Fluffy fairytale ends - what to do?

[MaryMarx]

Hi! I'm hoping someone might have an advice for me.
I'm okay with having fairytale ends (first pic), but my problem is they're so fluffy (second pic).
They don't ringlet down my back, they stand straight out. :p

My questions are:
*Should I like... layer the top part a bit, so it's not all one length?
There's no use cutting all the thin ends off because I've done it before and this is just the way it grows.

* ...or do you think the ends just need weight (longer hair), and I should just wait it out?
Anyone have/had hair like this?
I never wear my hair out anyway, haven't done in 3-4 years because it looks so bad.

Also, oiling doesn't help!
http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t399/schakt/DSC00280_zpsc2c4ef19.jpg

http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t399/schakt/DSC00287_zps1f746eed.jpg

[Flor]

Have you tried wetting your ends a bit, then lightly oiling and curling on your fingers?

That said, I layered mine a few months ago when it started doing same thing. My top layers have accumulative damage from sun and wearing ponytails and their curl pattern is all messed up.

[spidermom]

The sticking straight out picture looks like combed or brushed ends. Try spritzing them with a bit of water and twirling strands around your fingers to get them to form pretty curls. Or comb conditioner through in the shower, rinse, and allow your hair to air dry without combing or brushing, not even with your fingers. You can twirl strands around your fingers as described. A dab of gel helps with curl definition.

[Panth]

Are you brushing them? Perhaps give the Curly Girl method a go and see if that makes your waves/wurls more defined and less fluffy.

[Chromis]

I think more weight will help. ALso, a wider comb helped me while it was growing out. My hair behaved a lot better after midback!

[Quahatundightu]

Haha I am having flashbacks to years ago :) My hair used to do this - it was because it was so fine and light. Your profile says you have M hair but it does still look like it's floating. With the length I have now it still "floats" in the air but the length weighs it down pretty nicely. Layering in my case only made it worse. I completely agree with the above posters. Don't brush, let air dry, oil lightly, trim every few months to even up runaway hairs and grow out for the weight to help. Personally I think these kind of fluffly ends look very pretty. But I know they can be a pain.

[Neecola]

I get fluffy hair too! Have you tried a leave-in conditioner on soaking wet hair? My hair gets dry feeling on the ends in between shampoos and I tried something that another member, girlcat, does and it worked pretty well. I soaked my hair and applied leave-in conditioner (I only did it on the length because my hair is weighed down easily) at night before bed. My ringlets returned :)

[MaryMarx]

Neecola, Chromis, Quahatundightu, spidermom, Panth, flor:

Thank you everyone so much!
I have to admit, I fingercomb right after washing. I mostly do this because I wash my hair with my head upside down, and when I straighten up the hair closest to the scalp lies in strange directions. So I need to sort it out! And that's when I just don't care about my curls and run my fingers all the way through. :(

The fluffy picture is right after washing, so it's a bit extra fluffy. And the next day, when the ends look okay, the scalp doesn't! :p
I'll try leave in conditioner. That will probably add some weight. Oil tend to creep up and make it look greasy, even though I take just a little.

I still think I'm an M, because I've compared with people who definitely are F's. The hair at the back of my head is kind of coarse, even!

[MissAlida]

I have to admit, I fingercomb right after washing. I mostly do this because I wash my hair with my head upside down, and when I straighten up the hair closest to the scalp lies in strange directions. So I need to sort it out! And that's when I just don't care about my curls and run my fingers all the way through. :(


This, I think is the problem here. I have 2c/3a hair. I also wash upside-down. I put my hair in a towel upside down. When I release it from the towel, it does look weird at the scalp. This is what I do: I shake my head well (left and right), for the curls to separate into sections. Then I let it part itself (my hair parts itself the way it wants, I don't mess with it, only straighten it a bit with my fingers.) Then I take a wide tooth comb, and comb either side of the part, but only 1-2 inches from the root, so it looks "groomed". Then I stick my fingers in my hair, focusing on areas where my roots seem to go in the wrong direction, and sort of massage them with quick motions. I'm not sure I make any sense at all at this time of the night. But, the point is this: After you have washed your hair, you don't put anything (comb r fingers), near the ends, because that will break up the curls and give you fluffy hair. If you got the roots to look decent, you can scrunch the ends with water, then a towel or old T-shirt, and you're done. :) All of this takes 3 minutes.

[summergreen]

Your hair looks a similar texture to mine, althought more wavy. I think weight will definitely help, agree about leave in conditioner on the ends or just a heavier conditioner that you rinse out. I find that putting my hair in a bun or plait while drying makes a huge difference - if I don't, no strand will be touching another strand by the time it's dry!


