The Highlights
- Static hair is caused by friction, but can also be due to environmental factors like dryness or excess moisture.
- Switching to a silk pillowcase and using hairspray are two of the most popular methods to quickly get rid of static hair.
- To prevent static hair from being a regular thing, keep your hair hydrated as much as possible with conditioners, weekly hair masks, and leave-in conditioners or hair oils.
Whether you live in a dry or humid climate, static hair is something you can’t escape. Those two aren’t the only reasons you get frizzy hair and flyaways.
Central heating, over-brushing, improper heat styling, rough drying with a cotton towel—there are loads of possible reasons your hair won’t lay flat.
Lucky for you it’s only a temporary problem. And everyone deals with static hair from time to time!
So, how can you get rid of static hair? Whenever the humidity is just a little bit too high or your blow drying session didn’t go as planned, scroll below for easy ways to remove static hair.
Hair Static Causes
There’s some science behind static hair, which may help you predict when your hair might be bigger than normal—and find ways to immediately minimise its effect.
Simply put: hair can gain a few too many electrons, building up an electric charge, due to friction. This makes strands repel each other, leading to some of them to stand up.
What kind of friction? It all depends on where you are or what you’re doing. Are you combing your hair vigorously? Wearing a hat to protect your hair from the cold winter?
Environmental elements can be at fault, too. Staying in a place with dry, central heating or a place with too much moisture (like a tropical country) can both exacerbate static hair. Yes, both ends of the weather spectrum can lead to static hair. Annoying, right?
If you’re currently dealing with static hair already, check out these easy, DIY tips.
Read Next: How to Revive Dead Hair With These 6 Tips
How to Get Rid of Static Hair
1. Switch to a silk pillowcase
If you’ve ever woken up in the morning and noticed your hair looking frizzy, you can thank your cotton pillowcase for that.
When it comes to answering the age-old question of “How can I get rid of static hair?” the first answer anyone will tell you (including us) is to start using a silk pillowcase.
If you’re thinking that maybe a satin pillowcase might be better, think again. Satin isn’t a fabric, but a weaving technique that uses fabrics like cotton, rayon, or polyester. In other words, it’s not silk so it won’t be as effective.
Authentic silk pillowcases—like The Pillowcase—are made with 100% Mulberry Silk as it’s the strongest and smoothest, so it’ll last longer.
This ultra-smooth quality is what de-frizzes hair while you sleep. And as a non-believer before, I can tell you with confidence that you one night of sleep on a silk pillowcase will make a whole word of difference to your hair!
2. Throw away your drying shampoo
I love a good deep cleaning shampoo as much as the next person. But, formulas have changed and there’s no need to continue using sulphate and alcohol-filled shampoos if they aren’t in your hair’s best interest.
Most people’s hair can’t tolerate sulphates and drying alcohols—these ingredients thoroughly cleanse your scalp, but in turn, also strip your hair of its natural oils.
Instead, opt for sulphate-free and nourishing shampoos that still give a good lather. Morrocanoil Frizz Control Shampoo is a great option as it fights flyaways while protecting your hair against the effects of humidity.
If you have fine hair, lightweight shampoos boosted with keratin and biotin are also perfect for you. They’ll combat static hair while getting rid of an oily scalp without weighing your hair down!
3. Always apply a heat protectant before styling
Using hot hair tools, like a straightening iron, regularly will eventually dry out your hair and lead to static and frizziness as it absorbs moisture after every use.
The best way to control this? A heat protectant. It creates a film over your strands, locking moisture in while lessening heat damage. The result? Sleek and smooth styles with no frizzy strands to be seen!
4. Or, limit heat styling altogether
Whenever you can, avoid using heat on your hair. And if you have to, of course don’t forget your trusted heat protectant.
Instead of blow drying your hair every day, just let it air dry. Or, instead of straightening your mane daily you can prolong your style for a few days with a dry shampoo—this way, you won’t have to repeatedly subject your hair to heat.
5. Dry hair with a microfibre towel
Cotton clothes are the best to wear when it’s hot out because it helps ventilate air throughout your body. But, for drying hair and sleeping? It’s a pass.
Cotton towels, like cotton pillowcases, are rough on your hair. Plus, they can harbour bacteria that can cause all sorts of hair and skin problems, like acne and hair breakage.
Instead, consider adding quick-drying microfibre towels! They lay your hair cuticles flat while absorbing water, not only helping dry hair faster but preventing frizz too.
6. Avoid plastic combs
Static hair is overcharged with electrons and combing them away with a plastic comb will only make them stand up even more.
Metal combs are a better hair-smoothing tool since they’re conductive and will help discharge the electrons in your hair.
But, metal combs shouldn’t replace your standard combs and hair brushes as they’re not the most gentle. When you’re dealing with static hair, just make sure you have one to help control it.
7. Use hairspray
One of the best ways get rid of static hair? Hairspray. It’s a tried-and-tested method that always works no matter how much hair is standing up.
Just apply a bit of hairspray on a brush or comb and lightly run it over your static hair to set it in place and smooth it down.
Don’t know which hairspray to buy? L’Oreal Elnett Hairspray is our favourite! It’s affordable, works well, and always keeps our styles in place.
8. Keep dryer sheets on-hand
If you’ve ever done laundry, you’d know how some clothes coming out of a dryer have static cling. Dryer sheets help with that and also softens clothes.
When in a pinch, dryer sheets are the perfect solution to getting rid of static hair. You just wrap it around your hair and watch them smooth out.
But, given that dryer sheets aren’t meant for the hair or skin, they could cause irritation your scalp, so use them sparingly.
Read Next: Top Hypoallergenic Shampoos for Sensitive Skin
How to Avoid Static Hair
While the tips are above are great for hair emergencies, we recommend still doing what you can to completely reduce the occurrence of static hair.
Below, learn how to prevent static hair.
Never skip conditioner: The best weapon against static hair and flyaways is moisture, moisture, moisture (but not too much!). After shampooing your locks, always apply a layer of conditioner from the middle of your hair to the tips. Leave it for a few minutes before rinsing out.
Use a deep conditioning hair treatment weekly: Heat and environmental factors are always wreaking havoc on your strands. To keep them in top shape, sans frizz, use a hydrating hair treatment once or twice a week. There are loads of options for damaged hair, fine hair, curly hair, and more.
Seal everything in with a leave-in or hair oil: Shampooing and conditioning your hair aren’t the only things you need to do daily to combat static hair. To lock in all the hydration you just gave your strands, apply a leave-in conditioner or light hair oil to seal everything in. Be mindful of how much you put because too much will just lead to oily-looking hair. No, thank you!
Trim your hair: You probably want long, luscious locks as soon as possible. But, trust me when I say you won’t get your dream hair without regular trims. Every 8 weeks, it’s best to get a trim (about 0.25 to 0.5 inches off) to maintain healthy hair ends and remove split ends.
If your hair isn’t at your dream length yet, you can always use The Halo to get longer, thicker hair, stat!