Squiggly hair thread!

[Domino]

Hi fellow devoted long hairs :)

I looked for a thread for squiggly hair --mind you, not wavy-- and I couldn't find it. Maybe I cannot use the search function, so if there is one please let me know!

I think we need a squiggly hair thread to share tips, tricks and whine about our hair :p I'll go first:

My hair used to be solid 3a when shorter but now that it's doubled in length, it has more of a wave that ends with spirals. However, the waves are very weird. Sometimes zigzag-y, sometimes the wurl decides to go the other way in the middle and it looks so weird that my friends often comment about them. I don't know how to fix those yet, but I find that adding gel when wet (general curly wisdom) breaks up clumps and results in noodles. I like it when it dries without any products, but I've been called the lion king with that look :D

Now it's your turn ;)

[goldenoak]

Hi Domino - it looks like we posted curly-hair questions at exactly the same minute on the forum. I like your thread name better, though, so I'll throw in my lot with you! :)

The question I'd posted over there was:

I have 3b i/ii curly fine hair. It's been down to TBL in the past, but when it's that long and all one length only the ends are curly, because the hair closer to the scalp is weighted down by the length of it. In order to have hair closer to my crown stay curly, it needs to be layered to some degree so that the hair on top is lightweight enough to curl.

Here's where my question comes in. I have pretty fine hair, so don't have an infinite volume to play with when it comes to layering. When it was long, I tried layering it, but while the top looked great, the bottom ended up looking scraggly. (Not fairytale ends, even, just... scraggle. Like a mistake.)

Is there anyone out there who's found themselves in this pickle? I fear that BSL may be the longest that my hair volume can support while being able to wear it down-and-all-curly. Are there any tricks I haven't thought of?

I've got to log out now, but I hope others keep this thread going. I'm admittedly new, but I haven't seen much press out there for the squiggle crowd!

[Domino]

Aah that looks like one of the issues I have with my hair. I really want a blunt cut, but don't want the straight roots. The solution I came up with (it works so far, at BSL) is to get a U-shaped hemline with long layers that end at the beginning of the U-shape.

I could illustrate better and more realistic with Photoshop but here's a drawing thanks to Paint:
http://i33.tinypic.com/23sirup.jpg

The lines are basically where the long layers are supposed to be. Even better would be to get the layers in a U shape too, but somehow every stylist I've been to seems to struggle with that idea.

HTH! :pumpkin:

[goldenoak]

Thank you!

The problem I'm anticipating (I have a ways to go before it becomes an issue this grow-out) is that the hair at my crown gets weighted down when it gets much longer than the nape of my neck. So the shortest top layer (the one you've drawn at APL) for me ends up needing to be closer to chin length.

Maybe if I asked my hairdresser to keep the top few layers minimal in terms of overall hair volume? In the past I probably had about four thick layers; what if I had six or eight thinner layers that spaced things out more evenly? Or would that lead to frizz and misery? Is there a max number of layers, or are layers more a concept than actual clear-cut lines?

[goldenoak]

...and BTW, your hair is gorgeous! It's an inspiration for me to keep patient. :)

Do you do anything special when you're drying it to keep the top part bouncy, or does that spring just happen naturally? I prefer air-drying over blow-drying, but the upside-down-diffuser effect is hard to duplicate. I've tried alligator clips at the roots while air drying, but it takes like three hours for it to dry, and I don't want to start my day at work still in clips!

[Hotrox]

Hello

Thanks for the little diagram Domino Its EXACTLY what I am aiming for.

:cutting and pasting image to PC:

I am lucky to have a good curly haired hair dresser, who when she cut my layers last time mentioned about 'rounding them off' so they will grow into a better shape..... perhaps she understand the mystical U shaped layers. Fingers crossed.

[Hotrox]

BTW: I hope I qualify as a Squiggly

I get the changing direction half way curls, occasionally ones that are kind of square in the middle, and just general shooting out at right angles kind of things........ :eyebrows:

[goldenoak]

BTW: I hope I qualify as a Squiggly

I get the changing direction half way curls, occasionally ones that are kind of square in the middle, and just general shooting out at right angles kind of things........ :eyebrows:

Hotrox, your squiggles sound just like mine! :)

I've found that the hair framing my face has a stronger curl-factor than the hair at the back of my head. I tend to have larger chunks of curl back there and little squigglies around my face.

[proo]

My sisters, mom and i all have what we call the curly mohawk, a chunk of hair right down the middle that is squiggly, wonky, curly and just sheesh! The rest of the hair is fairly smooth and wavy. It's a constant challenge to say the least.

[cmnt831]

"Squiggly" - perfect! My hair was also a very solid 3a when it was shorter. Now that it's at waist length, the curls have gone squiggly. Some are more wavy, some are weak spirals and there's no definite pattern as to which way they go. Since it's so hot here, I'm wearing it up every day and it doesn't bother me, but I'm wondering what it's going to look like in a few months with more length. It just looks kind of weird at this point. :D Oh, and the under layer is much straighter than the top.... But, I'm learning to embrace the squiggliness in order to have some length. ;)

[goldenoak]

Speaking of squigglies... does anyone have photos of updos that take advantage of the squigglies? I'd think you could do some pretty things with mostly-up but with the ends loose for a cascade of loose squiggles.

(I've still got a ways to go before I have enough length to do that, but it's nice to dream!)

[Domino]

I'm sorry to say that there are no updo's that I can think of, but I really want to ask a question.

I honestly cannot style my hair! When it's wet it's all stick straight and in the form of one big clump that I cannot apply anything to it. I don't like leave ins or curl cremes because they give me acne but I love gels and used to get great curls when shorter. I want my squigglies to look decent and styled at least. I cannot rake because it breaks up clumps, can't scrunch because I cannot distribute product that way, cannot comb through product because it makes the hair go wonky.