I still think I'm an M, because I've compared with people who definitely are F's. The hair at the back of my head is kind of coarse, even!

This is what I can't understand about my hair too. The strands are medium in texture and don't floop and flow like fine hair does - but they are very floaty and light, as if they're empty inside.

[SleepyTangles]

Sorry MaryMarx, I was going to suggest oiling and ACV rinses as these are the things that helped me most with fluffy ends! Do you think a pre-shampoo light oiling would leave your roots too heavy?

I just won't layer them at all: layers get my poofiness out of control, the shorter the worse!

[MaryMarx]

SleepyTangles: no layering then! Thanks. :) I sometimes do pre-oil before washing, can't really tell if it makes any difference... I'll try again!

summergreen: Exactly, it's too light to be this coarse! Low porosity maybe? I'm confused. Still, the top half of my hair has a totally different weight to it. I'm thinking if it might have to do with my previous straightening and colouring, but I think the worst damage has to be grown out by now...

MissAlida: that makes perfect sense, actually! You totaly understood what I meant, I'll try your method, thank you! :D

[lapushka]

I'd try and use a serum if you can't use oil. My serums are usually lighter than oil is (IC Fantasia serums).

[vindo]

I think oil might help. Not as a leave in, but oiling the evening before the wash day. Over time it might replenish some moisture and the ends might appear heavier.

I also think bunning it slightly damp before wearing it down might help compress the ends a bit.

[MaryMarx]

lapushka: great tip! I guess I can find a conefree one? Or maybe it's cones I need... :P

Emichiee: I've done some oiling before shampooing, even the day before. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to make any difference...
I don't have enough hair for buns. :( Thanks for your tips though. :)

[Anje]

Looks dry to me, though that might be partly just brushed-out curls. If your scalp can take it, try CO; if not, CWC with the gentlest most dilute shampoo you can manage. Moisture treatments like SMTs might help it clump instead of fluffing, too.

I suspect some if it is your current length. It looks me like it's what brushes your shoulders that poofs out the most. Growing out further may help there.

If you do cut, keep it small and frequent. Half the distance toot hair has grown every 2 months will thicken the fairytale ends a lot more than the occasional chop.

[Flor]

I don't have enough hair for buns. :(

Have you tried disk bun? Ever since someone here recommended it to me, it's been my go-to updo. I think my hair is about same length as yours, maybe shorter, since it doesn't curl as much (unfortunately). Like I said, I layered mine back in August, because the ends on top would do the same stick-out and fluff-up thing, but I still had a lot of dryness. I think it always happens after summer (next year I'm gonna start wearing hats and scarfs when out in the sun). At the same time back in August I ditched ponytails and I mostly do braids and buns now. Whenever I don't wear hair loose (which is rare anyway, it just gets in the way), I keep the ends well-oiled. I like how it looks in braids and buns when it's all sleek anyway. Over times (2 months?) it really seems to have sorted out the dryness. Maybe I didn't even need to layer it in the first place.

[vindo]

Mary Marx,
do you mean your hair is too short for buns? Because there are ways like a half up bun with twisted wrapped lengths.

[MaryMarx]

Flor and Emichiee, it's just too thin. I tried doing a cinnamon bun and there is like nothing to wrap the ends around, and it ends up a little knob that unravels itself immediately. There's nothing to work with. It's quite thick at the skull, and voluminous, but it tapers directly at the base of the skull.
I'll show you what it looks like in a braid:

http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t399/schakt/DSC00285_zpsdac9bc6c.jpg

[Flor]

Cinnamon bun looks bad on me too. Maybe if I manage to grow my hair really long, then it'll look better, don't know. Do try disk bun! That one looks most voluminous on me. You could also try french twist!

[MaryMarx]

Thanks Flor, sorry if I sound negative, I'm very grateful for your help and everyone elses!
I promise I'll take a look at the disk bun. :)

[vindo]

Excuse me if the question is too personal, but why is it so tapered? Have you suffered from hair loss or damage? Then it could grow out and eventually your buns would be bigger.

I understand what you mean about the bun size. Do you have enough hair to do a small renaissance bun over a small claw clip? That would certainly add some volume.
Another bun that might look a decent size is if you twist the top layer into a half up and secure it with a claw clip, then loosely wrap the bottom layer around the base. The bun will be wider and fluffier and not look like an actual bun. Maybe that is for you, I have done with with someone elses quite thin (5cm), and rather short hair.

OR bun ist under a slouchy knit hat and take it down when ready ;) I wear them often.

[Flor]

Thanks Flor, sorry if I sound negative, I'm very grateful for your help and everyone elses!
I promise I'll take a look at the disk bun. :)

That's ok! :) I've dealt with finer hair prejudice my whole life, I know where you're coming from.

