Anti-Frizz Serums Are the Pro Secret to Achieving Red Carpet-Ready Hair

Anti-frizz serums are the trick many professional hairstylists use to finally eliminate frizzy hair, and our best overall pick starts at just $5. According to our experts, despite their slippery texture, anti-frizz serums are non-greasy. They also offer an extra layer of protection by smoothing hair, enhancing shine, and guarding your strands against sun exposure and heat damage — meaning you can skip purchasing an additional heat protectant spray.

And if you’re thinking you can eliminate frizz by wetting your hair, you’ll be disappointed that it’s just a common myth. “Water actually makes it frizzier, and that’s exactly why an anti-frizz serum is such a useful product to have on hand,” says Renee Hurtado, a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.

Best Anti-Frizz Serums

How to Shop

To help you shop smart for your hair type, our beauty editor, Nicole Saunders, connected with a few hairstylists for their no-fail tips and anti-frizz serum recommendations. Aaron Grenia, co-founder of IGK Hair Care, Luis Pache, a celebrity colorist and co-founder of TO112, and Hurtado all suggest checking the ingredient labels and considering your hair texture and thickness when selecting the best anti-frizz serum for your needs.

👍 Best Ingredients

According to our experts, anti-frizz serums with biotin and keratin help maintain healthy, strong hair while adding shine. Natural oils, like coconut found IGK CRYBABY Anti-Frizz Smoothing Serum and castor oil infused in HerStyler Castor Oil Hair Serum, moisturize and make your hair manageable. Hurtado's also a huge fan of argan oil hair products, such as the Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Anti-Frizz Serum, because they nourish and protect your hair from UV damage. They also suggest moisturizers, including jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter, which are all found in the Pureology Smooth Perfection Smoothing Serum.

👎 Worst Ingredients

Hurtado suggests skipping anti-frizz serums made with silicones, sulfates, parabens, and mineral oil because they can cause product buildup, skin irritation, dry scalp, dry and brittle hair, and possible loss of hair.

Hair Texture and Thickness

Anyone with fine or thin strands should opt for lightweight anti-frizz serums to avoid potential product buildup and greasy hair. One way to ensure you don't weigh down fine hair is to opt for a spray that lightly mists out the anti-frizz serum, such as the Kérastase Discipline Anti Frizz Smoothing Spray.

“If you have dry, thick, coarse, or brittle hair, you can use anti-frizz serums on a daily basis since dry hair needs extra hydration. If you have finer hair, you should focus on applying the serum from mid to ends, then simply apply the leftover product you have in your palms on the top of your hair,” notes Hurtado.

Ready for gorgeous, frizz-free hair? Check out these anti-frizz serums, which are a mix of hair stylist-approved picks and options Saunders carefully vetted for their ingredient label, texture, smell, and user reviewers to ensure they're aligned with our expert's guidance.