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How to Get Rid of Flyaways | 12 Simple Tricks

Flyaway hairs can be incredibly annoying, and they can undo the effort you put into styling your hair. Fortunately, there are tips and tricks that you can use if you want to tame the flyaways and enjoy a sleek, unruffled look.

How to Get Rid of Flyaways: A Summary

There are many different causes for errant, loose hair, from your hair being too dry to using too much product. Your hair might also be suffering from damage, such as split ends, hair breakage, or chemical damage. Whatever the cause, flyaways are the worst, and we’re here to help you put them in their place. The following steps will help you get rid of flyaways:

  1. Use Shampoo and Conditioner Formulated to Fight Frizz
  2. Get a Deep Conditioning Treatment
  3. Dry Your Hair With a Microfiber Towel
  4. Try a Hair Serum
  5. Use a Little Hairspray on Your Brush
  6. Minimize Use of Heat 
  7. Don’t Brush Your Hair When It’s Dry
  8. Smooth Your Hair With Dryer Sheets
  9. Get Regular Haircuts
  10. Accessorize
  11. Try an Ice Cube
  12. Use a Dab of Body Lotion

When you follow the tips above, you will minimize the flyaways, and your hair will be smooth and sleek all the time.

How to Get Rid of Flyaways in 12 Easy Steps

When your hair is dry or damaged, flyaways can ruin your hairstyle. Follow these steps to get rid of flyaways once and for all.

Step 1. Use Shampoo and Conditioner Formulated to Fight Frizz

The first step to getting rid of your flyaways is by elevating hair care routine. People often make the mistake of trying to fix their flyaways after they style their hair, but they never consider the products they are using. The truth is, the shampoo and conditioner you use set the foundation for how your hair is going to look. Use the wrong ones, and you could end up battling static and frizz all day. The right ones, however, will make you look like you just left the salon.

What products should you use? You should use shampoo and conditioners that are designed for your type of hair. If you have regular flyaways, you need to use shampoo for frizzy hair. Also, look for shampoos and conditioners with smoothing capabilities that offer intense hydration.

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You should also reduce your shampooing to every other day, and make sure that your shampoo and conditioner have moisturizing agents such as aloe vera or coconut oil. Make sure that your shampoo matches your hair type, whether it is fine and straight or curly and thick.

You should also use a clarifying shampoo once a month to make sure you remove buildup from hair products. Finally, use conditioner every time you shampoo your hair, especially on the ends. This prevents your hair from drying out and keeps your ends moist and healthy.

Read Next: How to Get Rid of Frizzy Hair

Step 2. Get a Deep Conditioning Treatment

Dry, moisture-zapped, and damaged hair is one of the main causes of flyaways. Fortunately, you’re only a deep conditioning treatment away from fixing it. A deep conditioning treatment will help strengthen your hair and add nutrients to it. It is basically a hair mask, and you will leave it in overnight. Place a shower cap on your head to protect your pillow and rinse it out in the morning.

Read Next: Best Conditioner for Hair

Step 3. Dry Your Hair With a Microfiber Towel

Another mistake that many people make is using a heavy cotton towel to dry their hair. This kind of towel is rough on your hair. Your hair is at its most fragile when it is wet because the proteins in it have weaker bonds.

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Change your towel for a microfiber towel made with fine fibers, and it will reduce the damage to your hair. You can also use a simple cotton t-shirt.

Step 4. Try a Hair Serum

Hair serum is a great option for controlling flyaways. It is made with a silicone base that will coat the surface of your hair and protect it.

The silicone helps control flyaways in several ways. It adds weight to weak hair strands so that they can calm down and blend with the rest of your hair. Some hair serums also contain hydrolyzed proteins that work to reduce the static charge that leads to flyaways.

Step 5. Use a Little Hairspray on Your Brush

Once you have styled your hair, you might notice a few flyaways. This is terribly annoying, but you can spray a little hairspray on your brush and run it through the flyaways. One trick that helps minimize the amount of hairspray you use is to spray it on a toothbrush and run that through your hair.