Your hair color and texture make me think of Julie Delpy in Before Sunset (Sunrise, Midnight) movies. It's a definition of romantic hair for me.

[bunzfan]

I know you said that cutting doesn't help as it grows down the same but, what about micro trimming?? it might help thicken up the ends while you wait for the thickness to travel down i'm a wavy and noticed just recently that my hair just behaves better with cones.

[QMacrocarpa]

I like the french twist idea, and another updo idea is to use an octopus clip (http://www.amazon.com/Scunci-No-slip-Grip-Octopus-Count/dp/B001SXPSD2) as a bun cage (just gather your hair into a bun shape and fasten the octopus clip over it). I did that a lot through an awkward growing stage and I was quite surprised at how much it protected my (split- and breakage-prone) ends. I also have medium hair that is quite floaty.

[MaryMarx]

Emichiee: No, not at all too personal!
I have a history as a hair abuser. Two years ago I completely stopped straightening. Even though the last year of straightening, I only
did it to my bangs and face framing pieces. Years before that, I straightened it all with no protection.
I've also dyed my hair for 10 years, stopped completely two years ago.
Do you think it's old damage?
I guess it makes sense that if I've grown virgin hair for two years, the hair that used to be dyed is about shoulder length... I just kind of thought I had gotten rid of all damage. :(

I honestly think no kind of bun works for me. :p I'm really grateful for everyone's tips and the time you put into helping me, but the
disappointment when I try one out is just not worth the effort. :-(

Flor: That's so sweet of you, thank you! :blossom:

Bunzfan: I have thought of microtrimming but decided I'd like some more length before I start that process. But well, that's how I think now, and then one day when I get too angry about my hair I'll just cut 6 months of growth off in one sweep, so maybe I should just start microtrimming. :p

QMacrocarpa: I kind of have tried that! I don't know, but nothing looks good about my hair right now. :( Like I said to Flor, I hate sounding so negative, it's just that I'm so frustrated right now!


EDIT: Oh my, the disk bun actually worked! It's tiny, yes, but it holds! My first bun. :) I won't wear it in public but now I have a great way of keeping hair up safely at home!
So happy!

[vindo]

That makes sense! It does look like the thicker part could be two years worth of regrowth. But it also depends on how fast your hair grows. Of course there could be other factors involved like your hair being very fragile for some reason or you might be a big shedder. But you are definitely on the right way to healthier, longer hair. :flower:

[Firefox7275]

Definitely give the Curly Girl method six months of your life. I wash upside down, my hair looks weird when it comes out of the 'plop' (CG version of the towel turban) however it's still pretty wet and settles with the tiniest bit of rearranging and root clipping of the canopy plus gravity for the underlayers. And the method permits you to mess with the roots once hair is dry to create volume. Many wavies and curlies find their hair sometimes looks pretty dreadful during the air drying process, mine has looked a frizzy mess when still wet but transformed into pretty defined waves and ringlets once done - there is an element of blind faith!!

You might also have a hair analysis to determine the coarseness/ fineness and porosity of your hair, feeling rough doesn't mean it's coarse - that can be product or mineral build up or damage.
http://pedaheh.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/goosefootprints-hair-analysis-with-my.html

[Komao]

MaryMarx, I'm so happy for you regarding the disk bun working for you. :o.
I think micro trimming might be a good thing to do. It's not like you'll be loosing a lot of hair and you just might find it helps.
At least we belong to a great community as we all have had some kind of issue with our hair at some point.
The best of luck to you and just keep trying suggestions that are given. Some may not work but even if 1 out of 5 do, you can build up a nice repertoire of up do's eventually and I think the longer it gets it will be easier to work with. :)

[nakima]

I think I would do a deep conditioning treatment, use a wide tooth comb to detangle and add a touch of oil all over and dont cut! it looks to me that by next summer with new length it will be perfect :) your almost there. you have very pretty hair and I love your fairytale ends.

[Strawberry93]

If you try CO only washing, I bet that would help a ton, not to mention really help those curls that are hiding in there.

[MaryMarx]

Thank you, nakima! Those were nice words. :)
I actually oil almost every time I'm going to wash my hair or after. I just can't seem to think it makes any difference.
Maybe another oil would work better, I use coconut right now...

Strawberry93, I have tried CO, for a while ago, but I never seemed to get it right! I followed all the guidelines and everything, but my hair never felt clean. :(

Also, I tried the absolutely-no-touching-the-hair-while-drying-method yesterday. I had to compare with 2nd day hair because the pics here are 2nd day hair.
I think it might have made a difference! Definitely made a difference right after drying, my hair got so short... :p