How to take care of TBL hair without going crazy?

[Hope2012]

Greetings!
I have reached TBL with my 1b/1cMii hair now at 32 inches... I've lurked on the group getting ideas on how to make my hair healthier and more beautiful for a while, and feel I have learned a lot. Now my hair is at a point where it gets more in the way, gets tangled far more easily, and I am getting discouraged. There are fewer tutorials for cute hairstyles at this length, and I feel my hair is taking a step back in healthiness.
What are everyone's suggestions for motivations to keep my hair this length instead of cutting it? I wouldn't cut off more than it would take to stay at waist length, but at the same time there is still a part of me that wants to go for classic length, lol.
Any ideas on reasons to keep it/continue to grow it out or ideas for how to deal with it/improve it?

[ravenreed]

There are milestones that seem more like hurdles for me. All of a sudden my favorite updos don't work right, my hair seems more dry or more splitty, and I generally feel a little frustrated. TBL was one, as was Classic. Each little gain in length meant my hair required just a little more babying than before, and it took me a bit to rework my updos to make them work for me again. However, once I got it sorted out, I was happy that I got to that length. All I can suggest is to give yourself some time. If you must cut back, try going back only two or three inches. I often find that is enough to suddenly like my hair again. Good luck and happy growing.

[Jenny31557]

Have you seen Torrinpaige on YouTube? She has sooooo many hairstyles that you could do no problem.
http://m.youtube.com/user/torrinpaige

[neko_kawaii]

Check out these threads for inspiration.

Buns (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=98504)
Braids (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=45350)
Half up (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=100439)

TBL should be long enough for any of the amazing styles pictured within.

[Coolcombination]

I would try the bun thread for inspiration. Or try using protective styles that still show off the length like a French braid? I know I wouldn't be able to handle tbl. Perhaps u could try trimming a couple of inches to get the feeling of momentarily shorter hair or adding some face framing layers.

[meteor]

I had TBL+ hair for many years when I was younger, and the biggest challenge was detangling and getting frustrated with how it took several hours to air-dry hair. :brickwall Those were the reasons I cut it. But at the time I didn't know how to bun! If your hair is thick & fine and chemically processed, detangling might get even more annoying.
So to avoid the temptation to cut, I recommend investing in quality combs and detangling tools +oils/leave-ins, to damp-bun when you get tired of air-drying, and generally to keep hair in protective styles to avoid tangling and damage. Having fun with all the updos you can do at that length should keep scissor-temptation at bay! :)

[Anje]

Tailbone's a great length for me -- I've been maintaining at it for a while. I'm a big advocate of braids and buns to keep from being driven crazy by hair. But if I couldn't pull my hair back from my face and keep it contained, I'd probably wear a buzz cut or a pixie at longest. Not flattering for me, but I can't stand it when my hair gets in the way.

[jacqueline101]

Arc691 I think is her name she's on here. She has amazing hairstyles.

[spirals]

Detangler is indispensible. Detangling combs are great, but without my detangler spray or oil they don't work, and I'm only at waist.

[Lippytoes]

Seconding the rec for Torrin Paige's tutorials! She has amazing hair between TBL and classic, and her styles should be perfect for TBL hair.

[WaitingSoLong]

I'm a big advocate of braids and buns to keep from being driven crazy by hair. But if I couldn't pull my hair back from my face and keep it contained, I'd probably wear a buzz cut or a pixie at longest. Not flattering for me, but I can't stand it when my hair gets in the way.


There are milestones that seem more like hurdles for me. All of a sudden my favorite updos don't work right, my hair seems more dry or more splitty, and I generally feel a little frustrated. TBL was one, as was Classic. Each little gain in length meant my hair required just a little more babying than before, and it took me a bit to rework my updos to make them work for me again. However, once I got it sorted out, I was happy that I got to that length. All I can suggest is to give yourself some time. If you must cut back, try going back only two or three inches. I often find that is enough to suddenly like my hair again. Good luck and happy growing.


Ditto on all of the above.

Do you currently detangle your hair when it is laden with conditioner (gently, with a wide toothed bone comb)? If I did not do this, I could not have hair longer than waist.

Wearing it up most of the time is par for course with longer hair.

I have been unhappy with my hair since passing TBL and have threatened to go back to waist so many times but have been too chicken thus far.

[Fairlight63]

Putting a silk sleep cap on my hair before going to sleep helps with the morning detangling issue for me. I used to sleep with my hair in a sleep braid but my hair would still tangle at the neckline. The sleep cap has helped that.

