A few small problems, again.

[Orangerthanred]

It seems like my hair [and me] always have some sort of problem. :whistle:

Okay, first of all I hate the way my hair is cut. Layers everywhere, a v shaped hem, and shorter in the front. I'm trying to grow my hair longer before evening it out, but it's taking FOREVER and my hair grows a centimeter a month.

Second, it looks SO unflattering on me. I have a round, bony face. My thick, bulky hair makes my face look wider and hollower. I don't dare wear my hair up, because my face looks even worse in a ponytail. I haven't wore a ponytail at school in a year or two.

And my side bangs, which are very unflattering for my face, have grow to chin length but get split ends whenever I comb/brush them. I also have to straighten them by using big rollers, otherwise they are super frizzy and half wavy half straight from growing out my relaxer.

And lastly, I'm sick of braiding my hair at night to control it. It works, but I hate the wave pattern- it makes my hair look shorter. I need a different sleeping hairstyle that won't make my hair a short-looking mess, but will still make my hair flat and controlled in the morning.

[Orangerthanred]

Pics of my hair 'straight':


http://i44.tinypic.com/qovakp.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/2rf4uvk.jpg

yay for smilies? :cheese:

[katsrevenge]

Do-wrap. :)
When I had a much different haircut then I do now I used to flatten the long bangs I had along each side of my head and then wrap them in a do-rag to keep them there. It sapped their will to poof enough for my liking most of the time.

Or wrap your hair? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44v28PDKJus&feature=related and then wrap it up like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_diZUTjs00&feature=related


I've got a roundish head and a butt ton of hair too.. What looks very good on me at around that length is a peacock twist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4NrG3QbvuA Now I have a lot more hair it's more a Spartan's helm.. but it still looks awesome.

ETA: That is your bad hair??? It's lovely!

[coffinhert]

I do my hair in pin curls at night, I think your hair texture looks like it would take to them really nicely. Read up about it and get some loose bobby pins and maybe try it out? You just need a spritzer bottle of water.

And if you hate the layers, have you considered doing microtrims and avoiding salons? You can trim each bit of hair just at the bottom, and eventually the layers will disappear and you can do Faye's self trim method.

ETA: Instead of combing your side bangs, ahve you tried putting a drop of your favorite oil (eg coconut or olive) on your finger tips, running that on the last couple inches, then finger combing and smoothing your hair?

I think your hair texture looks really similar to mine, and I never brush my hair (except with a boar bristle brush to distribute oils, but not really to detangle). I only ever fingercomb and smooth my hair down with my fingers. I like to smooth it down while it's drying, kinda spiral it with my fingers. I find then I can shape it how I like.

[Orangerthanred]

Do-wrap. :)
When I had a much different haircut then I do now I used to flatten the long bangs I had along each side of my head and then wrap them in a do-rag to keep them there. It sapped their will to poof enough for my liking most of the time.

Or wrap your hair? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44v28PDKJus&feature=related and then wrap it up like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_diZUTjs00&feature=related


I've got a roundish head and a butt ton of hair too.. What looks very good on me at around that length is a peacock twist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4NrG3QbvuA Now I have a lot more hair it's more a Spartan's helm.. but it still looks awesome.

ETA: That is your bad hair??? It's lovely!

I could try to do-wrap thing. I don't have a do rag though.

Wraps don't work on me. I have too many layers, so the hair falls out with the slightest movement. Maybe if my hair was less layered.

[Orangerthanred]

I do my hair in pin curls at night, I think your hair texture looks like it would take to them really nicely. Read up about it and get some loose bobby pins and maybe try it out? You just need a spritzer bottle of water.

And if you hate the layers, have you considered doing microtrims and avoiding salons? You can trim each bit of hair just at the bottom, and eventually the layers will disappear and you can do Faye's self trim method.

ETA: Instead of combing your side bangs, ahve you tried putting a drop of your favorite oil (eg coconut or olive) on your finger tips, running that on the last couple inches, then finger combing and smoothing your hair?

