cigarette smoke in hair - how to get rid of it??

[stachelbeere]

Hey guys,

I'm pretty sure this issue has been popping up on this board from time to time.

I went to a house party yesterday and everyone was smoking in the apartment... today my hair smells so disgustingly - I took it down from my sleeping bun and the smell instantly made me feel sick. The worst part is that I washed my hair pretty much right before I left home, did a quick deep treatment and all that... eeehhh...

so. ways to remove cigarette smoke from hair. My first thought was using ACV dilluted in water and spritz my hair with it? what do you think?

[lunalocks]

When this happens to me, I have to wash it all out. Some people I know say they get the smell out with hairspray. But then you are sticky and stink of hairspray.

[stachelbeere]

ugh, hair spray... nooo :/

oh man, I guess I'll just have to put it up then :(

[Panth]

Just wash it again. Perhaps use shampoo on the length as well as the scalp area, if the smell is really clinging.

[hanne jensen]

Wash your hair and use an ACV rinse. Vinegar removes nasty smells.

[Zebra Fish]

The only "medicine" I found by now is -wash it :/ That's why if I know we are going somewhere where it will be smoke, I don wash my hair. I'm probably the only one washing it AFTER the part, and not before :p But if I wash it the day before or that day, sometimes the smell gets so stuck that even with washing, not all gets out (dunno how, but it sticks) :(

[Carolyn]

There are times when you just have to wash your hair. I know some have quite strict wash schedules and don't want to deviate from their plan. But there are times when you just have to suck it up and deal. Just go wash your hair. There is no reason to suffer with stinky hair.

[schnibbles]

That's why if I know we are going somewhere where it will be smoke, I don wash my hair. I'm probably the only one washing it AFTER the part, and not before :p
I do this also. :D Going out to socialize with "dirty" hair lol. (If my hair were actually dirty or greasy, of course I would wash it no matter what... even if I knew it was going to be smoky. But not if I can help it. And wash when I get home from the smoky place)

Sometimes mine will "air out" if I hang out outside for awhile with my hair down. But in the winter, that really isn't an option.
It won't hurt your hair to wash it again..you probably won't be making a habit out of doing this so I think it should be ok.

[TSwan]

My boyfriend smokes indoors, so I know how frustrating it is to come home smelling like you rolled around in an ashtray :P

Personally, I've found that spritzing my hair with a water/EO mix works really well. The EO has to be Grapefruit or Peppermint (for me anyways). No idea why the grapefruit hides it so well, but my mom (who has superpowered smelling) can't smell smoke on me when I do this; I just smell fresh and vaguely fruity. I just mix up a little spray bottle of the water/EO mix and keep it in my purse.

Just something you might want to try if you're not wanting to wash it :)

[Robot Ninja]

You could try CO-washing, it might get the smell out.

[CousinItt]

I read in some magazine that the smell is trapped under the hair near the scalp, and they recommend you blow dry your hair upside-down with the cool setting, making sure to air out near your scalp. I've never tried it, but have always been curious if this worked.

[stachelbeere]

thanks for the suggestions, guys. I also socialize with dirty hair, especially when there'll be cigarette smoke involved. The thing is that usually during house parties noone smokes indoors, it's just improper behaviour here. But this one was a crazy party! 60+ people in one apartment and suddenly people were smoking wherever they wanted to, which is really annoying for non-smokers like me :/ anyway, I didn't have time to do anything about my hair yesterday so today, for the sake of science, I'll try out:

- blow drying it, like CousinItt suggested
- spritzing it with EO/water like TSwan suggested
- adding some ACV to the EO/water mix and see what happens

If all else fails, I'll slather on some coconut oil and wash it. *sigh*

[stachelbeere]

okay, I'm back with results! I'm positively surprised :D

- the blow drying method kind of works! If your hair smells like an ashtray to begin with it, the blow dryer really takes the edge off and you end up with 10% of the smell you started with (I blew warm air on my hair btw). It doesn't leave your hair smelling like flowers but for a quick fix it's really good.

EO/H2O: I had grape fruit EO too and it made my hair smell like wood smoke... as if I was at a bonfire. It was very faint though, I had to really get in there to smell it! I blow dried my hair after spritzing the EO/water mix

+ EO/water + ACV: made my hair super soft (predictable) but didn't do anything to remove the tinge of wood smoke from my hair.

Overall thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised by the blow drying method, it really removed most of the smell! Combined with the EO/water spritz it worked pretty well. I will keep this in mind if I ever have this problem again. I'll probably still wash my hair though because it's been a busy weekend and I need to do a bit of a detox. Also, I'm on late 2nd day hair (washed it on Friday evening, now it's Sunday late morning).

Thanks a lot for the suggestions!!

[butter52]

I am editing because I didnt see your experiment results, interesting!

[Vanilla]

Whenever this has happened to me, I've use a combination of Febreze spray and some gentle blow drying.

[SunlightShines]

This is really good info! I have a horrible time being around cigarette smoke. It gives me bad headaches & sometimes a sinus infection will follow. In the past I've just gone straight for the shower & washed so I wouldn't have the smell on me....and my pillow. Now I have other options! :)

[3 Cat Night]

Good suggestions. Cigarette smoke gives me horrible migraines, so getting the smell out of my hair is imperative.

[CurlyCap]

Cowashing does remove the smell.

Also, I'd recommend washing of some sort. As the child of a smoke, I know that even if you don't think your hair smells that badly, it's likely because you are getting used to it. Smoke naive people will still smell it.

[CurlyCap]

Cowashing does remove the smell.

Also, I'd recommend washing of some sort. As the child of a smoke, I know that even if you don't think your hair smells that badly, it's likely because you are getting used to it. Smoke naive people will still smell it.

[meteor]

I do this also. :D Going out to socialize with "dirty" hair lol. (If my hair were actually dirty or greasy, of course I would wash it no matter what... even if I knew it was going to be smoky. But not if I can help it. And wash when I get home from the smoky place)

Sometimes mine will "air out" if I hang out outside for awhile with my hair down. But in the winter, that really isn't an option.
It won't hurt your hair to wash it again..you probably won't be making a habit out of doing this so I think it should be ok.

^ This!
I go to parties with dirty hair, especially if smoking or dancing is going to be involved! Nothing more annoying than having sweat and smoke in freshly washed hair.
The thing is, I tend to get more hair compliments on my hair when it's on the oilier/dirtier side anyway, so there! :lol:

And yes, aerating hair - with a fan or outside or with a blow-dryer on cool setting - is very helpful for getting that smoky smell out. That's what's recommended for getting smoky smell out of wigs and clothes that can only be dry-cleaned, too.

[meteor]

Whenever this has happened to me, I've use a combination of Febreze spray and some gentle blow drying.

Ooh, Febreeze! How interesting! :D So it's safe to use on hair?

[DeadlyUnicorn]

Ooh, Febreeze! How interesting! :D So it's safe to use on hair?

I don't know if it's safe or not but I too use febreeze/perfume for times like this if washing doesn't work

[morrigan*]

If i came home at night with my hair smelling from cigarette smoke i have to wash it before bed or i can't sleep, smell make me sick when i lay in bed.

[stachelbeere]

haha, I actually thought about using febreeze but I don't have it at home ;)