Our editors have independently chosen the products listed on this page. If you purchase something mentioned in this article, we may earn a small commission.
September 23, 2021 — 13:02 PM
Textured, tousled ponytails have their time and place (even frizz can add some natural fluffiness to your style), but when you crave a sleek updo, errant hairs are most unwelcome. So imagine when you’ve expertly slicked back your roots and a pesky flyaway or two still makes its appearance: To lay down every last hair, you may load on the gel and/or hairspray—so much product that the crown of your head feels more like a crispy shell for your scalp. Oh, the joy that is smoothing down flyaways.
It’s such a common gripe, in fact, that many hairstylists have their go-to flyaway hacks—old dryer sheets, lip balm, body lotion, to name a few—and every time a new trick pops up promising to help those hairs stay down, we’re more than ready to add it to our growing list.
That said, we recently came across a unique tip (tried and tested by NYC-based hairstylist Matt Newman), and it may just be what you need to achieve that level of sleek. To (finally) eliminate flyaways, stow the extra stylers—all you need is a roll of dental floss.
How to use dental floss to eliminate flyaways.
TikTok user and U.S. Army veteran Jaliah Howell receives all the credit for this trick: After using the end of a rat tail comb (the pointy tip is also top-notch for laying down flyaways), she breaks out the floss to offer extra smoothness. “I know there may be some hairs there that I can’t see, so I still go in with the floss to make sure I’m getting every little hair that pops up,” she says.
Newman can personally attest to the magic: “This is genius,” he says. “It’s laying down every single flyaway.” Below, we’ve shared a helpful tutorial:
After gathering your hair into a pony or bun, use your product of choice (gel, oil, etc.) to create a smooth base. Then grab your floss. We prefer an unscented option, like this plastic-free roll from Package Free Shop, unless you want your hair smelling minty-fresh (but if that’s your jam, by all means, select your go-to flavor).
Grasp the ends of the floss in each hand and pull it taut.
Glide the floss over the crown of your head, using medium pressure to slick down any flyaway hairs. You may have to hold the floss at an angle to reach the sides of your hair (see Newman’s video for a helpful visual).
Set with hairspray for extra hold.
Keep flyaways from poking through your style by laying them down with dental floss—it’s a hack that really works. If you’ve already tried some of the more unconventional methods to smooth down your style (looking at you, lip balm and lotion), what’s another unique trick to add to your repertoire?
