Flexible, frizz-free, strong hold, you name it, we got it...
Did you know that our beloved hairspray all started with some bugs and a can? During World War II, the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed aerosol cans to better distribute insect spray among soldiers and protect them from Malaria. After the war, the beauty industry caught on quickly and Chase Products took the title as the first brand to package a sticky, hard, resin-based spray.
However, the term ‘hairspray’ wasn’t actually used until 1950 when Helene Curtis, an American cosmetics and beauty parlour products firm based in Chicago, coined the term when describing its new aerosol product, Spray Net.
Needless to say, if it wasn’t around, the famous bouffants and beehives of the 50s and 60s simply wouldn’t have been possible. Soon, companies began making a variety of formulas and strengths for different types of hair and by 1964, hairspray was the leading beauty product in beauty product sales.
Although it was popular throughout this decade, sales began to fall in the 60s due to a change in fashion and soon, women were looking for lighter, softer sprays to hold their long styles in place.
These days, the hairspray they used then has come a long way to become the hairspray we know now. No longer the gummy mist that held hair in place like a helmut, today’s formulations are flexible, light and have the power to make your hair bounce back into position whenever you want. There are hard hold hairsprays, ideal for slicked back ‘dos; medium-hold hairspray products, that are slightly stronger than flexible varieties, but still allow for movement when applied sparingly; and flexible hold hairspray, ideal for holding curls, waves, without weighing them down. Find the perfect one for you by giving this quiz a go here...
Looking for the best hairspray to hold your style without the crunchy feeling of tacky spray? You need to scroll through our best hairsprays for every hair type…
