Products for Work Styles

[holothuroidea]

Last week I had my first job interview, and my first need to look professional, in a decade. I planned to put my BSL hair in a low bun with a spin pin, but still felt like that wasn't "finished" or "done" enough. I wanted to feel capital P Professional. A friend of mine leant me a bottle of hairspray (Fructis something or other with bamboo?), which, in a moment of folly and desperation, I used.

The problem is that I liked it. A lot. It gave my hair a nice shine and kept it all neat and tidy.

Of course, I hated it when it came time to undo the bun, detangle and wash it!

Now I'm planning hairstyles for work. It took me a very long time to grow my hair to BSL and keeping it healthy is priority. It is very thin and fine and needs to be babied, so sticky alcohol-y hair spray is a big no-no. So my question is, is there any product out there that you can recommend that can give me that same feeling of having done something extra fancy but without the horrible damage of conventional hair-spray?

[lapushka]

You might try pomades (but gel-based ones), or even a light-weight gel. I use Eco Styler. It says it's got a lot of hold, but that's not what I experience with it, it has mild hold for me, and no flakes at all (I use the olive oil version). Maybe a spray gel? Or a hairspray that gives "touchable hold", which means your hair will still be moldable after you take it out of the bun. The big sexy hair... is it soy touchable (?) might be a good one.

[Anje]

Hm... I remember reading here a while back that sugar water really works quite well as hairspray. No alcohol, might be a smidge moisturizing, and you know it'll rinse out with water. Can't say I've tried it myself, but if you're not likely to be attracting bees where you work, it might be worth a try.

ETA: This is the thread where I remember reading good things. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=132198)

[holothuroidea]

You might try pomades (but gel-based ones), or even a light-weight gel. I use Eco Styler. It says it's got a lot of hold, but that's not what I experience with it, it has mild hold for me, and no flakes at all (I use the olive oil version). Maybe a spray gel? Or a hairspray that gives "touchable hold", which means your hair will still be moldable after you take it out of the bun. The big sexy hair... is it soy touchable (?) might be a good one.

I've never used pomades or gels before, I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to do with it. You distribute it through your hair and then style? Do they absorb or brush out or do they need to be washed out at the end of the day?

I'll look into those light hair sprays. The soy touchable one looks really nice, but I don't think my hair will like the protein in it. The thing I'm most worried about with hair spray is not being able to brush it out at the end of the day.


Hm... I remember reading here a while back that sugar water really works quite well as hairspray. No alcohol, might be a smidge moisturizing, and you know it'll rinse out with water. Can't say I've tried it myself, but if you're not likely to be attracting bees where you work, it might be worth a try.

ETA: This is the thread where I remember reading good things. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=132198)

I am usually all about home-made products but this time around I really want to, you know, buy something that comes out of a can. I think it's the novelty of being a human with a job (I've been a stay at home mom for 8 years), and a confidence thing.

Unfortunately I haven't walked down the hair products aisle of a store in a long, long time. lol

[missrandie]

I always liked Aussie Spray Gel. I used it like crazy in high school, and it held pretty darn well.

Another thought.. You could put a regular gel (like that Eco Styler) in a spray bottle and use it that way if it isn't too thick.. That way you would get a very light, even distribution of the product.

[lapushka]

I've never used pomades or gels before, I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to do with it. You distribute it through your hair and then style? Do they absorb or brush out or do they need to be washed out at the end of the day?

I'll look into those light hair sprays. The soy touchable one looks really nice, but I don't think my hair will like the protein in it. The thing I'm most worried about with hair spray is not being able to brush it out at the end of the day.

I am wavy, so I take about a small coin size worth of gel, spread it through the palms and scrunch it in from tips to ear-level. I don't detangle for a week, so I don't comb or brush it out until the week is over. And it comes out real nice. No problems - ever, and I've gone through a big tub of the stuff.

Yes it has protein, forgot about that. But there should be other lightweight hairsprays on the market. Elnett is a nice one (the smell may put you off, though). Elnett is known quite well in Belgium as THE hairspray. Lots of hairdressers use it.

[holothuroidea]

No detangling for a week! Are you magic?

My hair tangles if I look at it wrong, or breathe. lol

The gel sounds like a good styling option for days I wear my hair down. My hair is straight but can keep night-before bun waves for a while.

Looking up the Elnett! (ETA: It advertises that it brushes out easily, which is good.) Thanks for all the info <3

[lapushka]

No detangling for a week! Are you magic?

My hair tangles if I look at it wrong, or breathe. lol

The gel sounds like a good styling option for days I wear my hair down. My hair is straight but can keep night-before bun waves for a while.

Looking up the Elnett! Thanks for all the info <3

During the week, as of Tuesday (Mondays I don't have sheds, it's right after wash day), I separate the strands (and that's all that happens) in half, in half again, and in half again. This is to get out possible tangling and sheds. If I use the right conditioners on wash day, I rarely have issues mid-week. That's all that happens until it's Sunday, washday and I detangle with comb and brush (Tangle Teezer) bottom to top.

[Nadine <3]

Personally I don't find hairsprays bad. Just be VERY careful taking it out. I use a spray bottle with a bit of conditioner in it to make a detangling spray. Spray it on to help loosen the hairspray hold so you can comb it out.

[meteor]

I find DIY flaxseed gel an awesome product for hold - you can make it as strong or mild as you like.

Another thing is, sugary water or diluted coconut water or water with a bit of honey - they all provide a bit of hairstyle-like hold but they are extremely easy to wash out or just comb out on dampened hair, unlike some of those strong hold products that may be hard to remove without clarifying.

[holothuroidea]

Personally I don't find hairsprays bad. Just be VERY careful taking it out. I use a spray bottle with a bit of conditioner in it to make a detangling spray. Spray it on to help loosen the hairspray hold so you can comb it out.

Yeah, the worst part of the hairspray experience was trying to brush it out and I think that's probably what causes the most damage.

That's a really good idea, but my hair can't do leave-ins. Maybe just water would be good enough. It would depend on which hairspray you use, I suppose.