To all people that like to wear their hair loose

[*ReiKa*]

How do you prevent yourself from combing/brushing it compulsively? :rolleyes:
I love to wear my hair down, if nature didn't make the roots oily with time, I'd basically wear my hair down all the time!
So, I'll leave my hair down the day I wash it, and the 2nd day too (might stretch it to the 3rd as well if I can, otherwise I'll start putting it up).
But there is a big problem with this.... cos I comb it/brush it way too many times while it's down.
I have either a comb or a brush in my bag, and I'll brush/comb my hair at least 7 times in the day where my hair is down. Cos I want my hair to look tidy and well groomed, and don't like when my ends stick to each other and look sparse over time while it's down, so guess what I'll do.
I can't see any solution, and I recognise that combing my hair all these times it's a bit too much, but really I don't know what to do.:confused:
Any help??:o

[Arien]

If I wear my hair down I spend all day brushing it :D. Every time I walk past a mirror and see it I have to get my tangle teezer out! That is my solution... My tangle teezer. My hair doesn't break easily anyway, I can brush my hair wet or dry with no problem but a tangle teezer is my little bit of extra insurance. Unless you know that you are damaging your hair through brushing then I wouldn't worry about it too much :). It's your hair and if you like to brush it then brush it. If you are that worried about damaging it then keep it tied up more often to prevent yourself from brushing it all the time, you would soon break the habit if it wasn't available for you to brush.

[hananabread]

On days that I wear my hair down I put my hair up in a bun when I get into the car or if I am walking around and it is windy. I let it down when I am inside and it usually is okay looking for most of the day without combing. Putting my hair into a bun and letting it down keeps the ends all in one piece, but my hair is only at BSL and everyone's hair type would respond differently! I am not sure if that helps. Someone else here who has long hair may have better suggestions than I do.

[Mimha]

Oh that !... Lol. Indeed I think that the days I have my hair down I damage it more myself by combing it every now and then than it would damage itself just by being down ! And finally I am fed up of detangling and I put it up again^^

I don't think there is a clue, except to avoid letting your hair down if you have to move a lot, or when it's windy^^

[KittyBird]

I finger-comb a bit when I feel like my hair needs it, maybe 1-3 times a day. I don't mind if my hair looks messy, and it doesn't tangle much either. I suppose I'm not very helpful. :lol: I think the other suggestions sound good though, like bunning your hair if you're moving a lot or if it's windy outside.

[AlexDig]

I like the half up updo because it lets me wear my hair down a bit but looks tidy pretty much all day. It's not as fun, but works for me :-)

[Lady Mary]

I... don't know the answer to this yet, haha :o Mine is long enough now to get in my way when it's down, flying in my face if it's windy, etc. For now, I wear it up exclusively. I am hoping it weighs more as it gets longer so I can wear it down sometimes but I'm not holding my breath because it's very fine. Half ups seems like a good option, unless it's very windy.

[woolyleprechaun]

I can't even remember the last time I wore my hair down. The funny thing is, when its shorter than bsl or waist, you compulsively brush when down, but past that length, any sign of misbehaviour you go 'right! You're going straight back up in a stick bun!'. I have no answers *shakes head sadly*

[meteor]

When I wear my hair down (extremely rarely), I use a cony conditioner and serum to prevent tangles, also, I prefer to do a half-up to keep at least some of the hair sort of contained. And I make sure I won't be out in the wind and I have a hairstick and a comb on the ready.

[Shibe]

I finger comb when I wear my hair down. Luckily it tends to behave.

[KittyBird]

Ah, forgot to mention that I always wear a half-up when my hair is down, otherwise it would constantly get in my face :p

[missblueeyes]

I tend to finger-comb my hair a lot when it's down, handle it with a lot of care and put it up when it's getting windy. That being said, I only let my hair down on days when it's nice outside. I do think cones help a lot at keeping the tangles at bay. I still haven't found a solution for my underlayer yet, though.

[Halliday]

I don't finger comb bc it causes frizz for me... I just twirl it.

[lapushka]

Maybe wear it out day 1 & day 2 and put it up day 3, that's at least one day of mechanical wear and tear that you save and there's lots of updos here that you can learn to do (lazy wrap bun, nautilus, figure 8, cinnabun, disc bun, ...). It's not a good idea to brush that much; at least get a gentle brush such as a Tangle Teezer.

[Lavendersugar]

I touch my hair a lot. Can't help myself. I end up finger combing often.
If you are using a wooden bristle brush, comb or horn comb it is helping your hair. Given you do not rip at your tangles.

Prefer my hair down but mine is not long. Once it gets long I imagine I will still wear it down more than up.

[VincieDaltrey]

I've found that putting it up every day for a week or so has helped me with this, and it helps me to stop over-obsessing with my hair. I'd carry a brush with me around too, but by leaving that home I'm not able to brush it. It's really helped me so far.

[Buckie]

I have a satin lined beanie that I sometimes wear when my hair is down. It helps with tangling and flyaways.

