How To Make Hair Lay Flat (Natural Methods & Using Hair Products)?
Have you ever wished that your hair would do as it’s told and stay where you placed it?
The worst thing to handle is uncooperative hair that thinks the best time to fly away is when you need to make a smooth hairstyle and go out with hair that’s lying flat.
If you’ve tried to make your hair lay flat without results, then you’ll need the knowledge in this post.
Let’s find out how to avoid messy hair and get your hair to lay flat just the way you want it.
What Causes Hair to Stand Up?
First things first; do you have any idea why your hair has refused to settle down regardless of your efforts?
There are several reasons behind your hair standing up like it’s staging a protest against you.
Hair breakage is one common culprit in this regard. When you sleep, your hair strands could get bent or broken, and these dividing ends just won’t sit still. Some other times, it can be occasioned by the growth of new hairs.
Beyond that, dryness also contributes to restless hair. When your hair is too dry, the scales on your cuticle lift and expose the hair to moisture from the air.
When this happens, your hair appears frizzy and would need lots of moisture to coat the strands and keep the cuticles intact.
When the air around you is dry, your hair could find it hard to relax, even when it would ordinarily lay low in humid weather. In extremely dry weather, lots of moisture can go a long way.
Sometimes, hair dryness can be traced to excessive shampooing, the absence of conditioning, and deep conditioning treatment.
It is almost a given that short hair would be difficult to lay flat.
If you have short hair, then grow it longer because long hair is heavier than short hair, and the extra weight could help you get your hair under control better.
If you have natural hair, your hair type might naturally make it difficult to hold your hair down, but there’s definitely a solution.
Let’s find out the different methods of making your hair lay flat.
Before we start, in this article, we focused on various methods effective to make women’s hair lay flat. If you are looking for men’s hair, we have an exclusive article focusing on how to make men’s hair lay flat, check it out.
Hair Products to Get Hair to Lay Flat
Thanks to a ton of hair products out there, you can get your stubborn hair to lay flat with little effort and for longer periods.
1. Hairspray
A hairspray can get your hair under control with very little effort.
Comb your hair, part or pack it in the style that you like, and run your hair through the top of your head to ensure you laid all the strands down.
Then spray your hair with a sufficient amount to relax the hair, but not too much to make it greasy.
Smooth your hair with your hands after applying the spray to ensure that it has a perfect hold.
Some good quality, firm hairsprays you can purchase for this purpose include L’Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray and Pantene Pro-V Hairspray. They keep your hair smooth, give it shine, and hold it firm in all conditions.
2. Gel and Scarf
You can lay your hair and hold it in place using Eco styling gel and a scarf.
Simply pack your hair in whatever style you choose, apply the eco-style gel over your hair, and tie a scarf to hold it down for an average of 30 minutes before removing it.
Otherwise, you can use a handheld dryer in a cool-shot mood to dry your hair and lay it flat.
3. Hawaiian Silky miracle worker 14 in 1
Begin by moisturizing your hair with spray detangler and Hawaiian Silky miracle worker 14 in 1.
Hold the Hawaiian Silky miracle worker 14 in 1 about 12 inches away from your hair, and spray evenly. Then massage your hair before proceeding to style it.
If your hair doesn’t lay flat after styling, then add some gel to relax it.
4. Smoothing cream and blow dryer
You can also use a blow dryer and a round brush alongside smoothing cream to lay your hair flat.
Wash your hair, apply smoothing cream, and rough dry it with your dryer until it’s damp.
Then section your hair with clips and dry one section at a time. Wrap the hair around the blow dryer brush and pull it taut.
Smooth the hair cuticle by pointing the blow dryer down, and then finish the process by using the cool setting to dry all the hair sections.
5. Long Aid Activator + Eco styler gel + S curl activator
For very stubborn hair, you might need to use a group of hair products to get the result you desire.
Start by co-washing your hair. Apply a nickel to quarter-size Long Aid Activator to the root of your dry hair. Then add eco styler gel before pulling your hair into a ponytail or bun.
Spray the ends of your hair with S-Curl No Drip and put a mesh wrap or scarf on your hair and let it hold for as much time as you have.
6. Heated Tools
You can use heated tools like hot combs, flat irons, and hairdryers to train your hair to remain in place.
