help me out of my damaging routine

[squiggyflop]

hi.. some of you know me.. i havent been around much during the school semester (school is hard!).. anyway.. my problem is that my daily routine is destroying my hair..

my routine:
well first of all ive been wearing the same damaging style for like 6 months straight now. (once a month i wear it down). its a beebutt bun held up with a hairtie.. the reason i wear it like this is because i often need to lay down and or take a nap during the day.. and i cant do that with hard hair toys in my hair.. ive just been sooo tired and worn out lately..
another reason i wear my hair like this is because i only wash my hair once a week.. when i wash more often i shed like crazy.. but no other style will hide the grease like a tight bun with a hairtie..

i havent been taking any vitamins..

its taken me a year to get from hip to tailbone.. which is a long time for me.. my ends are splitting all the time and the splits cause tangles (which causes more splits)... i want to make it to classic by august of 2011.. but my hair is not cooperating.. im just soo stressed right now

***********

so what im asking is are there any styles out there that a person could lay back and take a nap in (and go outside in) that can also hide grease and can protect my hair better than what im doing now?

[HintOfMint]

Perhaps it is a bit early to say this but the Goody Spin Pins are amazing. They hold my bun like cement, but don't really have the ability to damage hair like a hair tie. They are little metal double helices that you twist into your bun, and it "sews" your bun together. I am probably not explaining it very well, but if you saw them, you would instantly know how they work. And they don't stick out at all, they disappear into your bun, so they should be fine for nap times unlike a hairstick. Also, while on the subject of napping, a satin pillowcase is a godsend.

Another protective style that I like is a double set of French braids. Some argue that the ends are unprotected so that style doesn't work for them, but I think two French braids prevent tangling the best out of all the protective styles I know. For me, tangling from wind and friction is the main source of damage so if a style can prevent that, I'm pretty much preventing most of my damage. And they are a very comfortable sleep style.

[sherigayle]

I usually take my hair down when I need to rest. I have Fibromyalgia, so that happens pretty often. Having my hair up with a fork/stick is the easiest for me to be able to take it down and put it back up quickly. Braids are also very easy to lay on. I sleep in an English braid with no problems.

[rhosyn_du]

I generally wear a locked bee-butt bun held with bunheads pins when I need to nap during the day. I've never been able to feel the pins while lying down.

[Yozhik]

I would also suggest a braid. Or a French braid (or pigtails) -- if you're worried about the tassels, you can tuck those underneath, and it makes for a very sleek hairdo that's also very easy to lie on.

HTH :flower:

Also, I hope you start feeling less stressed. What kind of school are you going to that is still in session? Or maybe you're going through exams? Well, soon that'll be over, and you can pamper your hair :)

[aksown]

I don't comb or brush my hair so it generally stays "fluffy". I wash twice a week and I'm usually pretty icky on wash day. And I could live in a french braid.

[Angeletti]

I put the bee butt bun on the very top of my head and secure it with two hairsticks when I go to sleep, and when I turn from side to side on my pillow they don't get in the way. It's also nice for if you have heavy hair then you don't notice the weight as you would with a lower bun. If that doesn't work for you what I used to do before finding out about the bee butt bun was flip my head upside down and braid my hair then pile it on the very top of my head in a bun and secure it with a couple bobby pins for sleep.

[Magicknthenight]

so what im asking is are there any styles out there that a person could lay back and take a nap in (and go outside in) that can also hide grease and can protect my hair better than what im doing now?


How about a braid wrapped around a hair stick? Then when you want to lay down and relax you can just pull the stick out and let the braid down.
Here is some instructions i found http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?b=10324
It has a link to a video as well :) I would think it would protect your hair. I do this style but i don't keep a hair-tie around the end. Wrapping it around and tucking it in is usually enough for it to stay.
As for the splits maybe a tiny tiny trim and lots of oil? I'm not really sure of your routine >_<
I hope that up-do helps though. Maybe put some deep conditioner in your hair and take a bubble bath or drink some nice warm tea. Try to relax :flower: I know it can be difficult but it sounds like it would help
ETA: I'm not sure if it would hide the grease? Its worth a try though. Years back when we didn't have any hot water i just sprinkled a little bit of cornstarch on my roots and brushed it in. It seemed to get some of the oil up. I'm not sure if its good for your hair (was before i was completely obsessed :D) but theirs probably products out there specifically for that. So it wouldn't look too greasy and you can keep washing your hair when you do.