[LadyCelestina]

Ditto on all of the above.

Do you currently detangle your hair when it is laden with conditioner (gently, with a wide toothed bone comb)? If I did not do this, I could not have hair longer than waist.

Wearing it up most of the time is par for course with longer hair.

I have been unhappy with my hair since passing TBL and have threatened to go back to waist so many times but have been too chicken thus far.

Can I be a bit OT?
When you say you detangle only when your hair is covered in conditioner,so I'm assuming it's also wet...do you do it daily? If not,how do you manage tangles between wetting the hair? Fingercombing?

[WaitingSoLong]

Can I be a bit OT?
When you say you detangle only when your hair is covered in conditioner,so I'm assuming it's also wet...do you do it daily? If not,how do you manage tangles between wetting the hair? Fingercombing?

I just mean I do that when I shampoo. I detangle twice a day, more if I wear my hair loose. I could never get a comb through my hair after S&C until I started detangling in the shower with the conditioner (also, detangle before getting it wet).

I use a tangle teaser or a wide tooth comb to detangle daily (dry). I don't finger comb.

[torrilin]

32" is how long my hair is at waist! That's when I started to get some really pretty undo options. I'm currently in that nebulous "past waist" stage, tho I'm not sure by how much.

The two buns I do most often are the Celtic Knot bun and the Gibraltar bun. They're both easy to do, easy to secure, and comfortable for me to sleep or bike in. There are a bunch of braid based styles that started or kept working for me past waist. Heidi braids are probably the easiest.

[LadyCelestina]

I just mean I do that when I shampoo. I detangle twice a day, more if I wear my hair loose. I could never get a comb through my hair after S&C until I started detangling in the shower with the conditioner (also, detangle before getting it wet).

I use a tangle teaser or a wide tooth comb to detangle daily (dry). I don't finger comb.

Okay,thank you.

[ravenreed]

Have you had any luck with catnip rinses? Ever since I started using them not only is my hair easier to detangle, it is sometimes so smooth that I actually have trouble keeping it in an updo. I never understood why people with slippery hair would complain until my buns started unraveling themselves!


I just mean I do that when I shampoo. I detangle twice a day, more if I wear my hair loose. I could never get a comb through my hair after S&C until I started detangling in the shower with the conditioner (also, detangle before getting it wet).

I use a tangle teaser or a wide tooth comb to detangle daily (dry). I don't finger comb.

[ravenreed]

Have you had any luck with catnip rinses? Ever since I started using them not only is my hair easier to detangle, it is sometimes so smooth that I actually have trouble keeping it in an updo. I never understood why people with slippery hair would complain until my buns started unraveling themselves!

ETA: While I don't detangle in the shower usually, I do detangle prior to getting in, and as soon as I am done towel drying. I also detangle several times a day. As long as I am gentle and use my TT, I don't find that I have any problems with breakage when my hair is wet.


I just mean I do that when I shampoo. I detangle twice a day, more if I wear my hair loose. I could never get a comb through my hair after S&C until I started detangling in the shower with the conditioner (also, detangle before getting it wet).

I use a tangle teaser or a wide tooth comb to detangle daily (dry). I don't finger comb.

[ravenreed]

Sorry about the double post. I am leaving it as the second one has my ETA. The boards have been glitchy for me lately, that is sure.

[Anje]

FWIW, I comb my hair out morning and evening, sometimes in the middle of the day if it gets fuzzy and needs to go back up or if I decide to wear it down for a while. I'm working on not touching it much when it's wet, but my tendency is to run a comb through it after showering. If I comb in the shower with conditioner, I end up with gobs of hair everywhere, which is not fun. :)

I may be a smidge unusual in that I do not like any sort of coatings on my hair, with the possible exception of whatever doesn't rinse out from my non-silicone non-protein conditioners (things like BTMS). Leave ins of any sort seem to encourage tangles for me. Oil is marginally better if it absorbs, but if it picks up lint or cat hair, it causes more tangles than it's worth.

[ravenreed]

I use catnip rinses as a leave in, but oils also make my hair more inclined to pick up lint and be more tangly. I do an oil treatment from time to time, but I only leave the oil in for about half an hour before washing it out.


