Pretend for a second there's someone new to long(ish) hair entirely.

[Vaas]

What suggestions or beginning tools would you recommend? Hair sticks? A good pair of scissors? I'm nearly BSL with lots of layers, so updos in general dislike me. I know there are a gazillion tutorials out there, just trying to disgest all this information. I've started with S&D, and I feel like I've grabbed my scissors about 10 times today! :)

[Madora]

[COLOR="#800080"]Welcome to LHC, Vaas!

Beginning tools: a wide tooth comb (check to be sure it has no seams!) Can be purchased at Sally's Beauty Supply or Target or Walgreen's. Beautiful combs also made by Speert International (which is what I use).

I believe in the power of the pure boar bristle brush. I've been using them since 1960, with great results. A good bbb need not cost you an arm and a leg either! Target is currently selling a very nice pure bbb, the Connair Classic Wood Natural Shine Booster for $9.99. It has six rows of pure boar bristles, a flat bottom (necessary for long hair), a good handle, with has a small neophrene-like black band around the neck of the brush to give your fingers better purchase when you brush your hair. I really like it. (All bbbs are not created equal. You need to be careful when looking for one).

Since you have layers, I suggest a one piece barrette like Goody makes to confine your hair (instead of a ponytail holder, which is not hair friendly).

Invest in a good set of scissors for S and Ding and be sure you use them for that purpose and nothing else.

Many folks here like silk pillowcase covers because it helps protect their fragile ends at night.

Shampoo: Only do it when your hair needs it! Try diluting a bit of water with the shampoo. Ditto for conditioner.
Personally, I use a few drops of mineral oil to condition and detangle

Stay away from hot curlers/blow fryers/Brazillian blowouts/teasing/backcombing/straightening/bleaching

I would not get hairsticks until your hair was longer...and then get a generic pair to practice with. Once you learn how to use them, THEN you can explore the many varieties of sticks that are available.

Always try to AIR dry your hair. If you must use a blowdryer, use it on cold.

If you need to confine the ends of your hair after braiding, then try tiny slip off hair friendly elastics. Goody makes them too. Be sure to take them off the same way you put them on! Just don't pull them off.

You might want to have a spare wide tooth comb on hand (just in case you misplace the other one). Good luck!

[Trin]

If you want to braid your hair, but find all sorts of ends sticking out, try using a paranda... it'll protect your hair, you should make it longer than your current length (especially if you're planning on growing it) and it looks awesome wrapped up in a bun. The best thing I like about it is that I've found much fewer split ends at my tie off point since I'm not tying off as much because my paranda is about 4 inches longer than my hair, so I braid it all the way down to the end of the paranda (yes, my ends stick out a tiny bit, but not bad since I wrap them up in the paranda at that point) and tie off the paranda itself... poof, no hairties on my hair!

Here's the tutorial I used to make mine: https://sites.google.com/site/habioku/home/do-it-yourself

It's always best to overestimate the length you need... you can always make it shorter later, you can't add on length.

[fiðrildi]

Well, firstly I would recommend a good comb/brush. Personally, I think a wide tooth wooden comb and a tangle teezer will do. You can also get a BBB (boar bristle brush).
If you're going to S&D and self-trim, it's very important to have a good pair of professional scissors. You can get one at a hairdresser's supply.

I would also recommend coconut oil, and probably just a couple of simple hairsticks or a hair fork, just to get started with updos :)
Flexi-8 are also a nice option to begin with, you can do a lot of updos with them :)

Welcome to LHC by the way :flower:

[Nadine <3]

When I first started seriously growing my hair, these are the things I invested in.

A seamless, wide tooth comb. for detangling. I've bought and tested out many combs but I've decided I prefer finger detangling for non wash days.
Coconut oil
VO5 clarifying shampoo (still have the same bottle a year later!)
A good sharp hair scissors
Shower cap
Hair friendly hair ties for the end of braids. I find I have no problems with the little clear silicone ones but some people find they cause damage.

