All rise! As soon as cold weather sets in, your hair seems to have a life of its own. The cooler temperatures, the lack of moisture in the air, and all the indoor events create a field of electricity around your head. The result? Your hair transforms into wild flyaways that are totally out of control! Given the fact that Einstein was the only person in the world to ever rock static hair, static hair will never be in style and not many people put ‘static hair’ on their wish lists. What’s a girl to do in the winter? We’ve rounded up the best tips to stop static hair and get rid of it for good.
Why is my hair static?
When two unlike materials rub against each other, the electrons are transferred from one surface to another and cause static electricity. Do you remember playing with magnets when you were in reception? You may recall that negative to negative charges would repel each other, and two positives would do the same. If you put negative to positive, they would stick together. It works the same with static hair; static hair occurs when your hair has gained extra electrons thanks to a change in humidity or friction. The strands of your hair repel each other. As a result, your hair starts spreading apart and makes you look like a mad scientist. No fun!
How to get rid of static hair
Einstein was one of the most brilliant minds ever to live, but his hair had a mind of its own. The good news is that you don’t have to understand E=MC2 to get rid of looking as if you just stuck your finger in a light socket. Stopping static hair doesn’t require much, and you probably have the solutions in your home. From beauty hacks to old wives’ tales, here are 11 tips to get rid of static hair.
#1 Gently rub a dryer sheet over your hair
It may sound a bit odd, but rubbing a dryer sheet over your hair will keep your tresses in place. You can also rub it over your hairbrush before combing to get rid of static hair. Even better: run a dryer sheet over your pillow to stop your hair from getting out of control while you sleep.
#2 Always keep hairspray with you
Using hairspray will work miracles! Before you leave the house, spray some hairspray on your brush and run it over your hair from root to tip. The hairspray will smooth away flyaways and keep your hair in place. Keeping hairspray with you is also great for touch-ups when you’re on location.
#3 Use a moisturising shampoo
Dry hair is the prime culprit of hair static. Keeping your hair moisturised all day is the easiest way to fight static. By using a nourishing and moisturising shampoo, your scalp keeps its natural balance of moisture and oils, which helps put static hair to an end.
#4 Use a moisturising conditioner
Using a conditioner is crucial to avoid static. Shampoos create a charge in the hair that conditioners are made to balance out. Conditioners are designed to help seal the hair cuticle and improve manageability. After shampooing, apply conditioner to the ends and let it sink in for a minute. Rinse thoroughly and style as usual, but avoid heat styling.
#5 Use a leave-in conditioner
A leave-in conditioner is a great way to feed your hair the moisture it needs. Leave-ins hydrate your tresses and defend against cold temperatures and other weather conditions. Simply apply the product to your hair, avoiding the roots and giving extra attention to the ends. Comb through to evenly distribute, let your hair dry completely et voila, exit static hair!
You can also apply a leave-in conditioner on the go. If you have static or frizzy hair, carrying a travel-size bottle of leave-in conditioner is a super quick fix. The moment you notice a flyaway, you dissolve a small amount of leave-in the palms of your hands and run your fingers through your hair.
#6 Use hair oil
During the winter, your hair becomes dehydrated due to a lack of moisture in the air. And we all know what that causes… Indeed, static hair! The key to keeping your hair moisturised is using hair oil. Not only nourishes hair oil even the driest hair, but it also seals your hair cuticle to protect your strands from future breakage. Applying a little bit of oil on the ends works wonders! Avoid the roots, because that will only cause greasy hair.
#7 Use metal brushes instead of plastic brushes
Who hasn’t rubbed a balloon on her hair when she was a kid? It was so much fun, because the plastic made hair stand straight up. Well, plastic brushes have the same effect on hair as balloons. Both balloons and plastic brushes can cause static, so a plastic brush is not your friend when it comes to flyaway hair. If you want to get rid of static hair, use a metal brush instead. The metal discharges the electric charges and reduces static hair.
#8 Dry your hair with a microfibre towel
Microfibre towels are one of the best inventions ever! Not only are they space-savers in your bathroom, but they are also superb when it comes to absorbing water with minimal damage. Terry cloth towels are mostly used because most people toss their hair back in the same towel they use on the body post-shower. If you want to limit breakage and static hair, it’s best to avoid your terry cloth and use a microfibre towel instead. They are super gentle for your skin and hair, and perfect for drying hair that is prone to frizz and flyaways. If you don’t own a microfibre towel -yet-, a jersey T-shirt will do the job just as well.
#9 Sleep on a silk pillowcase
Silk pillowcases work magic for hydrating your skin and hair. Not only do silk or satin pillowcases add a touch of glam to your bedroom, but they also protect your hair cuticle while you sleep. You get a great night’s sleep, plus wake up with super moisturised hair that won’t get static! Talking about a win-win situation. :)
#10 Limit heat styling
Dry hair lacks moisture and is prone to static. We’re sorry to bring you the bad news, but heat styling dries your hair out. Hairdryers, flat irons, and curling wands are some of the main causes of hair getting static in the winter. Avoiding these will definitely benefit your hair. If there’s no way you can leave the house without having heat-styled hair, spray a heat protector on before styling your hair. A heat protector locks in moisture, and protects the hair from static.
#11 Find yourself a moisturiser
What to do if you’re in a hurry and notice you have static hair? Any moisturiser will do! Find yourself a hand moisturiser, or your day cream, or any other moisturiser, and apply a dollop to your hands. For fuss-free hair, gently smooth into the ends of your hair avoiding the roots. We don’t know what’s worse: stop hair from being greasy or getting rid of static hair.