I think your hair texture looks really similar to mine, and I never brush my hair (except with a boar bristle brush to distribute oils, but not really to detangle). I only ever fingercomb and smooth my hair down with my fingers. I like to smooth it down while it's drying, kinda spiral it with my fingers. I find then I can shape it how I like.

I've done pin curls before. They fall out fast and frizz my hair up. My hair is the sort the resists any type of styling- chemicals don't work, heat doesn't work, heatless styling takes forever and has bad results...

The texture in the pictures is not my real texture. My hair is relaxed and I am growing it out. In the picture I haven't washed it in 3 days, and it has been straightened with rollers.

The only oil I have is canola, and it's not good. I refuse to buy expensive oils off the internet. No store in my town has coconut oil, and only one has olive oil but it is 10 dollars.

Boar bristle brushes are evil to my hair. My hair turns into a cotton ball if I even touch it with a boar bristle brush, even if my hair is soaking wet. When my hair air dries, it's always a huge [x2 the size in my pic] damaged fluff ball that I must braid immediately to control.

[Freckled.Thing]

I don't think your hair looks a bad as you described it to be. From the first post I was imagining something really messy and blah looking but I think your hair looks lovely.
I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but I certainly hope you find something that makes you happier with your hair.

[katsrevenge]

All a do-rag really is is a folded kerchief or big square of cloth. You can even use a tshirt if you have one you don't wear. Cut it up one side and then straight across under the armpits to make a big hunk of cloth. You now have a do-rag.

The wrapping the hair is just a way to get your hair flat on the head before you cover it in a scarf, do-rag or even saran wrap (if you have a treatment in) and a cloth.

Hmmmm.... I think we may have had this discussion before? BBBs poof me too but I never use it to actually style my hair. My heads upside down half the time, lol.. and then I braid it up after adding some oil.

Since you have bad access to oils but apparently have access to an 'ethnic' hair care area I can suggest the following things.

Oh, I've used most of these myself. Not as leave ins but as deep conditioners!

Thing to note is ALL of these things will probably contain mineral oil. Once in a while you will have to use a clarifying shampoo (like once a week if you use this stuff a lot) and let you hair soak in some oil or at the very least a nice mermaid bath.( Mineral oil is a water barrier which is both good and bad. Good, it cuts frizz. Bad, over use of it will make your hair dry out.)

Softee Coconut Oil Hair & Scalp Conditioner. I liked it. There is mineral oil in it though.

Softee Indian Hemp Hair & Scalp Treatment and Softee Mango Butter Daily Hair Dress. It has petroleum in it but the other stuff is good. Just don't use it all the time.


Hair cholesterol. I had a big huge tub of it from some random place that I'd use in the shower. I don't think brand matters too much but if you can find it mineral and petroleum free get that instead.

Actually, you can try most of the 'treatment' stuff. It does work but just not as well or naturally as hair oil.

Speaking of oil... Africa's Best hair oil isn't too bad and makes for a decent hot oil treatment. I had to give mine away because it bothered my scalp issues but it did work well as a hot oil. It's in the ethnic section.

All of this stuff sells for around a buck.

I just discovered a brand (it's new at my local WM) called 'cantu'. I really liked their Shea butter grow strong leave in treatment. I can't use it as a leave in (its way too heavy) but as a pre wash leave in? Great stuff. Most of their stuff was around 4 bucks. They also have an oil blend and other treatments. I'm tempted.

Out of the 'ethnic area' you have Aussie 3 minute Miracle. Great stuff. My sis swears by Pantene and Tresseme shampoos and conditioner. She uses the damaged and color stuff. Very coney, but that works for her.

I use Garnier Triple nutrition. I heart it. I treat it like a leave in and rub it into my hair like you'd rub lotion into skin.

Other things to try. Shea butter. Good body lotion (made mostly with oils, shea butter, coca butter or other natural ingredients). Use as a leave in when updo'ing or let it soak in overnight or before a wash for at least an hour.

ETA: Have you considered a typing thread? Air dry your hair naturally so we can see it?

