Hairspray 101.

Raise your hand if you've ever used this? I certainly did, back in the day. I think my mom still uses it. Ack! This is like, well, glue. Ü



I've been thinking about doing this post for a long time. And then I thought, well, maybe no one is interested in a hairspray how-to. And then I remembered my mother is. Ha! Bless her little cotton socks. :) This procedure is just what works for me. I learned by the good ol' trial & error method. I've used many hairsprays over the years. Probably tried most of them. Drugstore & professional. In my working days, I used this:



My best recommendation is to back the hairspray can up. Back the can away from your hair. If you spray your hair, holding the bottle about an inch or so from your head, you're going to end up with a thick, gooey mess. It's going to be too wet. And once that occurs, you're pretty much done. You can try to comb it out (once it dries), or take the hairdryer & a round brush in attempts to smooth it back out & then try to start over. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I learned the hard way to back the can a good distance away from the section of hair I'm spraying.

After Aussie, I switched to this, for many years:



When I spray my hair (typically just my bangs, unless I rat/tease some areas), I back the can way up (like 3 or 4+ inches) & spray, moving swiftly back & forth, resulting in my 1st, light coating. And then, I let it dry. Completely. I put on more lipstick or something while the first coat dries. After my first light coating, I'm also able to take my metal hair pick (or fingers, whatever) & make some adjustments, if necessary. Usually I have adjustments. :) I then come back & spray again. Again, I only spray for a quick second. If not, chances are you're going to end up with the same scenario mentioned above. The longer you hold the nozzle down, the wetter your hair is going to get. Gunky. Gooey. Sticky. And honestly, if it's too heavy, it'll hold your hair in place alright, but it's also going to weigh your hair down & make that particular area flat. Quick, smooth, sprays/strokes is what works for me. The key is though to let it dry completely before applying a second coat. Or third. Or fourth. I use a lot of hairspray. :) I finish getting ready, do a final look in the mirror, give one last fluff if need be, another light coating, & off I go. I usually spray until my hair is bouncey, yet my style stays firmly in place. Simple.

After Amplify, I switched to this. I used it until about 8 months ago. Love this hairspray, but it's a professional brand & quite pricey:



My opinion is, hairspray is similar to makeup. If you don't know how to apply it, it really isn't going to matter if you use a top-of-the-line professional brand or a drugstore brand. All hairspray is sticky (some more than others). Whether expensive or inexpensive, applying it properly will make your hairstyle prettier, no doubt. I'll probably never go back to professional brand hairspray. It really makes no sense if the inexpensive (drugstore) is working just fine.

This is my current choice of hairspray, after reading it on Kelly's blog. It costs about $4.00 at Walmart or Target. I love the price & I love the results:



Two other tips: if your hairspray clogs, rinse the nozzle under hot water after each use. I do this after every use. If you don't, chances are over time, it will begin to clog & when you spray your hair, you'll spray everything but your hair. ;o) Also, if you tease your hair, spray underneath instead of coating the top. Coating the top will, again, just weigh it down. You want to spray under the area you teased, to freeze that area & hold the hair up. Then I come back & apply a single, light coating on top.

I've tried many brands over the years & found many of them don't work. It's as if I sprayed air on my hair. Ü I wasted a lot of money, so when I find one that works, I stick with it. Another discovery - you know how most cans claim the hairspray is "heat and humidity resistant"? They lie. If it's a rainy or extremely humid day, you're going to have a bad hair day. Wear a hat or a headband.

Happy spraying! :)