Shopping for…hairspray

The expert: Eva Scrivo, acclaimed hair and makeup artist (high profile clients range from Martha Stewart to Jon Bon Jovi to Howard Stern) and host of “Beauty Talk with Eva Scrivo” on Sirius Satellite Radio.

The product: hairspray

What I want: Hair should feel touchable and still soft, but with more texture.

I must have: I look for hairspray with an unscented lightweight formula. The lightweight formula allows hair to be easily restyled without washing.

What I hate: Hairsprays that are heavy and stiff, making the hair feel dirty the next day.Hairsprays should be light and powdery and not leave that lacquered finish like the sprays of our mothers’ generation.

Savvy Shopper: Spend the extra few dollars to purchase high quality, professional hairsprays that are sold in salons. Not only will you get a much better result, but you will use less product since the sprays are high quality, more concentrated, and are dispersed in a finer mist which gives you more control during application. You’ll spend more money upfront, but you’ll be happier and the product will last twice as long since you’ll use half as much to get the result you want.

My pick: Elnett hairspray by L’Oreal. It’s not widely distributed in the U.S. and is pricey but very popular in Europe and with many editorial stylists ($24 for 200 ml at our salons--632 Hudson St., NYC-- and other select salons and apothecaries).

Next best thing: Does It All by Bumble & bumble. It is more widely distributed throughout fine salons in the U.S. (including The Vanity Room in Bernardsville) than Elnett and more moderately priced ($24 for 10 oz.) for a professional product. Good rule of thumb: keep your cleaning and household supplies separate from your beauty products. My mother once sprayed Raid (roach killer) all over her hair thinking she had grabbed the AquaNet.

as told to Laurie Squire