[kidari]

This is why I don't think I could ever grow past waist or hip. My favorite length is BSL or MBL because I love to wear it down. I rely on coney conditioners and leave-ins; it manages to keep it from tangling. That coupled with regular religious trims (keeps my length smooth and velcro-free) and a nice, neat heat-free curl set. The regular curl pattern from my set keeps it volumized and neat. I spray diluted VO5 conditioner on 100% dry hair (very sparingly, otherwise I get tight perm curls) and put it in a heat-free roller set. During the day I might brush it out once, maybe twice, but mostly I just finger comb. Whenever I'm in the car or randomly during the day I will put it in a high loose bun with mini claw clips or a scrunchie to put it out of the way and revive any root volume.

[veryhairyfairy]

Oh goodness, this is one of the reasons I pretty much never wear my hair down: Those clumpy tentacles make me feel like it looks bad, and then I finger-comb it out and feel like I'm causing damage because I do it so often. I'll be keeping an eye on replies to see if there are tips/tricks I can apply.

PS
Shibe! Such avatar! So fun! Wow! :rollin:

[Wildcat Diva]

If you had curly hair there is a good chance you could not get your fingers or a comb through it. I know I can't. So combing and brushing is not an option. So, I either wear it down or I don't. I don't think I would want the conequences of that much brushing, but then again we have different hair. If your hair can handle it, great. If not, I would stop.

[maesabeth]

I actually think my hair looks a lot better messy than when it's brushed for some reason, so even after I run a comb or brush through my hair I mess it up a little with my fingers because it's one of the few things that'll give my hair any volume (otherwise it'll just lie flat on my head, and if my hair is oily this is a big no-no!). Also I can't leave my hair up for more than an hour or I get a bad headache!
This probably doesn't help you though :oops:

[ShDiHa]

I don't really touch my hair a lot while it's down (which is almost every day). I just finger comb it behind my ears.

[endlessly]

When I wear my hair down - which is a rarity these days - it absolutely has to be in braid waves and that's honestly the only way for me to prevent tangling and fight that urge to brush/comb. When I used to curl my hair with hot rollers, I would wear it down constantly at work, but like you mentioned, I had a brush in my bag and every time it looked the slightest bit tangled, I'd have to brush it - and yes, sometimes it was upwards to the same number you had mentioned. So, once I stopped heating and stopped wearing my hair down for the longest time, the urge to brush went away. Now, I only comb out once in the morning after I undo my braids, then comb again at night before braiding again.

[*ReiKa*]

Thanks for the replies girls, I'll keep reading if new ones come! :cool:
To be honest, I am different to some of you: I waited for long hair looking forward to wear it down and show it off, so when I put it up I always think it's a waste, plus I'm not too crazy about how I look with my hair up and away from my face. My long hair plays a huge role in the image I have of myself. When it's away I feel somewhat "weak". Loose and flowing hair around me instead give me great confidence.
When I'm out I don't brush my hair as much as I do when I'm working... I do a job that allows me to take a break every hour/hour and half... I work inside so there's no wind or other problems due to the climate.. and I comb or brush my hair even without looking at it in the mirror, I just brush it cos as someone already said here, I hate clumpy tentacles! It's not as much about the tangles, but more about wanting my hair to look "even" and tidy all the time!
Now that you make me think, I think the problem is worse than I thought... I might be actually addicted to brushing and combing my hair.... cos when I'm at home and my hair is up I'll feel the need from time to time to drop the bun and.....just comb my hair.
I mean, there's no need to comb it when it's in a bun, is there? But still, in my mind I MUST make sure it's all perfect and tangle free, I HATE the idea of my hair looking messy or being tangled, I feel the need to make sure it's super smooth and tangle free.
Oh my god, I'm a freak :eek:

[Wildcat Diva]

You're not a freak, but it's so funny because I enjoy wearing my hair down after a wash mainly, but due to my curly texture there would be no way that would be brushed out. If you were a curly girl your texture would be totally screwed with all that brushing. I have been working on loving my hair down as is. Looks good on day 1 haha. Even if I thought it looked like it needed brushing on day 2,3, etc, it would not work. Would tangle right back up and cause mechanical damage to boot trying to make my hair do something it was not keen to do. Desire to be tangle free for me would cause mucho frustration and self loathing.

[Equestrienne]

Live a life so full, that you can't be bothered to constantly brush! Between my work, my kids, my unicorn, and my hobbies... I don't have *time* to brush my hair more than once a day (if). :doh: You know it's an issue when your MIL randomly gifts you an actual tangle teaser for christmas... :o The irony is that my girls get their hair fully brushed/braided/tended/oiled/put up/etc. as needed throughout the day, and the goddess gets her mane and tail tended about twice a day, as well. :rolleyes: Oh well... I make tangles look good. ;)

[Rosetta]

To be honest, I am different to some of you: I waited for long hair looking forward to wear it down and show it off, so when I put it up I always think it's a waste, plus I'm not too crazy about how I look with my hair up and away from my face. My long hair plays a huge role in the image I have of myself. When it's away I feel somewhat "weak". Loose and flowing hair around me instead give me great confidence.

