Help - Static electricity!

**Changling** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:21 AM

I live in Maine, and it has pretty much already decided to be winter here. It drops below freezing every night, the air is suddenly very dry, and my hair does not appreciate it at all. It's in a jawline bob at the moment ;_; and I can't seem to keep it from getting all static-y and sticking up in every direction! And it clings all over my face. And I know it's not from a change in my routine, because I haven't changed my routine in over a month. AND I know it's not from dryness, because I wash twice a week, and by wash day it's all heavy with sebum and whatever, and really greasy and needs to be washed, but somehow still all static-y! Though I suppose it's a *little* more manageable on wash day...but it's way too greasy to be publicly acceptable!

This is especially a problem for me with trying to grow my hair out long. I have been trying to grow out this pixie for five years! And every time it gets long enough to be in my face, I start to go more and more insane until I get another pixie! And I don't even like them! They are a pain in the butt to style. It's been long enough to be in my face for like, 3 months now. And that's right where it is, all the time. I have *no* experience whatsoever with "bobby pins" or "hair clips" (did I say that right? ...jk XD) because I may as well have been a boy until I was like...18.

Once I can make a ponytail, it will be out of my face and I can benign neglect it until it's nice and long and I can do braids and buns and all manner of truly awesome things with it. But I have to remain sane and find a good hiding place for the scissors until then!

TL;DR: my hair is so static-y and unmanageable I am in danger of cutting it and crying myself to sleep every night.

**PrairieRose** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:28 AM

@Changling...what kind of comb or brush do you use? I also have a problem with static in the winter. I recently started using a horn comb, this seem to cut down on the static greatly.

**SpinDance** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:33 AM

What is your routine, what products do you use? I get static a lot when I use ACV rinses and also I've had some with oil shampoo. When I do CO or CWC I don't get it. As PrairieRose says, horn combs are supposed to help. I didn't notice any difference after doing ACV/oil shampoo, but then I haven't completely debugged my process with using these. Oh, and oil applied to the static-y hair didn't help me, just gave me oily static-y hair. Putting some oil or Panacea on wet hair seemed to reduce it, though.

**Changling** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:36 AM

omg...it's super cheap and *plastic* Gee I wonder where all that static could possibly be coming from? Surely not my cheap-as-hell plastic comb! I feel dumb now. I'm a science major, for pete's sake.

But where can I get a horn comb? I live in rural Maine...the only stores that even sell combs are like....Rite Aid and Walmart DX

**Changling** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by SpinDance

What is your routine, what products do you use? I get static a lot when I use ACV rinses and also I've had some with oil shampoo. When I do CO or CWC I don't get it. As PrairieRose says, horn combs are supposed to help. I didn't notice any difference after doing ACV/oil shampoo, but then I haven't completely debugged my process with using these. Oh, and oil applied to the static-y hair didn't help me, just gave me oily static-y hair. Putting some oil or Panacea on wet hair seemed to reduce it, though.

I do use BS/ACV rinses to wash my hair, but I really really like it...I don't wanna stop! D:
I guess I could go back to CO...I do have no-cone stuff. Do you think it would help if I replaced the ACV with beer or something? I got really good results from beer rinses before. But it wasn't winter then.

**ktani** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by SpinDance

What is your routine, what products do you use? I get static a lot when I use ACV rinses and also I've had some with oil shampoo. When I do CO or CWC I don't get it. As PrairieRose says, horn combs are supposed to help. I didn't notice any difference after doing ACV/oil shampoo, but then I haven't completely debugged my process with using these. Oh, and oil applied to the static-y hair didn't help me, just gave me oily static-y hair. Putting some oil or Panacea on wet hair seemed to reduce it, though.

In the past, I have had static after using conditioner.

I have found with catnip use it is the balance of the moisture level of my hair in part and making sure I use the catnip evenly - result - ETA: should read minimal to 0 static - 0 to no static.

That is the key - using enough oil in the oil shampoo and the shampoo not being drying (using too strong a shampoo with the oil) - or using a bit more oil on damp hair afterward, if necessary. Covering damp oiled hair with plastic and using a blow dryer for 5 minutes can help the coconut oil absorb thoroughly and not make the hair look greasy.

**Neya** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:43 AM

When I lived in Maine my hair was long and super staticy in winter.
I attributed it to dry air + being over moisturized.
I personally just used to dose it in cones - but then I knew nothing about hair care then.

**Anje** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:45 AM

Try switching to a horn or wood comb -- less static than plastic.

Consider getting a humidifier and/or a little mister bottle with water. Mist your hair periodically. Static tends to have to do with dryness -- not that your hair is dried out, but your environment probably is. When the relative humidity drops really low (as it tends to indoors in winter, especially with forced-air heating), hair and clothes get a lot statickier.

It doesn't take dried out hair for it to be affected by static electricity.

**PrairieRose** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by Changling

omg...it's super cheap and *plastic* Gee I wonder where all that static could possibly be coming from? Surely not my cheap-as-hell plastic comb! I feel dumb now. I'm a science major, for pete's sake.

But where can I get a horn comb? I live in rural Maine...the only stores that even sell combs are like....Rite Aid and Walmart DX

I ordered mine off the internet...some are very expensive, others are reasonable in price. I think I bought mine from www.heavenlyharvestinc.com

**Changling** · November 22nd, 2011, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by Anje

Try switching to a horn or wood comb -- less static than plastic.
Consider getting a humidifier and/or a little mister bottle with water. Mist your hair periodically. Static tends to have to do with dryness -- not that your hair is dried out, but your environment probably is. When the relative humidity drops really low (as it tends to indoors in winter, especially with forced-air heating), hair and clothes get a lot statickier.

So do you think dryness is the culprit? I have a humidifier in my room, and I do have a mister bottle but I could use it more than I do. Any suggestions on a good mister bottle recipe for winter static? I usually just use filtered water (I have hard water, so I wash my hair with filtered water) and like, a drop of conditioner.