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Another option is to spray the hairspray directly on your hands and run them over the sections that have flyaways. Keep the amount to a minimum, as overusing styling products contributes to damaged and dried-out hair.

Read Next: Best Setting Spray

Step 6. Minimize Use of Heat

One of the leading causes of flyaways is dry and damaged hair, and heated styling tools are a major culprit. You can reduce your flyaways by minimizing the use of heat on your hair. Only use it when you absolutely must and start to rely on some hairstyles that don’t require any heat.

The problem with heat is that it dries out your hair cuticles and changes the structure of your hair proteins.

If you continue using these styling tools, your hair becomes so damaged that you may need to cut it short. You will notice that it is more difficult to manage, and it won’t hold its shape as well when you style it. Your hair will tangle more easily and look stringy and rough. You should use these tools in moderation to reduce the flyaways.

Read Next: How to Straighten Hair Without Heat

Step 7. Don’t Brush Your Hair When It’s Dry

If you brush your hair when it is dry, you might create flyaways due to the buildup of static electricity. This is even more so the case if your hair is curly. To get around this, use a comb instead of a brush, or run your fingers through your hair to style it or put it back in place. To get even more protection from the frizz, comb your hair when your hair is still damp or wet the comb first.

Go slowly and be gentle as you detangle your hair and work your way from the ends to up to the roots. When your hair is dry, you should run your fingers through it rather than brushing it.

Read Next: Best Hair Brushes

Step 8. Smooth Your Hair With Dryer Sheets

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A little-known trick that can eliminate stray flyaways is smoothing your hair with a dryer sheet. Dryer sheets are designed to reduce static charge in the dryer, and they will also reduce static in your hair. Wipe the dryer sheet over your hair until it is smooth and shiny.

They make both scented and unscented dryer sheets, so choose the one that works best for you. There are also hair-smoothing sheets designed specifically for the same purpose, so pick some up the next time you are at the store.

Step 9. Get Regular Haircuts

Some people want to grow their hair, and they avoid cutting it throughout the process. However, getting haircuts regularly will help eliminate split ends or hair that has been damaged.

It will also prevent your hair from breaking because it won’t be as heavy. Get regular haircuts so that you reduce your split ends and prevent damage.

Step 10. Accessorize

You are bound to have a day when nothing is working to tame your flyaways. This is especially the case when it is humid outside or after rain. On these days, make sure that you have some great accessories that you can use to hide or tuck away your flyaways.

Use a headband or get some great bobby pins to tuck those hairs in. This way, you won’t be late as you try to fix your hair.

Step 11. Try an Ice Cube

An ice cube offers a simple solution if you have flyaways that develop during the day. The cool water will help your hair retain moisture, and it will reduce flyaways. You can use this trick on days when you don’t have time for another solution.

Step 12. Use a Dab of Body Lotion

Although you should be cautious with this trick, it is another one that works when you need a quick solution. Take a dab of body lotion, but make sure that it is not greasy. You can rub it in your hands and then gently massage it into the flyaway strands.

This trick works best on hair that is thick rather than fine hair. It might make fine hair appear greasy, so be careful if you try this trick. Use a small amount that is no more than a dime, and be sure to rub it around on your hands before you massage it onto your hair.

Things to Consider

Piece on how to get rid of flyaways showing a close-up shot of light red hair flying away

Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock

If you find yourself dealing with flyaways, there are some simple rules to follow, including the following:

Things to Do:

  • Do use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner
  • Do treat your hair to a conditioning mask
  • Do buy emergency accessories for bad hair days
  • Do smooth your hair with dryer sheets
  • Do coat flyaways with hair serum
  • Do remove your tangles before you go to bed

Things Not to Do:

  • Don’t use a heavy cotton towel
  • Don’t brush dry hair
  • Don’t shampoo every day
  • Don’t overuse heat-based tools

So, How Do You Get Rid of Flyaways?

Although flyaways are a nuisance, they are easy to manage with the right hair care regimen. It is important to ensure that your hair is getting the moisture it needs because dry, damaged hair is difficult to manage. Follow the steps above to keep your hair smooth, sleek, and free of flyaways.

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