When you’re getting ready to go out for the day or to go to bed, the last thing you want to do is cause yourself a bad hair day. While people in face wash commercials throw water on themselves with reckless abandon, most of us don’t want to get our hair wet when we’re washing our face.
This is where a spa headband can come in to help you pamper yourself and set yourself up for success.
Spa Headbands Solve Problems:
If you don’t want to get your hair wet while taking off your makeup or washing your face, a spa headband is your best friend. These absorbent headbands fit snugly over your roots and act as a barrier to stop water and your face lotions or makeup items from getting into your hair.
What Are Spa Headbands?
Spa headbands are fluffy, absorbent headbands that spas give out, especially when providing services such as facials. It helps keep your hair out of your face and prevents any moisture from getting onto the roots of your hair.
Wet roots can ruin your hairstyle, so spa headbands work to keep those roots dry when you’re taking off your makeup, getting a facial, or even rubbing your temples to get rid of a headache. You can also wear them in the shower as an alternative to a shower cap since they’re more likely to stay in place.
Anyone can use a spa headband, but those with bangs may find extra value from a spa headband. No one likes soggy bangs, and using a spa headband as you’re getting ready will ensure that your bangs keep living their best life.
Spa headbands are usually made of very soft materials so that they won’t cause too much friction on your hair which helps prevent your hair from frizzing up using a spa headband. Many of them feature Velcro so that you can adjust them. Others are a circle of elastic that will fit snugly, but they can stretch out over time and lose some of their effectiveness.
These headbands are so named because they’re commonly given out at spas to guests. They speak to a level of luxury and coziness, and having one of your own will make your self-care routine feel like a treat.
How to Wear a Spa Headband:
These headbands should completely cover your hair.
You want to put them on over your roots and slide them back just far enough so your hair doesn’t peek out from under the headband. This is different from a fashion headband, where you would likely pull the headband back far enough to see some of your hair.
As for your ears, wear the spa headband over your ears or behind your ears, whichever is more comfortable for you.
What Do Spas Use Headbands For?
While we’re seeing headbands have a fashion renaissance, the headbands used by spas (and the spa headbands you buy for yourself) are more functional than fashionable.
They’re not meant to be worn out and about. Instead, they’re a way to preserve your hairstyle when going about your other routines, like washing your face or putting on your makeup.
In a spa setting, they’re useful to help the technicians and the clients throughout the process. Everyone wants to be relaxed at the spa, not worry about products getting into their hair or constantly brushing and having to brush their hair out of their face.
It also helps absorb sweat, making clients more comfortable, and helps create sanitary conditions at the spa. Many spas will provide disposable headbands for guests, but if you go to the spa regularly, it’s fine to bring your own headband to wear.
Do Headbands Cause Sweating at the Spa?
They’re designed to absorb sweat instead of causing you to sweat.
However, if you’re at the spa and using one that they give out, it may not be the best material for your skin. If you sweat a lot in the disposable spa headband, that’s another reason to pick up one of your own to bring.
Common Spa Headband Materials:
In general, spa headbands are made of gentle materials on the skin, absorbent, and easy to wash.
To keep them in place, they’ll either have Velcro patches for maximum personalization or feature elastic sewn inside the fabric in a one-size-fits-most solution.
Microfiber
This material is used for many applications, from cleaning your glasses lenses to wiping off your electronics to drying off your car without damaging the paint. It’s a manufactured fiber that is made of very fine strands.
If you’re using a lot of microfiber cloths around the house, it’s recommended that you wash them in a separate load of laundry on cold water. If you use a microfiber spa headband and microfiber cloths around your home, put them in the wash together.
But your spa headband might be the only microfiber item that you own. In that case, just hand wash with cold water and let the air dry.
Terry Cloth and Waffle
Fun fact: “terry” doesn’t refer to the type of material but rather the weave.
The protruding loops make terry cloth feel soft to the touch and absorbent, making them a great choice for your spa headband. They’re usually made from cotton, although terry cloth items also include spandex in their weave.
It’s a common weave on bath towels, so you can toss your spa headband into a load of towels to clean it.
Similarly, there is a type of cloth known as waffle weave, which is a way of sewing the material that creates absorbency, but the way that it is sewn makes it grip your hair better. If you find that other materials are sliding off of your hair, you may want to try a waffle weave headband.
Again, using the cold water setting on the washing machine and using a small amount of detergent or vinegar is recommended. This will help lengthen the lifespan of all of your terry cloth items.
Bamboo
This fast-growing plant has a multitude of uses, from flooring to fibers.
When the bamboo fibers are processed into a linen-like material, they’re very soft to the touch, highly absorbent, and can wick moisture away up to four times faster than cotton.
It feels almost as luxurious as silk without the high cost. Wash bamboo linen with cold water, and avoid tossing it into a load with items like towels and blankets that shed a lot of lint.
Can You Sleep in a Spa Headband?
Sleeping in headbands is a great way to avoid oily buildup in your hair overnight.
Spa headbands can be great for this, especially if you find that you sweat a lot at night. If you sleep in a headband that’s too tight, you can put tension on the roots of your hair, which can eventually lead to breakage.
If you’re sleeping in a spa headband, use one that’s adjustable with Velcro instead of a single loop of elastic that you’re not going to be able to fit your head.
Are Makeup Headbands Similar to Spa Headbands?
Yes. If you’re looking for a headband to help with your face-washing or makeup routines, you may see them marketed as either spa headbands or makeup headbands.
They generally serve the same purpose and have similar properties.
Sources:
This Microfiber Spa Headband Has Quickly Become My Most-Used Hair Accessory | Southern Living
[How to Clean Microfiber Cloths | Home Depot]
The Superiority of Bamboo Fibre – Softness, Breathability, and Absorbency | The Bamboo Factory