I had to blow dry my hair today [Archive] - The Long Hair Community Discussion Boards

RocketDog

January 4th, 2009, 10:52 PM

I have taken my flatiron out once since finding LHC, and I couldn't keep my hands off my hair all day :o But the downside was that the lovely, silky-straight hair that looked so awesome the first day turned into straw the next morning :(

I love straight hair, but my curls don't like heat at all, and there's no way I could have presentably straight hair without liberal use of the flatiron, so I'm just embracing what grows out of my head, bad days and all. My hair thanks me for it, even when my vanity begs for the iron.

ItalianFlower

January 4th, 2009, 10:58 PM

I love my curls, but whenever I get a trim I always have either my trusted stylist or friend straighten it as well, so I can see the length change...it looks good for a few days after and I LOVE it because everyone's like, "OMG WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR BEAUTIFUL CURLS!" :)

MerryKat

January 4th, 2009, 11:57 PM

I love my hair curly, but I find that I get way more splits and tangles when I wear it curly - it is a huge amount of work to keep it looking good (daily wetting of some sort).

I also love my hair straighter and this is one of the things that has led me to monthly (or 6 weekly) WO to wash out henna (or NW when not using henna). I find that my own sebum (with coconut oil added to ends as needed), with sleeping with my hair in a scrunchie bun every night gives me smooth hair with a few waves that is so much easier to deal with. When I am only wetting it every 6 weeks or so, I have lovely smooth behaving hair except for the first week after wetting.

Heidi_234

January 5th, 2009, 01:35 AM

I love it straight, so low maintenance, so long!
But unless somebody finds a magic potion that lets you harmlessly straighten your hair forever, I'm embracing my curls. Well, I have to. :shrug:

goldenwaves

January 5th, 2009, 01:48 AM

I'm basically just going to repeat what everyone else has said! I love my waves and curls, but it is nice to have straight hair every now and then, just for a change! I actually straightened my hair for the first time in months today, but before readin this thread. Good timing hey?!

Elphie

January 5th, 2009, 03:10 AM

I'm beginning to feel like the only person who has never used a hair iron. Maybe I am? I've never used a curling iron either, so it's not like I'm prejudiced!

PurpleAshes

January 5th, 2009, 09:55 AM

The few times I've straightened my hair after going CG, I've suffered soo much thinking about the damage my hair is undergoing xD
And the first day I really like how my hair looks, but he second day I start to feel it looks boring without the usual curls.

Curlsgirl

January 5th, 2009, 11:32 AM

I like it occasionally blown dry too but I miss the curls pretty quickly as well. I also feel it damages it quite a bit so I try not to do it often at all. When I do I usually leave it for like a week because it stays pretty straight until I wet it again and it IS nice to see the length and feel the silkiness of straight hair.

If I had to pick though even without the damage of heat I would stay curly hands down. I like the uniqueness and for me it's a LOT easier. I pretty much just get up in the morning and go even if I leave it down.

jojo

January 5th, 2009, 02:59 PM

<--------points to avatar, straightened hair, only do it once in a blue moon but do enjoy it!

MimiKeki

January 5th, 2009, 03:40 PM

Ohoh, today I had to blow-dry today too, 'cause I overslept, and was running late for work. I felt so so guilty 'cause one of my new years resolutions was to not use heat at all, if I can help it. I haven't used heat in only about a week, but it feels much longer to me!
I'm going to try to make sure that was the first and last time I blow-dry for this month!

HairColoredHair

January 5th, 2009, 03:43 PM

I'm beginning to feel like the only person who has never used a hair iron. Maybe I am? I've never used a curling iron either, so it's not like I'm prejudiced!

Nope, never touched one.

My mum used a curling iron on me as a child, but I don't know how to use one...

saak86

January 5th, 2009, 03:47 PM

I always straightened my hair :(
I wanna stop it

HairColoredHair

January 5th, 2009, 03:55 PM

I always straightened my hair :(
I wanna stop it

Then stop. It's not very good for your hair anyway. :)

Elphie

January 5th, 2009, 04:34 PM

Oh good, I was beginning to think I was alone!

