25 Hair Hacks Every Woman Should Know

If you’re like most women, chances are you take great pride in your hair—and that means you probably try to do everything in your power to keep your mane looking its most beautiful.

But once in a blue moon, you may have a bad hair day that makes you want to run for the hills—or hide under a hat 24/7. Not feeling that? We get it. The good news is that there are quite a few hair hacks—25, to be more exact—you can add to your hair care routine to help keep your strands in shape. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to brush up on your beauty hacks!

HAIR HACK #1: IF YOU HAVE FINE, OILY HAIR, TRY DRY SHAMPOO

Does your fine hair tend to get greasy by midday? Try the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Dry Shampoo, which is formulated with three refined clays to help refresh strands between shampoos. The formula helps to absorb excess oil at the roots for fresh, lightweight hair—without residue. To use, hold the bottle of dry shampoo six to eight inches away from your hair. Spray it directly onto oily roots and lightly throughout the rest of your hair. Brush the dry shampoo through the lengths of your hair to spread it evenly.

Editor’s note: Of course, it’s important to note that you don’t want to use dry shampoo in place of actually shampooing your hair. You should put a regular hair washing routine in place to help get rid of any oil, dirt, and product buildup that may accumulate on your hair and scalp.

HAIR HACK #2: ONLY CONDITION YOUR ENDS

Yes, it turns out there is actually a right way to use conditioner! When conditioning, focus mainly on your lengths and ends. Avoid your scalp area when applying conditioner, because this can cause your hair to look greasy—and that’s probably not what you’re going for, right?

HAIR HACK #3: BRUSH YOUR HAIR THE RIGHT WAY

It’s time to invest in the right brush! One good option: a boar bristle brush. This type of brush can help to evenly and gently distribute your hair’s natural oils through the lengths of your strands. And, when using a brush—regardless of what kind it is—being gentle is key. That means you should start from the bottom of your hair and work your way up to carefully detangle any knots. You should also avoid brushing your hair while it’s wet because that’s when it’s most fragile—and you don’t want to cause any unnecessary damage. When your hair is wet, think about spritzing on a detangler and combing through it instead.

HAIR HACK #4: CREATE A FULLER-LOOKING PONYTAIL

Looking for an easy way to get a fuller-looking ponytail? Then give this easy style a try! The trick behind creating a fuller-looking ponytail is to actually create two ponytails! Yep, you heard us right. This hairstyle can also create the illusion of more length. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Gather the hair above your ears to create a half ponytail and secure it with a hair elastic.

Step 2: Take the first ponytail you just created and flip it forward to the top of your head to move it out of the way.

Step 3: Create a second ponytail using the remaining bottom section of hair. Make sure to secure the second ponytail directly below the base of the first ponytail so that it’s hidden from plain sight. The two ponies should layer on top of one another and give the visual effect of a single long ponytail that's extra voluminous. 

HAIR HACK #5: STOCK UP ON BOBBY PINS

It’s never a bad idea to have a few bobby pins on you at all times. That’s because using bobby pins is one way you can help to keep your ponytail from falling flat during the day. After you’ve tied up your ponytail, prop it up with two to three bobby pins. Slide the bobby pins over the hair tie on the bottom part of the ponytail, placing them at a steep, diagonal angle. Doing this can also help make your ponytail look higher and high ponies are totally in!

HAIR HACK #6: TEASE YOUR LOCKS IN SECTIONS

Want to add more volume to your hair? Listen up: Instead of backcombing just the top layer of your hair using a fine-toothed comb, split your hair into multiple sections. Then, tease each section to pump up the volume. It’s that easy!

HAIR HACK #7: USE EYE SHADOW TO HELP MAKE YOUR HAIR LOOK FULLER

Another way you can help to make your hair look fuller is by dusting an eye shadow on your part. Look through your eye shadow collection to find a shade that best matches your hair color. Then, using a small blending brush, use the eye shadow to fill in your hair part to help give the illusion of fuller hair. Consider reaching for the L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche La Palette Nude, which contains a variety of natural-looking taupe and brown tones that could match your hair color.

HAIR HACK #8: ADD MINI CLIPS TO YOUR BEAUTY PRODUCT ARSENAL

Faking volume has never been simpler, thanks to the use of this tiny hair accessory. Start by tying your hair into a sleek ponytail, then, split your pony in half and place the small claw clip in-between the two sections. The top section of your hair should naturally hide your clip, so no one will know your volume is of the faux variety.

HAIR HACK #9: START BY BLOW-DRYING YOUR HAIR AT YOUR ROOTS

Your blow-drying technique could use an upgrade. Contrary to popular belief, wrapping your hair around a brush and blow-drying it is actually not the best way to get a professional-looking blowout. What should you do instead? Place a round brush at your roots and blow-dry this area first before making your way down to your ends. Voila!

Editor’s note: Could you use a play-by-play on how to give yourself a blowout? Here’s How to Blow-Dry Your Hair at Home.

HAIR HACK #10: COVER UP YOUR GRAY ROOTS

No time to book an appointment with your colorist at the salon? No problem! Try the L'Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up Spray. This lightweight, quick-dry spray will help conceal gray roots without leaving behind any sticky residue. Available in multiple shades of blonde, brown, red, and black, this root cover up spray lasts one shampoo. To use, first shake the can well. Then, holding it four to six inches away from your hair, spray the color onto new growth and partly through the length of the hair to blend in the color.

In even more of a pinch? You can use the L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Precision Pen to conceal grays on-the-go! The temporary gray concealer comes in three shades. To use, rotate the bottom of the concealer counter-clockwise to dispense color onto the brush. Then, lightly dab the brush onto your grays to conceal away. Allow it to dry for one minute and you’re good to go.

