What Causes Hair Static & How to Fight It

Frizz and fly-aways happen to the best of us. No matter how often we moisturize our hair during the winter, escaping static electricity seems impossible. To better understand how to tame your hair static, you find need to know a little bit more about what causes it.

Static electricity is created when two unlike objects rub against each other. The process causes electrons from one object to be transferred to the other. The object that loses the electrons gets a positive charge, while the object that gains electrons get a negative charge. Take hat hair for instance. When the material of your hat rubs against the strands of your hair, they swap electrons. This swap causes a kind of electric charge to build up on your hair. If there is humidity in the air, the charge can usually just go away.

However, if there isn’t any humidity or moisture in your hair, like on a dry winter morning, the charge causes your strands to repel from another like a magnet. In short, your hair is literally so full of electrons that it can’t stand itself. Now, that you know what causes static electricity let’s talk about ways that you can fight it.

One of the reasons that your hair is conducting an electric charge is that it’s dehydrated. During the winter, our strands can become dry due to lack of moisture in the air. Needless to say the cold winter winds and warm indoor heat are not doing your hair any favors. Give your hair some TLC by moisturizing your strands with a smoothing hair oil

In order to help balance your hair’s natural charge, try using an ionic hair dryer when drying your strands. Ionic dryers work by emitting negative ions to help separate water molecules. This process not only helps to dry your hair faster, but it also helps to reduce heat damage that could dry out your strands.

Don’t let fly-aways get the best of your hair. Fight frizz by spritzing Redken's Frizz Dismiss Anti-Static Oil Mist onto the hair to instantly smooth and tame static. The Frizz Dismiss line features sustainably-sourced Babassu Oil for enhanced smoothness, manageability and shine.

It’s time to ditch your cotton lined or acrylic hats in favor of options with silk or satin lining. By having a smoother fabric on your hair, your strands can lie flatter and won’t be roughened up by the material. Instead your hair will glide across the material, which will help to prevent frizz and dreaded hat hair.

Don’t leave your house without hairspray or a metal comb this winter. They are the perfect travel companions for taming your mane during the colder months. Simply spray your metal comb with hairspray and comb from root to tip. The hairspray will help to tame any fly-aways without causing the hair to feel crunchy or hard. Also, the metal comb itself helps to remove any built up static in your hair as the static will attach to the metal rather than your strands. How cool is that? 

Not sure which hairspray is best for you? Check out Hairspray 101 for the complete guide to Redken's hairsprays. 

Another great way to feed your hair the moisture it needs is by using a leave-in conditioner throughout the winter. The product will help to hydrate the strands and defend it against the varying temperatures and weather conditions. Simply spray the product throughout your strands and comb through to evenly distribute. If you have hair that’s on the coarse side and is in need of some intense nourishment, you can also try using a leave-in moisturizing lotion which can hydrate parched strands without weighing them down.

You may find that harsh winter weather can zap your hair of its moisture and leave it feeling dry. If this is the case, try using a shampoo that contains argan oil to soften brittle hair and leave it feeling manageable. For hair that’s severely dry and coarse, a superfood-infused moisturizing shampoo that contains hydrating aloe vera gel can be helpful for bringing it back to life and minimizing static.

For more static haircare tips and sneak peeks at new product launches, follow @Redken on Instagram!