Comb and section your properly and then use a flat iron or hairdryer to hold it further in place.
If you opt for this style, always use heat protectant sprays to protect your hair and minimize damage as much as possible.
7. Jamaican black castor oil
Jamaican black castor oil has a thick consistency that’s similar to that of molasses. It is heavy enough to hold your hair down and help it lay flat the way you want.
However, due to its thick and heavy nature, you should avoid applying too much castor oil because it could over-moisturize your hair.
Beyond laying your hair flat, castor oil promotes hair growth, so it is a win-win for you.
How To Make Hair Lay Flat Using Natural Methods?
So, what if you don’t want to use gel, or hairspray, or other products on your hair? There’s an all-natural way to hold your hair down, so let’s get into that.
1. Water
Yes, water is sometimes all you need to hold your hair down, especially if you’re dealing with bedhead.
Use a spray bottle to spray water on your hair or leave your hair under the sink for some seconds before combing it into place with a wet brush or comb.
When your hair absorbs the water, it becomes heavier, and the extra weight can make your hair lay flat. However, whether or not it remains flat after your hair dries will depend on your hair type and how easy it is to tame.
Although water doesn’t have any hold on your hair, it is better than trying to lay dry hair. You can follow it with a blow dryer to further set your hair in place.
2. Hair Accessories
Sometimes, you’ll have to depend on hair accessories to keep your hair down while keeping it beautiful, of course.
Accessories can hold your hair down discreetly and stylishly, leaving people to admire your style.
Hair accessories like bandanas and headbands can hold your hair in place. You can use bobby pins as well.
Wearing a hat, can also flatten your hair for a while and give you laid hair when you take it off. However, this flattened look might neither look stylish nor last for long.
3. Hairstyles
When all else fails, you can cut your hair into a style that lays better, depending on your hair type and style preferences.
Simply visit the salon and cut the hair in a way that it falls flat naturally. That way, you wouldn’t need to do much else to manage your hair.
Visit your hairstylist and find out which haircuts you can get that’ll keep your hair down without sacrificing your length, texture, and fullness.
Your stylist will analyze your hair and let you know the possible hairstyles for your hair type, face shape, and give you long-lasting results.
4. Homemade Gel
If your hair responds well to gel, but you don’t want to use the chemically-produced ones, then you can make your own natural hair gel.
You can use flaxseed and essential oils like lavender, tea tree, and rosemary, alongside scented oil like jasmine to make a homemade hair gel for a stronghold on your hair.
5. Milk and Honey Mask
If you have wavy or curly hair that won’t stay flat, then straightening the hair might be a good step to take.
You can make milk and honey mask with 1 cup of whole milk and 1 tbsp of honey leave it to soak into your hair for an hour before washing out.
You can use mix and eggs and soak your hair in the mix for 10 minutes, before squeezing it out and wrapping your hair with a plastic cap for 30 minutes and then washing it out.
Alternatively, you can combine coconut milk with lemon juice, refrigerate it for an hour and spray it on your hair. You can also add honey, banana, or strawberry, to the mix and stir.
Spray the mixture on your hair, comb out your tangles, and massage it into your scalp before letting it sit for 20 minutes.
Rinse the milk out of your hair, shower with your shampoo and conditioner as usual and allow your hair to dry.
This solution can help make your wavy hair straighter and help it lay flat, but it might not be so effective for curly or kinky hair.
6. Cocoa or Shea butter
Sometimes, all you need is natural butter to keep your hair in its place. Butters like shea or cocoa butter are excellent alternatives to gel because they give your hair the hold it needs without drying it out or causing it to flake.
Get a massive dose of moisture by applying Shea or Cocoa butter to your hair, apply it in reasonable quantities and comb your hair.
Final Words:
Are you done being frustrated with your hair and its antics? Then you now have what you need to get your hair to cooperate when styling. Choose a technique that’s most suited to your hairstyle and make things easier for you from now onwards.
If you’re not sure what’s best for your hair, then experiment with the hairstyles and techniques one at a time until you find what suits you.
Remember that hair types differ, so what works for one person might not work for you.
When you find what works, stick to it. Unless, of course, you want to experiment further and discover how many techniques your hair would respond positively to.
Say welcome to easy and quick hair styling henceforth!
