Most girls (or people) can relate to the everyday problem of getting up an hour early every school day to do our hair or makeup just for your hair to be frizzy or you’re mascara smugged by B block, It’s annoying and repetitive, and most people just give up the struggle (including myself until I discovered these hacks) and go to school in no makeup and a hat, which is fine, but some people want to look glamorous and care about their appearance, so how can we stop school air? 

First of all, what is School Air? It’s a TikTok trend that started getting popular in 2022 when the TikToker “kumahto” posted a makeup and hair look before and after school with the caption “school air rly be doing smth”. Once that was posted it started to spread, with posts being made complaining about how people get up at 5 to do their hair just for it to be frizzy or out of place during most of the day. No scientific research has actually been done, but I think many can agree that it exists. 

Now that you know what school air is, how do you stop it? You can’t just give up and let the air win, there has to be something you can do. Thankfully, there is! Here are a couple of hacks that help me and others deal with this nightmare. 

1: Clear Mascara 

Ever wanted to wear mascara for school but just end up accidentally itching your eye? Then it’s smudged and you only notice until you get home and feel embarrassed, thankfully there’s a solution for it! Clear mascara not only makes your eyelashes look amazing but it also can’t be smudged! If that didn’t convince you, it also makes your eyelashes look naturally beautiful and long. I would recommend the Limitless Lash Lengthening Clean Mascara from Sephora, it does wonders for your looks and isn’t very expensive, but even if so most clear mascaras will work. 

2: Anti Frizz Serums 

Trust me when I say this: Anti Frizz Serums are everything! Even though most are marketed towards curly-haired people, it works for almost every hair type. It also can add shine or more defined hair whether it’s straight, wavy, curly, coyly, or something in between, which is always a plus. All you need to do is after you shower, apply a bit in your damp hair and run it through your hair with your fingers. Doing this every couple of days will make your hair so much healthier and prettier that you won’t regret it. I 100% recommend the Garnier Fructis sleek & shine anti-frizz serum, for 5$ it really is worth your money, it’s probably my favorite hair product, shout out to my friend who recommended it to me!

3: Start (and finish) with setting spray

For all the people who prefer a more detailed makeup look, like foundation, contour, etc. Hats off to you for putting in so much effort! You look amazing every day, but do you wish that it wouldn’t get all dried up or cakey halfway through the day? You can always start AND finish with setting spray, it will seal your makeup and preserve it until you decide to wipe it off when you get home, for this I have never used it, but my friend swears by the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, she says if you’re looking for something to last all day then that’s the best option and makes you look “flawless”!

4: Heatless curls 

Want to obtain the perfect curls but hate burning your hair? Try heatless curls! They will last you all day plus they won’t damage your hair as much as heated hair curlers would. Even with heat protection, I have found that it makes my hair “off” for the next couple of days (and that’s coming from someone who loves straightening their hair). For days when I want to have some waves or curls, I can always turn to my Kitsch Satin Heatless Curling Set, which comes with a curling rod, rollers, and some scrunchies, better yet, it’s all made of satin, and my favorite color: Pink! If pink is not your style it also comes in black and blue, if you want to learn more about heatless curls, check out my article, here  

5: Moisturizer 

When getting ready for the day, make sure to moisturize your skin and face to protect yourself from mid-day dry ups, of course, you’re still at risk, so maybe bring a small container with you to school so if you have any doubts you can quickly fix it. To add on to keeping your skin hydrated, make sure to drink a lot of water! My favorite drink is vitamin water, because it also has components to help your skin for longer, which will help for school! For the recommended Mostirizer I recommend CVS Health Moisturizing Cream, it’s not fancy, and it’s straight to the point. It’s only 16 ounces so perfect for staying in your school bag, plus, nobody does better skin health than a pharmacy! You’d be surprised by the difference it makes next to any other moisturizer and I definitely recommend you buy it. Even if you don’t do makeup, this is still a great tip for better skin. 

While I am just a student and not a professional, I can’t promise you that these will guarantee a perfect look every day, but, I can confidently say that these work wonders for me. Whether you like a natural look, or a more glamorous one, these tips will help you deal with the daily evil of the school air, and remember, stay true to your look, because it’s unique and you!