Slippery hair argh!

[kganihanova]

Hey ya'll. Over the last year I have learned that my hair is slippery as ice when totally damage free AND coneless. As a result, I can now do NOTHING but ponytails (even braids slide....and buns slip out in about 10 seconds). However, my ponytails are starting to whip around too much and are getting stuck in things. HELP!

Hair type: 1b/c, silky asian hair, F/M, slippery as heck.

Fun fact: the only reason I had waves before was due to damage....almost makes me want to damage my hair ;)

[yogagirl]

Ugh I can relate! And my waves also seem to be in the damaged/dry parts. Not sure how that works...?

Have you checked out this thread: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=95289

You might find some help and if not, at least some commiseration...

[Arctic]

Styling products to the help?

[kganihanova]

Styling products to the help?

I try not to use any due to stretching washes but what do you recommend?

[Anje]

Any luck with braided buns? Alternatively, a bit of dry shampoo can roughen the texture up a bit and give you some staying power.

[meteor]

If your hair holds only in ponytails, then how about using those ponytails for building your buns? You could try Chinese Bun and Braided Chinese Bun, for example. :)
Whenever you just wear a pony, at least braid that pony, so that the hair won't be flipping around too much...

I'd look into dry shampoos for texturizing hair a bit. Also consider French/Dutch braiding or accent braids to create some grip and texture on your scalp hair for hair accessories to hold onto better.

[kganihanova]

If your hair holds only in ponytails, then how about using those ponytails for building your buns? You could try Chinese Bun and Braided Chinese Bun, for example. :)
Whenever you just wear a pony, at least braid that pony, so that the hair won't be flipping around too much...

I'd look into dry shampoos for texturizing hair a bit. Also consider French/Dutch braiding or accent braids to create some grip and texture on your scalp hair for hair accessories to hold onto better.

My hair has started spitting hairsticks, unfortunately. I'll try the braid idea, maybe it won't slide if its already ponytailed.

[ChloeDharma]

I have incredibly slippery hair and when it's been washed and is dry I can't get it to stay in buns as it just slips out. The only way around this that I've found is to add oil to my hair. The added bonus of this is it means my hair is constantly soaking in conditioning oils but it does mean I can't wear it down at all if I go out. Personally I'm ok with that but I know some people would find that a problem.
I have also found misting my hair before bunning helps but does mean I can't redo the bun if I'm out and it's dried.

[lapushka]

My hair was unmanageable until I hit waist/hip, then it became bunnable with my thickness (iii is your thickness too). Consider that when talking about the slipperyness. It might just be your hair that's too short for normal updos, therefore you think it's slipping out when it in fact just needs more length to stay put in the first place.

[gwenalyn]

Dry shampoos and volume powders can help hair stay. Dry shampoos will help you stretch washes, too. And spin pins are magical. Seconding the suggestions to oil hair or style it damp.

I also have fine, slippery Asian hair (though I get the slipperiness from both sides of my family, Asian and white), and tbh I damage it on purpose to get it to stay. My (white) aunt does the same thing. Once a year I get a perm or some kind of bleaching. This is probably unsustainable at longer lengths, but at MBL it hasn't been a problem yet.

[almorin]

I also find that my hair is too slippery for many styles. I will add my voice to the choir both for dry shampoo and for oiling. I find that a little bit of jojoba oil on the length helps my buns to stay up really well. Dry shampoo seems to give me a better hold, but I prefer the jojoba oil (it feels nicer and I find it easier to re-style that way).

[almorin]

Oh and I second the spin pins! On days when sticks just fall right out, a couple of spin pins work wonders!

[meteor]

Dry shampoos and volume powders can help hair stay. Dry shampoos will help you stretch washes, too. And spin pins are magical. Seconding the suggestions to oil hair or style it damp.

I also have fine, slippery Asian hair (though I get the slipperiness from both sides of my family, Asian and white), and tbh I damage it on purpose to get it to stay. My (white) aunt does the same thing. Once a year I get a perm or some kind of bleaching. This is probably unsustainable at longer lengths, but at MBL it hasn't been a problem yet.

Wow, seems like quite a drastic solution. :) I do think that giving texture solves the slippery hair issue, but I'd look into less damaging/permanent options than perms. So maybe wet/damp-setting hair in multiple braids, buns or rollers overnight to give it curls or waves can help with grip? :)

[endlessly]

If you want to add a little bit of texture to your hair without causing the damage, try adding a dry shampoo to your hair care routine. Or, even look for natural alternatives like baby powder - however, if your is darker, the baby powder will turn it into more of a grey tone, so proceed with caution! I believe Batiste makes a dry shampoo specifically meant for dark hair, so no white residue to deal with. If you spritz in some dry shampoo, then scrunch through the ends, maybe even braid overnight for more texture, it should be able to hold buns and other hairstyles that have given you trouble in the past.

[Nique1202]

My hair was unmanageable until I hit waist/hip, then it became bunnable with my thickness (iii is your thickness too). Consider that when talking about the slipperyness. It might just be your hair that's too short for normal updos, therefore you think it's slipping out when it in fact just needs more length to stay put in the first place.

Yeah, iii thickness really REALLY hates buns until at least waist length, especially when it's fine and slippery. When I do a french braid that starts tightly at the front hairline, the first crossings end up at the crown in about ten minutes, and my shoulder-length pieces still like to work themselves out of it. At hip length with layers from hip to shoulder thinning it out I can still only just manage a cinnabun with a stick. So, I feel you on this problem, kganihanova! Braided buns work slightly better but you may have trouble getting a long enough braid to bun, the disc bun holds like a rock, and spin pins are a gift from the higher powers of the universe to short iii hair although I usually have to use three or four to get a bun to hold snugly.

[Halliday]

Lol i wish i had that problem! My hair will never be slippery.

You could try texturising products like salt spray, gel or hair putty.

[gwenalyn]

Wow, seems like quite a drastic solution. :) I do think that giving texture solves the slippery hair issue, but I'd look into less damaging/permanent options than perms. So maybe wet/damp-setting hair in multiple braids, buns or rollers overnight to give it curls or waves can help with grip? :)

Yeah, heat-free curling methods also help my hair grip to itself.

[animetor7]

I'll also say oiling. I have VERY slippery hair when it's freshly washed, and oil helps. My favorite is coconut oil.

[browneyedsusan]

Check out the "straight and silky" thread. Lots of us have super slippery hair! :)

[kganihanova]

Thank you for all your suggestions. I tried the braided ponytail and it held well. The braided bun fell out -.- that's one for later, I think. I'll look into heatless curling and see if that works. 😘

[Arctic]

Re: styling products. Classic is mousse, but it might not be enough for you.

I'd suggest you trying some of the "newer" stuff, like salt sprays, dry shampoos and for SUPER grippy hair, a product called hair powder (sometimes called texturizing powder). This stuff is amazing! It would work well for strecthing washed too, as you need to use it only once and it stays until you wash your hair. It helps your hair from feeling/looking oily too, but dry shampoo is better for that purpose.

The hair powder does leave the hair feeling grippy and producty, and that's why some people don't like it. I personally don't mind, and I mostly use it near scalp.