Dry or frizzy hair: how to recognize them?

Frizzy, dry, porous hair… These terms often come up in hair conversations, but many still confuse them. The result: unsuitable routines, poorly targeted care, and mounting frustrations. This is especially true for young people with textured, colored, or sensitized hair, who no longer really know what their hair is trying to tell them.

So, how can you tell the difference? We'll explain everything.

Dry hair: a lack of nutrition

Dry hair lacks sebum, a natural substance produced by the scalp. As a result, the hair becomes rough , dull , and can even break more easily. Dry hair does not reflect light well, it can appear "dull," without movement, and feels like sandpaper to the touch .

This is often the case after prolonged exposure to the sun, washing too frequently or using overly aggressive products.

💡 Selective Lady Tip : If your hair remains flat, rough and dull after air drying, you are facing hair dryness .

Foamy hair: high porosity

Not to be confused with dry hair, frizzy hair is often porous : its cuticles (the outer layer of the hair) are open or damaged . Result? The hair quickly absorbs moisture from the air… and swells. It becomes unruly, loses its definition, and frizzes or foams uncontrollably.

This phenomenon particularly affects textured, colored, bleached or regularly heated hair , but can also affect natural hair.

💡 Selective Lady Tip : After air drying, if your hair swells, frizzes and seems to lack hold, you are probably facing a porosity problem .

Simple test: porosity or dryness?

The glass of water test can help you see things more clearly: immerse a clean hair in a glass of water.

• If it flows quickly: it is very porous.
  
• If it remains on the surface: it is not very porous.
  
• If it descends slowly: it is moderately porous.
  

Added to this is the tactile and visual sensation : sparkling ≠ dry, and the two can coexist.

Adapting your routine is essential

The most common mistake? Treating frizzy hair like dry hair , saturating it with heavy oils, which only worsens the lack of definition and swelling.

What you need:

• For dry hair: nourishing treatments rich in lipids (butters, vegetable oils).
  
• For frizzy hair: light moisturizing treatments , conditioning agents and gentle drying techniques (no friction, no excessive heat).
  
• For both: a mixed routine , combining hydration and nutrition alternately.

💡 Expert advice : Use products adapted to the porosity of your hair and avoid occlusive silicones if you want to let your hair fiber breathe.

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In summary

Dry hair and frizzy hair do not have the same cause or the same needs .

• Dry hair is malnourished hair, lacking lipids.
  
• Foamy hair is porous, sensitive to humidity.
  
  

Identifying the true nature of your hair is the key to providing it with an effective routine . Observe, touch, test: your hair has a lot to tell you .

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Sources :
Robbins, CR – Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair (Springer, 2012)
International Journal of Trichology , 2015 – Hair fiber porosity and moisture retention
Journal of Cosmetic Science , 2016 – Porosity and water uptake in damaged hair