Whether you’re creating a Pinterest-inspired braid, an elaborate updo or loose beachy waves, hairspray is an essential part of any hairstyling regime. Recently we’ve spotted a lot of brands moving away from traditional aerosol hairsprays to non-aerosol versions. We sat down with Jonathon Eagland, brand ambassador for Time Bomb Haircare and stylist at John Frieda, to find out why he’s been converted to using non-aerosol hairsprays and what it is that makes traditional hairsprays so inferior…
Should we stop using aerosol hairsprays?
They’re bad for the environmentThis is probably the most obvious one. Even though chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been banned since the 70s (when they were shown to be damaging the ozone layer), aerosols still contain compressed gases, which add to our carbon footprint and contribute to global warming.They leave residue in your hairIf you’ve ever accidentally got hairspray on your phone screen or your dressing table you’ll have noticed the plastic film left behind. Traditional hairsprays create an acrylic film around the shaft of the hair to set it in place and this residue builds up, leaving your hair feeling stiff and sticky. Most non-aerosol hairsprays aren’t plastic-based so they can easily be brushed out and reapplied.
Here's our favourite non-aerosol hairsprays
They’re not suited for fine hairThe particles in aerosol hairsprays are extremely concentrated, so when they’re sprayed too close they can actually weigh down the hair leaving it flat and lifeless. Non-aerosol hairsprays are released as a finer mist, allowing the formula to really saturate the strands and allow your hair to hold its style and body for longer.They’re coldThis may sound odd, but as aerosol cans are usually made of aluminium the product inside is kept very cold. When you spray it onto hair that’s been styled with a hot straightener or curling wand, the sudden temperature difference can cause your style to drop, which is why you have to wait for the hair to cool before setting. Most non-aerosol hairsprays come in plastic packaging, which keeps them at room temperature and avoids this problem.They’re poor value for moneyOnce the gas runs out of an aerosol hairspray it’s impossible to get any more of the actual product out, so you end up having to throw away the can and buy a new one. Not ideal.