Static and Hair Type

[Andrea H]

Hello! Sorry if this has been asked already, if it has point me in the direction of that post.

In the winter I become rather static-y, especially my hair. Does anyone have any solutions to stop my hair from being all static-y?

Also, I'm having a hard time pinpointing my hair type. My individual strands are pretty fine, but I can easily see them. So does that make them fine or medium?

And am I a 1b or a 1c? Here's my hair washed but otherwise not touched:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b257/anniegurl89/DSCN1964_zps758e194fd_zps17079f2e.jpg
Thanks in advanced guys! :D

[melusine963]

Oiling helps my hair be significantly less static-y. I have 2c hair, but maybe this would work for you, too.

[Andrea H]

Oiling helps my hair be significantly less static-y. I have 2c hair, but maybe this would work for you, too.
What oil do you use? I've never done the whole oiling thing before.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

My hair used to be REALLY staticky - sometimes it would even float out horizontally. Now that I use oil I never get static. I stroke a couple of drops of baby oil (mineral oil) through it while it is damp after a wash. Sometimes I will use coconut oil or almond oil instead. Always just a tiny amount though, unless I am doing a heavy oiling pre - wash, then I use spoonfuls of oil to get it as greasy as possible!

Welcome to LHC, have lots of fun here!

[ravenreed]

Is the air inside your home dry because of running a heater? That is what often causes static. Try a humidifier. Your hair and skin will probably thank you.

[Andrea H]

My hair used to be REALLY staticky - sometimes it would even float out horizontally. Now that I use oil I never get static. I stroke a couple of drops of baby oil (mineral oil) through it while it is damp after a wash. Sometimes I will use coconut oil or almond oil instead. Always just a tiny amount though, unless I am doing a heavy oiling pre - wash, then I use spoonfuls of oil to get it as greasy as possible!

Welcome to LHC, have lots of fun here!
Thanks for the tip! Does the baby oil have to be organic or does it not matter?

And thanks. :D

[Andrea H]

Is the air inside your home dry because of running a heater? That is what often causes static. Try a humidifier. Your hair and skin will probably thank you.

Yeah we usually have the heating on, that's a good point. I will see how the oiling goes and then try this, thank you. :D

[ravenreed]

It has made the biggest difference for me, and my kitties are happier too. Kitties don't like to get zapped when you pet them. If you don't have a humidifier, you can also simmer a pot of clean water for a while. Just don't forget it on the stove! I have done that in emergencies when my humidifier went out. I have a kitty that has breathing problems and I have to keep moisture in the air or she wheezes, poor thing.


Yeah we usually have the heating on, that's a good point. I will see how the oiling goes and then try this, thank you. :D

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I don't worry about whether my oils are organic or not - they all seem to work well for me.

ETA: If you are new to using oils and want to do a heavy oiling pre - wash the best way to get the oil out is NOT with shampoo, but instead, before you even wet your air, slather it really thoroughly in conditioner and let it sit for about half an hour, then just rinse the whole lot out. You might then only need a small amount of shampoo, then just condition and rinse as normal. Oiling makes the most amazing difference to hair - I wouldn't have believed it until I tried it for myself. It doesn't suit everyone though, you won't know until you try, I just thought you would like to know how to do a heavy oil treatment. I normally do one around once a week or when I think about it, it does wonders for softness, SHINE and is a great detangler as well.

Hope this is useful to you. :)

[melusine963]

What oil do you use? I've never done the whole oiling thing before.

I use 100% pure coconut oil (the kind you would use for cooking). It comes in a jar and is a solid at room temperature. I scrape up a little bit with my finger nail and rub it between my palms to melt it until my palms are shiny. Then I smoothe my palms over my hair from my chin down. If I go any higher it makes my hair greasy very quickly - my scalp produces enough oil without me adding extra! You really only need the tiniest amount of oil. It's better to put in a very little, see how well it soaks in, and then add a little more if needed. If I put in too much my hair goes stringy and looks horrible.

Oiling my hair not only reduces static, but it acts as a wonderful detangler and leave-in conditioner, too. I can't recommend it enough.

[Andrea H]

Thanks for the tips guys! To be honest, I don't need much in the way of softening up my hair. I stopped using conditioner about two weeks ago and my hair is soft if not SOFTER than it was when I used conditioner. I just really need to tame the static in my hair.

I will check for these oils when I go shopping though, thanks again. :D

[imaroo]

And am I a 1b or a 1c?

Did anybody ever answer this question? I didn't see an answer, but I'm curious because my hair is very similar.

[Andrea H]

Did anybody ever answer this question? I didn't see an answer, but I'm curious because my hair is very similar.

So far no.

Hey hair twin hey. :P

[dollyfish]

You look like a 1c to me! Those are some obvious s-waves at the bottom for sure.

And, personally, no matter the season my hair is always prone to static. I find that citric acid rinses help a lot, as well as oiling at the ends. I like sweet almond oil best as it's light and smells nice, but I use coconut oil on really bad days.

[Andrea H]

You look like a 1c to me! Those are some obvious s-waves at the bottom for sure.

And, personally, no matter the season my hair is always prone to static. I find that citric acid rinses help a lot, as well as oiling at the ends. I like sweet almond oil best as it's light and smells nice, but I use coconut oil on really bad days.
Thanks!

Really? That sucks. :( Hm, so is almond oil a bit lighter than coconut oil then?

[imaroo]

Hey hair twin hey. :P

Oh, I've always wanted a twin! Your hair is much longer than mine since I'm trying to get to APL, but otherwise that could be the back of my head!


I like sweet almond oil best as it's light and smells nice, but I use coconut oil on really bad days.

I use coconut oil as a pre-wash treatment, but can't use it after. It's just too heavy and greasy. I might give sweet almond oil a try!

[Annibelle]

I would guess 1b, because while there are a couple of waves at the ends, the rest is so straight, especially for having not been combed. :twocents:

But no matter the hairtype, your hair is beautiful! :thud:

[Sillage]

Some people rub dryer sheets in their hair and swear that it gets rid of static. I find using a leave in spray conditioner helps me. Right now I'm loving L'oreal EverCreme Nourishing Leave In Spray.

[Andrea H]

I would guess 1b, because while there are a couple of waves at the ends, the rest is so straight, especially for having not been combed. :twocents:

But no matter the hairtype, your hair is beautiful! :thud:

Hm, okay! It's weird, sometimes my hair is curlier/waver after washing it and sometimes it's even straighter than that. o.o Before brushing it I mean. And thanks! :D

[Andrea H]

Some people rub dryer sheets in their hair and swear that it gets rid of static. I find using a leave in spray conditioner helps me. Right now I'm loving L'oreal EverCreme Nourishing Leave In Spray.
Another good idea. Well, more so the second part. I've heard dryer sheets are bad to use, period. Thanks for the tips though! :D

[white.chocolate]

So as to not to repeat what previous posters have said, I'd additionally suggest wearing sweaters made of natural fiber.

...Yes, oiling helps A MILLION to reduce static. My hair, compared to last year, really isn't static anymore. :)

[BrownEyedBeauty]

The obvious oiling helps me too. Making sure the tops/jackets that you wear are not staticky also helps me too.

[floralgem]

I usually don't get static, unless of course, I'm a cheerleading, and the mats build up a lot of electricity during the winter....When you rll them, you get shocked and can hear the electricity go through it!