How to Prevent Hat Hair (Yes, It’s Possible!)

Aside from the painfully cold temps that put us on a season-long lockdown, blizzard-like conditions that make leaving the house hard AF, and dry skin that peels off as much as Meryl Streep’s in Death Becomes Her, there’s one more thing that makes the winter season utterly annoying–matted-down manes from our mandatory toques.

Maybe it’s the material of our hats that gives our locks an apparent fear of heights, or maybe it’s the sweaty scalps we get from leaping between the cold outdoors and over-heated spaces. But the truth is, even the bounciest manes are sure to fall flat when under the confinement of your tight knitted beanie. And because we still have a good four to six months of toque-weather ahead of us, we’re looking for the best ways to get some life into our locks.

From a post-wash treatment to a static-taming travel spray, we’ve got five star products that will add bounce, oomph and fullness to your hair, hat or no hat.

Mousse actually really helps The truth is we tend to associate mousse with the out-dated manes our moms sported in the 90s, but it turns out these large-haired women were onto something. Mousse is an ultra-lightweight hair product that offers body, flexibility and is great at helping your hairstyle last all day. Show Beauty’s Lux Volume Mousse features the brand’s “patented Polymer Memory Complex” to ensure hair stays full, movable and maintains its shape–even after spending a few hours underneath your heavy hat. Plus, the formula boasts a stunning fragrance and is comprised of essential oils which add shine to even the driest locks.

Show Beauty Lux Volume Mousse ($58, net-a-porter.com)

Use a volumizing powder on limp day-old locks For those of us who have a particularly hard time leaving our cozy beds on these frosty mornings, volumizing powder will be your winter BFF. Skip the suds and sleep a little longer without sacrificing a lifeless mane with a few sprinkles of this star product. Dust Bumble and Bumble’s Pret-a-Powder on roots to instantly perk up strands before slipping on your topper. After removing the hat, give your roots a light ruffle to reactivate the powder and gain immediate height.

Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-Powder ($31, sephora.ca)

Hot rollers will add durable bounce Use hot rollers to add VS angel-worthy waves to your locks that can last a seriously long time. T3’s versions are designed with an aluminum core and ceramic heater to distribute heat evenly, offering full, uniform volume. They’re made with Tourmaline technology that sets hair in such princess-worthy waves, and features a velvet exterior that smooths locks while preventing frizz. What does this mean for us toque-donners? Your hair will bounce right back into shape.

T3 Voluminous Hot Rollers ($121, net-a-porter.com)

A texturizer spray will help hold voluminous waves Go for an effortlessly tousled look pre-hat that looks just as cool and easy after removing your topper. Spray your hair with a product that’s a cross between a volumizer and a hairspray, like Serge Normant’s Dream Big spray. It gives locks major volume and fresh-out-of-bed (except not really) strands enabling us to achieve that cool-girl look we’re always after. Spray it on your hair after blowing it dry, and when you pull off your hat, all you need is a little rub at the roots and you’ll get that Blake Lively-esque look you’re after.

Serge Normant Dream Big ($25, birchbox.ca)

A post-toque volumizing spray will offer static relief and more volume Prevent yourself from looking like you’re playing with the static ball at the science centre by investing in a post-toque spray that relieves flyaways. Paul Mitchel’s Volumizing Spray comes in a useful travel size and tames static while thickening hair and adding fullness. Use the spray before heated styling products too, which will act as additional support to hold and protect a voluminous style.

Paul Mitchel Travel Size Volumizing Spray ($7, ulta.ca)