how damaging is hairspray?

[sweetiepie]

Guys, just want a second opinion - how damaging a hairspray can be?

I am currently in the ongoing battle with frizz, and what I found out on this board and on naturallycurly was that I need to use some styling product to avoid frizz. So I tried my Wellaflex ultrafixation hairspray and it did work lovely.

My problem is it has alcohol and dimethicone in it:(

Ingredients: Alcohol Denat, Butane, Propane, Isobutane, Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Aqua, Aminomethyl Propanol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Parfum, Ethylhexyl, Triethyl Citrate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citronellol, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional

I googled all of them and found that Triethyl Citrate is an ester of citric acid which also means it might be bad for hair.

Anyways, my question is if it's hairwise to use such a hairspray as a go-to product for almost daily styling?

[Dars]

In short no, it's not hair wise to use hairspray daily. The alcohol present is one of the most damaging elements in hair spray (and other styling products). Here is a link (http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79)to a great article on damage and if you scroll down you will find a picture that shows the damage hairspray can leave behind.

Styling products aren't the only solution to frizz, so there is definitely no need for them. Search around the forums, there have been many discussions about frizz and how members control it. Personally I tame mine by not using towels, avoiding heat styling and using regular cone free conditioner on dry hair if it's required.

[sweetiepie]

Dars, thanks for the link. Also, I have tried not using towels, I almost never use heat and conditioner is of little to no help. I guess I'll try looking at those frizz threads once again.

[CarpeDM]

It took me a long time to find a hairspray that was all natural AND didn't have any alcohol in it, but I did. Try Organic Excellence Styling Spray (I use the wild mint one). I think it works just as good as any chemical hair spray without the chemicals....

[sweetiepie]

Wow, CarpeDM, thanks for the tip, didn't think things like that spray happen!

[CarpeDM]

You are welcome :)

[Roscata]

You can make your own hair spray, just get one of those spray bottles and combine water with some lemon juice or orange juice (which is less drying) and it should work about the same. You can also add some oils or essential oils to it.
Here is one recipe: http://www.ehow.com/how_5301908_make-hair-spray-fresh-lemons.html

Also you could consider microfiber towels for your hair (just to rap into, not to rub with) for less frizz. I use this one: Aquis Mimi's Diva Dryer Hair Towel (http://www.curlmart.com/store/product.php?productid=156&cat=0&page=1) and it's apretty cool.

Speaking of frizz, you might want to check this out: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=53745&highlight=lemon+frizz

Good luck! :D

[lapushka]

Lightly misting with hairspray that doesn't have rock-solid hold, and not repeating this to great extremes daily, I think is pretty much okay. Lots of it, every single day: I don't think so.

As a teen, I used hairspray daily, and lots of it. It was very strong hairspray. I combed it out at night, resprayed in the morning, and I did so every day, until wash day. By then I'd have to practically pull the hair apart with a comb and my hair would be full of flakes. I got lots of breakage as I combed, but at that time that didn't bother me at all.

[Tresses]

I use hairspray on my updos every day. I don't plaster my hair, but if I didn't use hairspray, I would look like a Q-tip. At the moment, I use Garnier Fructis, but I've also used Pantene in the past. No problems here.

[heidihug]

I also use hairspray most weekdays, or my bangs would be limp, greasy strands sticking to my forehead. Using a light amount just on my bangs doesn't seem to have caused any damage that I can discern.

[sweetiepie]

Thanks everyone for chipping in!
2 Tresses: hm. So you have alcohol in your hairspray too? And you've been using it for a long time? Maybe it's not that bad then.
Btw, Dars, thanks for reminding about not using a towel, did that last night and was surprised how well this works - haven't done that in ages.

[Eire]

I mist my hair with hairspray lightly most days. It might be slightly drying, but I haven't noticed any significant problems. I find that coconut oil helps reduce most of the frizz - the hairspray is just to hold my style in place afterward.

[Tresses]

Thanks everyone for chipping in!
2 Tresses: hm. So you have alcohol in your hairspray too? And you've been using it for a long time? Maybe it's not that bad then.
Btw, Dars, thanks for reminding about not using a towel, did that last night and was surprised how well this works - haven't done that in ages.