I'm the same in that regard :)

But I must say I don't feel any compulsion to comb my hair when it's down (and I never brush my hair)... So can't help in that ;) I only comb if I happen to see in a mirror that it doesn't look neat enough, or feels tangly, but not much otherwise.

[gwenalyn]

I fingercomb constantly when my hair is down. I can't help it. It just feels sooo good, very soft and sleek. I suppose it might be creating damage, but part of the reason I want longer hair is for the tactile sensation of having longer hair, and this includes touching it with my hands, so I'd rather be constantly touching it with my hands than not. This also helps me be in tune to what my hair needs. I can tell immediately if I need a trim, a wash, if the new conditioner isn't working, etc.

For the original question, maybe try moving from brushing/combing to fingercombing? I think that should be less damaging but still satisfy the need to detangle.

[JellyBene]

I used to brush my hair constantly when I wore it down when it was long. I just kinda made myself stop, leaving the brush at home helps ;) So does using a leave in conditioner. If use the leave in conditioner from Toadstoolsoaps on etsy it gets significantly less clumpy, plus they smell amazing.

[EdG]

I never touch my hair when it's loose.

The reason is that hair is oily, and the oils would be transferred to my hands and computer keyboards. Oil is fine on my hair but not on my keyboards.
Ed

[hinabelle]

I comb it once in the morning and comb it once at night. Sometimes I'll
finger comb it if it's been extra windy or something, and I'm frequently
readjusting my hair to make sure it doesn't get caught under my bag straps.
But I've never really had an issue with combing it constantly! But I also
don't plan on wearing it down too much longer... summer's just about here
where I live and this year I'm going to start wearing my hair up!

[ghost]

I still haven't found a way to keep from fussing with my hair when I wear it down. It started as casual smoothing/occasionally lifting up my ends and inspecting them for splits, and now I feel like a cat that's constantly grooming :p I think I just don't like my natural texture -my hair gets frizzy sometimes, and the ends tangle together, so I'm constantly trying to keep it looking presentable when down. I bought a purse-sized tangle teezer a couple weeks ago and am trying to give it a good brushing every few hours, as opposed to toying with it every few minutes.

[dreamer152]

Oh goodness, so glad I'm not the only one! My Ma yells at me for touching and playing with my hair so much! If my hair is down I'm constantly finger combing it or feeling through it, because I like how sleek it feels as mentioned above. Definitely don't like my hair looking messy either. I try to be less compulsive about it, but my efforts are futile. I will always love playing with my hair, and that includes combing or brushing it.

[jupiterinleo]

I'm actually trying to wear it down more often, as I started getting damage from constantly wearing it in the same bun in the same place. Also, I hear hairs breaking about 80% of the time I insert a stick, no matter how gentle I try to be. Even though now that I'm changing up my styles a lot more I still try to get lots of "down time" to give my scalp a rest.

I only wear it down in instances such as:
* Resting/sitting at the computer
* Shopping, but only if: 1) I don't have my purse (gets tangled in the strap is just a PITA) and 2) I'm just chilling and not actively trying on shirts or anything
* Social gatherings, if I'm just sitting or standing around

I fingercomb when I'm wearing it down, and I always have a stick/fork or at the very least, a hair elastic for braids, on hand in case I become more active.

[Vanilla]

Oh goodness, this is one of the reasons I pretty much never wear my hair down: Those clumpy tentacles make me feel like it looks bad, and then I finger-comb it out and feel like I'm causing damage because I do it so often. I'll be keeping an eye on replies to see if there are tips/tricks I can apply.

PS
Shibe! Such avatar! So fun! Wow! :rollin:

Yes, clumpy tentacles totally describes my hair type when my hair is down for more than an hour. Makes me crazy self conscious.

[yahirwaO.o]

Well Im another case of cat grooming syndrome LOL. I pretty much leave it down 75% of time and I brush my hair 3 times in one day to make it look nice and tidy. Id like to do it more but sometimes my hair can get quite flat and oily at the roots now that is summer happens more, so sometimes a little bit of messiness its ok.

Its actually nice to see that Im nor the only person who loves to brush his-her hair all day long just to make it look pretty! :o

[Dessi]

I like wearing my hair down too and if I had a comb with me I would probably comb it 10 times a day. :D That's why I never take a comb with me. Finger combing works just fine when you're outside.

[Dixie_Amazon]

I wear mine down most of the time and just go with the wild woman look. I just hand smooth it or finger comb it. I do get a fair number of Stevie Nicks compairsons. :D

[nobeltonya]

I use leave-in after washing, so that it stays pretty smooth. Otherwise, several times in a day, I'll gather all of my hair around my shoulders and run my hands down [but not through, as the ends tend to stick together when it's dry] to remove loose hairs and smooth it. :disco:

[Ephemia]

I just don't really get a desire to brush it more than twice a day. The most I'll do is finger-comb so that it's not a nightmare to comb later. I'm not really the type to care much about my appearance, other than wanting long hair. Anyone who thinks I'm pretty, great, thanks. Anyone who doesn't, fine, as long as you keep it to yourself.