This Afro is perfect for super thick, kinky hair. The best part? There's no need to fuss with hot tools.
To get the look: "Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo and condition like crazy with a strong treatment," says Philip B. (Keep in mind you don't want to wash long, curly hair more than once a week; conditioner and water are usually enough.) While hair is still damp, rub a few drops of hair oil between your palms and smooth it through your hair from scalp to ends. Finish with a leave-in conditioner to seal the moisture into your hair, and use your fingertips or an ultra wide-tooth comb to build the volume you want.
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The Beehive Updo
Frizz is not only accepted but enhanced by this extreme, volumized updo. Wear this style to instantly glam up a pair of jeans for a night out, or pair it with a chic LBD.
To get the look: Mist roots with a dry shampoo, like Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray, $19.50, to give your hair lift and grip. Set your hair with a few large hot rollers until they cool. From there, use a fine-tooth comb to tease your hair at the crown. Sweep your hair up into a messy chignon and pin it in place. "Be sure to let some pieces at the front hang loose, for an easy, undone effect -- not uptight perfection," says Philip B.
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Messy Fishtail Braid
Philip B. says this is an ultra-romantic look where frizz looks windswept and effortless. "The great thing about this style, aside from its sexy, feminine effect, is that it uses the imperfection of unruly hair and works it to your advantage," he says.
To get the look: Work mousse through damp hair and let it air dry. Once it's dry, touch up a few pieces of your hair with a large barrel curling iron, and use a fine-tooth comb to tease your hair at the crown. Once you have the requisite volume, rake your hair back into a low ponytail and tie with an elastic. Wind it into a messy fishtail braid by splitting your hair into two sections. Then, take a small section of hair from the outside of the left half and bring it over to add to the right half. Do the same thing on the other side, and repeat until you're done. Finally, tie it with an elastic, and cut the first elastic so the braid looks more undone. "Finish by pulling out a few loose pieces in the front to create an airy, modern, youthful effect," he says.
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Oversized Bun
While this looks extremely polished, you can vary the amount of frizz in your topknot or bun according to your hair texture. The more texture, the better. "You need texture to create this high-set, oversized ballerina bun -- it's wonderful because it looks so full and rich," says Philip B.
To get the look: For maximum texture, work mousse through damp hair and let it air dry. Then mist it with dry shampoo and brush it into a high ponytail at the crown. Tightly secure the ponytail with a hair elastic. Then taking one-inch sections of hair, backcomb the ponytail like crazy until it's soft and voluminous. Finish by winding the hair around the base of the ponytail, maintaining a nice, round shape, and pin it in place.
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Long, Sexy Layers
If you have curls, let them loose with this style. "The key is to have the shortest layer of your hair start at your chin or lower," says Philip B. "So make sure that you and your stylist are on the same page -- otherwise you risk the dreaded poufy, pyramid effect." He says this only requires a bit of taming and the payoff is huge: incredible volume and softly structured, bouncy ringlets.
To get the look: After washing and conditioning your hair, simply rake a golf-ball-sized puff of volumizing mousse through wet hair and let it air dry. Once it's dry, touch up a few pieces with a large barrel curling iron. If you want, you can smooth a little bit of hair oil between your fingertips and use it to polish the ends.
When it comes to dealing with frizzy hair, it seems like the only advice we ever hear is how to tame it: Use "smoothing" shampoo, flat iron your hair until it's crisp, then finish it with two cups of anti-frizz gel and a cloud of hairspray. Sound about right?
The only problem is that after we force our frizz into straight submission, two hours later we catch a glimpse of our hair in a mirror and we look like Carrot Top -- again.
So what's a frizzy-haired gal to do? Instead of recommending a laundry list of all the anti-frizz hair products out there, we'll do you one better: Suggest hairstyles that embrace the frizz instead of trying to tame it.
This season, hair is all about texture, and yes, frizz counts as texture. The key is finding the right hairstyle for your frizzy hair. Celebrity hair and scalp expert Philip B. says some styles actually look better when they're not so smooth and controlled. "A little frizz can add volume and texture in a really cool way," he says.
Philip B. says messy braided hairstyles, textured ponytails, and disheveled chignons with a bit of frizz "can look really sexy -- a little messiness is part of their charm." And when you're really on the go, the secret to dealing with frizzy hair is wearing it long and wild with just a touch of oil to keep your hair looking fluffy and soft.
If you want more specific hairstyles for frizzy hair, keep reading. We've gathered the eight prettiest looks here.
