How to Minimize Frizz in Humid Weather

Yikes, Florida humidity is no joke, and those of us *ahem* blessed with naturally curly hair know the struggle. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to spend my entire vacation with my hair in a bun! I always feel better and more put together when my hair is down. I wrote about ways to beat the heat at Disney, but I also have some tricks that keep my hair looking pretty good in the Florida humidity. Of course, curly hair is never going to look perfect and completely frizz-free, especially when you’re in a theme park and it’s 100 degrees. But I’m going to share with you my best curly hair hacks for minimizing frizz in humid weather.

First, I have been following the curly girl method for about two years. If you’re wondering what that is, this is a good place to start and a great blog to find information on the method. Basically, I don’t use sulfates, silicones, or high heat on my hair ever. There’s loads of information and variations out there on the curly girl method, and I find tons of helpful advice and tips from curly accounts on Instagram, so that’s a great place to look if you’re interested!

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Avoid products with glycerin in them.

Did you know that glycerin causes frizz? I didn’t until I started paying attention to what was in my products! There’s a lot of science behind this, but basically it comes down to the dew point, which is how much moisture is in the air. If the dew point is too high or too low, glycerin will cause frizz. There are a few products that I like that do have glycerin in them, but I try not to use them in the heat of summer or the dead of winter because they make my hair so frizzy. If I do want to use them in the summer, I’ll at the very least layer it between two products without glycerin (see next point). 

Use multiple products.

Before I started doing the curly girl method, I would only ever use one gel on my hair. When I really didn’t want my hair to be frizzy, I’d layer on more and more gel, which sometimes caused it to flake out all over my hair. Ick! Thankfully, I’ve learned that using smaller amounts of multiple products avoids the flaking issue and really helps with frizz. One of my favorite ways to style my hair in the summer is by using three different gels. I learned this trick from @honestlizhere on Instagram. My faves to layer are (1) Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Gel, (2) MopTop Salon Anti-Frizz Gel (this one does have glycerin, but by layering it between two gels that don’t I get great results!), and (3) Ouidad Climate Control Gel.

I’ve also layered gel and mousse (usually Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Mousse) with great results. Another finishing gel that I really like is Aussie Instant Freeze Gel. Experiment before you go to see what works for you! Usually no matter what I use, as long as I finish with Ouidad Climate Control Gel, I’m good to go. That stuff is amazing (the regular one, not the stronger hold one—that one has glycerin in it!). 

Diffuse and add a little extra gel.

If I go outside with wet hair, I get instant frizz. Because of this, I usually diffuse my hair. I have a collapsible diffuser that fits most hotel-room hairdryers and saves space in my luggage. Drying my hair (relatively) quickly and without being exposed to the elements really helps control my frizz. I also “pixie diffuse.” You can find more info on pixie diffusing in this post from naturally curly. Another trick I’ve learned is called the Smasters Method. This basically just means that when my hair is about halfway dry I’ll glide a light layer of my beloved Ouidad Climate Control Gel over it again. This is key for me to getting my hair to last not just all day but multiple days without too much frizz.

Sometimes I’ll wash my hair at night, apply my products, and just go to bed (there’s no tired like Disney-tired!). It can be a bit of a gamble because I never know how it’s going to look when I wake up in the morning, but usually it turns out fine! No matter how you decide to dry your hair, I recommend touching your hair as little as possible while it’s drying. If your hair is crunchy, don’t worry! After it’s completely dry, gently scrunch it and break the cast from the gel. Goodbye crunchy hair!

Pack a few old t-shirts and a silk or satin pillowcase.

This sounds SO extra, I know, but it can really make a difference in your hair! I never ever use a regular towel to dry my hair. Terry cloth towels create so much frizz! I wrap my hair up in an old cotton t-shirt after I get out of the shower and apply my products. If you only do one thing from this list, make it this. Swapping your towel for a t-shirt will make a huge difference in your frizz! I also sleep on a satin pillowcase. This helps my curls stay intact overnight and minimizes frizz so I don’t have to wash my hair every day, which is a lifesaver on days we have early morning breakfast reservations and nights we close out the park.

Put on your ears and let go of your expectations!

Curly hair is never going to look perfect—and it shouldn’t, especially when you’re in a theme park! The less you’re worried about your hair, the more fun you’ll have, which is why I love this method of caring for my hair. On days I don’t wash, I usually just glaze a little Ouidad Climate Control Gel over the top to reduce any frizz and bring back a little definition. Another product I like to use like this is Curl Keeper Tweek, which is a cream hairspray that is alcohol-free so it doesn’t dry out my hair. I’m telling you, it’s worth the time on wash day to only have to spend two minutes on my hair every other day!

Do you have naturally curly hair? Have you ever heard of the curly girl method? Do you have any frizz-control tricks you would add to this list? I want to hear about it! Leave a comment below!

And don’t forget to pin this post for later! ❤️