Clever Hair Tips and Tricks

[doodlesmart]

We all have little tips and tricks we use for managing our hair. What are yours?

I don't mean recipes or products, but things like, do you have a clever way of handling your hair getting in and out of the car, or perhaps a new way of washing your hair to minimize tangling?

I'll start with a couple of things I do that have made my life easier since I thought of them. I'm sure there are other people who do these as well.

I keep my wash day honey-oil treatment in a squirt bottle in the fridge. That way I don't have to try and paint it on, I just spray it on an hour before I wash and voila, no mess.

I also have a way of wrapping my hair up in my towel that I hadn't seen on the old boards. I take one of the long rectangular microfiber towels and place a narrow end on my head with the corners tucked behind my ears. Then I reach back and wrap the towel snugly around my length. I then bring the tail up and around like where a crown braid would go and I give it one twist over the whole length of my hair and bring it back around and tuck it in on the other side at the base of my head. The end result looks a lot like a turban-like thing. It will stay like that for up to half an hour so long as I'm not jumping and leaping around.

[getoffmyskittle]

When hair is down and needs to be out of the way quickly, tie it in a knot and tuck the ends under. It works just like a bun and stays up by itself, albeit temporarily.

[MadPirateBippy]

When I'm conditioning, either as a CO, CWC, or as a plain old WC, I pour it on starting below my ears, and then wrap it around the top of my head. With a little smooshing, it stays there, and I get conditioner on my roots just fine, and my hair it out of my way and does not tangle if I do this. Also, if I let my length with conditioner on it rest on my skin, I tend to get backne, which is NOT the point.

When I get in the car, I flip my hair to the inside so I won't pull my hair when I pull the seat belt, then flip it to the outside when I buckle it, so I won't buckle my hair in the latch.

Any time I'm wearing my hair down, I try to keep it flipped so it's going down my front not my back when I'm sitting. I noticed that the fabric on chairs snagged and wore my hair down something awful, so I work hard not to sit on my hair.

[sibylla]

While letting the condish work I use plastic hair pins (that I always have in the shower) to put the hair in a secured bun.

[Hypnotica]

I do a crown towel to dry my hair.

I take a towel and hang it from my shoulders, then let my hair hang down over the towel. Then I grab the bottom corners of the towel and fold it upwards, thus trapping the hair in the towel pocket. Then I twist the ends of the towels until the whole package reach my nape. Swing the ends up and let them meet in the front. Secure with a clip and Voila! A crown-towel!

[icydove]

Detangling under running water is almost as easy as when hair is loaded with conditioner.

A dab of shea butter is great for the frizzies.

Double-pointed knitting needles make wonderful hair pins when bent.

You can tell the difference between seamless and non-seamless combs.

1000-grit (automotive) sandpaper is great for buffing catches on hair toys (Dianyla gets credit for sharing this one).

[capelli lunghi]

I have one of those pump up oil sprayer things for cooking.. if I want a light oiling of EVOO, I take it, spread my hair out.. and do one spray of oil.. It makes it very easy to distribute. The pumper things are pretty cheap and might help with other oil mixtures that are too thick to use with a spray bottle.

[Kirin]

My hair can't handle conditioner very well, and is prone to static and some dryness without it. Most days its fine, but when it isn't, i run a teakettle to boiling, then turn the burner off, letting it steam on the warm burner for a while, works like magic.

[Anje]

I put on a shower cap after I've slathered my hair with conditioner. That way it doesn't get rinsed out and I don't get soap on my length while I wash me.

To dry, I just gather my hair in a low ponytail in my hands, then fold the length back over my head, rather than hanging my head upside down. Apply towel in the usual turban manner. I'll have to be past tailbone before my ends start hanging out this way.

Braids to be slept in or folded into some sort of updo don't need to be secured (though I don't take the band out if I'm wearing the day's braid to sleep). Just wet the ends and twist them together a little. They stay well enough.

Cats seem to like oils. Be forewarned.

