The Project on the Chemistry of Hairspray

Broca's Brain. Sagan, Carl. Ballantine Books; Reissue edition February 12, 1986.

http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/consumer/faq/harispray-ingredients.shtml

http://www.dit.ie/DIT/science/chemistry/rsccomp/competition01/hawkesclancy/bedroom/hairspray.html

http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgibin/household/

brands?tbl=brands&id=16003315

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/feb98/884957935.Ch.r.html

http://www.psrc.usm.edu/macrog/

http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_111/hair_twh_111_02.jpg

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_111/hair_twh_111_01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_98.htm&h=228&w=319&sz=6&tbnid=1dRsqvaxlRAJ:&tbnh=80&tbnw=111&start=65&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhairspray%2Bhair%26start%3D60%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN

Overall, I have learned a lot about hairspray. I now understand that it is the polymers that attach to the hair follicle. The compounds which cause "sticky" feeling which the actual spray have, mostly the alcohols, end up evaporating. This leaves the polymers to coat the hair, and provide the "hold".

The chemistry of hairspray deals quite a bit with soluble and insoluble solutions. Based on what we have learned in chemistry this year, I know that soluble solutions dissolve in water, so it makes since that at least part of hairspray is soluble. On the other hand, part also much be insoluble or else the hairspray would not "stick" onto your hair, nor would it deflect any water. This mixture of both soluble and insoluble solutions provides for the hairspray to be workable, and yet wash away easily.

It would be interesting to also look into the difference between aerosol and non-aerosol hairsprays. Why are they different? Does one provide a better hold than the other does? Is one safer? I know that aerosol was around first, and then came non-aerosol, but aerosol hairspray hasn't been completely phased out either. So, aerosol hairspray couldn't