Looking for quick, off-the-neck styles for WL hair, and other things.

[pseudosymphony]

Hey all,

My current style repertoire is limited to loose, ponytail, and English braid. This is extremely boring, and I would like to change it. Right now most of my hair is at waist, with a few longer layers at hip.

I'd really like to have my hair off my neck, both because of the heat and because I think those kinds of styles look much more refined.

I couldn't really figure out what my hair type is, so I'll just try to describe it. The individual strands are fine, and the overall density (from what I'm told) is somewhere between average and thick. My hair usually curls in loose ringlets, but it gets more and less curly as time goes on. It's curliest right after I wash it and then it straightens out during the week until I wash it again.

I was hoping that I could get recommendations for two or three quick go-to styles that don't take more than about 5 minutes. Any longer than that and I'll forget what I'm doing. I think hair sticks are super cool- something with them would be awesome. Where do you recommend I look to buy them?

I'm also curious what you all would recommend as far as brushes/combs for my type of hair. My hair tangles rather easily. I usually just fingercomb but I think that causes a lot of breakage. Boar bristle brush? Wide-toothed comb? Any brands you can recommend would be awesome.

Thanks a ton :cheese:

[julliams]

Welcome to the forum. Google the chopstick bun on youtube - this is my go-to bun and I have worn it from APL to just below waist. As for tangly hair there are some great brushes like the Tangle Teaser that work brilliantly for tangly hair. If you get alot of static, a wide tooth horn comb is brilliant. Best of luck.

[florenonite]

I'm not sure about the first classifier for your hair (you'd need to post a picture to identify that), but the second and third ones sound like F and ii/iii or iii. For the latter, measure the circumference of your ponytail. If it's less than 4" (10 cm), you're a ii, if it's more than 4", you're a iii, and if it's pretty close to 4", you're a ii/iii.

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_M_oSwRKfc) braided style is easy, secure, and keeps hair off the neck.

The split bun (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=159) was my go-to style at this length.

The infinity bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyc-1cT9_AE) was another favourite. I always found it got lopsided when I tried to do one coil on top of the other, but I can't find a tutorial for how I did it so I'll do my best to explain.

1) Pull your hair into a ponytail and twist all the way to the end.

2) Hold the tail in your right hand and plant your left thumb to the left of the base.

3) Pull the tail diagonally up to the right and plant your left forefinger below it. This finger should be to the right of the base.

4) Wrap the tail around your finger.

5) Lift your left thumb and pull the tail up to the left.

6) Plant your left thumb and bring the tail down around it.

7) Spread your thumb and forefinger to opposite sides to keep the loops around them and lift slightly.

8 ) Wrap the remaining tail around the base before replacing thumb and forefinger on the back of your head.

9) Secure with a hairstick piercing the right loop, going under the base, and exiting in the left loop.

[Panth]

Look in the articles section - there's masses of hairstyles (easy and not, for various lengths of hair).

Other than that, youtube is a good bet - I like torrinpaige's video tutorials.

EDIT: Also, if you typed your hair people would be better able to help you. You can find out how to do that here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=164 If you find it difficult to determine your curliness on your own, you can post a photo of your hair (when you've done the pre-typing stuff - clarifying, condition, air dry with minimal touching) and people here can help you do that bit.

[freckles]

I think the first hairstick bun I learned to do well/quickly, and that was easiest for me, was the lazy wrap bun. Takes a few practice runs to get right, and from then on you should be able to do it in less than a minute! There are lots of youtube tutorials, here is one of them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTt771qkO24

ETA: since you can do an English braid, another go-to of mine is folding an english braid up onto the head and pinning it. In a 'line', not a bun. It makes a change from buns sometimes. I find it easiest to hold either with a ficcarre, or with a lot of those mini claw clips.

[ladyfey]

chinese braided bun, quick, off the neck and super secure.

[Merewen]

I'll second the lazy wrap bun. It takes me about 15 seconds to do, and it stays secure all day.

[Madora]

Chinese braided bun tutorial on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrJYzX4cbXU

Hair brush recommendation: pure 100% boar bristle brush

Be sure you examine it before purchasing as all bbbs are not alike. Some have thicker, longer bristles, some thinner and shorter.

Also, there are varying degrees of stiffness (the stiffness will diminish with usage).

The shape of the brush can also play a part in how easy it is to use.

The handle should feel comfortable in your hand and there should be at least six rows of bristles. And be sure the brush is flat on the bottom and not round. A round brush is for short hair and will tangle your hair if used on long hair.

bbbs can be found at Walmart, Target and Sally's Beauty Supply stores. I've been using a bbb for over 40 years, with wonderful results.

[QMacrocarpa]

Some more good ideas here (http://www.prismnet.com/~cortese/hair/styling.html).

[bettylibertine]

We have around the same length of hair I believe..



This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_M_oSwRKfc) braided style is easy, secure, and keeps hair off the neck.

This style was my go to for a long time. Easy and super quick!

Although it takes a little more than five minutes (with practice I'm now able to get it done in about 10) my favourite is this (http://www.dreamweaverbraiding.com/braids/classic.htm) one.
Instead of dutch braids I usually do french (I'm a lot better at them :)) Otherwise I'll do the double braids and instead of just pinning them into the bun I'll put them into a chinese bun: Like this (http://www.youtube.com/user/ArrowOdenn#p/u/4/FlHhRqzmRpc) except french braids.
These styles do take a little bit more time, they hold all day (even with my layers) and look really pretty :D

Hope that helps - but sorry I couldn't give you any quicker suggestions :p

[Sunshineliz]

If you want to know where to buy hairtoys--there is a list of many places to get them here http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=307403#post307403 Some of the links are out of date, but a lot are good. You could also search etsy.com

[Panth]

Hair brush recommendation: pure 100% boar bristle brush

Be sure you examine it before purchasing as all bbbs are not alike. Some have thicker, longer bristles, some thinner and shorter.

Also, there are varying degrees of stiffness (the stiffness will diminish with usage).

The shape of the brush can also play a part in how easy it is to use.

The handle should feel comfortable in your hand and there should be at least six rows of bristles. And be sure the brush is flat on the bottom and not round. A round brush is for short hair and will tangle your hair if used on long hair.

bbbs can be found at Walmart, Target and Sally's Beauty Supply stores. I've been using a bbb for over 40 years, with wonderful results.

Just to add to this, as Madora didn't say (although she usually does) - a BBB is not for detangling. A BBB is only for 'polishing' the hair, for moving the sebum down the hair shaft and for applying oils. If you get one you would also need some sort of detangling device to use prior to using the BBB. For detangling, the most common tool is a wide-toothed comb (resin/plastic, horn or wood), although some people like to use tangle teasers (a special type of detangling brush). If you chose a comb, bear in mind that wooden and horn combs can be used on damp hair (if wiped dry immediately after using) but shouldn't be used on wet hair (e.g. in the shower) as it can damage them.