Newbie Question: Long Hair/Performing Onstage

[Bronan]

Hi gang,

I was having a little trouble trying to figure out how to fix this last night and stumbled upon this forum, so I figured I'd register and ask people who know their stuff. Bear with me, since this might come off as a bit dumb:

I'm a guy with shoulder-length hair and do stand-up. It can kind of be a bad distraction at times, especially after it's just been washed and is all billowy.

I'd like to find a way to keep it more under control (particularly to keep it out of my eyes), but without the use of a hat/ponytail/bun/scrunchie/whatever. I'd like for it to be inconspicuous, honestly.

I'm not very familiar with good pomades/etc. to be used on this length of hair since I had really, really short hair up until I finished growing it out a few months ago, so if there are any recommendations for that I'd appreciate it too.

Thank you all in advance!

[enfys]

If you just want to keep it out of your eyes, here's what I would do (assuming the front is at least chin length):

You know when you tuck your hair behind your ear, the top of your hair sort of falls over it? If you tuck your hair ike that, then use some bobby pins/kirby grips to hold it and allow the top hair to fall over it, you will look like you have just tucked it behind your ear but it will stay quite happily.

If your hair gets a bit flufy after washing, try a leave in conditioner or a tiny bit of oil (even olive oil from the kitchen) to help weigh it down, just on the last couple of inches.

Welcome to LHC :)

[aenflex]

So you don't want to use any type of device to secure the hair but would rather use product? Does the slick-backed look fit in with your image/persona on stage? :) If so than you can pretty much use anything out there to hold it back. Bed Head has a line of pomades and gels and waxes that my BF used and liked very much when his hair was longer.

[Bronan]

Haha, that's the problem, I don't want it to be TOO slicked-back looking (especially greasy). Just something to kinda hold it in place would be fine. The main advice I got from everyone else was just to keep looking forward, but that only worked for so long because everything just sort of shifted (stuff is thick. Also I like parentheses, apparently) and flopped right down in my eyes.

And thank you both for the prompt replies! I'll definitely steal a couple of bobby pins from my roommate and see how that works and scout out some decent product. Keep the recommendations coming!

[Amraann]

Pure Aloe gel.
Depending on the look you want you can dilute it a bit with water so as to not have that stiff look.

My husband swears by it. Although his hair is not long it is thick. One morning several years ago he ran out of gel. I had some pure aloe that I bought after joining LHC.
So I told him to use that. From that day on that is all he would use.


ETA: From what you described you could probably add a tiny bit of Aloe gel to damp hair and comb it out of your face and when it dries it should hold it from billowing in your face.

[luxepiggy]

Haha, that's the problem, I don't want it to be TOO slicked-back looking (especially greasy). Just something to kinda hold it in place would be fine. The main advice I got from everyone else was just to keep looking forward, but that only worked for so long because everything just sort of shifted (stuff is thick. Also I like parentheses, apparently) and flopped right down in my eyes.

And thank you both for the prompt replies! I'll definitely steal a couple of bobby pins from my roommate and see how that works and scout out some decent product. Keep the recommendations coming!

My ex used this - it's a matte finish, so it's not shiny. Sounds like it might be what you're looking for (^(oo)^)

http://www.folica.com/hair-care/pomades/tigi-b-for-men-matte-separation-workable-wax

[linda g]

For a non-product solution to the "hair in the eyes", maybe you could take the pieces you might tuck behind your ears, but fasten them together in a small ponytail that is hidden under the rest of your hair? So it just looks like tucked hair, and the ponytail is invisible.

[Intransigentia]

That's what I was going to suggest too. Or a half-up ponytail or braid pulled back very loosely and secured with a tie very close to your hair colour. I've also seen men pull off a low-starting, not-too-tight French braid (starts just about ear level) and still have it look pretty masculine.