We can all thank Ariana Grande for ushering in the sleek high ponytail trend, but unfortunately, unless you have a magically smooth coif, the look requires quite a lot of hair products to slick down flyaways. While store bought hairspray/gel/wax can all do the trick, if you’re looking for a more natural alternative that will hold without leaving your with shell-like, flaky hair, this is an all-natural solution that takes just five minutes to whip up.

Here’s what you’ll need

• 1 cup filtered or distilled water (very important, read Directions for why)

• 2 tablespoons of sugar

• 1 tablespoon of high proof alcohol (I opted for gin)

• 2 drops of argan oil or essential oil of your choice (FYI: I’ve tried it with both Moroccanoil Treatment and pure argan oil, the latter being a more natural choice of course, as Moroccanoil contains silicones and other things. Other popular oil choices are lavender and rosemary.)

• Clean mascara tube and brush and insert (I purchased this set that came with five tubes, pipettes, funnels, and rubber insert for $9)

• Small funnel

• Pipette

• A small saucepan

Directions

1. Pour your distilled or filtered water into the saucepan and bring to a boil. The reason you want to boil the filtered or distilled water is because this is made at home and not in a bacteria-free lab, you want to minimize the amount of bacterial contamination.

2. Once the water is boiling, stir in the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved, turn off the heat and let the liquid cool.

3. When the liquid is cooled, add in the alcohol and stir it in. While you don’t have to add alcohol, it is a natural preservative that will extend the life of the product. However, even with alcohol, like all homemade beauty goods, you can’t expect a very long shelf life.

4. Take your funnel and clean tube and pour in your solution to about three-fourths full. Then, take your pipette and add in two drops of Argan oil (or essential oil of your choice).

5. Put in the rubber insert and you’re ready to go. Just dip the wand in and comb back those baby hairs for a soft, flexible hold.

6. When you’re not using your little flyaway tamer, store it in the fridge to maintain the longevity of the product.

I’ve tested this homemade product on myself, and frankly, I really love how it doesn’t gunk up my hair like hairspray or gel does. Rather, my hair stays put all day while still feeling soft to the touch. For reference on hair texture, I have straight, fine hair and this product works wonders for me.

If you wanted to put it in a spray bottle, this recipe also makes a great DIY hairspray, but the tube in my opinion is the perfect size for stashing in your purse. The best part is, it’s travel friendly, so you can use it to banish airplane frizz. It’s also great for a night out when you need to just quickly sweep those baby hairs back into place. If any of you try it out, let me know what you think!

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