[eccentricquirks]

Kittens, no matter what breed or creed, love to nest in long hair while you sleep. They also view hairtoys as theirtoys. Be forewarned. Consider a kerchief and a locked toybox as survival tools during this trying time. I kid thee not.

A lot of leave in condish is sold in pump containers these days. A single pump of your fave, plus filtered water in a 4 oz. spritz bottle = a really really great refresher for misting.

Take some asprin, crush them up, dissolve them in some water, and add to your shampoo, if you use. Instant acidic facial for your scalp that might actually help unclog folicles. Do not get in face or eyes - ouch.

A single spritz of perfume into your misting bottle will suffice for scent layering purposes where your hair is concerned.

Citric acid can be subbed in for ACV or white vinegar if the smell bothers you.

When French braiding someone else (and this is pat and old for those who are old hands at this), always pick up a section palm up and flip hand over, twisting the section, when you put it into action to get the tightest and longest lasting braid - this also keeps tendrils in check by twisting them to the inside of the braid.

Variety in hairstyles is excellent - do something different every day as it puts stress on different parts of your hair and scalp every day. Even twisting your french roll in alternate directions day to day helps.

Relax every day.

ETA - I've also started using a satin pillowcase. You wouldn't believe how much smoother and less tangled my hair is after a night on one of these things. And they are relatively cheap and easy to make if you can't find them in the stores to buy. They do not have to be silk or cotton to 'breathe' if you can't afford that kind of material - I've been using a synthetic blend, and it works out great. I still advise restraining the hair someway, but it'll be a lot easier to handle afterwards.

[Islandgrrl]

Everyone probably knows these but what the heck?

Fingercomb your hair from the bottom up - start a few inches up from the ends and detangle gently, then move upward. Same w/brushing & combing.

Long braids make lousy puppy pull-toys. Tuck them out of the way!

Put your henna into one of those little squeezie bottles for coloring your hair for quick and very specific root touch-ups! I imagine this would work well for application of scalp treatments, as well.

[Anje]

You can do a great job hennaing your roots using a condiment bottle, like you see in diners or at picnics for ketchup and mustard. The nozzle is a good size to minimize clogs.

ETA: Ooh, ooh, I have another one! Henna cubes!
If you want to do henna glosses every so often, one of the easiest things to do is make a decent-sized batch of henna and let it sit warm until the dye releases. Grease up an ice cube tray and put the henna, then freeze. Store them in a zip-top bag in the freezer until ready to use. Just be aware that freezing isn't good for indigo, so don't try this with that or with hendigo mixtures.

[Teacherbear]

If I am wearing my hair down (or I a half-up) and I go to the restroom, I tuck my hair into my shirt/top. I pull it out when I leave the stall.

I pull my hair out of the way before putting my purse on my shoulder (or pulling my seat belt around).

I put soap on my head, then put my head under the shower head for a half-second. Just enough to get it a little wetter to let the shampoo lather up a bit more.

When I use my Turbie twisty towel thingy, I don't flip my hair over my head. Instead, I pull my hair around my head/neck, bend forward, and let my hair fall into the end of the towel. When my hair was longer (and longer than the towel) I folded up my thin ends and doubled them up in the towel.

My hair is too thin to braid every night so I put 3 scrunchies on it (one at nape, then 2 more down the length). This adds some wave to my hair in the mornings.

I mist my hair in the mornings. I especially do this if I want a slick updo or if I'm going to wear my hair down (to get my natural wave pattern which I like better than my scrunchie wave pattern).

[Cinnamon Hair]

My hair is too long for a hair turban (Turbie Twist, Aquis Turban, etc) so I have to use it differently. Illustrated here (http://feline.home.mchsi.com/hairtowel/).

I sometimes use a paper towel or tissue to squeeze excess moisture out of my ends if they are dripping wet and I need to leave the house quickly.

Most people use a shower cap to keep their hair dry, but I use a shower cap to put up wet hair while conditioner is soaking in.

When sitting with loose hair I fold it in one hand then put the pile-o-hair either behind me, on one shoulder, or on a pillow I lean against if I'm on the couch.

[ari810]

Where's the best place to get Amish pins?

