For those who enjoy their hair down...

[Katze]

...what do you do to protect it and keep it moisturized?

I bike daily, so I usually either tuck it up into my hat/hood or clip it up for the bike ride. This seems to protect at least SOME of the length from the wind...my hair is so fuzzy with so many different layers that pieces always come out, no matter how I wear it.

When I am wearing my hair down a lot, I try to mist it at least once a day (mornings and evenings, when I'm working all day) and lightly oil the ends/nape whenever it gets damp in the shower.

I'm noticing that it is increasingly hard to keep my hair out of zippers, so I usually put a sweater or vest on first, then a scarf over that that keeps my hair up and back, then my coat or jacket. This seems to work pretty well, for me just as well as an updo would.

My hair is literally so messy that if the length is mostly contained, bits and pieces fly around most of the time. This goes for updos as well. I am working on finding ways of containing those parts so they are not out in the wind, but would love other suggestions!

[Arctic_Mama]

Wear a silk headscarf when you bike and take it off when you arrive, especially over updos. They are warmer, hair friendly, and can look quite fetching.

Really, that's the only way - short of products - I can think of to truly contain messy bits and flyaways.

[Comfrey]

I bike daily, so I usually either tuck it up into my hat/hood or clip it up for the bike ride. This seems to protect at least SOME of the length from the wind...my hair is so fuzzy with so many different layers that pieces always come out, no matter how I wear it.
Katze, have you tried these (http://www.hairglove.co.uk/)

I've only just discovered them, but they would have saved me a lot of time over the years.

ETA and if you want to wear it down and keep the stray bits tidy, I swear by stylees (http://www.stylee.com/)

[Melisande]

Dear Katze, I think I remember that you own a buff? Doesn't it help?

I hardly ever leave my hair open but when I do, I keep it over my left shoulder and smoothe it from time to time to avoid tangles...

On the bike, I always contain it. Sorry I'm not more helpful.

[Katze]

Katze, have you tried these (http://www.hairglove.co.uk/)

I've only just discovered them, but they would have saved me a lot of time over the years.

ETA and if you want to wear it down and keep the stray bits tidy, I swear by stylees (http://www.stylee.com/)

Comfrey, the hairgloves are neat...but my hair is too thin at the ends for something like this to stay on. Too bad... Also, the biggest amount of layers start right where that thing does, so they would fall out anyway (same problem with braids).

The stylee is, what, a big claw clip? It is hard to tell what it is from the pictures...

Melisande, the Buff falls off my head no matter what I do, and it also scrunches and squooshes my hair flat. I do occasionally use it as a headcovering when I have oiled hair or am doing an SMT, but it is awkward and also very unattractive - makes me look like a Russian grandmother. Using it as a scrunchie runs into the problem of my thin ends again, as well as everything falling out. A Ficcare works much better.

[Comfrey]

The stylee is, what, a big claw clip? It is hard to tell what it is from the pictures...
The stylee is a bit like those african butterfly clips people talk about only they are WAY more versatile.

You slide the comb in one side of your hair and hold the rest of your hair (or thread it through the scrunchie bits) and then stretch it and slide the comb in the other side of the hair.

Its really versatile and quick. I use them every day. You can have high pony tails. Buns, or hair down.

If you scroll down it shows you how to use it on the site. Dont click on the pictures, theres links below them :)

[Melisande]

Dear Katze, thank you for releasing me of the wish to buy a Buff! I'm walking in circles around them for quite some time. If it falls from your hair, it will fall from mine, too.

[Honey39]

I tuck my hair into my scarf and coat - it's not ideal, but it protects my hair *somewhat*. I don't mind though - for me, I want to wear my hair down almost every day, so I think that I pay the price of having it a bit windswept ( a LOT windswept at the moment, lol). Is it a hazard on your bike though?

[Katze]

Thanks Comfrey, I will take another look.

I was meaning this thread to be a POSITIVE thread for those of us who enjoy wearing our hair down! Do you do extra moisturizing, etc., how do you keep it out of the wind, etc. While my hair is, indeed "special" (there is just not a lot I can do with it) I wanted to emphasize things that DO work for keeping hair protected even if it's not "up." :)

Misting, tucking hair up, and clipping it up LOOSELY while I am travelling work well for me.

