Benign Neglect/Protective Styles for Shorter Hair

[mamastawb]

Hello! I've recently realized my shoulder-length hair is thinning and breaking from being in a ponytail :( I try not to wear my hair in ponytails too much, but it inevitably happens almost daily. I do use scrunchies instead of elastics though! I'll start with it down or french braided, but by the end of the day it's in a pony. I can't have my hair in my face when I'm doing anything, it bothers me too much. But my hair is too short to do much with, it barely fits in a french braid. I wear it in dutch braids quite a bit, either half-up or in pigtails, but I'm starting to feel like it's stressing my hair too much to be manipulating it like that.

I'd like to try benign neglect for a couple months. Just pick 3-4 protective styles and forget about it. But all the protective styles I hear about are buns, braids, etc, things my hair is too short for. What are some ways I can wear my hair where it's protected and not being further damaged?

[Sarahlabyrinth]

How about a peacock twist using a claw clip? That will keep your hair nicely protected.

[rowie]

Enjoy your length. There are many styles I can no longer do, but worked the best at your length, and they are (just to name a few):

-Gibson Tuck
-French Twist
-Peacock Twist
-Double French/Dutch
-Crown Braid
-Waterfall braids
-side twists secured with bobby pins/mini barrettes/snap clips (the kind used in gymnastics)

Your length is a good time to learn your scalp area by practicing many styles. The more you practice while you wait, the easier it gets the longer your hair gets "in theory." Happy growing.

[Obsidian]

Peacock twist was my go to at shoulder length, another was a half up pony held with a flexi-8.

Any stray hairs that wouldn't stay contained, I'd clip back with snap barrettes.

This is about the same time I started using a silk sleep cap. I'd just cram my loose hair in the cap.

[Ophidian]

All of the above, and also wanted to add that I got a lot of mileage from twin french (or dutch) braids starting around SL. You might have some strays but little clips or headbands are your friends until you can get it all contained. Once the tails are long enough you can even cross them in the back, tuck the ends up, and pin or clip so you have a very protective faux-crown braid kind of look. That's the style in my avatar, picture was from around CBL. I did that everyday for several months straight.

[Corvana]

I've been using a claw clip to hold whatever I've been putting my hair into. Either a cinnabun that's really only one loop (see avatar lol), and I clip on the side that the ends are on, or a peacock twist. I'm very lazy lol. It's basically the same things every day! It was ponys with a scrunchie, but I got tired of them and got some claw clips about the same time.

[yahirwaO.o]

I have even shorter hair (chin lenght blunt bob) and its kinda hard for me to neglect it at this point but like others mentioned a lazy french twist, any half up adaptations and crown braids do work for me when my hair is looking meh!

[paulownia]

Peacock twists and messy buns;) and maybe you could try to wear ponytails with invisibobble? I use it all the time and I didn't notice any damage on my hair- it's really great!

[hannabiss]

Whenn my hair was just long enough (shoulder) Id dutch or french braid it and flip the remaining braid up and pin it to my head. Considering I grew from bald to waist in 4 years with several trims Id say it worked fairly well. (I have fine silky hair so its delicate)

[Alibran]

How does anyone do crown braids with shoulder length hair? I haven't got enough length at the back to get it securely into the braid.

[lapushka]

You guys have beat me to it! :lol:

I was going to say peacock twist, also French twist, Gibson tuck. Myself I wore a peacock twist with a claw clip from about shoulder to APL all the way to hip when I finally could do a bun. I had to fold the tail onto itself a few times by then (more like a log roll style), but that is a really comfy style to wear and claw clips are totally safe where breakage is concerned!

[MusicalSpoons]

All of the above, and also wanted to add that I got a lot of mileage from twin french (or dutch) braids starting around SL. You might have some strays but little clips or headbands are your friends until you can get it all contained. Once the tails are long enough you can even cross them in the back, tuck the ends up, and pin or clip so you have a very protective faux-crown braid kind of look. That's the style in my avatar, picture was from around CBL. I did that everyday for several months straight.

Yes, headbands! If I'm doing something at home and need all my wispies off my face, a snug-fitting hairband is the only thing that works for me, unless I double-french or -dutch braid from my hairline - but even then hair escapes after a while, so it's really not worth the effort.