[jojo]

i wet a towel with hot water, squeeze it out and put it turban style on my freshly oiled hair and i tuck it under my coat collar if its cold!

[addikted]

Most people use a shower cap to keep their hair dry, but I use a shower cap to put up wet hair while conditioner is soaking in.


I do this too! Avoids conditioner being washed out too quickly

[Sorus]

I use a deposit only dye (Special Effects or Beyond the Zone) on my ends to get really vibrant colors. To keep them punchy I keep a condiment bottle in the shower that is conditioner + 1 squirt dye which gets used on the ends when I CO.

Adding conditioner to henna has been a lifesaver when it comes time to rinse it out.

When dyeing parts of my hair I heavily oil the rest so even if a bit of henna/dye gets fudged it won't take as well.

Saving shed hairs stuck to pieces of tape at one end is a convenient way to make strand-test tassels without having to try to rinse henna mud out of a hairball. Plus, the thin tassel are easier to keep taped into a notebook (if you're like me and are waaaaaay too organized about hair things).

ETA: When when I CWC in the shower I hold my ends out of the way when I wash the shampoo off my scalp. This way I can shampoo my scalp while COing my ends.

[wimsey]

To CO, instead of wetting my hair and then putting in conditioner, I fill an 8 oz treatment bottle from Sally's (like a condiment bottle with a cap with a long nozzle) half full of warm water. Then I fill the rest of the bottle with my CO conditioner. I mix well then apply first to my scalp, followed by a scalp massage, then to the length. I find this method a lot less messy.

I also mix in about a half teaspoon of citric acid for acidification and 2-3 drops of thyme EO. The thyme helps to keep my scalp smelling fresh longer.

[Flying Betty]

When sitting with loose hair I fold it in one hand then put the pile-o-hair either behind me, on one shoulder, or on a pillow I lean against if I'm on the couch.

I tend to brush my hair out from behind me when I sit down and then let it settle around one side, or if I'm at home I'll drape it over the top of the couch. The couch draping is also a convenient way of letting my hair dry without introducing the wrinkles that I get if it's pressed between my back and the couch. Though this one isn't as effective if you have a cat who likes to sit on the back of the couch and pounce on your hair.

[Teacherbear]

*bump* I am enjoying reading this thread

[rubyredslippers]

A way to get my 2 b/c hair to behave at a 2a/b level that I frequently employ is dividing it into pigtails and twsiting each fairly loosely, towards my face, folding it in half, and securing it with an ouchless covered elastic an inch or so below my earlobe. I leave it like this overnight (I shower before I sleep) and release and comb in the morning.

You can coil tighter for tighter almost-ringlets. It doesn't leave the bump that a single bun leaves in the back of your hair, though the waves are smaller.

[tiny_teesha]

This is an awesome thread!!!

Um to sort of dry up an oily sclap i used a blush brush to paint on some herb powder. It just makes your hair tangly - Make sure it if finely ground and the same colour as your hair and try not to get it on the scalp or you will get weird coloured scalp skin. This only works if you will wash it soon after the application. Its not a really god trick...but....moving on!

Put in loads of oil or shea before you braid to keep it looking slick. If it is still wet even add some aloe.

Bee butt buns give the best wurls....

I can't remember my really good tips...sorry! :(

[eezepeeze]

I just rediscovered this thread. Can we keep it going? I love reading everybody's tips.

Here's mine: To minimize the appearance of my gray roots coming in and stretch the time between coloring, I use a small brush to blend brown eyeshadow through my roots. Most of the time I don't mind my roots much, but sometimes I want to hide them. I just did this for a meeting and it worked great!

To get the last of the coconut oil from the bottom of the jar, I scraped it out with a hairstick, melted it, and poured it into an old loose powder makeup container.

[sibiryachka]

Oooh, I totally want to try that aspirin in the shampoo thing! I finally learned to mix up a full 32-oz bottle of vinegar solution to keep in the shower, so I don't have to remember to make it every time I wash. I'm embarrassed by how long it took me to do that.

