How to Stop Frizzy Hair in Humidity

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To stop frizzy hair in humidity, you need to keep moisture in your hair and humid air out. That means a hydrating mask or treatment in the shower, a leave-in cream on damp hair, and a lightweight serum or oil to smooth and seal the cuticle once you've styled. Get those three steps right and your hair will cope far better with a sticky Brisbane, Darwin or Sydney summer.

Why does humidity make hair frizzy?

Each hair strand is covered by a layer of tiny overlapping scales called the cuticle. When hair is healthy and well moisturised, the cuticle lies flat and hair looks smooth and shiny. When hair is dry or damaged – from colouring, heat styling, sun, chlorine or salt water – the cuticle lifts and the strand becomes more porous.

In humid weather, porous hair pulls moisture from the air unevenly. Some sections swell, others don't, and the result is the familiar halo of frizz and flyaways. That's why frizz is often worst on dry, coloured or curly hair, and why it flares up from late spring through to autumn across much of Australia, especially in Queensland, northern New South Wales and the Top End.

The anti-frizz routine for humid weather

1. Wash gently and don't skip conditioner

Harsh washing strips hair and makes frizz worse. Focus shampoo on your scalp, let the suds run through the lengths, and always follow with conditioner from mid-lengths to ends. Rinse in lukewarm rather than very hot water.

2. Use a rich hair mask once or twice a week

A weekly mask helps restore softness to dry lengths before the humidity hits. The Shiseido Tsubaki Premium EX Repair Hair Mask is a Japanese rinse-off mask with camellia oil, soy protein and royal jelly. It's designed for more intensive repair of damaged hair and doesn't need a long waiting time, so it's easy to fit into a busy shower routine.

3. Apply a leave-in cream to damp hair

Leave-in products are the backbone of any anti-frizz routine because they keep hair hydrated all day. The Dariya Momori Moist Hair Cream is a hydrating treatment with shea butter, keratin and amino acids, botanical oils such as argan and camellia, and panthenol. It's designed to restore moisture, reduce frizz and improve manageability, leaving hair smooth and shiny. Work a small amount through towel-dried lengths, avoiding the roots.

Looking for more options? See our guide to leave-in conditioners that tame and repair.

4. Dry smart

• Blot hair with a microfibre towel or cotton T-shirt instead of rubbing.
• If you blow-dry, point the nozzle down the hair shaft to help the cuticle lie flat.
• Let hair dry completely before heading out – stepping into humid air with damp hair is a fast track to frizz.

5. Finish with a smoothing serum

A finishing serum is your shield against humidity. Korean favourite MISE EN SCENE Perfect Serum Styling is a lightweight, non-greasy styling serum with nourishing oils and botanical extracts. It's made to smooth frizz, tame flyaways and add shine while keeping hair soft and touchable – ideal for daily styling or as a final touch.

If you prefer a fragrance-forward option, the MISE EN SCENE Perfect Serum Rose offers the same frizz-smoothing, glossy finish with rose extract. And for a fresh, fruity scent, the KUNDAL Macadamia Hair Serum – Pink Grapefruit combines macadamia oil and grapefruit extract to hydrate, smooth frizz and add shine.

6. Repair damaged ends with a bonding oil serum

If your frizz comes from damage – bleaching, colour or daily straightening – pick a serum that also focuses on repair. The COSRX Peptide 132 Ultra Perfect Hair Bonding Oil Serum uses a peptide complex, plant oils and hydrolysed proteins to strengthen and nourish damaged strands, add shine and reduce frizz. It suits all hair types, especially dry and damaged hair.

Another lovely Japanese option is the Shiseido Fino Premium Touch Hair Oil, which coats the cuticle surface to keep hair smooth and silky with a rich yet non-sticky, light finish.

How much product should you use?

Too much serum or oil makes hair limp and greasy, especially in heat. As a guide:

• Fine hair: one to two drops of serum, ends only.
• Medium hair: two to three drops, mid-lengths to ends.
• Thick or curly hair: start with a small coin-sized amount and add more if needed.

Warm the product between your palms and smooth it over the surface of your hair, then scrunch or comb through the ends. Our guide on how to use hair oil correctly goes into more detail.

Everyday habits that reduce frizz

• Turn down the heat. Use the lowest effective temperature on straighteners and curling wands.
• Protect hair at the beach and pool. Wet hair with fresh water and apply a little leave-in before swimming, then rinse afterwards.
• Cover up in strong sun. A hat protects both your scalp and your lengths from UV damage.
• Sleep on a smooth pillowcase or tie hair in a loose, soft scrunchie to reduce friction.
• Keep touch-ups simple. A drop of serum smoothed over flyaways during the day is often all you need.

A simple humid-weather hair routine

1. Shampoo the scalp, condition the lengths.
2. Once or twice a week, use a hair mask such as Tsubaki Premium EX Repair.
3. Apply a leave-in cream like Dariya Momori to damp hair.
4. Air-dry or blow-dry downwards.
5. Finish with a smoothing serum such as MISE EN SCENE Perfect Serum Styling.

Explore more masks, serums and oils in our Korean hair care collection and hair mask range.

FAQ

Is hair oil or hair serum better for frizz?

Both help. Serums tend to be lighter and suit fine to medium hair, while richer oils are often better for thick, curly or very dry hair. Many people use a leave-in cream first and a serum or oil to finish.

Should I put anti-frizz serum on wet or dry hair?

Either works. On damp hair, a serum helps smooth as hair dries; on dry hair, it tames flyaways and adds shine. In very humid weather, a light layer on damp hair plus a tiny touch-up when dry works well.

Why is my hair frizzier in summer?

Higher humidity, more time in the sun and more swimming all dry out and rough up the cuticle. Extra moisture and a smoothing finish help hair stay sleek.

Can anti-frizz products make my scalp oily?

They can if applied near the roots. Keep serums, oils and leave-in creams on the mid-lengths and ends only.