Few hair types have become more revered in pop culture than the big, “bombshell” look. You know the look: hair that is long, bouncy, and impossibly full and bodacious. However, not everyone realizes that big, thick hair can be quite an undertaking to maintain. Aside from being incredibly tangle-prone, thick hair is notorious its susceptibility to dryness and frizz, especially in humid climates. Thankfully, nearly all of these issues can be easily prevented by following a couple of basic tips!
Tip #1: Moisturize, Moisturize, and Moisturize
While dry hair can be a problem for practically any hair type, the effects of dryness are incredibly pronounced when encountered in thick hair. You see, when hair becomes dry, it reacts by raising its cuticle layer in order to absorb moisture from the air. This causes the hair to lose its weight and shape, leading to annoying flyaways and frizz. In thinner hair, the effects may be more subtle and easy to cover up, but in thicker hair, the result is an explosion of frizz that can seem impossible to tame.
To combat this, the obvious answer is to feed your thirsty hair the moisture that it craves, especially when travelling to humid climates. One suggestion is to opt for a no-rinse conditioner like Sutra’s Leave-In Conditioner, which continues moisturizing your hair long after showering rather than being rinsed out. For a more intense treatment, look for a rich, hydrating treatment, such as Sutra’s Hair Mask, that includes oils and fatty acids to help close the cuticle and prevent frizz.
Tip #2: Invest in a Good Brush
Dry brushing and detangling are common habits for just about anyone with longer hair, but thicker hair requires a bit more brushing than most. Unfortunately, this excess brushing not only means that styling and straightening takes significantly more time, but it also opens the door for potential breakage and damage. To combat this, the solution is to invest in a brush that is not only strong enough to grip and control thick hair but is also smooth and gentle enough to avoid tangling and snagging. A perfect brush that checks all of these boxes is Sutra’s Flexi Brush, which features smooth, flexible bristles and an adjustable control bar to lock in comb teeth.
Tip #3: Faster, Gentler Blow-Drying
Let’s get this out of the way: thick hair can take FOREVER to dry. Anyone with a thick mane of hair can tell you how long and frustrating the heat styling process is, which means countless time spent holding a blow dryer up to your hair. Sadly, all this extra styling time can easily translate into heat damage, as even the gentlest heated styling tool can damage the hair if applied too long to your hair. The key is to look for a blow dryer such as Sutra’s IR BD2, which uses a powerful motor and infrared heat to reduce drying time and prevent damage.