I think those are the only things I bought, once my hair was long enough and I wanted to try using sticks I got some chopsticks and cut them down and sanded them. I still prefer using just those, they're always stayed the best and feel the most comfortable for me.

[Alexa]

Newbie questions:

Why is a wide-toothed comb important? I have one of those plastic Conair shower combs, and have never liked it as it isn't very flexible and seems to pull out or break my hair, even if I start at my ends and work my way up slowly. My Tangle Teaser is so much better! Would getting a wooden comb make a big difference?

Also, are there other brands similar to the flexi-8? For some reason I'm not crazy about its particular look/style.

[Sparklylady82]

Newbie questions:

Why is a wide-toothed comb important? I have one of those plastic Conair shower combs, and have never liked it as it isn't very flexible and seems to pull out or break my hair, even if I start at my ends and work my way up slowly. My Tangle Teaser is so much better! Would getting a wooden comb make a big difference?

Also, are there other brands similar to the flexi-8? For some reason I'm not crazy about its particular look/style.

Hi and Welcome!!! I am enjoying this thread. I am curious about the comb too! As for the flexi, I am not too big a fan either but I do have one. Another option might be a ficarre or claw clips but I am not sure if they are Safe for hair. Ficarres are beautiful but I have to be very careful because I have snaged them on my hair trying to get them out.

[Majorane]

The wide toothed comb vs a brush or a smaller toothed comb: a comb with wide teeth is more gentle on the hair when you detangle. The really small teeth can easily pull knits inti your hair, as I'm sure everyone has exoerienced at least once in their lives. This seems to gi fir brushes too, although a lot of people with gorgeous hair here still do use brushes.
What's important to look for in a comb, is that it has none of the sharp seams around the tines. A lot of cheap combs you buy in the drugstore have those and they can be damaging. That's why a lot of people go for wood or horn (among other things). There are good plastic combs out there though; eternally in amber, an Etsy shop sells great combs in all flavours and sizes. Just because you have one now that you don't like doesn't mean all wide combs are off for you! I have some I hate and some I love, ot depends on the material and shape and whatnot.

Generally Ficcares and Fakkares are seen as hair safe; if they pull hairs then maybe ask the Ficcare fanclub for advise. I personally have had two and I have gifted them both away, they don't do anything for me. (Karina clips however.... if anyone has one for offers, pm me!)
Claw clips can be tricky, the cheap ones often have sharp edges on their tines. But I use them anyway, I'm yolo like that.

For a beginner: you can make this as expensive as you want, but a good comb, maybe a BBB (and that really varies from person to person), a shampoo and condish that you like and a dollop of oil will get you a looooong way.


Of course I bought sticks and forks and sixty masks and twelve conditioners and a few clips and three BBB's and a horn comb and a wooden one and four plastic ones and a mountain of hairbeads when I started three years ago. You can do that, too, but it hasn't helped my hair any faster than benign neglect would have. It was fun, though, but not very beneficial.

[Madora]

Newbie questions:

Why is a wide-toothed comb important? I have one of those plastic Conair shower combs, and have never liked it as it isn't very flexible and seems to pull out or break my hair, even if I start at my ends and work my way up slowly. My Tangle Teaser is so much better! Would getting a wooden comb make a big difference?

Also, are there other brands similar to the flexi-8? For some reason I'm not crazy about its particular look/style.

It is not that the comb is not flexible enough, it is HOW you are using it! You need to go SLOWLY when detangling, if you want beautiful, healthy hair. Combing takes time, if you want to avoid breaking your strands. I'm not saying that combing is damage free...it is not..but you CAN limit your damage if you use your comb slowly and take your time doing it. Patience is key when detangling! Also, try detangling in small, thin strips, rather than in larger amounts. If you detangle in small, thin strips, you are able to locate and isolate the snarl more easily. When untangling the snarl, hold it horizontally, never vertically, to unsnarl it. Holding the snarl vertically only tightens it, making it all that harder to get apart.