Good morning, No Frizz fans! With the start of baseball season (Go Yankees! Go Braves!) behind us, and the humidity level starting to creep up, I realized it is time to finally introduce myself and start sharing some of the tips I’ve learned in the last few months…HI! My name is Gwen. 
@ Sephora Columbus Circle: Steaming my hair (100% humidity) for the 5th time in one day - STILL NO FRIZZ!
I’m one of a lucky group of five ladies who, since the launch of No Frizz, have traveled from Sephora to Sephora teaching the stores about Living Proof and No Frizz. And let me tell you, they’re a tough crowd! Sephora staffers are serious about education, so to say they know their stuff is an understatement. Thus you can understand why they might have at first been skeptical of another frizz product…but I’m happy to say they’re definitely on board now! Trying is believing, and No Frizz now has no bigger fans than the experts at Sephora.
As for me, I’m certainly no stranger to frizz. I’m from the lovely Southern state of Georgia (can you say STEAMY?), lived in Dallas (why is hair big in TX? Humidity!), and now reside in New York City with my pup Uno Diego. Lately, the weather in NYC has been fickle – one day sunny, dry and fabulous, the next overcast, wet and balmy. For a girl with wavy hair like mine that could mean major frizz frustration, but thankfully No Frizz has put me ahead of the frizz-fighting game this year!
SO – My tip today for other tress-troubled souls? If you’re not enjoying No Frizz yet, START NOW. The benefits are immediate, yes – after one use, hair is 30% better at resisting humidity (compared to when you use those other so-called anti-frizz products sitting in your bathroom). But the cumulative results are where it’s really at – after five uses, hair is 70% better at resisting humidity! And the frizz fighting only gets better from there. The earlier you introduce your locks to the transforming powers of PolyfluoroEster (the tiny molecule in No Frizz that we have MIT scientists to thank for), the sleeker your hairstyles will be this spring and summer. PROMISE.
Uno and I are off for a romp through Central Park. Please write me with your comments and questions. I look forward to “meeting” the other No Frizz groupies out there!
Gwen
Hi, Carole! I remember speaking with you, and I’m very happy to hear that the Straight Making Styling Cream samples are working better for you. I think you should first contact QVC and see if you can exchange the product for the formula you prefer. If they are out of stock or if you have any other issues, please email me at gwen@livingproof.com and we’ll figure out a solution. Also, I’ll be back at King of Prussia next Tuesday, July 7th from 11am to 5pm. I’m going to be training the Sephora cast on the new Shampoo and Conditioner, so I’ll be in the back of the store, but if you happen to stop by, ask for me and I’m sure I can come out and have a quick chat.
Great, Amber! I’ll have someone from the team contact you via email to set up the call at your convenience. Thanks in advance for taking the time to speak with us! Your feedback is truly helpful. And most importantly, hopefully we’ll be able to figure out how to get the most optimum results FOR YOU! (BTW, I urge you to snag a set of the Limited Edition Lab Series Shampoo & Conditioner – I just started using them and they’re AMAZING!! Oil-free, silicone-free, sulfate-free, but the most luxurious lather to the shampoo and wonderful slip to the conditioner.)
Hi Gwen,
Yes, I’d love to set up a call–thank you. Thank you, too, for the information on the type of alcohol. I am now completely mystified as the last conditioner I tried contained no silicones. I’d love to be able to avail myself of the products. I look forward to speaking to the team.
Amber
Hi Gwen,
I spoke with you on Sunday, June 21 at Sephora in King of Prussia. I had ordered the spray from QVC and had a few problems. After our discussion you suggest I may have choose the wrong formula and you gave me some samples. I use the cream for straight hair and it seems to be working better. You asked me to contact you on the blog. How do you want me to handle my return to QVC. Thanks for your advise. Carole
Hi, Amber! I’m sorry it has taken me a few days to respond – the team is meeting up in Cambridge this week for our yearly outing (so fun!), and prep has been hectic. After reading your post, my only possible area of concern would be the type of deep conditioner and leave-in you’re using – if they are very silicone-heavy formulas, it is possible they could be leaving residue and build-up on the hair, which inhibits No Frizz from being able to create the most even shield from humidity. Since you were happy with the results initially and now find that your hair is responding differently, would you be interested in speaking with our experts to try to figure out any potential reasons the product isn’t working as well for you now? A quick Q&A session with you would give us great insight. If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll set up a call.