My sister actually has a "pocket" straightener, a mini version of the larger ones, in case a lock or two decides to curl when she isn't looking or something. She knows I don't have one!

Chromis

January 5th, 2009, 04:41 PM

Nope, never touched one.

My mum used a curling iron on me as a child, but I don't know how to use one...

I've never used either a flat iron or a curling iron either. My mother used to torture with heated curlers when I was younger and I hated every moment of it. They fell out within minutes too :bigtongue: Served her right.

LadyLongLocks

January 5th, 2009, 05:42 PM

Sissy

January 5th, 2009, 06:25 PM

I blow dry my hair most of the time...always have. It makes my hair perfectly straight and silky.
If you are careful with the dryer it wont do much damage. I noticed here on LHC it seems to be frowned upon to blow dry.
I have hair to my knees at the moment and unless it is summer I blow dry it. I have done this for years and years. That is the only heat I use on my hair.

Ladylonglocks,
That's very interesting to hear from you as you have beautiful hair:inlove:! It actually makes me feel not so bad about the blow dryer. I have to ask you... what, if any, protective serum do you use on your hair before blow drying it? Do you also make sure to use cold setting on the dryer?

Alas, I am in love with the silky smoothness my hair gets from a blow dryer. However, I am trying to stop. I've been good and haven't blown it dry since Xmas. It seems like it's starting to straighten a bit, but I don't think it will ever be 1a naturally air dried. I think if I want 1a type hair I'll have to blow dry. I'm really trying to limit it though. :o

spidermom

January 5th, 2009, 06:44 PM

I like blow-drying mine also. When I let it air dry, it dries in clumps with snarls, and the scrunched ends are forever grabbing onto one another. When I blow-dry it, it comes out smooth and silky and nice and is easier to comb out every single day. Since I blow-dry on cool to warm and don't pull and stretch at my hair with a brush, I think the damage is less with blow-drying than it is with fighting the snarls and knots from those scrunched-up ends.

Roseate

January 5th, 2009, 07:21 PM

If I blowdry my hair straight, it looks bad the first day (straight, but huge and puffy) but then settles into looking good for a week or so.

If I airdry and don't comb it dries nice and curly, looks really good for the first day, nice and wavy on the second, but by the third day it usually devolves into oddly-shaped lumps and is really best put up until I wash again.

Both methods have their advantages; the last time I grew my hair I straightened it regularly until it got too long for me to do it well, and it grew to waist with no damage, so I don't think heat is a terrible problem for my hair. Lately I've been doing the airdry thing, because I'm liking my curls more. Blowdrying gives more predictable results, but having curls is fun!

HairyCarrie

January 5th, 2009, 08:04 PM

LadyLongLocks

January 5th, 2009, 08:39 PM

[QUOTE=Sissy;407095]Ladylonglocks,
That's very interesting to hear from you as you have beautiful hair:inlove:! It actually makes me feel not so bad about the blow dryer. I have to ask you... what, if any, protective serum do you use on your hair before blow drying it? Do you also make sure to use cold setting on the dryer?

I use Sunsilk Therma Shine spray. Yes it has cones in it too. I use some high heat on my thick under layers and dry my hair in about four 5 minute sessions. I rest between drying sessions and allow the hair to air dry a bit. My hair dryer has a cool setting and with the touch of my thumb I can instantly turn off the heat and switch off from warm to cold. I finish it with cold air and comb for at least 5 minutes after when my hair is dry. During the drying time I use a brush to hold the hair,but don't pull. This is the only time I use a brush. My hair loves to be blow dried. I honestly believe that blow drying has HELPED my hair! The cuticle lays flat after blow drying and the hair slips over itself causing less friction and knots.

spidermom

January 5th, 2009, 10:11 PM

[quote=Sissy;407095] I honestly believe that blow drying has HELPED my hair! The cuticle lays flat after blow drying and the hair slips over itself causing less friction and knots.

