Hair Styling Products
These products are used to give the finishing touches to the chosen hair style, in order to get the final effect the user is looking for. Most are synthetic products, designed to make the hair thicker and firmer.
Setting lotions
These protect the hair from heat. Liquid lotions are designed to be used on wet hair. They give extra volume to the finished style.
Styling mousses
These can be used on either dry or wet hair, and are especially suitable for curly styles.
Gels
'Wet gels' give a glossy appearance to the hair. They work best with black hair.
Hair sprays
Hair sprays are generally used on dry hair, to hold and fix a style. A hair spray is a solution of a polymer (plastic) in a liquid.
The hair spray solution in the canister reaches the hair in the form of a fog of tiny droplets. When these strike the hair they join up, coating the hair thinly with the polymer. The spray dries very quickly, since the liquid evaporates almost at the instant it touches the hair. As it dries the polymer forms light welds or bonds between the strands of hair. It is these bonds that hold the newly created style in place.
Different types of hair spray are sold, for use on different types of hair. They differ in the formulation of the holding polymer used, and also in the way the spray is produced. Polymer sprayed on the hair in the form of large droplets gives more hold; it takes longer to dry, however, which leaves the hair feeling sticky for a while. It may also seem stiffer and rougher when it is dry. Smaller droplets give better feel, but a less firm hold. It is important to choose the right balance between hold and feel.
The more heavily the spray is applied, the stronger is the hold. But there is a definite trade-off: the build-up of polymer on the hair both looks and feels unpleasant. Some sprays feel sticky after even a fairly light application. A good spray will give both good 'hold' and good 'feel' without heavy or repeated application, and will be completely removed by shampooing.
Most hair sprays bond the hair strands into long, linear bundles - that is, they 'seam weld' the hair. But this structure is broken down as soon as a comb or fingers are run through it, or even in damp or windy conditions. A new innovation produces 'spot welds' rather than seam welds see . This reduces the volume of product on the hair. It also gives a softer hold and less damage to the cuticles when the hair is groomed.
