Aerosol vs. Non-Aerosol Hairsprays

There is a wide range of formulas you can choose from when it comes to hair sprays. These include the terms you’re probably most familiar with, such as extra hold, regular hold, weather control, but also two other important distinctions: aerosol and non-aerosol. These terms refer to the delivery system used for the hair spray, with the two methods serving not only different purposes but also having different advantages and disadvantages. Read on to learn more about how these two types differ and which is right for you.

For many years, aerosol formulas were the standard when it came to hair spray, but in the last couple of decades, non-aerosols have gained popularity, in large part because they didn’t harm the environment in the way traditional aerosol formulas did. Aerosol hair sprays used to contain compounds called chloroflourocarbons, which were released into the atmosphere when the liquid was sprayed. These chloroflourcarbons, or CFCs, were linked to damage to the ozone layer, including the ever-growing hole in the ozone that became a major concern in the 1990s. Today’s aerosol hair sprays don’t contain CFCs, so there’s less worry about their impact on the environment.

However, many people don’t realize there’s another major difference between aerosol and non-aerosol formulas beyond their impact on the planet. In fact, the two types serve very different purposes when it comes to styling hair. Non-aerosol formulas are best for curly hair, while aerosol formulas are best for straighter, smoother styles such as blowouts. In addition, aerosol hair sprays deliver a finer mist, making them better for finer hair or for softer, fuller hair styles. Non-aerosols, on the other hand, typically last longer and offer more control. This makes them ideal for sculpted or highly structured hair styles, in addition to spot styling such as putting stray hairs back into place. Non-aerosol formulas are also better suited to working with individual curls. Lightly spray the section of hair you want to curl, wait a few seconds, and then curl as you normally would. They also work well for keeping individual curls in place, but they’re also stickier and sometimes heavier than aerosol formulas.

At Beauty Universe, we carry several types of hair spray, including non-aerosol formulas such as Mill Creek Botanicals Natural Hair Spray in regular hold, extra hold and weather control. Mill Creek Hair Sprays use a pump instead of an aerosol delivery mechanism and they are also formulated with natural Jojoba Oil and Witch Hazel to give excellent control without stickiness, even in humid weather. We also offer Biotene H-24 Conditioning Hair Spray that is designed to make your hair fuller and thicker naturally. Browse our entire inventory of hair care and styling products today and find the formula that best suits your hair type and your hair styling needs.