It's Funny Flippy Things Time Again!

[HairFaerie]

Yes, that's right, you heard me correctly.

It's time again for those funny, flippy things!

Let me explain. My last go around at attempting to grow BSL hair, I encountered an impasse. I have wavy hair which isn't evident until it gets to almost shoulder. (I am sure they call that "flip length" for a reason!) Then after APL, the wave pattern is actually pretty nice and looks good. Last time, I got to a little past shoulder and the funny flippy things were just absolutely driving me crazy!

I got a pixie.

Now, my hair is growing pretty rapidly and I am quickly approaching shoulder again. My wave pattern in starting to make its presence know, unfortunately in the form of those pesky, funny, flippy things!

Aside from blow drying and/or heat styling, I don't know what to do with them! I could let them just do their own thing and wait it out until APL...that would be the best solution.

Anybody have a similar situation and any ideas to help me get through this stage?

Thanks in advance! :D

[Joribear]

What's your normal hair care routine? Have you checked out the CG method? I ask because I used to think I just had slightly wavey hair, but after doing the CG method for a month, I'm seeing more and more curls.

Would you be happier if the flips were curls? :D If not, I would imagine with shoulder length hair, you should at least be able to pull off a cute peacock twist!

[celebriangel]

Here is definitely the place for the "put it up and forget about it" advice.

Seriously, it's good advice. Learn how to do a french twist (there's videos on youtube, and you can do them with just a fork/pair of sticks/comb, no need for loads of bobby pins) and put your hair up every morning - as a bonus you'll look sleek and elegant. Maybe join one of the updo challenges - you need enough hair to keep to the challenge!

[HairFaerie]

What's your normal hair care routine? Have you checked out the CG method? I ask because I used to think I just had slightly wavey hair, but after doing the CG method for a month, I'm seeing more and more curls.

Would you be happier if the flips were curls? :D If not, I would imagine with shoulder length hair, you should at least be able to pull off a cute peacock twist!

I would be OK with curls, yes! I looked at some of the threads on the CG method and I almost bought the book on my iPad....but I didn't. Maybe I will!

[silverstars]

I had problems at this stage too. I tried to put it up and forget about it until it was at a length where it could stay down my back and not come forward into my face.

[Joribear]

I would be OK with curls, yes! I looked at some of the threads on the CG method and I almost bought the book on my iPad....but I didn't. Maybe I will!

I finally broke down & bought it. I haven't succumbed to buying any of her products (yet), but the change in my hair has been phenomenal! Co-workers have gotten on the CG train, just because of the results they've seen with my hair. My sister even asked me if I had gotten a perm recently!

Here's a "before CG" shot:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b301/Joribear/Hair/DSCN1458-2.jpg

And after a month (this was just washed {clarified} & conditioned, no gels or anything):

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b301/Joribear/Hair/0626111326.jpg

[chahuahuas]

I would be OK with curls, yes! I looked at some of the threads on the CG method and I almost bought the book on my iPad....but I didn't. Maybe I will!

Don't just buy the book on ipad, buy the hard copy! The hard copy comes with a DVD with videos on updos and other things. I plan on taking mine to the drugstore as a reference when I'm looking through ingredients of products. (the CG book has lists of what ingredients are harmful.) Also, you can loan this book out to people! (Family members with similar hair types? Friends? Coworkers who ask OHMYGOD HOW DID YOU DO THAT TO YOUR HAIR?!) As a reformed CG, I feel responsible for spreading the word to other curlies and wavies!

Even if you don't like the exact CG method, it the book sooo much quality information on hair. Like, even alot of straight-haired girls like co-washing (and sometimes with no-cone.) Also, it has recipes for homemade hair treatments!

[spidermom]

There's pulling back and twisting parallel sections, then clipping down with pretty hair pins or clips.

[delsh]

I always just let mine go. I'm of the opinion that as soon as they have a bit more length, the flips will become waves and curve the other way, lying nicely. So it's just a matter of letting them grow! :smile: Before you know it the flips you have now will lie nicely and new pieces will start flipping! That's wavy hair for you :laugh:

[chahuahuas]

There's pulling back and twisting parallel sections, then clipping down with pretty hair pins or clips.

Seconded. I looove pretty bobby pins and barrettes. I have tons of bobby pins from my sister that have roses, pears, rhinestones, etc on the ends. And my barrettes are fun too! I love the effect I get from making impromptu half-ups styles with a bunch of randomly placed hair pins :D

Sometimes I'll just take bobby pins and pin back random pieces of my hair, i turns out really cute IMO. If I pin it correctly, I can get some "poof" under it with no teasing or backcombing or anything.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=8220&pictureid=107278 In this picture, I didn't use a single hairspray or other product, I just pinned up my hair with bobby pins! (it was 'dirty', meaning I hadn't washed it in a bit, which helped it to hold for volume.) Same as in this one (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=8220&pictureid=107268) and this one (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=8220&pictureid=107269). I'm a bobby pins lover, what can I say? :o


Also, accent braids are SO trendy right now, and you definitely have enough hair for it! Here's some examples (http://www.glamour.com/beauty/blogs/girls-in-the-beauty-department/2009/04/lauren-conrads-braids-we-over.html) :) (and to answer that article, no, I DONT think they're out of style. I still see them all the time, and it's been 2 years since that article!)

(btw, I pulled some of this from a post I recently placed on this updos-for-short-hair (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=66644&page=4) thread.)

[growingpains]

I second what people are saying about trying CG. My first thought when I read your post and looked at your profile pic is how easily you could create carefree, sexy wurlies with the right handling (and possibly a little product).

Do you brush your hair as it dries? As someone with a similar hair type I can tell you that I find if I brush my hair during the drying process or when dry it pulls out my waves. When I want wurlier hair I don't brush (except to comb to detangle in the shower). Then I scrunch it as it dries. Sometimes I twirl sections then scrunch to hep them along. Once dry, no touching! It pulls out the curl. Creating curlier hair often works better with really moist hair, so CO is great for that.

Alternately, you can stay with the straighter look and just pin the sides off your face so they don't bug you. You could also try doing one of those cute little front accent braids to pull the hair away from your face. I personally find when my hair is pulled back a bit it catches my attention less often therefore less chance of annoyance!

ETA: you could also try straightening by wrapping if you have a bit of extra time?

Good luck!

[battles]

I just have one giant flip at the bottom, and I'm hovering right above shoulder. :p I'm keeping my hair up as much as possible, maybe I'll forget all about it until I get past this stage. ;)

[HairFaerie]

Wow, Joribear! What a difference! Very beautiful defined curls!

OK, I might get the book with DVD right now!

Do you think the CG method will make a difference with my shorter hair or will I start seeing the fruits of it when it is longer?

[chahuahuas]

Wow, Joribear! What a difference! Very beautiful defined curls!

OK, I might get the book with DVD right now!

Do you think the CG method will make a difference with my shorter hair or will I start seeing the fruits of it when it is longer?

I definitely think you'll see a difference now. The CG method makes hair healthier, and it defines & encourages waves & curls. But if you have wavy hair, you'll probably see more of a difference when it's longer, since the waves are really just very loose curls. When it get's longer, the waves will have a chance to turn their full rotation, making a very large, loosened sort of curl.