Every time I see a shampoo advertisement on television, I find myself asking ‘How do these women manage to have such beautiful, perfect hair?’

It just isn’t fair!

Let’s face it, this isn’t a perfect world, and we all have bad hair days.

Mine, especially, seem to have a mind of their own!

Come monsoons, and my somewhat tame mane turns into something out of an African rain forest.

But, after dealing with this problem for almost an era, I’ve come up with a few simple solutions to keep hair looking respectable, especially in the rainy season.

To get to find an answer to stop hair from going frizzy, we have to get to the root of the problem.

Why Hair Becomes Frizzy?

Most of it has to do with genetics, but the main reason is that the hair isn’t able to retain moisture, since the hair cuticles are not held together tightly.

This can be caused by excessive blow drying, ironing, perms, or using too many hair products like gels, colors and highlights. Another cause could be poor diet, resulting in undernourished hair follicles.

Too much sun and pollution are also bad for the hair, as they cause dryness of the scalp.

Tips on Handling Frizz

Fighting frizz doesn’t have to be difficult. Just follow a good hair care routine that includes:

1. Regular Oiling:

Using good hair oil is very important to keep hair healthy and nourished. Many of us don’t have the time or patience for oiling, but once you start, you will definitely notice the difference.

Oiling helps get rid of dryness and replenish natural oils of the scalp. However, don’t keep oil overnight. In fact, leaving the oil on your scalp for just 45 minutes, once a week, before shampooing, is good enough.

During monsoons, coconut oil, olive oil or jojoba oil works well. Remember to massage it well into the scalp, or better still, get it done by someone else.

2. Keeping Hair Clean:

The rainy season is all about humidity, which leads to excessive sweating. Your scalp has sweat glands too, which makes your hair sticky, at times leading to dandruff.

Therefore, it is important to shampoo at least thrice a week, to keep the scalp clean and free of sweat and germs. Also, regular trimming is imperative as it will help get rid of split ends and keep hair looking even.

3. The Right Shampoo:

It has been said enough before, but please choose a shampoo according to your hair type. Frizzy hair needs a good moisturizing shampoo, preferably with vitamins and essential oils.

Don’t overdo it, though¸ use only a coin size amount and apply to scalp, not the hair ends. Also, do not undermine the importance of conditioning after every wash.

Always condition the ends of hair and don’t apply any on the scalp, or your hair will go limp. Wash off well.

4. Serums and Masques:

There are plenty of serums available today to tame frizzy hair. A very small quantity is needed, and should be applied to semi-wet hair. Use them especially before you have to blow dry, or straighten your hair. 

They will help seal in the moisture. Hair masques are also good to nourish frizzy hair. Get a good masque treatment from your salon, at least once in 15 days. It will leave your hair feeling smooth as silk.

5. Avoiding the Brush:

I know you feel brushing makes your hair smoother, but actually it is the other way round. Excessive brushing damages the hair cuticles, making it frizzier than ever. And brushing wet hair is absolute murder.

Instead use a wide tooth comb, to disentangle wet hair. If you must, use a round brush to set hair while blow drying.

6. Good old Home Remedies:

Once in a while it’s good to spend some time on your hair with some simple home remedies. Good old curd has many benefits. Make a mask with 2 tsp curd (depending on your hair length), gram flour (besan) and olive oil. Apply to hair, and wash after 15 minutes.

Another interesting remedy is applying mashed banana, or avocado, before your hair wash.

Spraying a mixture of vinegar and water after your shampoo, also works well. Another great conditioner is beer, especially wheat beer, or any other dark ale, you can find.

Frizzy hair is your body’s way of telling you to check your diet. A well balanced diet with enough vitamins, protein and folic acid, not to mention, regular exercise, is sure to contribute to a healthy mane. So don’t fret over unmanageable hair this monsoon.

Try these tips and look forward to a great season.