13 Epic hair hacks you need to know

Who doesn’t love a nifty hair trick that’ll save you time (and a shred of your sanity)?

Here are 13 hair hacks that are bound to make your life that much easier.

#1: THE CHEAT’S WASH

Don’t have time to wash and dry your hair, but it’s looking way too nasty to roll with the grease? Well, try washing your fringe (or the front section of your hair) over the sink and then blow-dry it straight. You’ll still have to tie it up, but, viola – faux clean locks!

#2: USE YOUR TOWEL RIGHT

Did you know rubbing your hair dry after a shower actually creates more frizz? It’s better to press and squeeze the moisture out of your hair instead.

#3: THE SUPER PONYTAIL

If your high ponytail tends to flop after a couple of minutes, try one of these tricks:
1) Create a half ponytail at the crown of your head and secure with a hair elastic. Then, tie up the other half of your hair in a ponytail a centimetre or two below your first ponytail. Take a third elastic and join the two ponytails together.
2) Use a small claw clip (like the Lady Jayne Claw Grip) on the underside of your ponytail to give it more height and oomph. From underneath, open the clip around your ponytail and secure your ponytail close to your head.
3) Try the Scunci Perfect Pony Tool to make your ponytail look thicker and fuller.

#4: TAME FLYAWAYS

Spray some hairspray on an old toothbrush and gently comb down those annoying frizzy and flyaway hairs.

#5: THE QUICKEST CURLS EVER

This trick will work best for those with longer hair: Tie your hair up into a high ponytail on the crown of your head and separate the hair into three to five sections. Take your curling wand, tong or straightener and curl each section. Once your hair has cooled down, remove the ponytail and spritz with a strong hold hairspray (likeSchwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Session Label Strong Hold Hairspray).
Hot tip: The bigger the sections, the looser your curls, so if you want super-defined curls, go for smaller sections.

#6: SET YOUR STYLE

Do your perfectly styled waves or curls always drop in three seconds flat? Or do your sleek, smooth strands frizz in about the same time? It could be ‘coz you’re missing the vital step of cooling down your hair. Use the cool shot button on your hair dryer to set your style.  

#7: AVOID CRUNCHY HAIR

Hairspray giving your hair that crunchy feeling no matter how far away you hold the can? Try spraying your hands instead and running them through your hair. You will have to work quite quickly with this trick, otherwise the hairspray will just dry on your palms.

#8: RELAX THOSE WAVES

Sometimes we want our locks to look a bit more dishevelled and “I woke up like this” than the defined curls our curling wands deliver. Am I right? So once you’ve curled a section (and while your hair is still warm), gentle pull the section down to stretch out the curl.

#9: THE RIGHT TIME TO USE DRY SHAMPOO

Most of us use dry shampoo just before we head out the door, but you should actually give your roots a spray just before you head to bed. The powder in the spray will work overnight to absorb the oil in your hair.
Hot tip: If you don’t have dry shampoo but want to try this trick, you can use a little Johnson’s Baby Powder – just not too much!

#10: BOBBY PINS THAT ACTUALLY HOLD

Firstly, make sure you’re using your bobby pins the correct way. Slide them in your hair bumpy side down (I know, mind blown, huh?) to keep hair in place. If that’s still not working for you, coat them with a bit of hair spray for extra grip.

#11: FAKE EXTRA VOLUME

Limp-haired ladies: whenever you need some extra volume at your roots, you can boost height by flipping your head upside down and blow-drying your roots that way. And when you’re curling your hair, pile your curled hair on top of your head and spray the roots from the bottom to create a ledge of sorts once your hair is released.

#12: STYLE YOUR HAIR WHILE YOU SLEEP

For curls or waves, braid your wet hair before bed and let it dry overnight. Keep in mind that the tighter the braid, the more defined the waves. For a crimped effect, create a few sections to braid. You can find some more sleep-time hair tutorials here.

#13: AN EASIER FISHTAIL BRAID

It’s so annoying when hair falls all over the place when you’re trying to create a fishtail braid. So use a rubber band to secure your hair into a low ponytail (either at the back of your neck or to the side, depending on where you want your braid to sit) and start braiding your hair (you can watch a full tutorial on how to fishtail braid here). Once you’ve finished, grab a pair of scissors and cut the rubber band.

Have you tried any of these hair hacks before? Do you have any hair hacks to add to the list?