HAIR HACK #11: WASH YOUR HAIR IN LUKEWARM TEMPS

Steamy showers might feel oh-so-good—especially on a cold day—but they’re really not that great for your hair. Super-hot water can strip your hair of essential oils, making it feel dry. Yikes. Lower the dial and opt for bathing in lukewarm temps instead. Your hair will thank you!

HAIR HACK #12: CREATE BEACHY WAVES SANS HEAT TOOLS

Who says you need a curling iron to create gorgeous, effortless-looking waves? It’s time to stash your heat tools away—remember, frequent use of heat tools can sometimes lead to damage—and air dry your hair instead. Spritz the L'Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Wave Swept Spray onto wet hair, braid it, and unweave your hair once it’s dry to reveal beachy waves.

HAIR HACK #13: USE A TOOTHBRUSH TO HELP TAME FLYAWAYS

This next hack may sound strange, but it can actually work to help tame flyaways! Take an unused toothbrush and spray it with a little bit of hair spray, like the L'Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray Strong Hold. Then, use the toothbrush to gently comb back any flyaways.

HAIR HACK #14: COMB YOUR HAIR BEFORE SHAMPOOING

As we told you earlier, it’s not the best idea to brush your hair when it’s wet because that’s when it’s at its most fragile. But what can you do if your hair tends to get knotty? Help get rid of tangles by combing (gently, of course!) dry hair before you shampoo.

HAIR HACK #15: BLOT YOUR HAIR DRY WITH A T-SHIRT AFTER SHOWERING

While it’s definitely tempting to rough-dry your hair with your towel after shampooing and conditioning, you may want to rethink this. As we’ve said before, you want to be gentle when taking care of wet hair. So, instead of reaching for your towel, grab an old cotton T-shirt, which will be gentler than a towel. Then, pat—don’t aggressively rub—your hair to soak up any excess water.

HAIR HACK #16: INVEST IN A silk PILLOWCASE

It’s time to get fancy—and save your blowout in the process! Because silk pillowcases are super soft and, well, silky, they can help to keep your hairstyle from getting messed up while you sleep. Take note, those of you who toss and turn.

HAIR HACK #17: SLEEP ON A BUN

You can create waves while you sleep by twisting your hair up into a bun before bed. Plus, the higher the bun, the more lift you can help to create at your roots. Release the bun in the AM and watch those loose waves roll down your back!

HAIR HACK #18: USE DRYER SHEETS TO TAME STATIC

There are few things worse than static hair. After all, who wants their hair to be sticking up and out of shape? Get rid of any unwanted static by grabbing a dryer sheet and smoothing it over your locks. Say hello to a smooth, static-free mane!

HAIR HACK #19: USE A FLAT IRON TO CREATE BRAID WAVES

As we mentioned above, beachy waves are seriously gorgeous—and you don’t necessarily need a curling iron to create them! Give your hair that instant loose, wavy definition you crave with braid waves. First, braid small sections of hair throughout your mane. Then, use your flat iron to go over your braids. Allow your hair to cool before undoing your braids and styling your newly wavy strands.

HAIR HACK #20: GET FAUX SHORT HAIR

We’ve all had the desire to spontaneously try a short haircut at some point—and while some people seriously rock this look, others end up mourning the loss of their lengthy locks. If you want to see what you’d look like with short hair before you commit to the chop, or know you want to sport a short mane for only one night, you can fake short hair with the right hairstyle—no cutting required! Head over to our article, How to Wear a Faux Lob Hairstyle, to find out how.

HAIR HACK #21: GRAB SOME HAIR EXTENSIONS

Just as you may want to try short hair for the night, those with a short haircut may want to rock long hair! Hair extensions will be your best friend for doing just that. Just make sure you read our articles, 5 Tips for Styling Hair Extensions and How to Take Care of Hair Extensions, to brush up on your hair extension knowledge.

HAIR HACK #22: USE A PURPLE SHAMPOO TO KEEP BLONDE HAIR BRASS-FREE

Who doesn’t love blonde hair? Well, at least when it’s brass-free. No one wants to ruin their beautiful blonde hair color with unwanted brassy tones! Keep your blonde brass-free by using a purple shampoo to counteract warm, brassy hues.

HAIR HACK #23: GIVE YOURSELF A TEMPORARY HAIR COLOR CHANGE

With so many hair color trends, it can be difficult to commit to just one, and switching up your ‘do permanently can be pretty intimidating. Luckily, you don’t have to make a commitment, thanks to temporary hair color! Take your pick from the many shades in the L’Oréal Paris Colorista 1-Day Spray and the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup 1-Day Color lines and give your mane a temporary makeover. Both hair color products wash out in just one shampoo!

HAIR HACK #24: CURL YOUR HAIR IN A PONYTAIL

Don’t have time to section your hair into multiple layers and curl each one? You’re in luck—there’s a hair hack to solve exactly that issue! Toss your hair up into a ponytail, then curl your hair. When you pony up, there are fewer pieces to curl and you can achieve a curly ‘do in a fraction of the time. When you finish with your curling iron, let down your hair and shake out your strands.

HAIR HACK #25: CREATE A SOCK BUN

Want to create a perfect bun in a matter of minutes? Who doesn’t! A sock bun is about to be your best friend. Simply take a sock, preferably one in a shade that resembles your hair color, and cut off the toe end. Then, roll the sock into itself until you’re left with a donut hole sock. To use the sock bun, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Put your hair into a ponytail where you want your bun to be placed.

Step 2: Pull your ponytail through the hole of your sock bun so that the sock is at the end of your ponytail.

Step 3: Roll the sock bun, with your hair, towards the base of your ponytail. Once the sock bun is at the base, pin it into place! You’ll be left with an instantly flawless bun.

Next: 5 Hair Hacks to Get Out the Door Faster