How to Stop Hairspray From Flaking Off on You
Hairspray is a tricky devil: it can suffocate, it can make you itchy and choking, it can make your hair crunchy and painful when brushed. And yet, when you’ve been hard at work with your curling iron and don’t want all your efforts to go to waste by dinnertime, hairspray is your savior. Some of these bad things are immediate and inevitable, but coughing and itching are justified by the continued glory of your hairstyle.
But there is one downside that shows up after a while and might make you think about using hairspray again: flaking. It looks like dandruff, but you know it’s not. Unfortunately, you can’t approach every person at work and reassure them first that the white dust on your shoulders is actually hairspray, not dead scalp. (That would be weird.) Instead, prevent flaking. Like this:
Use a clarifying shampoo
You don’t want hairspray buildup. As the name suggests, if you don’t get rid of it, hairspray dirt will build up on top of the existing hairspray dirt in your hair. So use a clarifying shampoo every few washes to really cleanse your hair. There are home remedies too, like adding baking soda to your current shampoo. Baking soda is great for cleaning , so use it to the fullest here. One tablespoon in your regular palm of shampoo should do the trick. Remember to rinse well and never treat your hair near the roots. It just leads to, yes, more buildup.
Be careful with product application too: While detangling products and leave-in conditioners are great after a shower, and mousses and other styling products can really help right before you blow-dry or curl your hair, you can’t just lay everything on your head and one times and think you won’t shake your hair. Pick and choose the ones that best suit your style for that day.
Spray the right way
One of the problems that cause hairspray to peel and fall off can be the way you spray it.
“The best way to prevent hairspray from peeling off is to keep the can six to eight inches from your scalp,” says Laurel Rush , a New York-based stylist who has been doing hair for a decade. “Spraying too close can cause buildup, which can lead to flaking.”
Do not apply hairspray in one place for too long. You want fast, even glides up and down your hair when you spray. Saturating certain areas too much, whether by holding the nozzle too close or moving too slowly, will only make them crispy and eventually cause flaking. Don’t overdo the spray. One or two passes are enough.
Los Angeles-based stylist Hayley Heckmann told Lifehacker that her advice to avoid flaking is to avoid using hairspray directly on your hair altogether. Instead, she suggests, spritz a comb with hairspray and then run the rich bristles through your hair.
“I like a boar bristle brush for full hold or a toothbrush for taming fluffy and baby hairs,” she said. “So you still get hairspray, but without the harshness or flakiness that often comes with spraying it directly onto your hair.”
If you find that your hair doesn’t hold well, look for a hairspray with a higher hold. Pay attention to your nozzle too. You want one that sprays a fine, wide mist, not a straight, narrow spray. If you find that your hairspray is spraying in a more concentrated spray than before, rinse the nozzle under hot water to remove any residue from the hole.
“There are many different hairsprays on the market,” Rush said, “and they have different levels of hold. “Make sure you know what you want your hairspray to do—whether you want volume, shine, or for it to act like a dry shampoo.”
Choose quality hair products
On that note, it’s worth paying more for better quality products. As with anything, you’ll have to rely on trial and error (and sometimes other people’s trial and error, thanks to online reviews) to figure out which hairspray is best for you. As Rush noted, there are many options for strength, finishes and features. If you don’t choose one that suits the look you’re trying to create, you run the risk of getting frustrated, spraying too much, causing this awful buildup and seeing flaking.
While you’re shopping, Rush advises, try a travel size before buying a full bottle. And if your hairspray is still peeling while you’re looking for a suitable replacement, don’t worry. Use the sticky side of the tape to pull the flakes off your shirt, and try not to play with your hair or toss it too hard.