Avoid Static Hair in Winter With These 7 Stylist-Approved Tips

While we love colder months for its festive fun, nothing kills cozy vibes faster than static hair in winter. Between wooly coats, scarves, and silky holiday tops, most winter fits come along with enough friction to make your hair stand on end. But luckily, there are a few easy tricks that can help combat hair static.

The first (and most important) step is locking extra hydration into your hair. “Very simply put, static flyaways happen when the hair or the environment around the hair is dry, so moisture is the answer,” says NYC salon owner Oscar Blandi. Adding one more weekly deep-conditioning treatment to your usual hair care routine can make a big difference. “Conditioning products help hair retain moisture and keep strands weighed down—in a good way—which is the best way to fight static.”

Ahead, find out how to keep static hair at bay this winter, according to professional hairstylists. Scroll on for the complete list, or skip ahead to specific tips:

1. Prep with curly products—regardless of your texture
2. Use a dryer sheet
3. Try StaticGuard
4. Use hairspray
5. Swap out the nylon brush
6. Mulitask with hand cream
7. Use water

If you’re especially static-prone, consider making a seasonal switch to cleansing and styling products meant for curls (whether or not you actually have them). “Wax-based products or oils for curly hair are ideal since they are heavier and will weigh hair down,” Blandi explains. You also might want to skip the volumizing products, which can leave hair feeling more charged.

Use a dryer sheet.

This one’s a classic in the realm of emergency hair tricks: Dryer sheets (preferably the unscented kind) are the gold standard when it comes to getting static to calm down. You can lightly pass the sheet over staticky hair until it starts to settle down—just don’t press too hard, or you might see some white residue.

This trick also works great with staticky clothing. Pack a few sheets in a ziplock bag and hide it away in your handbag; you’ll thank us on som evening when you’re rushing out to post-work drinks with your hair crackling—or your skirt clinging to your tights. If you’re feeling iffy about using laundry products for haircare, you can also buy specific sheets like the Nunzio Saviano Anti-Frizz Sheets.

Nunzio Saviano Anti-Frizz Sheets

Mist a little Static Guard on your hairbrush and winter accessories.

Tempted as you may be, don’t spray this stuff all over your head. Instead, mist just a little on a hairbrush before running it through your strands. As the name would have you believe, it guards against static as you get dressed and bundled up.