With summer coming to a close and the cool fall weather sweeping in, there comes this purgatory called humidity. Frizz balls everywhere are crying out in agony, begging for this mess to come to an end. Well, as the master-of-frizz myself, I am here to save the day! I have done some extensive research, on both my hair and through various sources, on how to beat this dreadful beauty disaster that the majority of women, but especially college women, all over the world face. Here are some fabulous ways to both maintain and stop future frizz from occurring.

First, in order to fight it we must understand it. Frizz occurs mainly because of two things: moisture and genetics. According to WebMD, the outer layer of your hair, or the cuticle, is composed of layers that look like shingles. When you brush your hair, those shingles lift causing the illusion of frizz. Dry hair, due to genetics, is more prone to humidity. When moisture enters the cuticle, the shingles yet again lift.

There are many ways to avoid the plague that we classy women call frizz.

Don’t brush your hair: Again, it will lift those shingles, causing frizz. This isn’t to say don’t brush your hair ever, but there is no need to brush your hair if it is already tame. If you feel the need to smooth it out, just do a quick run through with your fingers.

Purchase a conditioner high in protein: According to WebMD, conditioners high in protein will make your hair stronger, decreasing frizz while at the same time increasing shine. Win, win!

Use a smoothing serum: A smoothing serum of some sort is extremely beneficial to both maintaining frizz and increasing shine.

Personally, I use two products: If I have curled my hair and I want to make sure that my curls stay silky smooth, I use John Frieda’s Frizz Ease Hairspray. But, if I’m getting out of the shower and I haven’t yet dried my hair, I squirt a pump of Garnier Fructis’ Anti-Frizz Serum into my hands and run them through my hair. The pump is so easy and eliminates getting oil all over everything, and it is perfect for college life. It doesn’t take up any space in a dorm room! The serum lasts for hours and my hair is less likely to puff up compared to when I don’t use anything.

I went ahead and asked some fabulous CL ladies their tricks of the trade. Here’s what they do to keep their locks smooth and sleek!

“I use a few drops of Biosilk on my already straightened hair. I flip my head over and work the product from my scalp to the tips. It keeps my hair looking flawless all day!” Emily O’Brien- Hofstra University

“Must have my CHI!” – Shelly Marie Redmond, EIC

“Miracle 10 works wonders in a way no other product has for my hair. Pantene works pretty well, too. Garnier just makes my hair greasy.” – Debra Schreiber, Duquesne University

“Use a little Moroccan Hair Oil when drying your hair! It cuts down on a lot of volume though.” – Sarah Elizabeth Gooch, Penn State

“Moroccan Oil! If you see my hair, it’s definitely my favorite! I have big 80s hair so I need all of the help I can get!” – Natalia Weiner, Loyola University Maryland

“To maintain my frizz, I follow the CG method! I only use conditioner in my hair. Every other day, I rinse out my conditioner and apply it to my hair again. This routine allows my hair to stay moisturized and when my hair is moisturized, no frizz comes. I love walking around with flawless curls! I use Tresemme naturals conditioner and L’Oreal Ever crème conditioner. I never mix these products together but they are my choices for when I am ready to apply more conditioner. The biggest tip to this routine is: Once you apply the conditioner, don’t rinse it out!” – Charlene Alexander, USF

So, the next time you’re having a bad hair day don’t blame your straightener…blame genetics and humidity! For more great tips on how to embrace your inner beauty, frizzy or not, check out this great CL article on the beauty by confidence campaign!