A plain, single braid (with clips/headband as necessary) might be worth considering, even if it's really short, to vary where the scrunchie/hairtie goes. I actually have no experience with shoulder-length hair but a peacock twist sounds good. By the time I discovered that style my hair was far too long, so enjoy some of the shorter styles when you can easily do them :)

[Anje]

How does anyone do crown braids with shoulder length hair? I haven't got enough length at the back to get it securely into the braid.

I think it could work the same way you can do pigtail French braids on short hair even if you can't get it to stay in one. I could probably do it to someone else, but I doubt I could get it to work on my own head with hair that short. (Compare to a Coronet braid, which is a regular braid wrapped around the head. That takes at least classic length.)

OP, try to ride it out. I remember doing half-ups, then gathering the rest in a low pony, because that actually contained it all when bits still fell out of regular ponytails. Don't wear it too tight, don't "tighten" your ponytail by pulling two chunks forward (gave me major breakage!). Do looped ponies if you're getting tangling at the ends, use claw clips, and try to gain a few more inches. It gets easier!

[pailin]

I also wonder what you're using for hair ties- some are definitely gentler/less damaging than others.

[Ophidian]

There's a ton of ideas in this thread too:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=123749

I'm in a weird in-between phase with my hair too so I plan to revisit it myself :)

[Hairkay]

I think it could work the same way you can do pigtail French braids on short hair even if you can't get it to stay in one. I could probably do it to someone else, but I doubt I could get it to work on my own head with hair that short. (Compare to a Coronet braid, which is a regular braid wrapped around the head. That takes at least classic length.)

OP, try to ride it out. I remember doing half-ups, then gathering the rest in a low pony, because that actually contained it all when bits still fell out of regular ponytails. Don't wear it too tight, don't "tighten" your ponytail by pulling two chunks forward (gave me major breakage!). Do looped ponies if you're getting tangling at the ends, use claw clips, and try to gain a few more inches. It gets easier!

Yes, that does work, two cornrows/Dutch braids positioned near the hair line with the ends crossed over and tucked in at the back. Use pins if you need to.

[my2cats1]

This video has 10 updo ideas for hair that is around chin length.


10 EASY UPDO Tutorials FOR SHORT HAIR | Milabu
https://youtu.be/kCWwmlrb5TA
(https://youtu.be/kCWwmlrb5TA)

[mamastawb]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I kinda just hate how the peacock twist looks haha or else it would be a regular for me. And I want to avoid manipulating it a lot right now, so french/dutch pigtails are out too. I've been just wearing it down in headbands and scarves while I try and discover more styles that work for me.

[01]

Waaah, I don't know how to make peacock on shoulder... Random layers puff out and I have 'bangs' in the front, these front layers puff out from the bun and form fake bangs. And I want to get hair off my face, not just look nice, eh. Hair stick out also when I try french braiding, and I can't position the braids correctly, like I don't have enough hair? I saw all these vids, Milabu channel, etc, but on my hair it just poofs out and I can't do anything. I can only do pigtails/ponytails and mini cinnabun on top of my head (but it's more like half-up, some hair are loose). Is there any way to put up ALL hair without them either becoming loose or causing damage? Most styles seem to hurt my scalp like hell if I do them even remotely right. I have enough hair loss, don't want to loose more due to tight styles :/. At that point I'm seriously considering pixie, I stayed with these bob lengths only because it looks cute on me (cuter than longer styles, dare I say...). If I won't find anything to contain my hair I'll have to either grow it to some middle length, enough to braid, and maintain or chop it even shorter so it wouldn't get into my face. I'm clueless :(. I'm happy with how fast detangling is, though...

[cjk]

There do exist awkward lengths when the hair is almost long enough, but not quite, to do what you want. I'm in one of those, myself.

Consider adjusting your styling, holding it together with hairspray or gel, or just waiting until you have even more length.

There is no reason you have to nearly yank the hairs from your scalp.

[lithostoic]

You might at this length want to consider a serum into your routine. Just to provide slip to the very ends and prevent fraying.

Also, we have the same hairtype :)

[teal]

Has anyone else mentioned spin pins yet? If not, they're something you might try if you find that clips aren't your thing.