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View Full Version : Protecting shorter hair?



whiteisle
April 9th, 2009, 07:58 PM
I know alot of those with much, much longer hair than mine will wear it up in buns, braids, etc. to help protect it and keep it in excellent shape. I was wondering what someone with a hair length like mine could do to help discourage split ends and breakage.

I have a love affair with coconut oil and use it regularly and I'm very gentle when combing it. I've even ventured back in to the land of CO and am trying to severly limit my use of shampoos. But is there anything I can do, style-wise, to "protect" my locks at this point? I still have some layers so braiding is somewhat difficult though I did manage a wet french braid the other day and despite that I had to fasten it close to the top of my neck I was ecstatic! Wahoo! :cheese: I tried it again today however and it was a total disaster. Oh well.......I have always had beginner's luck that only lasts for so long. :p

Any ideas? Or do I just need to wait a bit longer?

Roseate
April 9th, 2009, 09:28 PM
I think, unless you are seeing broken hairs, you are probably not in need of much protection at this point.

The need for protection usually comes in when the hair is long enough to rub against chairs, backpacks, purse straps,etc, or get tangled up and then possibly break in the detangling. If your hair is still around shoulder length, it is probably not getting into much trouble in the course of a normal day!

If you do need it, though, I think the French braid is probably a good choice, you could even tuck the tail inside and pin it up to protect the ends as well.

Anje
April 9th, 2009, 09:52 PM
At your length, I think careful combing and oiling are the most important protection. If you're prone to tangles, you might want to put it in a ponytail or other containing style, particularly when you're out in the wind.

Other styles you might want to try are french twists (your hair's a good length for them), and pigtail-based styles. Two french braids will probably stay in and look better than a single one just now.