Hair spray may have an unfortunate association with high-maintenance hair—think '60s beehives and and '80s volume—but it's a surprisingly versatile staple of any beauty pro's kit. Plus, as it turns out, it can transform a lot more than your hair. We asked 11 hairstylists to share the best uses for hair spray and learned some clever styling tricks and a few invaluable life hacks.
Smooth flyaways. "Spritz your hair with the spray, then take the smooth side of the can and roll it over the hairstyle to lock in those little hairs. It's such a good tip because you did all this work to make your hair look pretty—you don't want to ruin it by taking your comb, or using any creams or products." —Sarah Potempa, celebrity hairstylist and the inventor of the Beachwaver
Play up your natural texture. "I love spraying hair spray all over and then pinching and slightly twisting a few strands together. This creates slight separation to define and exaggerate the natural texture of the hair, giving your style a more lived-in look." —Elle Martens, a hairstylist at G2o Spa +Salon
Lock in accessories. "Spray the backs of bobby pins and hair clips with hair spray to create a nice grit. The texture will keep everything in place, and your hair accessories will lose their slip. Just make sure to wash them afterward to avoid unwanted buildup." —Fernando Salas, the creator of White Sands Haircare
Extend your air-dried hairstyle. "Spray your hair when it's wet and do either a rope braid, fishtail braid, three-strand braid, or ballerina bun in your hair and let it dry. When you take it down, you'll have playful texture that lasts." —Annie Rush, a hairstylist at Eva Scrivo Salon
Stop your curls from going flat."After you're done curling your hair, spray hair spray underneath the style and not directly on top. When you spray on top, it weighs the hair down and flattens the style. Tip your head and spray into the layers—it preserves the style and adds instant volume." —Shreeda Tailor, a hairstylist and the owner of J. Tailor Salon
Rough things up. "Don't want your updo to look too coiffed? Take a hard-bristle toothbrush, spray it with a little hair spray, and lightly run from the back of the head to the hairline. This will add some well-placed texture and flyaways." —Brian Zinno, the education director at Antonio Prieto Salon
Tame baby hairs."Spray a natural-bristle toothbrush and smooth it over baby hairs around the hairline." —Nate Rosenkranz, a hairstylist represented by Honey Artists
Calm your brows in a pinch."Hair spray can double as eyebrow gel. Spray a little onto a finger or Q-tip, then run it over your brows. Never spray directly on your brows—you definitely don't want those chemicals in your eyes!" —Nick Penna, a colorist and the owner of SalonCapri
Block nasty stains. "Spray fabric to stop the stain from processing and then wash as directed." —Kim Vo, a master colorist and Schwarzkopf Professional global blonding ambassador
Quick-dry nail polish. "Hair spray can help your manicure set faster. Not only does it cut drying time to a quick two minutes, but it also adds shine." —Nick Penna
Avoid hair static."Spray a little bit onto a brush and run it over your hair. The hair spray neutralizes static." —Dominik Mager, a celebrity hairstylist and master trainer for Brocato HairCare
...And clothes static, too."Spray a light mist from six inches away and shake fabric. Repeat if necessary." —Nikki Pittam, a hairstylist and cofounder of Harper Salon
Break in your kicks. "When you get brand-new shoes, triple spray the bottoms for no-slip grips." —Annie Rush
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