hairspray

Hairspray is a beauty product sprayed onto hair to help keep a hairstyle in place. It is often sold in an aerosol can, though some versions use a pump bottle. People use it to keep hair neat, add hold, control flyaways, or help a style last longer. It often brings to mind careful styling, salon routines, and fashion from past decades. You may also see the word in the title of the musical and film Hairspray.

Hairspray is a cosmetic product used on hair after styling to help keep it in place. It is usually sprayed in a fine mist from an aerosol can or a pump bottle. The spray leaves a light coating on the hair, which can give hold, reduce movement, control loose strands, add volume, or help a style last through wind and humidity. Some types give a firm hold, while others are made to feel softer and more natural.

The word is most often used in a very literal way. If someone says they used hairspray, they mean a product for setting or finishing their hair. It is common in everyday grooming, salon work, stage performance, and fashion contexts, especially when a hairstyle needs to stay neat for a long time. Because of that, the word can also suggest a certain look or era, such as the big styled hair linked with the 1960s or 1980s.

You may also meet the word as a cultural reference, especially in the title Hairspray, the well-known film and musical. Outside of that, it is not commonly used as a figurative term on its own. In most cases, it simply refers to the hair product itself and the idea of fixing a hairstyle in place.