Tired of static always wreaking havoc on your hair? Here are some useful tips and products to help you tame those flyaways and achieve a smoother, sleeker do during this cold, dry winter.

1. Think twice before stepping into the shower. Washing your hair everyday may not be the best idea when dealing with static. Consistent washing strips natural oils away from the scalp, leaving your strands to become brittle and dry – which leads to lots of flyaways. Washing your hair every other day instead will allow these oils to build up again, which is a quick fix to reduce staticky hair tremendously.

2. Conditioner is key when dealing with static, so always condition after a wash. Doing so will hydrate the hair, neutralizing the negative charges that cause static. We recommend silicone-based conditioners that help neutralize electric charges or conditioners that have olive oil and keratin, which will keep strands nourished and moisturized.

3. Hot oil treatments will help lock moisture in your hair. Using a special conditioning oil treatment once a week like VO5’s Hot Oil Treatment with Vitamin E ($3.99) will prep your hair to fight off the static.

4. Moisturizing hair serums are another great product that you can use daily to fend off static. Use a dime-sized amount on the ends of your hair, but not at the root. By using this product only at ends of your hair, you can reduce staticky ends without making your whole head look greasy and unwashed. If you want to save a few extra bucks (or you’re running late on time), lotion can make a great substitute serum, but again, remember to be sparse when applying it.

5. Hairspray or frizz control spray can save you in a pinch. For the best results, spray a fair amount onto a brush instead of straight onto your hair, and then brush your hair while it’s still damp. Using a brush will help spread the spray through your hair, lessening staticky hair without leaving it feeling weighed down.

6. Instead of using a regular hair dryer, pick up an ionic blow dryer. The hair dryer reduces static by emitting ions that are negatively charged to attach to positively charged hair for an overall neutralizing effect. In addition, the ionic molecules break down water molecules instead of causing them to evaporate, leaving your hair with moisture essential to avoiding static. As an added bonus, this type of dryer takes less time to dry hair than an average hair dryer.

7. When detangling your hair, comb it instead of brushing it. Using a brush causes friction in between strands of hair, and the bristles of the brush generate static electricity. Opt instead for a wide tooth comb. Rubber or metal combs are preferable over plastic combs, but an olive oil-infused wide tooth comb is the best recommended.

8. If you prefer brushing your hair, look for a brush with natural boar bristles. A natural bristle brush will not only reduce static, but it helps spread natural oils equally throughout your hair, making your locks shinier.

9. An easy solution for static-inflicted hair is an ordinary household item: a dryer sheet. Swipe a dryer sheet along your hair to eliminate any annoying flyways. Also, you can rub a sheet against your combs and brushes before brushing your hair to remove static electricity. Wrapping your combs and brushes in dryer sheets can also do the job as well to keep them static free all the time.

10. Humidity in your room also affects the static in your hair. Put a humidifier in your room and raise the temperature up to high. This will increase the moisture level in the air to help eliminate static.

11. Instead of snoozing on a regular pillowcase, a satin pillowcase will leave you waking up static free. The coolness of the fabric will prevent your scalp from getting too hot, and satin cases can save your hair from creasing and gaining static.

12. The type of clothing material you wear is another thing to take into consideration. Choose to wear natural fibers like cotton, especially during the winter, and stay away from synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester.

13. Rubber-soled shoes are also a major contributor to static. These kinds of shoes collect electrical charges when wearing them, so opt for a shoe with leather soles or a sole made of synthetic material instead.

14. If all else fails, resort to a simple braid. Pulling your hair together into a braid  will keep strands from clinging to your face and clothes.

Lauren Tom can be reached at [email protected].