[Katze]

Is it a hazard on your bike though?

I do have to make sure it's out of my eyes, now that my bangs are longer and the hair around my face so much thicker. These days, a hooded sweatshirt works best for this.

[Zindell]

I do nothing to contain it. I let it flow freely in the wind. (Is the wind damaging?)

[plainjanegirl]

I like to wear my hair down and loose as much as I can due to my hair loss. I think I would benefit from more moisturizing treatments, so I am currently trying to find an affordable one.

[Kerynna]

I enjoy wearing my hair down and I don't really do anything to protect it from things that are outside of my control, KWIM? I figure, if my hair gets in the way of my lifestyle, there's no sense keeping it long. However, bear in mind that I'm new to the whole caring for long hair thing. ;) I think hair is pretty resilient, though.

[Katze]

I do nothing to contain it. I let it flow freely in the wind. (Is the wind damaging?)

Yes, because wind causes tangles, tangles cause breakage, breakage is damage. Especially for fine hair - the more you let it whip around in the wind, the more chance you have for damage.

This is why many people decide they want to only ever wear their hair up. This thread is intended for those of us who know that we have to take gentle care of our hair, yet do prefer to wear it down much of the time - how do you take the best possible care of it?

I do feel like my ends need extra moisture when I wear my hair down more...

[ReadingRenee]

if I wear my hair down I always put in some oil or some leave in conditioner, concentrating on the ends. I don't know if this helps but I like to pretend that it does. :)

[spidermom]

Through about BSL length, I wore mine down most of the time. I cared for it pretty much the same as I do now. Oiling. Deep moisture treatments while I relax in a warm, steamy bath. When it's cold, I have an angora hat that is loose and roomy (oversized beret style). I tuck all my hair inside that.

Now I wear my hair up most of the time because of the length. Having extra-long hair down can be a hazard. Of course I still wear it down if I'm not doing anything hazardous (like cooking or house/yard work) and have the time and opportunity to watch out for it and enjoy it, like sitting here at the computer.

[MsBubbles]

I made the mistake once of wearing a mere ponytail on a 35 mile skate last summer. Hair was blowing freely in the wind from anywhere from 8mph (going uphill) to 40mph (going downhill), oh and it looked nice in the photos. Afterwards?! Took me about 3 hours to get a comb through it and I pulled a lot of hair out. No. I am never settling for a mere ponytail again. It has to be at least braids from now on.

I'd like to find a non-kinking alternative to braids though - but with a helmet I can't very well put it 'up'. I can't french braid my hair either without a ton of it coming out tangled up in my fingers.

Living in Atlanta though, it's not really that windy and people don't really ever walk anywhere outside. The roads are not cycling-friendly and you're hard pushed to find sidewalks. So I can leave my hair down on good days (i.e. wash days) and don't have any problems because it's just not that windy going from the car to the store/office/house. When I'm back in the UK though (Dorset, south coast), I have to anchor my hair to go anywhere at all unless I want to spend an hour later detangling and pulling unnecessary hairs out.

So right now I'm glad to live where I live from a point of view of my hair! Plus it is humid here a lot of the time, which helps. But I need some good hair-anchoring ideas too.

[Nes]

I wear my hair down at all times, apart from braiding once every so often when cooking, cleaning the bathroom etc! So I would say it is loose about 90% of the time.

I use aloe gel, shea butter (a tiny amount) or leave in conditioner to smooth it and keep it from fluffing all over the place. Also, I find it crucial to detangle (gently with my wooden comb from the bottom up) maybe 6-8 times throughout the day to stop any small tangles becoming knots. This is the most important thing for me to prevent breakage.

It goes without saying that smt's, oilings etc. are a powerful weapon in the fight against dry hair so I use these often as well.

Nes x

[Eireann]

I've recently started a new routine that my fine wavy hair LOVES. Every other day I CWC and every other day I CO. When my hair is wet, I apply a dab of coconut oil and aloe vera gel and I air dry (except for my bangs, which I blowdry on medium heat for 5 mins or so, otherwise they won't behave.) My hair loves it! It has tamed the flyaways and gives me insane shine, and it's cheap and natural! :cheese:

[Zindell]

Yes, because wind causes tangles, tangles cause breakage, breakage is damage.