[Orangerthanred]

I can post a picture of my hair air-dried today. I'm taking a shower anyway.

[Madora]

As far as confining your hair at night, have you considered a snood?

Your hair would be confined and not subject to tangles. How it would look after you remove the snood I have no idea..but at least it would not have the braid waves that you dislike.

[joflakes]

No extra advice but I think your hair looks lovely.

[ktani]

I have wavy hair and sleep on satin acetate bedding. It lets my sleep with my hair loose and 0 problems.

[Nadiner]

I don't have any advice (yet) for how to treat your hair. I do understand how you feel however! i got a bob cut shorter at one side, and as it's grown out it's made a complete mess of my hemline. Also, my hair is just past my shoulders so I can do nothing with it. I also have a layered full fringe, which i can't cut great myself.

I thought your hair was lovely from your pictures however. It has a nice wave pattern and it seems very healthy and thick!

[JessL]

From your description I was expecting your hair to look awful but from the pictures I think it looks very nice. Maybe you are just tired of your cut and need a change?

For nite time how about a sock bun? My hair is not long enough to wear a sock bun out but it works fine for sleeping (you can see the sock through my hair but who cares its dark lol)

[Orangerthanred]

My hair is not healthy. I relaxed my hair twice. And my hair is thick in a bad way- it's twice as poofy and looks like three heads of hair after I wash it.

[shannonsun]

This might not be the happiest option for everyone, but I did a big chop to get rid of layers and I am a LOT happier.

In my hair album you can see the difference. I had past BSL layered hair. My hair is fine-ish but I have ten tons of it and I was a shapeless poofmonster at times too. I did a chop to above APL and my hair is blunt, layerless and a lot healthier.

I'm patiently waiting to gain my length back but the satisfaction of the blunt hemline makes it easier. My hair also dried in ten million messy directions when I had layers in, but now that it's all one length it dries naturally in a much smoother, organized way.

I know it's not for everyone but my chop left me short but happy. Here's to being BSL again by next Thanksgiving!!! :)

[jacqueline101]

I would get a micro trim if your layers are bugging you so they will grow out. Then try different bangs if you're not happy with side swept bangs. I'd try the advice and shopping list another lady posted and a snood could be good.

[Mairéad]

I also think your hair doesn't look nearly as bad as described. I actually find it quite lovely though I'm sure it will multiply after some of the damage and relaxed hair is done away with. Also, granted that your face is blurred, I think it looks more oval shaped. At the very least it's not extremely round.

Your hair and mine is very different so I don't think I have much to offer then keep up the hair care and get trims to help slowly take away the damage and even up the hemline. Hair is a project.

Even if you have trouble enjoying updos you may be to grow accustomed to using them for the utility. Even then, there has to be at least ONE updo that looks fantastic on you.

[newbeginning]

I'd love to have your "bad" hair. It looks great to me.

[NymphSpirit]

Aparently you're in "that step" in which the length is sucky and you feel like you have an electrified sponge on your head.... You may say that you don't like how your hair looks up because of the shape of your face, but be sincere, when your hair is long enough it wont frame your face, so you should either get a haircut that you think does frame it nicely, or be happy, pretend to be a victorian lady and wear it up proudly. The second is the one I'm working on right now :p

Hair may grow slowly, but time flies and soon you'll find yourself having the hair you've always dreamed of, so don't worry :)

[beccababesx]

STOP STRESSING AND ENJOY YOUR HAIR! It's absolutely beautiful. I can't remember who it is, but a member on this board has the best saying ever in her siggy: no matter how much you hate your hair, there is always someone who wishes they had it. So true!

[jesis]

I have this exact problem! My big waves make my face look wider than it is. I feel straight hair is so much more flattering on me. I just deal with it, though. It will be worth it in a few years.

I love your waves! They kind of remind me of mine. When I was growing my bangs out, I would put the same product in them that I put in the rest of my hair, then pin them to the side until the dried. They complied.

If you want some more tips, let me know! :)