Just because you keep a can of hairspray on your dresser, in your car and on your desk doesn’t mean you’re a stiff. You just realise that hairspray is a multi-tasking marvel that’s seriously underrated. 

Not only does it serve as a fabulous finisher for many a hairstyle, but did you know it’s also a must-have when you have rampant toddlers, are attempting hair extensions, or want your make-up to go the distance?

No, I bet you didn’t. So you’d do well to read on and discover exactly how much you can get out of your hairspray. Starting with these uses….

1. Flyaway tamer

Forget e-mc². The only equation you need to remember is that a tissue + hairspray = zero flyaways. Yep. If you’re rocking a sleek ponytail or poker straight locks, keep flyaways at bay by spritzing a tissue with some hairspray and wiping it over the crown of your head.

2. To achieve boho waves

Does your hair struggle to hold a wave? Never fear, a little bit of hairspray can help. Simply fashion your hair into braids before bedtime, spray them all over with hairspray, and go to sleep. We recommend a hairspray with a lightweight feel like TRESemme Salon Finish Hairspray Extra Hold, which brushes out easily and will ensure your locks don’t feel ‘crispy’ when you undo your braids in the morning and reveal completely boho-style waves.

3. To remove ‘wall art’

You know those times when you discover your toddler has found his or her artistic flair and the proof is all over your white walls? Yes, well there’s no need to fret (or call your house painter in a panic). A little bit of hairspray and some elbow grease will get rid of any trace of biro or texta in a second.

4. Stop your stockings from sticking

You know those moments when you feel your new dress clinging to your stockings? It’s not exactly the best look ever. Save yourself the embarrassment by spritzing hairspray over your pins. The spray will act as a barrier for your clothes, ensuring they don’t cling to your legs. Hint: hairspray also helps to limit laddering, so ensure you spritz any small tears as soon as you spot them.

5. To mimic Carrie’s oversized bun

Even those with super long hair struggle to mimic Carrie Bradshaw’s infamous big bun because of irritating shorter hairs that stick out of the bun, creating more of a punk-style than a chic up-do. To ensure you get it right, fix your hair into a ponytail at the crown of your head with double elastics to ensure it doesn’t move. Next, twist your hair around the elastics, as many times as possible, tucking the ends back into the elastic to finish (you can also use bobby pins for extra hold). Using your fingers, gently loosen the bun a little to make it look bigger, and then make sure to spray every angle of the bun with a super strong hold hairspray (like TRESemme Freeze Hold Extra Strong Hairspray), tucking in and patting down any shorter ends as you go.

6. To battle slippery surfaces

Bought new shoes but not convinced that they won’t see you tumble over on a slippery dance floor in front of that guy? Applying hairspray to the bottom of new shoes, or those without much grip will help to ensure that your dress doesn’t end up over your head after a daring dance move!

7. To make a base for your hair extensions

When you’re applying clip-in hair extensions to your head you need a strong base to hold the clips in place. When you have sectioned your hair and are ready to apply the extensions, backcomb your real hair base and spritz it with hairspray so that the clips have something to ‘grab’ onto. This base will ensure your extensions don’t slip out through the night.

8. To get really smooth hair, shielded from humidity

When you’ve gone to the trouble of straightening your locks to make them super sleek, the last thing you want is the heat or the rain to undo all of your good work! Ensure your strands are shielded from the elements by spritzing some humidity-resistant hairspray (we like TRESemme Tres Two) onto your brush and brushing through as you straighten. 

9. To set make-up

Okay, so while this may not be all that good for your skin, I have tried it, and it does work. Simply hold your can around 30cm away from your face and spray quickly over your face in an ‘x’ shape. Two strokes should do it.  This is great if you need your make-up to really last (trust us, there’s a reason why all the beauty pageant mums do it!)

10. Get the curls you want to stay

If you have trouble ensuring that your cute, flicky curls stay in place, hairspray can help. For Kardashian-style flicks, simply curl your hair with a tong so that it’s very curly. Next, spritz some hairspray over your entire head and shake your head up and down and round and round for a minute, allowing some of the curl to ‘drop’. After around 20 minutes, your hair should have fallen a bit more and flirty flicks should be left. Flip your head upside down and spritz the curls from underneath to ensure they don’t drop out further and become limp. 

Why do you love hairspray? What do you use it for?