In the meantime, I do want to put you – and others – at ease about one thing, and that’s the alcohol content in the Straight Making Styling Treatment:
“Cetyl Alcohol” is listed in the ingredients, but this ingredient name can be confusing (at least it is for me … chemistry wasn’t my strong subject in school). Typically, when most of us see or hear the word “alcohol,” what we think of is Ethanol Alcohol, which can cause drying of some hair when used in large amounts. Unlike Ethanol, however, Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Rather than drying, Cetyl Alcohol actually conditions due to its fatty nature and its non-volatility.
The way that ingredients are listed on product packaging is dictated by INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) standards, which are in place so that consumers can depend on consistency across labeling, making it easier to navigate between different products. This is particularly helpful in reducing the risk of allergic reaction to a specific ingredient that a user has had an allergy to before.
The standardized names of ingredients used on labeling are based on scientific names. For instance, Vitamin E is listed as Tocopherol, and Roman Chamomile Oil is listed as Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil. So as you can see, while we can depend on accurate listing of ingredients on labels, that doesn’t always make it easy for us to understand what those ingredients really are, or what they do!
Cetyl Alcohol is structurally considered an “alcohol” (as are many other ingredients that are used as surfactants, conditioners, and emulsifiers) because of its composition*, and therefore listed with this scientific name on labeling, but Cetyl Alcohol is actually categorized by INCI standards as a “conditioner.”
WHEW! Gosh, I’m longwinded. ☺ Basically, that explanation was just to let you know that there is NO “alcohol” in the formula that will dry your hair out. Rest assured that the Straight Making Styling Treatment contains hydrators to add moisture. That said, let’s work together to figure out what is hindering you from getting the fab results you once experienced!
Very best,
Gwen
*From Wikipedia (my fav source for info!): In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group.
Not trying to nitpick here but my hair has become EXTREMELY dry and frizzy after using the Straight Making Styling Treatment. The first couple uses, I loved it, after a month or so, my hair is frizzy and fried-looking. The worse my hair looked, the more product I applied and at this point, it’s not pretty.
Let me hasten to point out that I have redoubled my conditioning efforts, which were good to begin with, including deep conditioning weekly, using a leave-in, switching to sulfate-free shampoo, and using heat to style. And I follow the site’s instructions in applying No Frizz.
I started out using the cream and didn’t care for it. Methinks there might be a little too much alcohol in this formulation for me; I’m about to give it up.
Hi, Rachel! Great Q. I wondered the EXACT same thing when I first saw the test results touting cumulative benefits. I thought, “OK, that means there has to be residue …” But, I’m happy to report that is not the case at all! To make sure I explain correctly, I checked with Ron McLaughlin, Living Proof’s Director of Product Development and all-around ingredient guru. Here’s how he broke it down:
I hope that answers your question, Rachel. Let us know if you’re curious about anything else, and definitely keep your eyes open for Living Proof’s No Frizz Shampoo, Conditioner, and Leave-in Conditioner coming in the Fall.
Gwen mentions the product works better after multiple uses. Does this mean Living Proof leaves buildup on hair? Since this is a product that blocks out humidity, I’m guessing PolyfluoroEster is not water soluable. Will common surfactants remove the product from hair or are sulfates necessary?
I ask because I am trying to cut out sulfates and silicones from my routine in an attempt to get healthier hair. Thanks!
Hi KC,
Thanks for your question. The alcohol in our spray formulas function as a solvent for our active ingredient PolyfluoroEster. If you’re looking for formulas without alcohol try our Creams or Treatments.
As a Hair Stylist, Colorist & Cosmetic Chemist with a hair Blog, I am constantly looking for new products, this sounds very promising.
The 2 products I was going to purchase to begin testing on my clients both had listed alcohol(denatured) as the first ingredient.
I have one question………
WHY.
KC
Hi Johnna – Sounds like you really put it to the extreme test that first time! No Frizz should hold up against that kind of weather though so I would give it another go trying more than you used. Also we find that the frizz control gets better after multiple uses. If you’re not satisfied after a second or third try, please don’t hesitate to call us for a full refund.