I agree with this. I never use the hot setting, though. I only use warm and cool. I hold my hair out with a paddle brush but do not pull with it. The tangles seem to almost magically fall out, kind of like what happens when water runs through and the hairs all align themselves. Oh, and I don't use a serum either. I leave a little conditioner in after my final rinse, which I think helps.

Sissy

January 5th, 2009, 10:22 PM

[quote=Sissy;407095]Ladylonglocks,
That's very interesting to hear from you as you have beautiful hair:inlove:! It actually makes me feel not so bad about the blow dryer. I have to ask you... what, if any, protective serum do you use on your hair before blow drying it? Do you also make sure to use cold setting on the dryer?

I use Sunsilk Therma Shine spray. Yes it has cones in it too. I use some high heat on my thick under layers and dry my hair in about four 5 minute sessions. I rest between drying sessions and allow the hair to air dry a bit. My hair dryer has a cool setting and with the touch of my thumb I can instantly turn off the heat and switch off from warm to cold. I finish it with cold air and comb for at least 5 minutes after when my hair is dry. During the drying time I use a brush to hold the hair,but don't pull. This is the only time I use a brush. My hair loves to be blow dried. I honestly believe that blow drying has HELPED my hair! The cuticle lays flat after blow drying and the hair slips over itself causing less friction and knots.

That is very interesting to know. I am getting on OK without blowdrying now, even if it isn't as sleek as I'm used to. For summer, I might go back to blow drying as my hair seems to become unmanageable with the humidity and I'm afraid I won't be able to have good slip and get a comb through it if I don't blow dry. We'll see! Thanks for the info!

Heidi_234

January 6th, 2009, 02:14 AM

[quote=LadyLongLocks;407192]

That is very interesting to know. I am getting on OK without blowdrying now, even if it isn't as sleek as I'm used to. For summer, I might go back to blow drying as my hair seems to become unmanageable with the humidity and I'm afraid I won't be able to have good slip and get a comb through it if I don't blow dry. We'll see! Thanks for the info!
Despite all that, Sissy, I think you need some proportions regarding your hair. From your pictures it seem to be almost straight and little jazzy at the ends, when you air dry it just down. Wanna see what a real curly hair looks when it's left to air dry on it's own? Here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=1927&pictureid=23199), now that's a mass that begs for some styling as is so voluminous. I think your mistyped your hair, and continue to see it much curlier than it is. And then subject it to needless attempts to straighten. I personally would be extremely happy to have your hair.

mommy101405

January 6th, 2009, 11:52 AM

My hair is still in the shortie stage and looks awful air-dried. So I blow-dry every day, though I try to let it dry as much as possible in a twisty turby first. Despite the heat, my hair feels great due to all the other good things I'm doing that I've learned at LHC.

I don't know if I'll ever give up the blow-dryer since I don't like walking around with wet hair. When it gets long maybe it will be another story... I can't wait to see!

That's the way I always felt but the longer it is the more cumbersome it gets to dry. I just dry my scalp enough so I don't freeze. My current hair care routine involves as much laziness as possible :cheese:. But in all honestly it looks better for it.

Sissy

January 6th, 2009, 03:11 PM

[quote=Sissy;407254]
Despite all that, Sissy, I think you need some proportions regarding your hair. From your pictures it seem to be almost straight and little jazzy at the ends, when you air dry it just down. Wanna see what a real curly hair looks when it's left to air dry on it's own? Here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=1927&pictureid=23199), now that's a mass that begs for some styling as is so voluminous. I think your mistyped your hair, and continue to see it much curlier than it is. And then subject it to needless attempts to straighten. I personally would be extremely happy to have your hair.

:o wow, thanks! You know though, I think your hair looks really pretty air dried too. It's not that I dislike curly hair, I just don't think the style suits me. Taking what you said into consideration... perhaps I have typed my hair incorrectly? What would you type it as?

Thanks,
Sissy