FWIW, I comb my hair out morning and evening, sometimes in the middle of the day if it gets fuzzy and needs to go back up or if I decide to wear it down for a while. I'm working on not touching it much when it's wet, but my tendency is to run a comb through it after showering. If I comb in the shower with conditioner, I end up with gobs of hair everywhere, which is not fun. :)

I may be a smidge unusual in that I do not like any sort of coatings on my hair, with the possible exception of whatever doesn't rinse out from my non-silicone non-protein conditioners (things like BTMS). Leave ins of any sort seem to encourage tangles for me. Oil is marginally better if it absorbs, but if it picks up lint or cat hair, it causes more tangles than it's worth.

[WaitingSoLong]

Sorry about the double post. I am leaving it as the second one has my ETA. The boards have been glitchy for me lately, that is sure.

Yes they have been glitchy. I could not get on the boards for a few hours yesterday. I wonder if it was just me. Since I am ill, I have been spending more time than usual on here.

I have never tried catnip. It is too much trouble LOL. My hair is slippery enough without help.

[LadyCelestina]

Well and I get lint covered tangly hair with a leave in conditioner,but none of this with oils,and I use a lot! :bigeyes:

[vindo]

I find I can make most hair tutorials on Youtube work for my length. It is just a matter of what you do with the extra length. I find it can often be pinned or tucked out of the way.
I do a lot with braiding my crown lately.

You can also search for inspiration on pinterest.

As far as the condition goes. S&D a bit more often for a while can help. Also you may want to look into adjusting your routine. What might have worked when your hair was shorter, may not be gentle or moisturizing enough for TBL.

When my hair was having trouble, the simple conbination of S&D, dry oiling and gentle handling really helped.

[spidermom]

I opted to just go crazy.

[WaitingSoLong]

LOL Spidermom. I was thinking my hair was better at TBL but now I am thinking it was still a pain then, too.

[spirals]

Spidermom, :lol: I just wanted to add that a microtrim every other month helps. I did a 1/16" (2 mm?) trim in February and an 1/8" trim yesterday. It's not even a perceptable length difference, but it made it easier to get the comb through. Plus, when I did it I noticed the right side was longer, so that's fixed now. But generally I S&D every other week. I have velcro ends, maybe due to color damage, maybe everyday wear and tear. I haven't had hair this long since 1990, and I wasn't taking good care of it then, so I don't know. But microtrims help.

[meteor]

I find I can make most hair tutorials on Youtube work for my length. It is just a matter of what you do with the extra length. I find it can often be pinned or tucked out of the way. Emichiee, it's great that you know how to adjust those updos for longer hair. I find it challenging. Did you find a way of doing French twists (my favorite updo) with hair at waist or longer length? I wonder if it's just my hair that makes it feel like mission impossible...

[vindo]

Emichiee, it's great that you know how to adjust those updos for longer hair. I find it challenging. Did you find a way of doing French twists (my favorite updo) with hair at waist or longer length? I wonder if it's just my hair that makes it feel like mission impossible...

There is one where you twist the ends into the twist....it was featured on LHC before. I think it is called log roll. It looks pretty close to a french twist. With a lot of pins and skill I can also fold my hair under the twist sort of. It will just look bigger and bulkier because of the hidden length.
And if all else fails I just wrap my ends around the twist :D, or braid them and wrap them. I share some hairstyles on my Youtube or Facebook. There is one twist (Maki Bun) that could be done like a french twist instead of horizontally I suppose. It is very secure.:)

[long&blonde]

Tailbone again here.
Last I hit tailbone, it drove me crazy, and rather than stick it out to my cl goal, I salon trimmed it back 5 inchs.
I so agree with, whatever I do, I so often cringe at the sounds and sights of ripping my hair.
It's gotten hot and humid allready, so for the last 2 days I've happily had a braid pinned up into a bun,using one hairstick. Off my neck, nothing ripping. Yet I know from experience what I'm doing wrong, best to detangle, brush out,put in protective sleep style,redo daily. You can end up with evil tangles doing this. Reading this thread with interest, it's my thoughts exactly.

[lunalocks]

I am at 36 inches - still at least 4 (!) away from tailbone, which is my goal. But I have not been happy for the past 4 months. Tangling is not an issue for me. Splits are and I hate my getting ragged hemline (due to S and D ing). This with a trim in December and a trim 2 weeks ago at Madora in NY. I even had the deep conditioning treatment. It was beautiful for 2 days. I just finished 2 months of wearing up daily and I see no improvement. The last 4 inches have damage (from a pony tail) and I S and D every few days. The splits are sometimes 3 inches up. CWC and mineral oil daily worked well for me for a year, but not now. I am ready to try catnip. Wonder how many people have found that useful. I just want to get to tailbone and then maintain.

