As soon as the colder weather hits, my hair turns into a static mess. Yanking chunky knit jumpers over my head definitely doesn’t help, nor do woolly scarves and bobble hats. But there's no way I'm going without those, which means I’m looking at a good six months of walking around looking like really lame version of Medusa. Probably with a snotty nose (it's cold, OK).
I spoke to Michael Lendon, Creative Director at the Aveda Institute, and Aaron Carlo, lead X Factor stylist, about how to avoid static hair now winter is here. Sadly they couldn't help me with the snotty nose problem. I'm on my own with that one.
What causes static hair?
‘Static hair is most common when the air has become dry, which causes a negative form of electricity, hair becomes positively charged and strands deflect each other,’ Michael informed me.
Why is it worse in the colder months?
‘There is a lower level of humidity in the colder months, which causes hair to become drier and more prone to static,’ Michael explains. As well as this, it’s made worse by the woollen textures (hello polo necks, scarves and hats) we start wearing.
Are certain hair types more likely to be static?
Even though all hair is prone to getting static, if it's fine it'll probably effect you more compared to those with thick or coarse hair. ‘Fine hair tends to expand more due to its weight, whereas coarse hair is heavier so will not expand as easily or become static as quickly,’ Michael explained. That said, if your hair is already dry or frizzy, it’ll lend itself very nicely to a bit of static: ‘This is because it already has less moisture in it,’ Aaron told me.
How can you avoid getting static hair?
If you suffer with static hair a lot, it’s a good idea to avoid using too much heat, like hairdryers and straighteners, because over-drying and over-heating hair will cause it to expand and become static quickly. ‘A quick-fix tip is to apply a small amount of water to the hands and smooth this over hair as this neutralises the static charge in hair.’ Michael suggests.
Another tip is slightly less obvious. ‘Try using a tumble dryer sheet and rub it over the hair’, Aaron recommended. They’re designed to reduce static in clothes so they do a good job on hair too.
What products are good when dealing with it?
Obviously this comes down to what sort of hair you have: those with fine hair should avoid using anything too heavy as it could weigh your hair down, whereas thicker hair can take those sorts of products. As a quick fix solution Aaron suggests spraying hairspray, like TRESemmé Perfectly done Ultra Brushable Hairspray, £4.99 for 250ml, on a brush, and running it through the hair to tame it.
Michael reccomends using a wax or cream when dealing with static hair, ‘A product like Aveda Light Elements Texturizing Creme, £21, will smooth down any electrical charge and calm hair down to avoid static electricity.’
‘Look for products with 'quat' or 'amine' in the ingredients, as they conduct electricity better than silicone so will help prevent static.’ Aaron pointed out. Try the OGX Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo, £6.99 for 385ml, which contains both of these.
An oil is also a good idea to give the hair some extra moisture and avoid static. Aveda’s Dry Remedy Moisturizing Oil, £20.50 for 30ml, is super moisturising and is 99.9% naturally derived. Plus, the little bottle lasts forever because a little goes a long way.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.