[little_cherry]

How about a silk scrunchie? Would those be as damaging?

[Heidi_234]

A simple braid is great to sleep in, and might be less damaging. But if you don't mind wearing a bun anyway, switching back to hairsticks is the best option. It takes 20 seconds to put it all up in a bun, so you could definitely take it down when you lay down for a nap. You can't be that tired that you can't redo a bun.

As for the ends - you might consider trimming them a little, because keeping the splits would set you back much more than a trim.

[rosek]

If you like sleeping on a bun, you can braid it, then just curl it around the back of your head when you lay down. Its just like a pillow made out of hair. Mine makes a full circle, and I've actually slept comfortably on the floor, using my hair as a pillow like that.

[Katze]

hm, we have similar hair and I have great difficulty containing mine enough to sleep. i usually do some kind of loose braid with a long tassel, since I do not want 'bumps' the next day. I often brush my hair first while getting ready for bed, then use a bit of leave-in on the length/ends (you did not mention if you use leave-in, but I LOVE it on my barely-wavy, fine hair, and it works VERY well on DH's curlier fine hair too).

Personally I cannot get buns to work or look good at all (except for the lazy wrap bun which my friend showed me how to do - I think I need to see instructions in person!) so I wear a lot of twists, messy updos, and actually often wear my hair down if I am not biking or out in the wind...but I cut back to a full (not tapered) BSL a month or so ago so my hair is ten inches shorter than yours!

Messy loose braids are very 'in' and if braid waves work for you this might be a nice alternative, with the ends tucked back into a non-damaging elastic or not, or a loose braid that is then clipped up, or a braid over a headband...some very nice looks are possible!

[kwaniesiam]

French braids or English braids with lightly oiled tassels, braided buns that you can unpin when you want to lay down for a nap, maybe wearing a bandanna or head covering to hide the greasy part? Have you tried a dry shampoo to suck up the extra oil so you can wear other styles before wash day?

[hydrangea]

I'm going off on a limb here, but I'm more concerned with you being more tired lately accompanied by the shedding and lack of growth. Do you think it is at all a possibility that you have some kind of health issue going on? Hypothyroidism can cause those symptoms.

[squiggyflop]

Perhaps it is a bit early to say this but the Goody Spin Pins are amazing.

Another protective style that I like is a double set of French braids. .
hmm ive never seen these spin things before.. oh how i wish i was coordinated enough to french braid


I usually take my hair down when I need to rest. I have Fibromyalgia, so that happens pretty often. Having my hair up with a fork/stick is the easiest for me to be able to take it down and put it back up quickly. Braids are also very easy to lay on. I sleep in an English braid with no problems.
hmm you nap with your hair down? i havent been able to do that since i passed waist..


I generally wear a locked bee-butt bun held with bunheads pins when I need to nap during the day. I've never been able to feel the pins while lying down.
unfortunately pins wont hold my hair securely enough.. as i move alot in my sleep.. not to mention all the hopping around while awake


Also, I hope you start feeling less stressed. What kind of school are you going to that is still in session? Or maybe you're going through exams? Well, soon that'll be over, and you can pamper your hair :)
i have to go to school during the summer semester to catch up so i can get my accociates this year.. (i want to start going full time to a bigger uni sooner rather than later because that way i can live in dorms and maybe have a life)

I don't comb or brush my hair so it generally stays "fluffy". I wash twice a week and I'm usually pretty icky on wash day. And I could live in a french braid.
i cant stop combing out my hair.. it likes to matt itself into dreads

I put the bee butt bun on the very top of my head and secure it with two hairsticks when I go to sleep, and when I turn from side to side on my pillow they don't get in the way. It's also nice for if you have heavy hair then you don't notice the weight as you would with a lower bun. If that doesn't work for you what I used to do before finding out about the bee butt bun was flip my head upside down and braid my hair then pile it on the very top of my head in a bun and secure it with a couple bobby pins for sleep.
when i sleep with hairsticks i always wake up with my hair down and tangled and the sticks broken or lost..


