I live in Florida, so trust me when I say: I get humidity. Hot, humid air is almost synonymous with frizzy, “poofy” hair. That’s because humidity is, essentially, water vapor, which soaks into your hair. The tighter your coil, the more likely your hair type is to swell and poof in tropical summer climates.

While glycerin is a great, moisturizing product in other settings, it’s an ingredient best avoided by fine Type 3c and Type 4 naturals, especially if they live in humid climates. Glycerin increases the likelihood of your hair soaking up water from the air, leading to frizz and unpredictability.

Fine Type 3c and Type 4 naturals know that every bit of extra control over your complex coil shape goes a long way. By using the right glycerin-free products, you can spend less time worrying about your coils this summer and more time enjoying the outdoor weather!

What is Glycerin?

As natural coilies, we know that one of our greatest challenges lies in keeping our coils fully moisturized. It’s for this exact reason that so many products advertised towards us have glycerin.

Glycerin is a specific type of alcohol that looks and functions like a fat. It’s best known for its deep, hydrating powers, allowing it to soak deep into skin and hair, helping it pull in greater moisture. However, while this ingredient is fantastic in lotions, it can have some unintended effects when used with your hair.

Just a few of these side effects include:

• A greasy, sticky feeling
• Increased frizz and lack of control
• Damage to hair when used with heat
• Unpredictable results

Even worse, glycerin pulls a greater amount of water from the air, helping it penetrate the hair. This likely works against the number one mission of coily naturals: protecting our hair against frizz-causing humidity. When looking for products this summer, turn over the label to check the ingredients. If glycerin is one of the top five listed, you might consider putting that styler back on the shelf in favor of safer options.

Conquering Summer Humidity

The key to conquering the hot, sticky humidity that comes along with summer heat is finding products that rely on natural oils rather than glycerin for moisture. As fine-haired coilies, we specifically need lightweight oils that soak in quickly without leaving behind any greasy residue.

When you’re on vacation, enjoying that summertime sun, the last thing you should have to worry about is your hair. For that reason, you should reach for glycerin-free styler for a flawless finish without any of the side effects. Our van + veronica™ Styler is made of all the good stuff and none of the bad. That means we are proudly sulfate-free, silicone-free, and — you guessed it– glycerin-free!

The overall goal of your final styler is to block out humidity and help your hair hold its shape. Our styler moisturizes your hair using a unique combination of lightweight oils to seal each coil’s cuticle and power your strands through frizz-causing humidity.

Final Thoughts

Glycerin is an amazing, moisturizing ingredient for your skin, but for fine, coily naturals, it’s something we may want to leave out for final styling. When used as a final styler, glycerin can quickly become greasy and sticky, weighing down fine, delicate coils and reducing volume.

When packing products for your summertime vacation, put away your old stylers and embrace a beautiful frizz-free, voluminous summer with glycerin-free products! Shop the van + veronica glycerin-free Styler here.