11 Tips to Help You Tame Flyaways

If you’ve ever spent time creating a selfie-worthy hairstyle, only to end up having it ruined by a bunch of flyaway hairs — we know your pain. Flyaway hair is a notorious hairstyling nuisance that can pop up (literally) for a number of different reasons. While it may be tempting to coat your hair in a protective layer of crunchy hair spray to keep them away, or even pluck the wayward strands out, there are subtle changes you can make to your hair care routine to ban them for good. 

Learn more about what causes these small frizzy hairs to stand up, along with tips and products you can incorporate into your hair care routine to fix hair flyaways, below.

What Are Flyaways?

Flyaways are unruly hairs that stand straight up instead of laying flat. They can be a daily occurrence in your routine if you have new hair growth or hair breakage. They can also spurt up from time to time when the air is humid or when your hair is dry.

What Causes Flyaway Hairs?

Like many other hair care concerns, there are a plethora of reasons why flyaway hairs can come about and as annoying as they are to deal with, they’re pretty common. One of the main culprits of flyaways is product buildup — failing to properly clean and moisturize your hair can keep it from having a smooth appearance, which can lead to unruly hair that is hard to manage and style.

Other causes of flyaway hair include chemical damage, dry strands, split ends, hair breakage, static, frizz and humidity. On the bright side, flyaways usually do grow out over time, but it all depends on how you style and care for your hair. 

How to Prevent Flyaways

Preventing flyaways usually comes down to two things — the right hair products and maintaining the overall health of your hair. Here are three ways to prevent flyaways from taking over your hairstyle.

Use Humid-Resistant Hair Products

If you live in a humid environment, flyaway hairs are a very common occurrence. Using a leave-in treatment or hairspray that fights humidity can help keep these uncooperative strands in check. We suggest the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle LOCK IT Weather Control Hairspray, a finishing spray with frizz-restistance and humidity control that keeps hair smooth and manageable for up to 48 hours.

Sleep on a Silk or Satin Pillowcase

Cotton can draw moisture from your hair, which can lead to frizz and flyaways. Switch out your cotton bedding for a silk or satin pillowcase and watch what it does for your hair. Not only will it help with moisture retention, but it will create less friction on your hair while you sleep, which will lead to smoother, softer and healthier hair in the long run. 

Use a Clarifying Shampoo Weekly

As we mentioned, product buildup can weigh your hair down and negatively affect your style, leading to things like flyaways and frizz. Everyone experiences product buildup, especially if you rely on styling products, like dry shampoo and hairspray. Luckily, tending to product buildup is fairly simple, all you need is a clarifying shampoo. 

Clarifying shampoo offers a deep cleanse on the hair and scalp to remove buildup. Once a week, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Micellar Shampoo in place of your normal shampoo. The water-to-airy foam shampoo formula lathers at the scalp to remove all the stuff you don’t want sitting up there without stripping the hair of its natural oils. After you rinse, follow up with your normal conditioner. 

How to Tame Flyaways

Flyaway hair doesn’t have to become your new normal. Consider these hair care tips below to help eliminate your flyaways. 

1. Use a Frizz-Fighting Shampoo and Conditioner

Fixing flyaways should start at the very beginning of your hair care routine — not after you’ve already finished styling your mane. Since flyaways can be a byproduct of frizz and dry hair, use a frizz-control hair care system with hydrating ingredients, like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Frizz Defy Shampoo With Marula Oil and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Frizz Defy Conditioner. 

Both products are formulated with marula oil which helps condition, smooth and gently cleanse the hair while providing humidity protection, frizz control and luminosity. 

2. Try a Hydrating Hair System

Dry, dehydrated strands are more prone to flyaways and static hair, which can happen when there’s less moisture in the air. (If you wear a hat and you take it off indoors, this can also cause static hair.) If you think dryness is the cause of your flyaways, add a hydrating hair system to your routine. We love the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Hydrating Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron Plump Hydrating Conditioner. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, this duo replumps dry, dehydrated hair by infusing it with moisture to provide more body, bounce and shine. 

The system also includes the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Flash Hydration Wonder Water, Sulfate-Free, an eight-second hair treatment that instantly detangles and moisturizes hair, and the L’Oréal Paris Hyaluron + Plump Moisture Plump Serum, Paraben-Free, a hydrating hair serum that adds moisture back into your hair in-between washes.

3. Incorporate a Deep Conditioning Treatment Into Your Routine

An abundance of flyaways may be an indication that your strands are parched and craving moisture. So, try adding a deep conditioning treatment to your hair care routine to deeply hydrate and better the health of your mane. Once a week, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Power Restore Multi Use Treatment, which is formulated with repair concentrate proteins to strengthen the hair against damage. 

