We’ve all experienced that moment when your hair, which looked so perfect when you left the house, starts to look unruly and wild by the end of the day. To avoid ending up with frizzy, unruly hair, here’s how to make it stay in place all day long.
How to make hair stay in place
#1. Invest in a boar bristle brush
Boar bristle brushes are exceptional at taming unruly locks and giving them extra shine. These thick, bristled brushes grip each hair as you brush, creating a smooth, almost glass-like glossy finish when perfected.
It’s the perfect way to put your hair in a ponytail that will go the distance. The bristles also help transfer natural oils from the scalp to the ends of your hair while polishing strands without making them look heavy or greasy.
Plus, they’re gentle enough on wet or dry hair that they won’t cause breakage or split ends! If you don’t have a boar bristle brush and you’re having trouble getting your hair to stay in place, this could be the missing piece you’ve been trying to find.
#2. Use Bobby Pins
Bobby pins are small but mighty! They can create intricate hairstyles or simply hold stray hairs in place. They’re your best secret weapon when you’re trying to make an updo stay put.
For maximum staying power, use two bobby pins crossed over each other at any point where you need extra hold.
One pro tip to remember is that the crimped side of the bobby pin should face down towards your scalp. Most people put them in the wrong way with the flat side down, but the ridges can help hold the bobby pin in place against your scalp.
#3. wear a headband
Is your goal to learn how to make hair stay in place and out of your face?
When all other accessories fail, use a headband to keep your hair out of your face and under control. Whether you opt for a classic black band or go bold with a styled style, this accessory is an easy way to make sure your hair looks neat and stays in place.
You can find soft, stretchy fabric headbands, use stiff, stylish headbands, or simply use string or ribbon to pull your hair back and away from your face all day.
#4. Try hair gel
Try gel styling if you want to learn how to make hair stay in place and maintain flyaways with maximum hold.
It’s an ideal choice for naturally wavy or curly hair that tends to get unruly and frizzy during the day, but you can also use it to keep your hair in place, whether for a performance, special occasion or just everyday life.
Apply a dime-sized amount of gel to damp hair, then use a brush to pull hair back into a ponytail, bun or chignon.
If you’re still seeing flyaways, use more gel to set those sections onto the rest of your hair. Once dry, the gel will form a cast around your hair that will prevent it from moving.
#5. Use hair spray
If you’re looking for something heavier than gel, turn to hairspray! Hairspray provides long-lasting hold that doesn’t feel stiff or crunchy when applied correctly (just don’t overdo it!).
It’s a bathroom cabinet staple that works well with any style. Do you know how to use it to keep your hair smooth and in place all day?
When wearing your hair, aim the nozzle at areas of hair that need extra hold—like around the crown of your head—and spritz lightly before using a comb or brush to distribute evenly throughout the mane.
If you’re going to wear your hair down, you can still use hairspray to wrestle unruly strands with a mind of their own. First, use a heat tool to dry and style your hair as desired.
Once you’ve got the look you want, use hairspray to “freeze” your hair in place and keep the curl (or smooth glide) no matter what you do that day.
#6. wear a hat
A hat is one of the easiest ways to keep your locks in place while protecting them from sun damage on hot summer days.
Plus, it’s the simplest solution on this list. If you’re lazy, forget the styling tips and throw on a hat for a sophisticated look with minimal effort.
Whether you prefer baseball caps, beanies, fedoras, or sun hats, they all do double duty to keep the distance away while protecting your scalp from harmful UV rays!
Each hat has a different look and style. You can choose which hat to wear based on your outfit or look of the day, or choose a favorite hat that you can rock all the time.
#7. Wet then style
Wetting curly strands before styling can help tame frizz and add definition, leaving your hair where you want it. It’s also a smart strategy if you want your updo to stay longer than when styling dry hair.
With clean, wet hair, try applying a little leave-in conditioner before styling. Damp hair is more prone to damage, so an extra layer of smoothing conditioner strengthens your strands, moisturizes and prevents breakage.
To strengthen hold, combine this tip with hair gel or hair spray. Your hair won’t move an inch.
So how do you make your hair stay put?
Your best options for making your hair stay in place are products such as hairspray and hair gel, tools such as bobby pins and boar bristle brushes, accessories such as hats and headbands, and methods such as wet-time styling.
Combining these options is also a great way to increase the holding power of your hairstyle.
Common questions
Let’s take a look at some of the most common questions you may encounter when trying to keep your hair in place.
Vaseline is an option to keep your hair in place. However, Vaseline is pure petroleum jelly, an oil-based substance that can be difficult to remove from hair.
It also tends to look greasy. Use this method with caution, but it can be a last resort.
How long your hairspray holds your hair in place depends on the brand and the product itself. You can look for products that advertise “long-lasting” hairspray or look for terms like “all-day hold” or “lasts 24 hours” on the bottle.
Most hair sprays hold your hair in place for several hours, but some can hold it even longer.
Using gel to keep your hair in place every day is fine to do – just wash your hair regularly to avoid unnecessary product or dandruff build-up.
A great way to remove build-up between washes is to oil your hair, then use a cleansing shampoo until you can’t feel any residue from your hair products on your scalp or strands.
For some people, hair gel is better than hair spray at holding their hair in place. Because hair gel is much thicker, it can tame thicker, curlier hair. Curly people may prefer it to maintain their locks.
On the other hand, gel may be too thick for people with finer hair. Hair spray works great for fine hair, but you may notice that it has a hard time keeping thick, curly hair in line.