[dayonea]

When I'm doing a deep oil treatment I put the oil (usually castor, I love it!!!) on my hair then stick a shower cap on for sleeping. It protects my bedding from getting yucky and stays better than cling wrap! When I wake in the morning I can just jump straight in the shower, remove the cap, wash and go:cheese:

[Henrietta]

I have found a way to lessen hair loss during washing-putting the condish. I wash my hair upside down, that's the key information here. So for those of you who do it too: instead of wash, rinse the shampoo, take your head up, comb (hair loss!) and put the condish it's better to put the condish when you still have your head upsite down, with just fingercombing. No combing mesna less hair loss. Clip it back/on the top, put the shower cap/towel and wait for the condish to soak. I used to comb my hair first and then put the condish which caused huge hair loss. Now it stopped:)

[lillylonghair]

This thread is so awesome! I love hearing tips,especially from ladies and gents with super long hair.

My one tip (that I can think of) is that I make my SMT in the bottle of conditioner. It makes application and mixing waay easier.

Also for girls with APL and above hair: Accessories are your friend!!!! This is stage where it's so easy to chop (espcially for chop-aholics:) So cute headbands,pins,and clips are going to help get through this stage.

[dfotw]

Great thread! :)

A tip: if you have trouble keeping your braiding straight after you've moved the braid from the back, over the shoulder, to the front to keep working on it, grab the strands as if you're going to keep braiding, but un-braid (undo the last 'bump') instead, and then braid it again: that'll tell your fingers which way you were going before, so you can continue the same way instead of getting those weird 'twists' you can get if you change direction mid-braid.

(wow, poorly explained tip is poorly explained! I hope this helps somewhat anyway... :o)

[Domino]

Great thread! :)

A tip: if you have trouble keeping your braiding straight after you've moved the braid from the back, over the shoulder, to the front to keep working on it, grab the strands as if you're going to keep braiding, but un-braid (undo the last 'bump') instead, and then braid it again: that'll tell your fingers which way you were going before, so you can continue the same way instead of getting those weird 'twists' you can get if you change direction mid-braid.

(wow, poorly explained tip is poorly explained! I hope this helps somewhat anyway... :o)

I thought only I did this!

My tip: Diluting shampoo in a bowl of water helps it cover all parts of your scalp, not just the canopy :)

[Heidi_234]

Child chopsticks make great hairsticks, since, unlike regular chopsticks, they are shorter and won't poke anybody's eye out. Plus - they are very affordable. :wink:

Regular chopsticks make great shower sticks, because they are made of bamboo, and don't go bad even if you shorten them and leave the wood exposed to water.

Best bun for hair-soaked-in-conditioner-while-I-finish-the-rest-of-my-shower-routine is loose Gibraltar like bun. I like to do the version that doesn't require to stick though the coils. :)

Putting shea butter or a mix of shea butter and coconut oil on my length before going to sleep results with soft well moisturized hair in the morning.

If I need to stretch the time between my full-length henna treatments, I do a henna quickie - only the visible roots of the part and the hair framing my face.

Mixing some EVOO into the conditioner I apply on my dry hair before washing (the DCO thing) cuts down on the amount of conditioner I use for that end.

Rope braids are great for S&D. :)

[sneakybea]

I thought of a couple! Firstly, when I condition my hair, the scalp of course needs a lot less condition than the ends. So after I shampoo, I grab my hair where I'd put a ponytail, and apply conditioner from there on down. Then, while my hands still have a film of conditioner on them, I rub them across my scalp, so it gets just the right amount of conditioner.

Also, if you're doing the style called, I think, the Caterpillar, or maybe Purplebubba's braid, I have a trick for placing the elastics evenly. I put on the first one, grab the ponytail just under the elastic and place the next one right where my hand ends. The elastics are thus placed a handwidth apart. Of course, if you have shorter hair or want the elastics closer together, this might not work for you, but perhaps you could use finger widths instead of your whole hand.

Finally, this isn't a tip for your hair, but it's useful anyhow. If you're going to be out in the sun and are wearing your hair up in a bun or some other style that exposes your neck, don't forget to put sunscreen there, too. I always do, and risk getting a funny looking sunburn; but by posting it here, maybe I'll start remembering!