I might try a single braid on windy days then. Thanks! :)

[salamander]

I've always found that my hair tangles at night more than during the day. As long as it's contained at night, wearing it down in the day is no problem. Keeping it properly moisturized is still important, though.

[xrosiex]

I've the best thing for my dry tattered ends is EVOO. If I know I'm going to be outside and my hair is down I use a small amount from my ears down. It does help with combing out tangles. And if it gets extremly bad I use alittle more while combing out my hair.:)

[Darkhorse1]

For me, I usually keep my hair braided at the barn/when working as it's unsafe around horses to do other wise. When around the house or doing errands outside of the barn, I wear my hair loose/half up etc. I do get it caught in car doors, zippers, velcro--it's rather amusing. I use Pantene Daily Mositure renewel conditioner, and a detangler spray on conditioner by Joico called Integrity. Both have dimethocone in them, but on the lower end. When my hair gets 'flat' feeling, I hold off on using both products and just wash that day. That usually is enough to remove any build up (I use a clarifying shampoo all the time as I have oily scalp). When my hair looks a touch dull, I use olive oil before a shampoo. I don't wash daily-I do every other day. Air dry

[Euphony]

Around the length you have now I forced myself to wear my hair up. I still love having it down and because I wear it up so much when it's down it looks stellar! I came to the conclusion that I work in an office, I do paperwork, no one cares really what I look like as long as I'm well kempt - my hair up is neat. When I go to bed I either put it in a bee butt bun or a braid of some sort. This all keeps my hair thick to the ends and pretty tatter free.

When I'm home in the evening after we've had dinner I take my hair down, it looks better that way, hubby likes it better that way and it feels very nice. When we go out I can wear my hair down and it looks great. If there's too much wind I don't care how much better my hair looks down it is contained up so it doesn't get ripped to shreds. Once in doors I may take it down though.

[Ohio Sky]

It seems to me that what I wear affects the condition of my hair when down more than anything I do to my hair. Try not to wear rough clothes, and keep your hair away form things like office chairs and sliding seat belts.

Aside from that, I find the best weapon to be a good detangler. After I wear my hair down, I usually drench it in oils and conditioners before detangling, or just wash it. I'm a conehead though, and it's easiest for me to detangle in the shower while COing so if you're not a cone user this won't work for you. Or, depending on what I'm doing and whether I want to wash soon again or not, I may detangle several times throughout the day to prevent the tangles from getting so bad that I lose chunks of hair when I do comb it.

[ladyfairington]

I have the opposite problem- I always wear my hair down.

So much, in fact, that I have no idea how to wear it up.

I usually just brush it and leave it down, occasionally smoothing it over with my hands.

I like to use Pantene Pro-v's Protecting Damage Defender Spray in my hair at night- it's basically a leave in conditioner that you use before you use a heating tool.

When I use it, it leaves my hair smoother and shinier- maybe because it makes the hair shaft lie flat, I dunno.

I rather like it, and I like to use it in the place of hair spray too. <3!

[XeniaR]

Comfrey, the hairgloves are neat...but my hair is too thin at the ends for something like this to stay on. Too bad... Also, the biggest amount of layers start right where that thing does, so they would fall out anyway (same problem with braids).

The stylee is, what, a big claw clip? It is hard to tell what it is from the pictures...

Melisande, the Buff falls off my head no matter what I do, and it also scrunches and squooshes my hair flat. I do occasionally use it as a headcovering when I have oiled hair or am doing an SMT, but it is awkward and also very unattractive - makes me look like a Russian grandmother. Using it as a scrunchie runs into the problem of my thin ends again, as well as everything falling out. A Ficcare works much better.

I wanted to say something about those hair gloves. I don't have one, but they are not what they appear from doing some research. They have a built in hook that you put through the rubber band in the poney tail. This way no matter what they can't slide off.

I want to get one, or two. I was thinking of getting the shorter one and a longer one. They suggest that you can cut the longer one to fit individual lengths of hair. The short one would work for me but would still leave too much hanging out if I really wanted it totally covered.

In the meantime when I go shooting (yes, shooting guns :eyebrows:) I wear my hair in a braid under a baseball cap. I have a leather cap that I wear in cold weather that keeps my head warmer and looks more seasonal.

I have also used a bandana with a braid as well.