Dear Karen,
I am confused by
many of the available hair styling products on the market. I
regularly blow dry my naturally curly hair straight. My
hairdresser recommended Phytodefrisant which she said is
a great anti-frizz serum. While I love the way that my hair no
longer frizzes with the Phyto, I still find that it doesn’t get
my hair as straight as I would like. Recently a friend told me
that I should either use just a straightening balm instead of
the anti-frizz serum.
Can you please
explain the differences between the serums and the straightening
balms and which I should use to get no frizz with straight hair?
Thank you in
advance for any help.
Marilyn
Answer
Dear Marilyn,
Keeping in
mind that all hair is not created equally, anti-frizz serums
are usually best for creating shine, providing conditioning and
offering a good first line of defense against dry, wavy or curly
strands. In addition, the silicone or similar “cone” style
ingredients found in most anti-frizz serums helps to protect
hair from heat damage by lightly coating the outer cuticle.
Straightening balms or gels
differ from the serums by the fact that they are designed
specifically to condition and provide temporary straightening
for parched, naturally wavy and curly tresses. The balms,
unlike the serums, are infused with copolymers and
polyquaternium. Another difference is that the straightening
balms offer extra holding power, which is very important for
creating those stick straight styles. Anti-frizz serums may not
have the same special holding power.
While many people are happy
using only an Anti-Frizz Serum on their tresses like
Phytodefrisant or Rene Furterer’s Control Emulsion
Anti-Frizz, for stick straight blow outs, many people will
cocktail or combine their anti-frizz serums with a separate
straightening balm or gel.
If you decide to combine both types of products to fight
frizz and straighten, you have the option to apply a frizz serum
and straightening balm either separately or mixed together. If
you apply the products separately, first apply the defrisant
product damp, not dripping wet, hair followed by the
straightening gel.
Many
hairdressers will actually blend an anti-frizz serum and a
straightening balm together. Apply a quarter sized dollop of
both products to the palms of your hands and mix well together.
Distribute well from the roots to the ends.
While it’s not necessary to stick with one specific product line
for both a defrisant and straightening balm, keep in mind that
many hair care manufacturers specifically design a defrisant
product to work with a matching straightener.
As an
example of this concept, Rene Furterer’s Control Emulsion
Anti-Frizz works in harmony with the Rene Furterer
Fioravanti Straightening Gel. JF Lazartigue also has
a pair of complementary frizz and straightening products. Their
Straightening Gel For Curly Hair is designed to work with their
Smoothing Shining Balm.
Many frizz
busting hair aficionados mix and match. Phytodefrisant is one
of the most popular of anti-frizz serums available on the
marketplace today and be matched to another Phyto or any other
product you might prefer.
There is no
reason that you need to stick with any one line for both your
serum and straightening balm.
Of course
there are a dizzying array of other brands that are also
excellent. Paul Brown Hawaii has their stay straight
product which is actually a combination of both an anti-frizz
serum premixed with a smoothing balm in one tube.
Keep in mind
that your hairdresser might have a different opinion about what
products or combination of products would work for your hair
type, texture and current hairstyle goals. Also ask your
stylist for their input since they have a lot of expertise
working with a wide range of products over time.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 08, 2005
Difference Between Anti-Frizz Serum & Straightening Balm?
Question
Dear Karen,
I usually am very rushed in the
mornings when I shampoo, blow dry and style my hair. As a
result my hair usually turns out messy or out of control.
Any suggestions?
Shannon
Answer
Dear
Shannon,
You have several options
that include:
1. Washing, blow drying and styling your hair at night
before you go to bed. This gives you time to get your hair
exactly the way you like it. Then wrap a silk scarf around
your style and sleep on it. The next morning you can take
off the scarf and finger pick your strands into the desired
shape. Finish with a light spritz of your favorite
hairspray. For added shine, apply a tiny bit of serum to
the palms of your hands and lightly brush over the top of your
tresses.
2. If you must wash
your hair in the mornings, shampoo, towel blot the excess water
from your strands, detangle and then just blow dry the perimeter
of your hair such as your bangs. Wrap your damp locks into
a "wet bun" and let your hair air dry while you finish dressing,
apply makeup and travel to work. If you prefer your hair
worn down, after your hair is dry to the touch, undo the bun and
let your tresses cascade down into a natural style.
3. Experiment with
washing your hair less often than every day. Instead of
rushing each morning to shampoo, blow dry and style, pop on a
shower cap to keep your hair dry and then experiment with a
variety of quick twists, chignons or ponies to quickly dress up
your hair. Play with a variety of hair accessories from
headbands, barrettes, decorated bobby pins and clips to change
your daily look.