[tinti]

I have a trick that's saving my ends for being damaged when I'm putting my purse on my shoulder. I'm just putting my hair in a fast messy bee butt and using my own hair as an elastic. I just take a strand from the side when I've tucked my ends under the bee butt and kind of lifting it carefully over the bun and then it stays . If you have one lenght hair/longer hair then me/allmost one lenght it'll stay all day, if you have layers like me it'll stay long enough to put your purse on your shoulder at least. if it's too loose or to tight you might not succeed so it's best to make it a middle thing.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

When i oil from ears down, i NEVER comb from scalp to ends; i always comb the area i oiled. That way i prevent oil from traveling up to the scalp and look greasy :)

[dropinthebucket]

Looked like it was going to take me forever to use up the big tub of coconut oil I bought. My hair only needs a little! So I melted it, added vitamin A and vitamin E from capsules, and then Omega 3-6-9 (fish oil), and re-poured back into the container. I use it as a home-made skin cream after ever shower or bath, and my hair seems to like the new formula, too. Think I'll get through the whole tub this way, and I haven't had to buy any other skin creams.

[lillylonghair]

For people that dye their hair: When color,it's always on a wash day and I coat my ends in EVOO. I end up not even having to shampoo and my color is super shiny!

[lapushka]

Not sure if this isn't already known.

This goes for all wavies, wurlies, curlies. Apply your styling products to wet hair (dripping wet to slightly towel dried), not hair that has already begun to dry or that has been in the towel for over 5 minutes. This avoids more frizz later on.

[hmmm]

This is such a great thread!

If you oil heavily before washing as I do, don't aim to remove all the oil from your hair. A little bit of it left in will make your hair a lot less frizzy and more shiny and smooth.

French rope braids don't hold up too well to a lot of physical activity during the day, but if you sleep in them with damp hair, you wake up with the most gorgeous waves!

[LouLaLa]

Take some asprin, crush them up, dissolve them in some water, and add to your shampoo, if you use. Instant acidic facial for your scalp that might actually help unclog folicles. Do not get in face or eyes - ouch.

This tip sounds amazing! I want to do an asprin mask and Id like to do my scalp as I have been COing for many weeks now but dont want to use shampoo (my hair just hates it)

Are there any specific tips for this? Should I mix it with some honey or coconut oil?

Thankyou :)

Oh and my contribution to the group since Im begging tips I feel I should try put something back in to the pot :p


I origionally came up with these for Henrietta but sock bun folks may enjoy these tips:

* Use hoisery as the "sock" as it will be very light weight and the static of the lycra should grab your hair better as well as being much lighter to hold
* When rolling, "you say youve rolled as much as you can", have you been rolling and pulling tight then rolling again at about 1/4 of the way though the rolling process? (I find this vital to get a tight bun)
* I would use a bobby pin after you have fully rolled to pin the bun into place.
* Try doing your hair in a high pony tail so that when the bun "drops" it dosent really matter too much!
*Make sure the pony tail from which you are working from is very flat, tight without hurting and sleek- if the foundation is wrong the bun wont work.
* Use a very fine hair elastic thats very fine to pull in all the slack hair after youve rolled the bun- I find this really useful when my hair isnt co-operating!)
* When trying to hide the colour of the sock and get hair all round the bun, dont use fingers to move it, use the palm of your hand and keep smoothing it with the palm, it works pretty well.
* Spritz hair with a little water or some sort of hair mist before you begin so that the hair "grabs" at the material more.
*Keep rolling and rolling if the bun is slack, there are usually two more rolls than you think.

[Igor]

Have some fine sandpaper somewhere (The single sheets) they’re a cheap and effective way of making sure things are hair friendly (Nail files can do too)

Don’t trust that something is hair friendly just because the packaging says so. A few quick swipes with the sand paper will make sure!

