PDA

View Full Version : Prepping hair for updos?



Kerynna
December 9th, 2008, 08:55 AM
Do you do anything to your hair before pulling into an updo? Like, apply some product, brush for a long time, or make it damp? I've tried a number of updo's and my hair won't stay twisted, like for a bun or a figure 8, the hair just sticks out all over when I twist it around more than a couple of twists.

My hair is blunt length, very close to BSL and only slightly wavy. Should I try applying a mousse or something? If so, can my hair be dry when I do or does it have to be made wet first?

HairColoredHair
December 9th, 2008, 09:05 AM
I don't do anything to twist my hair into a bun, heck sometimes I don't even comb it first. However, I have a natural taper to my ends, which helps tremendously with a neat updo.

Damp hair can help. Maybe try two updos instead of one... perhaps your hair is just too thick? Or try securing it in a different manner...

sahiba
December 9th, 2008, 09:11 AM
I prefer either oiling or getting hair a bit damp before starting an updo. But no gel or sprays. shudder: Too scared of the effects.

Ryanne
December 9th, 2008, 09:14 AM
I make it damp sometimes.

morguebabe
December 9th, 2008, 09:17 AM
I sometimes comb it sometimes not.
Sometimes I spritz it with This stuff (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=277&highlight=defrizz), sometimes not.

AJoifulNoise
December 9th, 2008, 09:21 AM
I start with damp hair, comb, add oil, then style. The oil does seem to help.

Amara
December 9th, 2008, 11:51 AM
To the OP - I bet oiling lightly with a spritz bottle would help.

Dreamernz
December 9th, 2008, 12:03 PM
I usually only brush my hair with the tangle teezer brush but I sometimes also spritz it with some sexy hair shine spray or sp hydromilk, securing it with hairspray for staying power

Gumball
December 9th, 2008, 12:06 PM
I've heard that styling is best on hair that isn't necessarily freshly washed (and from what I gathered from what I heard that referred to a nice cleaning such as shampooing and the like). I guess it's because it gets fluffy easier and in some cases likes to slip out of styles. If it's like that then a little gel, oil, or some sort of agent to hinder the slip a little should work just fine. :) Really prepping hair for an updo I think just depends on your own hair and its personality.

For me personally I just comb it out, do what I need/want to do, and use a little aloe gel after to tame what I feel needs to be tamed to get it to a point that I can tolerate it. :D

ETA: In some cases depending on what you want to do watch out for wet hair because when it's sopping wet it's more elastic. When it dries (if it's really tight) it might cause a headache as the strands start to contract or if they're brittle they may break. If it's not too tight, but is just a bit damp that shouldn't be too bad. It can even moisturize.

Teazel
December 9th, 2008, 03:31 PM
Like Gumball, I just comb my hair to make sure it's free of tangles, and tidy frizzies afterwards with plain water or water/aloe.

If you're braiding, squeaky clean hair probably won't give the best results. And heavily oiled hair is fab in braids!

Elphie
December 9th, 2008, 03:37 PM
I untangle it first and use a mister to tame any fuzzies when I'm done.

helen2806
December 9th, 2008, 03:39 PM
if I'm attempting to put my hair up (even in just a ponytail) it never works with squeaky clean hair, so I give it a spritz with either leave in conditioner (Aussie) or a thickening spray, to give it a bit more staying power

Calanthe
December 10th, 2008, 02:31 AM
I don't do anything special. Just comb (or not) and then put it up. If the halo hair is really bad I use a little oil or some aloe gel. If I happen to braid (which I almost never do) I use more oil - the braids seem to hold better for me then and look better, too.

frizzinator
December 10th, 2008, 04:15 AM
Length may play a role in your hair not staying up. When my hair was your length, the only dependable way I could keep my hair pulled back was a french braid, which may not be an updo, but it securely held my hair out of my face.


I have thin hair and I couldn't make a figure 8 until my hair was nearly waist length.

Katze
December 10th, 2008, 04:33 AM
I have to do updos on "aged" hair - day 2 and later after washing. The tidiest updos for me are on really "dirty" hair that's also been brushed and oiled - that is the only way my hair stays sleek in any updo.

This doesn't have anything to do with length in my case, but with hair type (frizzy, barely wavy) and different lengths (new growth, old layers, growing-out bangs).

Yesterday I put my (washed on Sunday night) hair into a poofy French twist. It looked good when I left the house, but by the time my second class started, it was really ratty looking. I redid it twice, having to retwist my length each time, which meant more manipulation of my hair (I am gentle) and redoing the way my hair was waved.

I think all of this is why I hardly wear my hair up. I clip it up for bike riding, and treat it gently and keep it out of the wind, but I just can't get tidy updos to save my life, and don't always want to wear messy ones!

Kerynna
December 10th, 2008, 06:56 AM
Thank you for all the input! I will try the spritz/ oil idea and also perhaps I just need to be patient until my hair grows a bit longer.

annys
December 13th, 2008, 05:00 PM
I just comb it out and put it up.

suicides_eve
December 13th, 2008, 07:01 PM
i usally do it on slightly misted hair, if all else fails, i have to break out the Auqa Net. my hair can become very unruly:taz:

Mishka_84
December 13th, 2008, 10:25 PM
I can't put my hair up the first day after washing. My hair is very soft/slippery, so anytime I put it up I have little pieces trying to come out. For just an "everyday" updo, I ignore it, or very lightly oil it. For days when it needs to be nicer (like for job interviews) I'll dampen it (not dripping wet), and use hair gel. This keeps all the fly-aways in their place, and also keeps my updo looking nice and neat all day.

Nevermore
December 14th, 2008, 12:43 AM
I detangle, if need be, gather my hair at the place my finished bun will be and then use a boar bristle brush to smooth it back/down. Generally the updos I wear outside the house are made over top a fastened ponytail because they stay smoother that way. Sometimes I put a drop of oil in my hand and rub my brush over it before using it to smooth because it works better that way. If my braid is fuzzy, I'll wet my hands and rebraid it or use oil.

lavenderblue
December 14th, 2008, 01:18 AM
I don't do anything before a updo, except finger combing it a bit and sometime making it a bit damp to get rid of fly aways. My updo's stay well most of the time, after washing day my hair is a little more slippery so I twist it a little more dense

vampodrama
December 14th, 2008, 01:42 AM
the only way for my hair to stay in anything else than a very very tight ponytail is to make it on the third day or so after washing. when clean, my hair is extremely slippery so even those extremely tight ponytails need to be re-tightened in every hour or so. anything else - forget about it, my hair will slip out even from the tightest french braid!

so first I have to make sure my hair is quite dirty. :D

other than that, combing (maybe), and that's all.