[Jenny31557]

Meteor, for the French twist for long hair, it's known as the French slide.
Here's 4ypn0tica's video on it :
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8-dBX40vBqM
Torrinpaige also did one and so did habioku.
Hope this helps
(Sorry for the hijack)

[meteor]

Thank you very much for the helpful French twist suggestions, Emichiee and Jenny31557! :) I'll definitely try them! :blossom:

Moving closer to tailbone makes me fear that my hair will thin out. I have serious problems with detangling, so it feels that if I don't trim off new growth, I'll be pulling out healthy hair when it gets tangled.
Does anybody else feel that it's harder to keep thickness at certain lengths?

[goldloli]

Hey does anyone remember that thread where the girl pinned up different sections of hair so we could see the different lengths and breakage layers/new growth or whatever? That was a good thread! I feel I have something similar going on. Nape breakage from ignorance and heat abuse, various forms of dehydration/heat/mechanical induced damage through the lengths, ultra patchy ends from s&d/breakage and old layers. Surprisingly it still looks pretty good but it irks me that the only place with true thickness is way up at apl. Can't wait till I hit summer goals to start trimming frequently.

Re catnip: It was very useful to me, it caused hairfall, quite bad hairfall every time i tried it but it was very good for ends, so good that i started using it again just on length this week. The best improvement for me was that when i'd come to s&d, there would be 20 splits instead of 50, and when i came to s&d a few days later, there'd be like 5 new splits instead of 50 more ;) that kind of difference is enough to keep you growing to a goal marker without having to microtrim so often.

[ravenreed]

Catnip helps me immensely with split ends. I throw a tablespoon in a mason jar, fill it with water, microwave it for three minutes and let it steep over night. I strain it through a coffee filter, and use it as a leave in after my CO and ACV rinse. I still get the odd split end, but I have fewer now than ever before. My hair has always been split-prone, no matter the length or the condition. I am very pleased with my results. I notice a huge difference when I get lazy and stop doing it, too. So I pretty much use it at every washing.


I am at 36 inches - still at least 4 (!) away from tailbone, which is my goal. But I have not been happy for the past 4 months. Tangling is not an issue for me. Splits are and I hate my getting ragged hemline (due to S and D ing). This with a trim in December and a trim 2 weeks ago at Madora in NY. I even had the deep conditioning treatment. It was beautiful for 2 days. I just finished 2 months of wearing up daily and I see no improvement. The last 4 inches have damage (from a pony tail) and I S and D every few days. The splits are sometimes 3 inches up. CWC and mineral oil daily worked well for me for a year, but not now. I am ready to try catnip. Wonder how many people have found that useful. I just want to get to tailbone and then maintain.

[Vanille_]

I think I'm around 32-35 inches, hip for me but almost TBL I think. My layers are finally almost grown out but since they haven't been maintained in around 2 years, the my hemline is finally showing signs of damage. It's very frustrating but I don't want to cut it just yet. On top of that, I know what you mean. I joke and say my siggy should be changed to BSL-WAIST-ANNOYING. I can't stand my hair down anymore . And I usually just keep it in a lazy wrap. If I'm feeling fancy, I do a lazy wrap with a Flexi 8. I know. I'm really not helping. I just wanted you to know you aren't alone. I'm going to keep growing and see if things get better. I hope you will keep growing too. Hopefully there is hope for us.

[WaitingSoLong]

Emichiee, it's great that you know how to adjust those updos for longer hair. I find it challenging. Did you find a way of doing French twists (my favorite updo) with hair at waist or longer length? I wonder if it's just my hair that makes it feel like mission impossible...

I have never been able to do a french twist but there is a method you can use that sort of mimics it. Start out with a flipped cinnabun, then continue tucking the bun under the hair and somehow secure in place. It is that securing part that is tricky...



Meteor, for the French twist for long hair, it's known as the French slide.
Here's 4ypn0tica's video on it :
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8-dBX40vBqM
Torrinpaige also did one and so did habioku.
Hope this helps
(Sorry for the hijack)

Hmm, my hair is too long for this. My "loop" is about a foot long.



Moving closer to tailbone makes me fear that my hair will thin out. I have serious problems with detangling, so it feels that if I don't trim off new growth, I'll be pulling out healthy hair when it gets tangled.
Does anybody else feel that it's harder to keep thickness at certain lengths?

