Answering All Your Questions on Hairspray (The Product, Not The Musical)
Iantha Yu is an experienced beauty editor with over ten years of experience in the publishing industry. Her words can be found on Marie Claire, Beauty Crew, Women's Health, Virgin Voyeur, SHOP Til You Drop, Broadsheet, and more.
Picture this scenario: you’ve just spent ages straightening your hair or styling it into the perfect S-wave.
Now, you’re about to hit the town for a few drinks with the girls.
Thanks to humid conditions outside, your hair droops within the first hour of being out, ending up limp with lots of little flyaways. Booo!
One product that can help your ‘do rock all night and behave all day is a good hairspray.
Why Use Hair Spray?
Hairspray is a styling product that you spritz onto your hair *after* you’ve finished heat-styling.
A reliable hairspray is a godsend if you want to prolong all the hard work you’ve put into straightening or curling your locks.
Can Hair Spray Damage Hair?
If used regularly, can hair spray damage hair? Not really.
Hairspray creates a coating on the hair strands to hold them in place.
This coating can make your locks look and feel a bit *yuck* when lack of shampooing lets the hairspray cause a build up on hair.
What Is Hairspray Made Of?
A basic aerosol hairspray consists of a polymer, a solvent, and a propellant. The propellant forces the solution out of the can to spray as a light mist. When this liquid is sprayed, the solvent and propellant evaporate. The polymer sets on the hair, leaving a stiff layer to keep the hair in place.
Hairspray propellants used to contain CFCs, which have now been banned, as these ingredients are damaging to the ozone layer. Today, hairsprays tend to contain hydrocarbons and compressed gases instead to work as propellants.
Pump hairsprays have never contained any propellants—only polymers and solvents.
Is Hairspray Bad for Your Hair?
Nope, hairspray isn’t bad for your hair at all. There is nothing in hairspray that's known to be damaging to your hair or health. However, you should be aware of certain things when using hairspray so you can maintain healthy hair.
1. Avoid hairsprays that contain ethanol.Ethanol is a type of alcohol that can be drying and damaging to the hair and irritating to the scalp. It's best to avoid hairsprays that use ethanol as their solvent. Instead, opt for stearyl, cetearyl, or cetyl alcohol, which are non-drying fatty alcohols.
If you want to encourage hydration, use a nourishing hairspray, such as Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray, which contains argan oil.
2. Be gentle with brushing.One of the most common ways to damage to hair is to over-brush it. Brushing hair that's coated with hairspray can be particularly damaging, as you'll weaken the hair cuticles, making them prone to breakage.
Avoid using super-hold hairsprays if you're planning to brush through your coif afterwards. Instead, opt for something lighter, which gives your hair flexibility and leaves it touchable.
3. Control product build-up.If you regularly use styling products on your hair, your hair is prone to product build-up. Product build-up weighs your hair down and makes your products less effective, as they have to work through layers of old product. Hairspray can deposit dandruff-like white particles onto the hair over time.
It's important to use a clarifying shampoo in order to clean the hair thoroughly of hairspray residue. We recommend using a clarifying shampoo such as O&M Original Detox Shampoo once a week to prevent product build-up. Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub offers a deep clean for the scalp.
4. Hairspray can cause lacklustre hair.If you're coating your hair in polymers every day, your hair will begin to look dull over time. Use a hairspray containing vitamin E to ensure shiny and nourished hair. We recommend Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray.
Using hairspray alone will not cause damage to your hair. However, with repeated use of sprays, your hair can lose some of its best qualities.
It's important to use other products to retain shine and moisture and reduce product build-up. And always be careful with your hair. This way you can reap the benefits of hairspray whilst maintaining healthy hair.
How to Remove Hairspray From Hair
It’s really simple to get hairspray out of hair.
All you need to use is a clarifying shampoo and conditioner to deep-clean those sticky strands. Try these ones:
- O&M Original Detox Shampoo is a top choice when it comes to clarifying shampoos. Your scalp is bound to feel healthier thanks to the addition of tingly peppermint and tea tree.
- IGK FIRST CLASS Charcoal Detox Clarifying Shampoo 236ml is another great option. This charcoal-infused formula is vegan and free from sulphates and parabens. It works hard to remove build-up without stripping your scalp and hair of moisture.
- L'Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Silver Clarifying Shampoo 300mL is a great go-to for removing hairspray buildup on hair that’s grey, white, or light blonde. This deep-cleansing purple shampoo can also banish brassiness.
How to Get Hairspray Build Up out of Hair
If you want to know how to remove hairspray from hair, we’ve got a few ideas.
Try these scalp scrubs to remove buildup on hair and scalp.
- Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt 250ml is a great place start. When it comes to shopping for scalp scrubs, this is *the* OG product not to miss. Super-satisfying to use, it does a top job of removing hairspray each time.
- Coco & Eve Like A Virgin Deep Clean Scalp Scrub is another top choice. The minty scent is bound to uplift your mood. But more than a pretty fragrance, this scrub uses ingredients like volcanic ash, coconut shell, AHAs, and BHAs to provide both physical and chemical exfoliation.
- Oribe Serene Scalp Exfoliating Scalp Scrub 125ml is definitely one of the more expenno options, but boy is it worth it. Besides prettying up your bathroom, this formula made with polymer beads both physically and chemically exfoliates your scalp.
Here Are 3 Must-Try Hairsprays for Every Concern
Now that you know how to get rid of excess hairspray build-up that occurs with dedicated use, it’s time to try some of the best hairsprays on the market.
1. MOROCCANOIL Luminous Hairspray Strong Finish
What it is: MOROCCANOIL Luminous Hairspray Strong Finish
Who it’s for: Those seeking a hairspray for dry, frizzy hair.
Why it’s so good: The formula is boosted with argan oil to nourish and increase shine in locks as well as protect them from humidity.
2. KEVIN.MURPHY Session Spray
What it is: KEVIN.MURPHY Session Spray 400mL
Who it’s for: Folks with curly hair.
Why it’s so good: With flexible hold and a weightless finish, what more could you want from a light-hold hairspray?
3. evo helmut extra strong lacquer
What it is: evo helmut extra strong lacquer
Who it’s for: All hair types.
Why it’s so good: This formula makes your style last, that’s for sure.
After reading this guide, you should be able to get hairspray out of hair (and avoid build up on hair) for hairstyles that can seriously stay the course.
You can find more product recommendations for hair sprays and styling products in the guides below...
