Hairspray Is Just Glue Scaffolding For Your Hair

“Hairspray is essentially an invisible hairnet made of synthetic polymers that coat your hair with a thin film, and glue your hairstyle in place.” Polyvinylpyrrolidone! Rolls right off the tongue.

This fast-talking explainer brought to you by the American Chemical Society also explains why hairdos were bigger better in the eighties — volatile organic compounds like ethanol had be replaced with water starting in the late nineties, because global warming. For some reason, the video has a very awkward introductory scene with three people at a theatrically lit bar making small talk about a theme party that seems not to be going on. Once you get past them, the aesthetic gets very Trapper Keeper, but stick with it, I promise you will learn a thing or three. Who was this video made for, you ask? Who wasn’t it made for, really, but I’m guessing eighth-grade science classes. “In general, formulas try to have a good balance of tackiness and flexibility.” Same.

I don’t know why you would, but you can also watch a related video on How Shampoo Works, which, spoiler alert: it’s just detergent. But shampoo is a myth, or so we’re told. These days it’s all about putting the oils back into your hair. Fashion and beauty trends! So hard to keep up.