By Erin Gignac

Gareth Palmer just finished fashioning a few hairstyles for his brother’s wedding in Pennsylvania while we caught up with him. Before he styled the best man and the groom, he took a quick break to talk about the busy wedding- and homecoming-season hairstyles and how to think outside the box with hairspray.

Dolly Parton wears it and even movies are named after it, but most people don’t realize the versatility of hairspray—it gets a bad rap sometimes. However, Keune Extra Forte Hairspray takes this hair product to new heights.

“A lot of people look at hairspray and go ‘Oh, it’s a hairspray,’” said Palmer, an Academy Facilitator and International Artist for Keune. “I think that’s true of almost any product. We see how it’s been packaged and we don’t necessarily think out of the box. It’s a really versatile tool.”

Extra Forte Hairspray can finish a look—but it can do so much more. How is that beneficial for you? It makes for an easier job and more fascinating looks. It incites passion in the stylist to push the limits and create wedding, homecoming or prom looks that are more than just ordinary.

“This is one of my go-to sprays,” said Palmer, an Academy Facilitator and International Artist for Keune. “I don’t have to go in back and pray to the hairspray gods, ‘Please let this one work out.’ It makes my job so much easier to do.”

A Strong Contender: Features of Extra Forte Hairspray 

This all-in-one product isn’t gummy, heavy or wet. Extra Forte Hairspray is part of the Keune Design Line and also comes in Forte if you need a looser hold. The aerosol is a very fine mist, which allows for dry, even application—much different than some hairsprays that cause the hair to clump into ribbon-like strands.

“It’s a really nice working spray and finishing spray that you can layer,” Palmer said. “You don’t have to have 15 different hairsprays.”

This product is also quick to dry, which also means your hairstyle shapes up in less time—perfect for crunch time when you’re trying to get a whole wedding party finished. Here’s some creative ways to work through updo season with ease.

Gareth's Tips and Tricks

--If someone’s hair doesn’t hold a curl or has lot of texture and frizz, spray hairspray very lightly (so it doesn’t gunk up your curling or flat iron) on both sides of the hair before you apply a hot tool. Apply the hot tool after, which creates smooth style with really good memory and seals hair into shape, ensuring that moisture has no chance of entering.

--Spray some product onto a toothbrush and smooth down baby hairs to finish a slick, shiny topknot or ponytail.

--Before and after you backcomb a piece of hair, spray some hairspray onto the section you’re teasing. This technique builds a bigger look for those with thin hair. It also comes in handy if you have some backcombing or teasing that’s not quite holding as much as you’d like. The hairspray pairs with the teasing to establish a solid, sturdy foundation to build curls, victory rolls or French twists.

--Layer the hairspray during the end of the style to create a firmer hold for finishing. This product sprays effortlessly with a high shine.

Use shorter bursts for a working style. If you think a crazier technique might work, give it try—what’s the worst that might happen? This product will not give up on you; so don’t give up on this product! 

“Sometimes we pigeonhole products,” Palmer said. “If you think about styling tools just like you would color or a pair of shears, you can utilize those things in different ways to get a unique outcome.”

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Erin Gignac covers stories for Premier Beauty. Follow her on Twitter and view more of her work here.