Today I refreshed my hair in real-time while sharing some of my best tips for refreshing frizz from lack of hold or humidity. I’m also answering your questions about refreshing.

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Refreshing Frizz

#1 Skip Refreshing if Possible

Sometimes refreshing can just make things look worse. Before you refresh, determine if you even need to. Can you wear a hairstyle, up-do, or hide the frizz with accessories? This is the healthiest option for your hair and saves time.

I love using small claw clips to hide flat roots, frizz, and keep my hair out of my face. I’m also a huge fan of headbands most days to keep my hair back.

#2 Don’t soak your whole head

Use as little water as possible. Sometimes you may not even need to wet your hair. If your hair still looks good but is just overly clumped or slightly frizzy, try using a little oil to separate clumps or smooth over frizz.

If your frizz is worse or your curls need to be restored, then start with a little water. Don’t drench your hair or spray the whole thing. I usually wet my hands under the tap and just smooth over entire sections at once.

Most of the time, your gel cast will return with just water (if you used a good gel and applied enough of it, thoroughly).

​Bouclème Flairosol Mist Spray Bottle​
​Buy from Boucleme with code GENA15​

#3 Avoid extra products

Your products are still in your hair from wash day. Just using just a little water to reactivate the cast is often enough. If you know you didnt’t get enough hold on wash day and just water isn’t cutting it, you can use a little bit of your gel from wash day.

I recommend diluting it with some water so you don’t layer on too much product.

I don’t recommend using refresh sprays, foams, or other products that are not already in your hair from wash day. This can just cause a lot of product buildup, tacky feeling, and weighed down hair. Additionally, not all products are compatible.

This is why I love using a gel with slip on wash day. It’s the easiest type of product to refresh with. If you used a tacky gel or a mousse, it may be hard to refresh on next-day hair due to a lack of slip.

​Marc Anthony Define & Hold Flex Hair Styling Gel​
​Buy from Amazon​

#4 Smooth, don’t scrunch

When I refresh, I focus on physically smoothing down and tucking in the frizz. Anything in the upward motion will likely create frizz, such as scrunching. Pick up individual curl clumps and smooth over the frizz. You can carefully detangle some pieces if needed but avoid raking through all of your hair.

Add more water as you go if needed. It’s ok if your curls stretch out a bit- we’re going to bounce them back up with diffusing.

#5 Diffuse to restore curls & set

If your hair is turning out stringy and stretched out, it’s likely from air drying. Diffusing on a refresh day should take no more than 5 minutes max and makes a big difference. It will bounce the curls back up so they’re even, restore their shape, and set their shape. Give it a try and thank me later!

​Curlsmith Defrizzion Hair Dryer & XXL Diffuser​
​Buy from Curlsmith with code GENAMARIE10​
​Buy from Amazon​
​Buy from Ulta​

Results

Q&A

Q: I almost never refresh! Am I doing something wrong?

A: Not necessarily! That’s actually ideal and what I strive for. If you’re happy with how your curls look and feel between wash days, there's nothing wrong with skipping refreshes- in fact, it’s healthiest on the hair to leave it alone. Some curl types (especially tighter textures or curls with strong hold) can hold up for days without much effort.

But if you're noticing frizz, loss of shape, or dryness by day 2 or 3, a light refresh might help extend your style or make your curls feel more polished without needing to fully rewash.

It really comes down to:

• How your hair looks/feels between washes
• Your personal routine and goals
• How often you wash and style

If your current routine is working for you—keep doing what works! Refreshing is just a tool, not a rule.

Q: On refresh days, do we use curl cream and then gel or just gel? And leave-in instead of water?

A: Great question! You usually don’t need to reapply every product on refresh days—especially not heavier ones like curl cream or leave-in.

So it’s usually just water or water + gel. Water will re-activate your gel meaning your cast will come right back (if it’s a good gel).

Q: Any recommendations for a refresh spray that can be used on its own (no need to wet hair)?

A: I actually don’t recommend using refresh sprays—especially if the goal is to avoid water. Most sprays do contain water as the first ingredient, so you're still wetting your hair, just with added ingredients that might not mix well with what’s already in your hair.

Adding new products on top of old ones can lead to problems like:

• Sticky or producty-feeling hair
• Flakes from ingredient clashes
• Unnecessary buildup that weighs curls down

Instead, I suggest refreshing with just water to reactivate your gel cast. If you need more hold, you can add a small amount of gel on top. If your hair feels brittle or dry, a light leave-in or a bit of oil can help—but only if needed. If you truly want a water-free refresh, you can use an oil.

Using fewer products means fewer issues—and most of the time, water is all you really need to get your curls bouncing back. You just want to avoid soaking it and completely re-shaping and over-manipulating your curls daily—that’s where the damage comes in.

Q: Should the same products from wash day be used to refresh even if the products didn't work well?

A: I don’t recommend adding in new products on refresh days. If your wash day didn’t go well, the safest option is to either add a bit more of the same gel to get more hold—or plan to wash soon.

The only time I’ll switch gels during a refresh is if I know the one I used gave me zero hold, no matter how much I applied. In that case, I’ll use a stronger hold gel to get through the day, but I still plan to wash as soon as possible.

Mixing in new products can cause issues like flakes, buildup, or a sticky feel—especially if the original products didn’t sit well to begin with. So ideally, stick with what’s already in your hair unless it absolutely failed you.

Q: Can wavies brush with some spray conditioner and then refresh?

A: Brushing to refresh can be risky—especially if your hair still has gel or strong-hold product in it. Brushing through that can cause breakage or frizz, especially if there are tangles.

If your hair is soft, not very tangly, and needs reshaping, brushing can work—but I recommend starting with just your hands. Add a little oil on dry hair to smooth and separate curls gently. That’s usually the safest approach.

I don’t recommend using regular rinse-out conditioner to refresh. Those aren’t meant to be left in and can cause over-moisturized hair. If needed, use a small amount of the same lightweight leave-in spray you used on wash day—or just water if your hair reactivates easily.

Less is more when it comes to refreshing!

Q: Can a steamer be used to refresh all curl types?

A: Technically yes—but whether it’s helpful depends on your hair type and how it reacts to moisture.

✅ It can work for:

• Very dry or low-porosity hair that struggles to absorb water
• Loose waves that need a gentle moisture boost without fully soaking

⚠️ But keep in mind:

• Steam doesn’t add hold—you’ll likely need a gel or foam afterward
• Frizz-prone, high-porosity, or tight textures may just puff up with steam
• Personally, it doesn’t work well for my hair—it actually made frizz worse

So while it’s safe to use on all curl types, it’s not the best fit for everyone. I usually recommend trying water first to see how your curls respond before investing in a steamer.

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