I moved to South Florida 2 1/2 yrs ago and have been fighting frizz since. I have wavy hair and the minute any type of moisture hits it, its frizz city. I color mine and have some breakage, so the frizzes are pretty bad. A friend of mine told me about Living Proff and so I just bought it yesterday (5/26/09). I used it this morning (shoulder length hair) and it made my hair feel really nice. Today at lunch time, I ran an errand and when I came back outside, it was pouring AND more humid than ever. Well, my hair started to frizz and I had an umbrella. Did I do something wrong? Now I have the little frizzes and my ends are curling (I straight iron it also). I used more than a quarter amount and really worked it through. I’m good at that because I’ve tried so many other products and have mastered “work it through roots to ends.” And then I combed in through. It feels nice still, but I’m frizzy!!! HELP…I hope I didn’t spend $24 for nothing.
Thank you
Johnna
Lisa, this is the advice from Mitch:
“If your hair is straight, use a flat or Mason Pearson type brush and begin at the nape working your way up the head.”
I think the key is patience and a gentle hand! Let us know if this doesn’t help. And please email me a picture of your gorgeous locks and the results you get with No Frizz!
gwen@livingproof-inc.com
That’s a good question for our stylists! The No Frizz experts are posing your question to Mitch DeRosa, one of Living Proof’s founders, and will hopefully have an answer for you very shortly. In the meantime, check out Mitch in this April 10th clip from New England Channel News!
Link: MIT team promises to tame frizzy hair
Have a great day, Lisa! ~G
Thanks again, Gwen!
Another question- what is the best way to get the knots out of your hair on the non-shampoo days? I used the n.f. spray this a.m. but still find it difficult to get a comb through my hair without a serum (which I am no longer using since you said not to, because of the silicones)
thanks!
Lisa
Hmm, that’s a toughie! I can’t say from personal experience, but a friend just turned me onto the list of silicone-free conditioners and leave-ins on the LadyLongHair site. Looks like there are several very affordable options on the list, and their “cone-free” standing also bodes well for how they’ll work with No Frizz. It’s my belief that the less silicone we use in our Shampoo, Conditioner, and leave-ins, the better No Frizz works!
Please let me know which leave-in you try, and how it works!
HI Gwen-
thank you so much for responding. I did go back and purchase the treatment instead of the regular straightening cream. Can you recommend a more affordable leave in other than Phyto? also-I stay away from products with protein, as they dry my hair.
thanks so much! I really do like the product
Best,
Lisa
If by Italian hair you mean that gorgeous, long, thick (lots of it) hair that I’m jealous of, then yes!!
But I know that all hair types can be a challenge, especially since nowadays most of us alter our natural hair by bleaching, coloring, or otherwise chemically-treating. Not to mention the heat styling! Many of these things we do to enhance the look of our locks can also strip the hair of its natural moisture and sheen. It sounds to me like your hair could benefit from a replenishment of hydration. The No Frizz Treatment formulas for Thick to Coarse hair offer the most added hydration. Typically thick to coarse hair is most in need of additional conditioning, but sometimes those with fair or medium hair also benefit from higher levels of added hydration. For you, I would recommend the Straight Making Styling Treatment OR (since I believe you already have the Straight Making Styling Cream) try first applying a light leave-in conditioner, followed by your No Frizz Cream. I personally really like Phyto’s Instant Hydrating Conditioner when my hair is parched. The hydrators in No Frizz Cream and Treatment formulas are like your hair’s own natural fatty acid-derived moisture, and are weightless, so there’s no chance of ending up with flat, lifeless hair. Other things that those with dry or chemically-treated hair can do is make sure to use a sulfate-free shampoo to minimize stripping of the hair, and try to shampoo less frequently.
Lisa, please let me know how things go!
(P.S. Look for a No Frizz leave-in Conditioner in just a few months!)
thank you. I consider the texture fine. color treated and highlights.just frizzes, no ringlets. i blow it straight. long. its ‘Italian” hair:)–does that help? loads of humidity here in Phila. in the Summer
thanks so much!
LIsa
Hi, Lisa! Great question. I have a favorite way of using the products, which is what I taught Jane. She and I have similar hair types and styles. The trick of the anti-frizz trade that I taught Jane is how to use the Straight Making Styling Cream along with the Straight Making Styling Spray.
After cleansing and conditioning my hair, I towel-dry and apply a quarter-size amount (I have short hair) of the Straight Making Styling Cream from root to tip. I then pull a comb through my hair to help ensure I’ve distributed as evenly as possible. Remember, you want to “saturate” or “cover” the hair to the best of your ability so that PolyfluoroEster is able to make its weightless, invisible shield around each strand.
