If there’s one product that’s gotten a bad reputation over the decades, it’s hairspray. We’ve come a long way from your grandmother’s beauty parlor wash-and-set, as well as your mother’s feathered waves that were intended to last an entire week. These days, we’re more about lived-in texture and gorgeous waves. Thankfully, hairspray—particularly high hold hairspray—has evolved with us.
To get the lowdown on how to put extreme hold hairspray to use without looking like we escaped from a time machine, we spoke with pro Mattison Perron. The Kérastase TECH artist spoke to us about the brand’s most recent launch, Laque Extrême hairspray, and the right way to put it to work.
To get the lowdown on how to put extreme hold hairspray to use without looking like we escaped from a time machine, we spoke with pro Mattison Perron. The Kérastase TECH artist spoke to us about the brand’s most recent launch, Laque Extrême hairspray, and the right way to put it to work.
What does high hold mean when it comes to hairspray?
When we talk about at-home hair products, it’s typically in terms of general product categories—shampoo, conditioner, and the like. Hairspray is one of the hair products that comes in many different variations.
At your salon, you’ll likely see everything from the lightest humidity-resistant mist to ultra-mega-extreme formulas that seem as if they’re built to withstand nuclear winter. Needless to say, picking the right hairspray for your lifestyle can get a little confusing. Peron recommends thinking about hairspray in terms of how many hours of wear you expect to get out of it.
‘Extreme hold’ means longevity. To me, it usually refers to a finishing spray that is used to set a style and maintain a beautiful finish throughout the day. It has enough power to withstand life’s elements—humidity, wind, dancing, long nights...Other formulas will allow a lot more softness and flexibility to the hair but aren’t going to maintain the style with the same security.
Indeed, Laque Extrême boasts 24-hour control and humidity resistance. That’s not a product to take lightly!
What is a high hold hairspray best used for?
Peron recommends choosing your hairspray formula with an end result in mind. If you want free-flowing texture, a light hold may be best. For anything more complicated, let a higher hold hairspray handle it.
“[Strong hold hairsprays] are best used to finish or set a style. Most extreme hold hairsprays are perfect to create any style where you desire maximum control. From brushed-out glam waves to a sleek pony, a high hold hairspray will allow the confidence of a long lasting style,” Peron says.
If you’re headed out into winter weather conditions, settling in for a daylong event, or worried about how your mane will look during a photo shoot, strong hold hairspray is probably an excellent final step.
What’s the right way to apply a high hold hairspray?
Peron says she sees a very similar set of mistakes among amateur hairspray users. They’re so afraid of winding up with crispy strands that they barely apply any product and wonder why their updo looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa after an hour. Don’t be scared! Wield your aerosol spray with confidence.
“[Clients] won’t use enough spray to truly hold the style or they concentrate the spray in one area, so there isn’t even hold throughout the hair,” Peron explains. “Clients are so used to the hairsprays their grandma used that they are terrified to have stiff, motionless hair. But hairspray has come a long way and just because it’s high hold doesn’t mean it’s lacking flexibility and shine.”
Interested in trying a high hold hairspray for yourself? Use our salon locator to book an appointment with a stylist near you.