This mask can be used as a leave-in conditioner or as a rinse-out treatment. The formula fights various signs of hair damage, including split ends, weakness and brittleness. 

4. Don’t Dry Your Wet Hair With a Regular Towel

Your hair is most vulnerable when it’s wet and using regular bath towels to dry your strands can lead to damage. Bath towels are generally made with thicker fibers that can be rough on wet strands, leading to more flyaways, frizz and potentially even breakage. So swap out your regular towel for a microfiber option with ultra-fine fibers to gently dry your wet strands. You can also use an old cotton t-shirt to plop your wet hair since the material is soft and won’t tug on your hair.

5. Use a Hair Serum 

Hair serums work to treat many mane concerns, including frizziness, dryness and static. If you’re on the hunt for something that can tame flyaways, the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Frizz Killer Serum Leave-In will be your hero. This product provides heat protection for up to 450 degrees and has an ultra-lightweight, water-based formula that banishes frizz and static. Apply one to two pumps onto dry hair to keep it smooth. You can also apply it to damp hair before blow drying to ward off flyaways.

6. Use an Edge Brush With Hairspray

It can be quite a predicament when you spot flyaways after spending time and effort to create the perfect updo. Thankfully, there’s a quick and easy fix for this. Grab a clean toothbrush or an edge brush, spritz it with the L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold, Light Hairspray Unscented and gently brush down your flyaways. 

This cult favorite hairspray is designed to lock your style in place for all-day hold without any crunch or stiffness. 

7. Take a Break From Heat Styling

Constantly blasting your strands with a blow dryer or overdoing it with hot tools could multiply the number of flyaways you have to deal with. So give your hair (and arms) a break by scaling back on the use of hot tools. Look for heatless hairstyles, like overnight braids or space buns that you can do before bed and be sure to use the Elvive Dream Lengths Frizz Killer Serum Leave-In when you fix your hair in the morning to tame your flyaways. 

8. Don’t Brush Your Hair While It’s Dry

Brushing through dry strands — especially on curly hair, can cause frizz and flyaways. Instead, try using a wide tooth comb, preferably while your hair is still wet or damp. This will help get rid of knots and tangles without creating frizz, which can lead to flyaways. Start detangling at the ends of your hair, slowly and gently working your way up to the roots, section by section.

9. Smooth Flyaways With Dryer Sheets

This tip is a bit odd and unorthodox but trust us when we say, it works really well. Just as dryer sheets help reduce static electricity in your laundry, they can do the same for your hair. As we noted above, flyaways can be caused by static, so zapping them down with a few swipes of a clean dryer sheet can eliminate them. Grab an unscented sheet (unless you like to smell like clean laundry) and gently rub it along your strands until you get the results you want. 

10. Get a Haircut

Getting a haircut can help control your flyaways, especially if they are caused by split ends, chemical damage or hair breakage. After all, there is no use in keeping unhealthy strands. Make an appointment to see a professional who can ensure your hair is properly cut and cared for. 

11. Wear a Headband

No matter how many tips and hair hacks you have at your disposal, bad hair days are bound to happen from time to time. Instead of stressing, keep your routine simple and accessorize. When all else fails, wear a headband that can hold down or disguise your flyaways. It’s a quick and on-trend solution that’s perfect for when you're in a hurry to get out the door. 

Should I Cut Off My Flyaways?

If your flyaways are a result of breakage, then you should trim the damaged ends off to avoid the risk of further breakage. If that’s not the case, you should not cut off flyaways. Instead, be patient and let them grow out so they can catch up with the rest of your hair. If you cut them, they’re going to grow back and you’ll be stuck in a constant cycle of always dealing with flyaways.

Do Flyaways Mean New Hair Growth?

While many of us dread flyaways, sometimes they can be an indication of new hair growth, which is definitely a good thing. That said, they can also be a sign of breakage. Repeatedly wearing the same tight hairstyle or using hot tools around your hairline can lead to this kind of breakage around your face. 

Do Flyaways Mean Damage?

Flyaways can indicate damage if you’ve experienced hair breakage but they can also indicate new hair growth. Look at the state of the rest of your hair and you should be able to determine the cause of your flyaways. If the length of your hair is dry, brittle and laden with split ends, then the flyaways around your face are likely caused by hair damage. 

Are Flyaways Broken Hair?

Sometimes flyaways are an indication of broken hair or breakage. They can also be a result of frizz and dehydration or baby hairs and new hair growth.

Next: How Often Should You Wash Damaged Hair, According to a Celebrity Hairstylist

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