Anyone have a solution??

ETA: Maybe a peacock twist...?

[goldenoak]

I'm sorry to say that there are no updo's that I can think of, but I really want to ask a question.

I honestly cannot style my hair! When it's wet it's all stick straight and in the form of one big clump that I cannot apply anything to it. I don't like leave ins or curl cremes because they give me acne but I love gels and used to get great curls when shorter. I want my squigglies to look decent and styled at least. I cannot rake because it breaks up clumps, can't scrunch because I cannot distribute product that way, cannot comb through product because it makes the hair go wonky.

Anyone have a solution??

ETA: Maybe a peacock twist...?

Your curls look beautiful in your avatar photo, for what it's worth. :)

How does your hair go wonky after combing through product? I've recently been working in product when my hair is still very wet, and then encouraging the hair back into cohesion with my fingers so that it re-forms into that wet proto-curl stage rather than poofing out into individual strands as it dries. Depending on the consistency of your gel, you could even pop your head back under running water for a second or two after applying it. (This wouldn't work with what I use, but a thicker gel might be able to handle it)

I've had the same problem with scrunching-in product, never understood how that was supposed to get the product where it needed to be. And raking or combing product at towel-dry or drier makes things go all over the place.

Also, I googled peacock twist, and yes, I'll have to try that! Thanks for the tip! :)

[Hotrox]

I do a light rake with get when my hair is very wet and then kind of grab a few sections and give them a light twist around my finger, it seems to help define them and stop them poofing outwards and upwards.....

[mneh]

I'm sorry to say that there are no updo's that I can think of, but I really want to ask a question.

I honestly cannot style my hair! When it's wet it's all stick straight and in the form of one big clump that I cannot apply anything to it. I don't like leave ins or curl cremes because they give me acne but I love gels and used to get great curls when shorter. I want my squigglies to look decent and styled at least. I cannot rake because it breaks up clumps, can't scrunch because I cannot distribute product that way, cannot comb through product because it makes the hair go wonky.

Anyone have a solution??

ETA: Maybe a peacock twist...?

The way you describe your hair's behaviour when wet sounds like mine when it's wet. My hair is stick straight when wet and only starts to show some wave when it's drying. Over the last few months I've learned that my hair doesn't like plopping or scrunching, or various other things that curly hair seems to like. I've worked out a routine that works for me, so I thought you might find it useful too :)

I style mine as follows:


I co-wash it and, with the conditioner still in it, I detangle it and get my parting where I want it, with a wide tooth comb. Combing the hair before rinsing means I remove all the tangles which then allows my hair to form into natural clumps when it's rinsed, and I can later apply styling products without having to rake through my hair to remove tangles which again protects my waves/ clumps.

After detangling, I rinse it gently but thoroughly, all with my head vertical to keep the hair in place for styling.

I also give my hair a final rinse of ACV and cool water, it makes it shiny and more manageable.

Before I get out of the shower, I give the hair below my ears a gentle squeeze to remove excess water, I don't twist it or do anything that would break up the clumps. Then I put a towel around my shoulders and let the hair sit on it to drip dry for about 10-15 mins while I tidy up the bathroom etc. I use a microfibre towel rather than a terrycloth towel.

When my hair has dripped onto the towel for a bit, I use the towel to give the hair below my ears a gentle squeeze to remove water.

My hair doesn't seem to like styling creams, so I use products of gel-consistency. The two products I use are AO Mandarin Magic Jelly, and AO B5 Styling Gel with added leave-in conditioner. My hair really likes these two products because they're light but they provide good hold and frizz control.

I apply the Mandarin Jelly first, I put a €1 - €2 coin sized blob in my hand, rub my hands together, and then smooth the gel over my hair - concentrating on the hair from my ears downwards. I don't rake it in because I don't want to break up clumps and waves, I just smooth it on the hair and lift up layers carefully to get product onto all of my hair. It takes a bit of patience but it's worth it. I then do the same with the B5 styling gel, but I use two of the blobs (one for each side of my hair).

When I've smoothed the gel over my hair, I take my hands and cup them together, tilt my head gently to the side and use the cupped hands to gently lift and fold the hair up to my scalp - this helps the waves to form and unlike scrunching it doesn't break them up. I do that for both sides of my hair and then I leave it alone to settle for about 5 mins.

If I'm air drying the hair, I put duckbill clips along my parting to lift up the top layer of hair and prevent the weight of the wet hair giving me flat top. However, if I'm diffusing my hair, I don't bother with that because the hair dries quickly enough for the top not to go flat.

When I'm diffusing my hair, I hold the diffuser horizontally against my hair to help my clumps/waves to set. I don't try holding the diffuser vertically until the gel in my hair has gone hard. Once the gel sets, I can tilt my head to the side and gently pile the hair into the diffuser and hold it to my scalp. I don't diffuse for more than about 10-15 mins as I don't want my hair to get frizzy.

When my hair is dry, I break up the gel-cast on the hair by putting some jojoba oil on my palms and then forming the hair into a ponytail with my hands. I gently squeeze the length of the ponytail with one hand while holding the hair with the other, and then swap them to make sure of even oil distribution. When I don't have as much oil on my palms, I gently run my hands along the scalp hair, while still holding it in a ponytail with one hand, this breaks up the gel on the scalp hair but doesn't make it too oily.

Then I leave my hair alone for 10-15 minutes, to allow it to swell to its natural state and become less straggly-looking, and only then do I try to do any sort of half-ups or updos.


I hope you find this rambling info helpful :D