Wintertime calls for warm beanies and plush wool sweaters, but our hair doesn’t seem to enjoy them. When your hair is unintentionally reaching new heights (thanks, hat hair), that Frankenstein’s bride look seems nearly impossible to calm down. Thankfully, there are quite a few static hair products that can help diminish the electrical charge in your hair.
Like frizz and flyaways, this hair-raising concern can be caused by a myriad of reasons, including weather changes, your hot tools, and your clothing. According to Los Angeles-based hairstylist Glenn Ellis, static usually happens when there is friction against your hair. “If you flatiron your hair too much or use a round brush in your hair for too long, too much friction is put on the hair,” he says. “It can also happen if there’s a change in humidity.”
Dry hair, a drier climate, and added friction are a recipe for your hair to build up an electrical charge (hence why this is usually a winter concern), which causes each hair to start repelling the other, kind of like two magnets pushing away from one another. In order to tame the static electricity, moisture is needed to weigh down the hair and diminish the charge, which is why Ellis suggests grabbing a leave-in cream, hairspray, or dry shampoo.
Anti-static hair products are surprisingly abundant, and we’ve found the very best formulas to calm down the chemistry project happening on your head. Below, take a look at what we’ll be using to minimize static and tame flyaways all winter long.
To get rid of static hair fast, Ellis says the Fekkai Clean Stylers Flexi-Hold Hairspray is a must. It’s one of his favorite hair-care products for its flexible, crunch-free formula that’s spiked with moisture-replenishing vitamin B5 and strengthening rice protein. “I love this hairspray because it’s super lightweight and will reduce static,” he says.
If you need one more reason to love Oribe’s popular Gold Lust Dry Shampoo, Ellis says it’s also great for counteracting static. “This dry shampoo is amazing because it won’t leave your hair white and will weigh down static,” he says. As it smooths frizzy and staticky hair, this starch-based dry shampoo also absorbs excess oil and adds a bit of volume and body to your overall look.
Though Ouai’s once-viral static and frizz hair sheets are no longer available, the Ellis-approved brand’s Leave-In Conditioner is an aerosol-free (and therefore more environmentally conscious) option for sealing moisture into damp hair, therefore reducing the likelihood of static-induced hair-raising. Spritz this formula onto your hair for a dryness-reducing dose of vitamin E, panthenol, and tamarind seed extract. What’s more, its light yet effective formula is suitable for basically any hair type.