How about a braid wrapped around a hair stick? Then when you want to lay down and relax you can just pull the stick out and let the braid down.
Here is some instructions i found http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?b=10324
It has a link to a video as well :) I would think it would protect your hair. I do this style but i don't keep a hair-tie around the end. Wrapping it around and tucking it in is usually enough for it to stay.
As for the splits maybe a tiny tiny trim and lots of oil? I'm not really sure of your routine >_<
I hope that up-do helps though. Maybe put some deep conditioner in your hair and take a bubble bath or drink some nice warm tea. Try to relax :flower: I know it can be difficult but it sounds like it would help
ETA: I'm not sure if it would hide the grease? Its worth a try though. Years back when we didn't have any hot water i just sprinkled a little bit of cornstarch on my roots and brushed it in. It seemed to get some of the oil up. I'm not sure if its good for your hair (was before i was completely obsessed :D) but theirs probably products out there specifically for that. So it wouldn't look too greasy and you can keep washing your hair when you do.
tried the style you suggested.. it wont stay unless im still like a statue.. and i cant sleep with sticks anyway..
oh um my hair is waaay to dark for cornstarch.. it makes my hair turn grayish white like im wearing an old fashioned powdered wig..lol..
ill go take a bubble bath later.. who knows it might work


How about a silk scrunchie? Would those be as damaging?
i shall go out and buy one on saturday..


A simple braid is great to sleep in, and might be less damaging. But if you don't mind wearing a bun anyway, switching back to hairsticks is the best option. It takes 20 seconds to put it all up in a bun, so you could definitely take it down when you lay down for a nap. You can't be that tired that you can't redo a bun.

As for the ends - you might consider trimming them a little, because keeping the splits would set you back much more than a trim.
taking my hair down would mean sleeping with it down.. which would result in dread like knots that need to be cut out..
oh and ive trimmed off 5 inches this year already..


If you like sleeping on a bun, you can braid it, then just curl it around the back of your head when you lay down. Its just like a pillow made out of hair. Mine makes a full circle, and I've actually slept comfortably on the floor, using my hair as a pillow like that.
huh.. interesting.. hair pillow:)


hm, we have similar hair and I have great difficulty containing mine enough to sleep. i usually do some kind of loose braid with a long tassel, since I do not want 'bumps' the next day. I often brush my hair first while getting ready for bed, then use a bit of leave-in on the length/ends (you did not mention if you use leave-in, but I LOVE it on my barely-wavy, fine hair, and it works VERY well on DH's curlier fine hair too).

Personally I cannot get buns to work or look good at all (except for the lazy wrap bun which my friend showed me how to do - I think I need to see instructions in person!) so I wear a lot of twists, messy updos, and actually often wear my hair down if I am not biking or out in the wind...but I cut back to a full (not tapered) BSL a month or so ago so my hair is ten inches shorter than yours!

Messy loose braids are very 'in' and if braid waves work for you this might be a nice alternative, with the ends tucked back into a non-damaging elastic or not, or a loose braid that is then clipped up, or a braid over a headband...some very nice looks are possible!
hmm i cant seem to do a loose braid that doesnt come undone when im sleeping.. or awake really.. i tried this morning and half the hair escaped already and its only been like an hour and a half... i wonder why


French braids or English braids with lightly oiled tassels, braided buns that you can unpin when you want to lay down for a nap, maybe wearing a bandanna or head covering to hide the greasy part? Have you tried a dry shampoo to suck up the extra oil so you can wear other styles before wash day?
head covering! why didnt i think of that!.. ive tried dy shampoos but they all make me look like a powdered wig lady from back in the day..


