Put a stop to damage and breakage with this swap.
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Scrunchies are having a moment: Brands from Balenciaga to Mansur Gavriel are reviving this 80s staple, and it turns out, they’re better for your hair both in and out of the gym.
EXPERT INSIGHT
“Your hair gets damaged mostly during the detangling process when you take out traditional hair ties,” says Cash Lawless, celebrity hair stylist and expert for SEVEN haircare. With scrunchies, the fabric provides an extra layer of padding between your strands and the elastic band.
Plus, they have weaker tension, so they’re less likely to damage your hair when you let it loose, he says. Regardless of what you use, your hair is most vulnerable to damage when it’s wet or damp, so try to hold off on tying it back until it’s dry, he adds.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Silk scrunchies (like these styles from Comfort Objects) are the easiest on your locks, but cotton ones (like these from Mansur Gavriel) are more secure, especially for fine hair. At the gym, Lawless suggests wearing mini scrunchies, which have smaller diameters and do a better job at keeping your ponytail in place while you run or move through a yoga flow.