Yes, and for at least 20 years. As with all things hair, YMMV, especially depending on your hair condition, the product, and how much you use. :thumbsup:

Not using a towel as a means of frizz control may work for some people, but at classic length, I would leave quite a trail behind me if I didn't towel dry. That, and my hair would take longer than it already does to dry. :bigeyes:

[breezefaerie]

I use hair spray daily, on my bangs and a little to smooth over my updos. I don't plaster it on and have never had any issues with it. I use plain old Tresemme. :)

[ravenreed]

I don't find hairspray that damaging. I only use it a few times a year and wash it out carefully. I had worse damage from some of the natural alternatives like Kimberlilly's Defrizzing Spray which left my hair so dry that I had to trim my hair right away.

[Angeletti]

This article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79) made me cringe (about half way down it talks about hair spray). It shows a picture of the cuticles being ripped apart after the hairs are separated from being "glued" together by the hairspray. I used to use hairspray all the time before LHC but I now have limited it to maybe two times a month, usually after I use non-heat curlers to curl my hair.

[ravenreed]

The problem with that photo from the article is that if you read the source article from P & G, the photo of the ripped cuticle is from a woman who went a week without washing her hair and had multiple applications of hairspray over each other. I am fairly sure one application won't cause the same level of damage or they would have used THAT as a photo in the source article. Especially if it is carefully washed out after each use!

From the source article regarding the hairspray photos- "What has happened here was that the lady concerned was washing her hair about once a week, and applying hair spray frequently and generously between shampoos. By the end of each week, significant amounts of hair spray had built up on her hair. Fortunately, modern shampoo technology is excellent at removing even a week's accumulation of hair spray, grease and dirt. (http://www.pgbeautygroomingscience.com/hair-spray-accumulation.html)"

Don't get me wrong, it's a great article from Nightshade on damage and how to prevent it. If your hair is completely trashed, it is great read. However, I feel that unless someone wants perfect hair that reaches to the floor, most people can get away with doing more to their hair than is general considered okay on LHC.

ETA: Yes, I am pedantic enough to read source articles. That is just how I roll.



This article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79) made me cringe (about half way down it talks about hair spray). It shows a picture of the cuticles being ripped apart after the hairs are separated from being "glued" together by the hairspray. I used to use hairspray all the time before LHC but I now have limited it to maybe two times a month, usually after I use non-heat curlers to curl my hair.

[enfys]

I use hairspray when I need to. Actually...I need to more than I do I'm just lazy.

I've never noticed damage from it. If my hair has been heavily sprayed to hold a style, I CO before brushing at all. If it's just to control frizz, I mist lightly enough that I can't hardly feel it and it brushes right out. I get a good effect from spraying it on my hands and kind of wiping them over my hair too.

I haven't read the ingredients to know what's in it. I don't care much.

[Cirafly24]

I use Garnier Fructis hairspray every day to smooth my updos. I spray it on my hand and then run my hand over my head to tame the baby hairs. I have not noticed any damage at all from this. I use a small amount, my hair doesn't even feel stiff.

However, I once used a hairspray that was very high in alcohol, butane, and propane (it smelled awful), and I noticed a ton of breakage almost immediately. That bottle went right in the trash.

[Tresses]

::snip::

ETA: Yes, I am pedantic enough to read source articles. That is just how I roll.

Good catch, ravenreed. :thumbsup:

[Shermie Girl]

I use hairspray when I feel I need it. I make sure not to brush or comb my hair after I have applied it. To remove it, I wash it out, rather than brushing it out and I haven't really noticed any damage from using it.

If you are set on not using hairspray at all, aloe gel does a fair job at keeping minor flyaways down and your hair and updo fairly smooth. :)

[Noula]

Whether it's damaging to your hair or not I doubt it's good for the environment or your lungs no matter how gentle and eco-friendly the can claims to be.

[sweetiepie]

Not using a towel as a means of frizz control may work for some people, but at classic length, I would leave quite a trail behind me if I didn't towel dry. That, and my hair would take longer than it already does to dry. :bigeyes:
I just wanna say here that I used to think that before I tried it))) Actually one can squeeze the hair a little bit (with one's hands) to get the water out and prevent heavy dripping, and it does not dry longer than usual - I checked. Not like I'm trying to convert you or anything:D

ETA: Yes, I am pedantic enough to read source articles. That is just how I roll.
Hahahaha))) Btw thanks, I didn't even have to read the article myself as you summed it all up before I got to the link;)

Whether it's damaging to your hair or not I doubt it's good for the environment or your lungs no matter how gentle and eco-friendly the can claims to be.
Hm, I like this argument.