I'm going off on a limb here, but I'm more concerned with you being more tired lately accompanied by the shedding and lack of growth. Do you think it is at all a possibility that you have some kind of health issue going on? Hypothyroidism can cause those symptoms.
doctor says its stress caused by my perfectionism and my learning disabilities in school.. i just HATE to get lower than an A.. only i have to work much harder than everyone else due to my LD's to get that A.. so im constantly stressing.. it also causes nightmares that make me thrash around in bed destroying my hair in the process.. doctor says stop demanding so much from myself.. but i cant seem to do that..
the stress also makes me extra greasy.. everywhere.. like im coated in wax.. gross

[jel]

oh um my hair is waaay to dark for cornstarch.. it makes my hair turn grayish white like im wearing an old fashioned powdered wig..lol..


Try cocoa powder - there was a thread on the Recipes board! Smells lovely too...

Regarding a secure hairstyle, have you tried some of the knots in the articles? They are usually non-twisty and a good change from twisted buns like the bee-butt. I think what is important is to change your hairstyle every so often, in order to minimise cumulative damage.

And that bubble bath should help with stress!:D You really sound like you need to try and relax. :flowers:

[klcqtee]

A regular english braid, then folded up over itself and held with a hairstick. Take the hair stick out for sleeping, fold it back up when awake (folded braid makes fuzzys less noticeable). If your hair is too long to fold up comfortable (which it may be), try doing a 4 or 5 strand braid instead of 3. It eats up more length that way. It also makes your folded bun more interesting looking with more strands. It's my go to style when I'm sleepy or ill, but have to go forth and function in society (and secretly nap whenever possible).

ETA: it's also a super secure updo. It's my favourite style for when I'm running or jumping rope. It also seems to be the only one that stays through a night of frantic dancing, hah.

[SpinDance]

I use a Flexi to hold my bun for sleeping. It takes seconds to make the bun and secure it. I use a medium usually and a Neoma knot bun: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=152

I can also use a short hairstick or fork, but these are more likely to come out. The Flexi stays unless I hit it just right and it pops open.

If you are having a lot of tangles maybe something to give slip would help prevent further damage?

[FrannyG]

I second the idea of satin scrunchies to contain the beebutt bun for sleeping. That's what I use for bedtime and naps, and it's really made a difference.

You can always use a hairfork when you're awake.

[restourceful]

A second the Goody spin pins (http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Hair-Accessories/Simple-Styles-Brunette-Spin-Hair-Pin/ID=prod6024772-product?V=G&ec=frgl_&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=sku6023514). They are just like hair scroos. I got mine at Target but you should be able to find them at any store that carries the Goody brand of hair products. The linky above is from Walgreens. They come in a pair, and they hold like nobody's business. Very comfy, and I'm pretty sure I could sleep in them, though I haven't tried it yet.

[Anje]

hmm you nap with your hair down? i havent been able to do that since i passed waist..
Funny, I can't sleep with my hair bunned. Oh well... I like my hair loose in a sleep bonnet, but that might not work for your naps.

I'll also vote for hairscroos or those goody spin pins (same thing), simply because they don't fall out the way normal hair pins do. I know the hairscroos are quite stiff and hold well. Similarly, have you ever tried Amish pins? Their stiffness makes them hold much better for me than regular U pins.

[sherigayle]

Have you tried a sleep cap? Shaped like a shower cap, but made of satin. I think most stores sell them.

[Dvips]

Having read you reply, the only other thing I can think of is:

a tightly braided bee butt bun (held with a scrunchie instead of a band)?
Though I'm not sure why this would be more helpful than just switching to a scruching on a regular bee butt bun :lol:

or

any sort of braided bun, where you can nap by taking down the bun, wrapping several scrunchies down the length of the braid (so the haur can't escape from the braid while you sleep).

Sorry if that's not much help!

(Also, if it is any comfort to you, I graduated from college magna *** laude with mostly A's, a couple B's, and an F... and you are not getting F's, m'dear! :flowers:)