Q: “What Can I Do About Hair Static?”
Long Island-based stylist Jo Marie breaks down why static strikes in cold weather—and the simple tweaks that keep hair smooth.
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A: “Static happens when your hair builds up an electrical charge, usually from rubbing against winter layers like sweaters, scarves, or coats. The strands lose electrons, become positively charged, and that’s when they start lifting, floating, or sticking to everything. And because the air is so dry in winter, with almost no humidity to weigh things down, static shows up a lot more this time of year.
The best fix is moisture—richer conditioners, weekly masks with nourishing ingredients like coconut milk, avocado, banana, and shea butter, and hair oils all help. I love Moroccanoil in the colder months because it keeps hair soft and smooth without making it feel heavy, even on finer textures (just apply it from the ears down).
Your brush is another big factor people don’t think about. Plastic bristle brushes [and combs like the one in the picture, left] can actually create more static. If that’s what you use, you can neutralize the charge by misting the bristles with a little hairspray or rubbing a dryer sheet over them. Dryer sheets are my favorite winter trick. You can smooth one over your hair, your brush, or even your coat and the static disappears instantly.
As a final step, I love R+Co Foil Frizz & Static Control Spray and Drybar Final Call Frizz & Static Control Mist. They’re marketed for frizz, but they work on static too. Frizz and static aren’t the same thing—frizz is all about texture, static is about an electrical charge—but the smoothing ingredients in frizz products add just enough moisture to keep the hair from lifting. A couple sprays at the end just helps everything stay in place.”
About the expert: Jo Marie is a master colorist and stylist at Bangz Hair & Color Lounge in Merrick with over 20 years of experience. She’s certified by leading professional color and styling brands. Beyond the salon, she is leads fundraising efforts for Hair We Share, an organization that provides free high-quality wigs to individuals experiencing medical hair loss. She’s also co-founder and chairperson of United Salons of America (a Hair We Share initiative) and sits on the Beauty Council for the Long Island Beauty Awards.