I don't understand the bolded statement. Maybe it is just too early:silly:

From what I have seen here on TLHC, this issue seems to happen to a lot of people but at different lengths. My serious taper is from TBL on, but until I have all virgin hair, I won't really know what my natural taper is. I HAD some "terminal" hairs around waist for a couple years. They are now about hip length. I like some taper, it makes keeping ends in updo's easier.

[meteor]

From what I have seen here on TLHC, this issue seems to happen to a lot of people but at different lengths. My serious taper is from TBL on, but until I have all virgin hair, I won't really know what my natural taper is. I HAD some "terminal" hairs around waist for a couple years. They are now about hip length. I like some taper, it makes keeping ends in updo's easier.
WaitingSoLong, you are right, it's a form of "taper", but in my case there is this sense that processed, highlighted hair tangles and compromises healthy virgin hair by pulling it out when I'm combing in a hurry, and I get this feeling that the longer I grow, the more tangling will occur. Cones really help, but I've been trying to avoid them, since I don't shampoo my length with SLS shampoos (which are supposedly what removes cones). I guess I just need to be patient and detangle carefully. No silver bullet there!

[vindo]

Thank you very much for the helpful French twist suggestions, Emichiee and Jenny31557! :) I'll definitely try them! :blossom:

Moving closer to tailbone makes me fear that my hair will thin out. I have serious problems with detangling, so it feels that if I don't trim off new growth, I'll be pulling out healthy hair when it gets tangled.
Does anybody else feel that it's harder to keep thickness at certain lengths?

Most go through this "Problem". It works well to keep your ends as split free as possible with very gentle hair care, s&d a bit more frequently and also small trims if you feel your hair is thinning too much on the way down. The reason your hair tapers is because for many the growing phase have ended and they shed, some can also break and the rest grows uneven because only a percentage of your hair is in the growing phase. The others are resting or shedding. Taper is not surprising then.


I have never been able to do a french twist but there is a method you can use that sort of mimics it. Start out with a flipped cinnabun, then continue tucking the bun under the hair and somehow secure in place. It is that securing part that is tricky...
.

The maki bun is a bit similar then! It starts with a flipped lazy wrap bun. I did a rolling technique which flips the bun twice and it looks like a french twist.

[Hope2012]

I had not seen her work before- thank you! :)

[Hope2012]

Thank you for the advice and suggestions! It has really helped. Does catnip end up coloring your hair at all? I know chamomile or white vinegar can lighten it... I like my hair dark. :D
Also, are there homemade detangler recipes you guys use?
And what combs have you found work best? I had one I used that was molded (from what I've read up on, cut would be better,) but had two sets of teeth side by side. Wide-toothed, of course. (Marketed for 'ethnic hair, lol. I don't think mine qualifies, bit it worked.) Unfortunately my comb had most of the teeth break off, so I'm looking for a new one. :)
Last question on the topic (for now, lol,)- is it normal for quite a few strands of hair to come out every. single. time. you comb through it, regardless of how gently you go? That's another aspect driving me nuts about the longer hair... but I do still love long hair! :D

[meteor]

are there homemade detangler recipes you guys use?
I use a bit of light oil with lots of ceramides - like grapeseed or safflower oil, for example. Alternatively, diluted watery conditioner with rosewater and a bit of aloe vera or sea kelp ferment. But I am sure there are way better options, since my hair doesn't detangle easily with these concoctions.

And what combs have you found work best? I had one I used that was molded (from what I've read up on, cut would be better,) but had two sets of teeth side by side. Wide-toothed, of course. (Marketed for 'ethnic hair, lol. I don't think mine qualifies, bit it worked.) Unfortunately my comb had most of the teeth break off, so I'm looking for a new one. :)
I love ethnic hair products and especially combs. They work best not only on curly or wavy hair but also on thick straight hair.
I prefer wood combs. Many people like horn more. Just check for seams and make sure the size is appropriate for you. That's why I prefer buying combs in stores rather than online.

Last question on the topic (for now, lol,)- is it normal for quite a few strands of hair to come out every. single. time. you comb through it, regardless of how gently you go? That's another aspect driving me nuts about the longer hair... but I do still love long hair! :D
It depends on what's "normal" for you. Did you always shed this much? Then it's fine. I find it easier to talk about "more" or "less" shedding than before, rather than abstract magic number. Also, if you genetically have thick hair, you probably shed more hairs every day than somebody with thin hair. You might want to check out this thread:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=15351