This one might be over in “hair obsession land” but I remove the neck-tags in my clothes. They don’t serve a purpose (I think I can figure out how to wash my clothes, thank you?!) and you scrape them over your head at least 4 times a day. It all adds up

Keep a nail file in your bag or purse. A broken nail is a sure way to rip and break hair and needs to be fixed quickly

Other tips? Hm. I have my base ponytail method, my basic braid method, “the ankylosaurus” and “SexySmurf” in my blog too :lol:

[Henrietta]

This tip sounds amazing! I want to do an asprin mask and Id like to do my scalp as I have been COing for many weeks now but dont want to use shampoo (my hair just hates it)

Are there any specific tips for this? Should I mix it with some honey or coconut oil?

Thankyou :)

Oh and my contribution to the group since Im begging tips I feel I should try put something back in to the pot :p


I origionally came up with these for Henrietta but sock bun folks may enjoy these tips:

* Use hoisery as the "sock" as it will be very light weight and the static of the lycra should grab your hair better as well as being much lighter to hold
* When rolling, "you say youve rolled as much as you can", have you been rolling and pulling tight then rolling again at about 1/4 of the way though the rolling process? (I find this vital to get a tight bun)
* I would use a bobby pin after you have fully rolled to pin the bun into place.
* Try doing your hair in a high pony tail so that when the bun "drops" it dosent really matter too much!
*Make sure the pony tail from which you are working from is very flat, tight without hurting and sleek- if the foundation is wrong the bun wont work.
* Use a very fine hair elastic thats very fine to pull in all the slack hair after youve rolled the bun- I find this really useful when my hair isnt co-operating!)
* When trying to hide the colour of the sock and get hair all round the bun, dont use fingers to move it, use the palm of your hand and keep smoothing it with the palm, it works pretty well.
* Spritz hair with a little water or some sort of hair mist before you begin so that the hair "grabs" at the material more.
*Keep rolling and rolling if the bun is slack, there are usually two more rolls than you think.

These tricks work. Trust me, people:) My sock bun has been staying on my head for 12 hours, still perfect! :) Thank you once again, LouLaLa :)

[LouLaLa]

These tricks work. Trust me, people:) My sock bun has been staying on my head for 12 hours, still perfect! :) Thank you once again, LouLaLa :)

Phew! Now lend me your hair :p Its so darned pretty you lucky lady!

[Henrietta]

Phew! Now lend me your hair Its so darned pretty you lucky lady!
Ok. I can lend it for a week. But you will borrow me yours! :)

Today I discovered something. When I was doing a cinnabun I used to wrap the hair around the base of the bun and in the same time I was twisting the strand of hair around itself. I ended up with mesy bun:D Today I did it in different way: first, I twisted the strand of hair as long as I could, which means almost to the end, I am only at BSL, and when I had it twisted already I started wrapping it around the base. Magic! Really! My twists are visible, like this hypnotising pattern, you know:) Tadaaa!

[Domino]

Today I discovered something. When I was doing a cinnabun I used to wrap the hair around the base of the bun and in the same time I was twisting the strand of hair around itself. I ended up with mesy bun:D Today I did it in different way: first, I twisted the strand of hair as long as I could, which means almost to the end, I am only at BSL, and when I had it twisted already I started wrapping it around the base. Magic! Really! My twists are visible, like this hypnotising pattern, you know:) Tadaaa!

I'm so going to try this! My cinnabuns always end up looking messy. Thanks for the tip!

ETA: It works!!! :cheese:

[Henrietta]

I'm so going to try this! My cinnabuns always end up looking messy. Thanks for the tip!

ETA: It works!!! :cheese:
I am so glad it works! :cheese:I was afraid that everyone knows that and I am the only person in TLHC who cannot make a cinnabun that looks like a cinnabun:D

[Yamainu]

I always had trouble doing cinnabuns, until I got this tip: twist the hair as tight as you can, but keep the COILS as loose as you can!

[Henrietta]

I always had trouble doing cinnabuns, until I got this tip: twist the hair as tight as you can, but keep the COILS as loose as you can!

It works too! Thaaanks! Plus, my bun lookg bigger=my hair looks thicker. Yaay!:)