Most days the above application method is all I need to get a gloriously smooth blown-out style. I must admit, however, that I’m not the most coordinated person pre-coffee, so if it’s early morning, my product application skills are sometimes lacking. On those days, if I begin to blow-dry my hair and notice a particular area isn’t finishing as smoothly, I spray the Straight Making Styling Spray where I missed before. An easy way to ensure I’ll have the best protection against humidity! Using this method was particularly helpful in the early days of use, before I’d gotten the hang of the right amount of product for my hair.
Also, though I always use the Straight Making Styling Cream after washing my hair (my color-treated tresses love the light, weightless hydration it imparts), I use the Straight Making Styling Spray to restyle every day that I don’t wash my hair! Especially if I “sleep funny” on my hair, or need to revive the shape of my style with any sort of heat styling tool, I simply spray Straight Making Styling Spray onto my dry hair as needed, and re-style away. Keeps my locks protected from the heat, gives my color a pop, and also adds shine!
**Lisa, since your needs may be different, please tell me a little about your hair and styling preferences, and let’s see if I have different tips that will work even better for you! There are several fantastic tricks I’ve learned in regard to mixing products.
Hi- which 2 products do you combine?
thanks!
Hi-what does this mean?:
“Gwen showed me how to use both of the products in conjunction”.
both products? what are they and how do you use them? i now use the cream only, its ok for now. i have used it maybe 4 times so far.
thanks!
Lisa
I must admit, I’m usually pretty skeptical when it comes to products that claim to eliminate frizz. I’m from GA as well but now reside in NYC, and with naturally curly hair that is blown straight most of the time, frizz should seriously be my middle name. Seriously. (My hair can be looking fantabulous immediately after styling, but the second I walk outside, poof, it rapidly expands and soon takes up its own zip code!) My own mother is a hair stylist, and even after trying salon product after salon product for years, we couldn’t shake the frizz.
So, needless to say when Gwen handed me this product to test out last week, I said to myself, “Here we go again…” Um, boy was I wrong. I’ve only used “No Frizz” for seven days, and dudes and dudettes, it’s called NO Frizz for a reason. My hair has never, in 20-ahem-something years, looked like this. It even made it through a tornado at a Braves game without frizz. Now THAT’s impressive!
Love the smell, love the ease, love the product. Will surely use this for years to come and look forward to turning others into “No Frizz Groupies.”
I shall now walk to Starbucks in this nasty misty weather, even though I just straightened my hair this morning… because I CAN.
Well we have quite a Georgian thing going on here, don’t we?!
Jane – so happy to hear you love No Frizz as much as I do. Hopefully we can test out its amazing humidity-resisting abilities on the lake this summer!
Evan – No Frizz definitely works just as well for men as it does for women! In fact, I’ve had several male clients try No Frizz and tell me that it completely replaces the need for sticky, hard-drying gels. It sounds like you’d like a bit more control over your “fro-ish” (love it!), curly ‘do. I recommend that you try either the Wave Shaping, Curl Defining Styling Cream for Medium to Thick Hair or the Wave Shaping, Curl Defining Styling Treatment for Thick to Coarse Hair, depending on your hair type. You can also diagnose your hair on the Living Proof site here: http://livingproof.com/NoFrizz.php.
Give No Frizz a try, and enjoy your luscious, gorgeous curls! Er, I mean handsome man’do.
Thanks for your Q!
I have the good fortune of knowing Gwen and she introduced me to the product on a recent trip to NYC. As a woman who lives with humidity over 100% for at least 4 months out of the year, I was skeptical to say the least. But Gwen convinced me that this product is not like all the others out there.
It is amazing! It smells good, and the longer you use it the better the results for sure! I can’t wait for it to warm up, bring on those hot, humid Georgia summers, because my hair is still going to be smooth. No more pulling my hair into a pony tail ever single summer day.
I have already converted several girls I work with into “No Frizz” junkies because once you start using it, you don’t know how you ever lived without it and you can’t wait to tell people about it!
Gwen showed me how to use both of the products in conjunction and I think that is the way to get the absolute best results!
PS: Love the pic of you!
My girlfriend brought this home about two weeks ago and won’t stop talking about it!!! While it’s driving me insane to hear her rave about hair this much, it’s also gotten me a little curious… I have extra curly/frizzy/fro-ish hair; does it work as well on men’s hair as it does for women’s? My hair tends to look a little ridiculous once summer rolls around, so I’m down to try something… oh yeah – I’m from GA, too. Humidity hell!