cooler temperatures help close the hair cuticle, which is the outermost layer of the hair strand, and doing so right at the end of a wash can get ahead of frizz before it even begins.

After the shower: handle with care

What happens in the minutes after washing can either undo all of your efforts or set your hair up for a great day. Pardoe is emphatic on this point: rough towel drying is one of the worst things a person can do for frizzy hair. Vigorously rubbing strands with a regular bath towel lifts the hair cuticle and creates friction that leads to even more frizz and potential breakage, particularly for those with curly or textured hair.

The solution is a microfiber towel, used with a gentle blotting or scrunching motion to remove excess water without roughing up the hair. From there, a leave in conditioner applied to damp not dripping wet hair adds another layer of moisture and makes detangling easier, reducing the risk of breakage while combing or brushing.

How to style without creating more frizz

Once hair is damp and prepped, layering the right products before any heat styling is critical. Working in a leave in conditioner, a smoothing serum or balm, and a heat protectant in that order before picking up a blow dryer or any hot tool.

When it comes to blow drying, the hair must be dried completely. Hair that still feels cool to the touch when you step outside still has moisture in it, and that residual dampness is what the humidity latches onto to create frizz. Using a nozzle attachment and directing airflow downward helps smooth the cuticle as you dry.

Once the hair is fully dry, a lightweight oil or anti frizz serum applied to the mid lengths and ends seals everything in. Those with thicker hair may do better with a heavier oil, while finer hair types typically benefit from lighter formulas that will not weigh strands down. For flyaways, Keeping a styling paste and a flyaway wand close by, along with a good hairspray, to keep everything in place throughout the day.

The nighttime habits that protect your results

Getting your hair to look great is only half the battle keeping it that way overnight is the other. Swapping a regular pillowcase for a silk one, which creates far less friction against the hair while you sleep. That friction from rougher fabrics is a key reason many people wake up with frizz even after a good hair day.

Perhaps most importantly, both experts caution against going to bed with wet hair. Sleeping on damp strands disrupts the cuticle and often results in significantly more frizz come morning an easy habit to break that makes a noticeable difference in long term hair health.