Lokman Sevim / Pexels
Carrie Bradshaw hated scrunchies. She found them outrageously unfashionable — and I can’t say that I disagree with her. But when Madrid-based dermatologist Claudia Bernárdez told me that switching my classic elastic hair tie to a silk scrunchie would make a huge difference to how my hair looked, I was intrigued.
According to Bernárdez, traditional elastic hair bands may offer good holding power, but they can also damage your hair. “When we tie our hair up, the plastic band naturally puts pressure on the area it secures,” says Bernárdez. “Each hair fibre has a certain amount of energy it can handle before it breaks. The thinner the hair tie, the more concentrated the tension becomes, and the more likely hair is to snap.” That’s when I learned rule number one: The thicker your hair tie, the better.
Next comes rule number two: always consider the material. “When the hair band is hard and elastic, this pressure inevitably damages the hair. When the hair tie is larger and made of softer fabric, there is not only less friction and pressure, but the tension is also better distributed.”
The conclusion? Scrunchies in a soft fabric are brilliant at preventing hair damage. I love the mulberry silk scrunchies from Slip, which come in every pattern and colour imaginable.
This article was originally published on British Vogue.
