5 Ways to Eliminate Hat Hair

Hat hair might feel like a minor inconvenience to some, but anyone who's removed a beanie before a big meeting and stared in the face of a colossal dent knows its day-ruining effects. In these dire times, you might be tempted to do what feels most logical: wet your hair, then frantically try to smooth out the kink. Allow us to strongly advise you not to. Doing that will only leave your roots even more wilted-looking, trust. So what's a girl to do, especially in cold weather when hats and beanies can feel like a necessity? When showering isn't an option, there are a few key tricks to bringing hat hair back to life.

Before You Put on the Hat

The first step in the battle against hat hair begins before you even put one on. A small indentation will almost always occur, but there are a few preventative measures you can take to minimize that hat line.

• When buying hats, choose ones that do not fit too tight on your head.
• Avoid putting a hat on while your hair is still damp. Either wait for it to dry completely or use a blow dryer.
• Carefully place the hat on your head in a manner that does not mess up your hair too much. Simply place it on your head and leave it.

Fixing Hat Hair on the Go

If you cannot get through the day without taking off your hat, there are a few tricks you can use to make hat hair disappear. That's right, you don't have to sit through that impromptu dinner worrying that everyone is staring at the ring around your head. Simply excuse yourself and step into the restroom.

The easiest technique is to take a small towel and soak it with the hottest tap water you can stand. Wring it out so it's damp and not wet, then wrap it around your head. Keep it there for a minute or two. This will help "iron out" the indention left by the hat. Run the towel over your entire head (so the sides and back won't be the only damp parts) and then re-style with your hands so you get an intentionally tousled look.

Of course, your hair will be damp afterward, but the hat hair will be gone. If there's a hand dryer in the restroom, you've struck gold. Use that to dry your hair a bit; it'll make all the difference.

A bit of styling product (a styling paste or a dry volume spray works well) can be used to restore body and get your hair back in place as well. You probably don't regularly carry a styling product with you, but if you know you are going to be taking your hat off, it's a good idea to take some along.