Tips on limiting manipulation?

[Rainbouu]

Do you ever have a day like this? You're in a rush to get to work, so you just quickly braid your hair. But it won't cooperate, even though yesterday you could do a perfect braid, now it's too tight and the sections are uneven. Fine, you say, giving up on the braid, I'll do a lazy wrap bun. But somehow your hairstick has decided it doesn't like your hair anymore and it needs sone space. Okay, you say desperately, I'll use a claw. You put it in and it sags and pulls on your scalp. Defeated, you leave your hair down, thinking "I'll put it up later on break at work.".

You manage to put it in a bun, but after work, you want to go to the gym, and this bun won't hold up bouncing on the treadmill, so you take it down and braid it. You work out, and are all sweaty, so you go to wash it. Each time you've had to adjust your hair, you've had to fingercomb a little or use a brush. After washing, you brush again. Then you braid it again for bed, or maybe you just give up and go to bed with it loose. Then the cat chews on your hair, steps on it, dbf rolls over onto it. A long night before the cycle repeats.

By the end of all this, my hair seems very tired to me. For a long time, me and my hair were living in harmony! There will always be short periods like this, but after a week, I'm feeling just as exhausted as my hair. I don't know what changed, maybe it's just that it's getting longer, truly, than it has been in a decade and I'm not used to it. Basically, I feel like my hair is always in the crossfire, and always getting manipulated which I know is bad.

I'm sorry for the long rant, but I'm feeling frustrated and I need advice. It's hard to forget it and let it grow when you have a bad spell like this. I've finally gotten regular with the gym, going 4 to 5 days a week, but the sweat and activity is a problem for my hair.

What I'm gonna try to improve is do scalp only washes after the gym to try to limit handling of my length, and decrease the time I'm worrying over my hair. I'm going to have a 1-1-1 rule. Brush once a day, bun once a day for work, braid once a day for gym and bed. Otherwise my hands are always on my hair.

Any cardio proof buns that won't work themselves loose would be great, so I dont have to change hairstyles....I have sport flexis but it's been a little bit of a learning curve for me as the extra is a little too loose for a bun for me and the medium is a little too tight to be comfortable with a lazy wrap bun.

[Chromis]

I find different styles worked better for me at different milestones. Lazy Wrap Buns worked great at knee and then stopped working a few inches past it for example. Nautilus though still work great and braided nautilus is my fav for heavy workouts. I don't wash mine after working out though, I'd never have dry hair

For daily wear, my advice is to play around with some different styles and hairtools on low stakes days and find one that works flawlessly like 95% of the time, so when you just don't feel like messing around, you can reliably put it up and go. For me that is a log roll held with a large Ficcare Maximus. If I braid my hair in the morning or afternoon, that becomes my sleep braid too. I'd go nuts having the redo it twice a day! If you want the most bombproof ever, for me that's been the Modified Elling Woman, but I don't do it as often since it takes more concentration.

[Rainbouu]

The real problem is I have fine mbl hair that compresses a lot, easily. So I just became able to do a lazy wrap easily. I'm trying to experiment with a nautilus but I've never been able to figure it out before. Braided buns compress so much that they're just little nubs that are hard to secure to my head with a hairstick. Point is, my hair is "long" but not very long, it's not even quite wl so...I wish it was longer, it seems I'd have more options.

[Chromis]

I only discovered updos when I joined LHC, but I was already at BSL by then. We have some great megathreads sorted by length that should give you some ideas though and I know there are some other fine-haired folk in them!

I wonder if a crown braid might work for you as a workout style? That is one where it is a bit easier for fine hair to get really tidy and they look incredible. I don't think I've been able to do one since waist. I know French Twists are another than seem to be easier at shorter lengths and with more compressible hair. The best I ever got looked more like an alien bump than a sleek business style haha

The grass is always greener for hairstyles! There are many that require long long hair, it's true, but on the flip side, there are also lots I can't do anymore.

And sometimes it's just the tool. Thin hair sticks are currently right out (literally - they self eject) for me but super thick ones are great. At other lengths though, the super thick ones just unravelled and fell out. Hair forks are another thing to try and for you the light metal ones might be the ticket. I'm blanking on the name but there are two vendors I can think of one in Eugene and one in Portland....lemme search. Here's one: https://www.etsy.com/shop/northwestgoods/?etsrc=sdt I used to buy theirs at the Corvallis farmer's market and a different family member had a booth at the Portland one, might have been Brooke: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/oregonjewelry That said, that was over two decades ago, so I don't know if they still do the markets! It looks like NWGoods is pretty active on FB and Instagram still and they do some local fairs. I don't know where in the Pacific Northwet you are, but I figured I'd mention them since being able to try things out is so helpful! The forks held well for me until my hair got too heavy and ditto for the slides. The slides in particular are what I thought of for you since you might be able to find one that fills that gap between flexi sizes! The only other one I can think of in your region isn't on Etsy anymore, but he was kind of jerk anyhow.

[Chromis]

I only discovered updos when I joined LHC, but I was already at BSL by then. We have some great megathreads sorted by length that should give you some ideas though and I know there are some other fine-haired folk in them!

I wonder if a crown braid might work for you as a workout style? That is one where it is a bit easier for fine hair to get really tidy and they look incredible. I don't think I've been able to do one since waist. I know French Twists are another than seem to be easier at shorter lengths and with more compressible hair. The best I ever got looked more like an alien bump than a sleek business style haha

The grass is always greener for hairstyles! There are many that require long long hair, it's true, but on the flip side, there are also lots I can't do anymore.

And sometimes it's just the tool. Thin hair sticks are currently right out (literally - they self eject) for me but super thick ones are great. At other lengths though, the super thick ones just unravelled and fell out. Hair forks are another thing to try and for you the light metal ones might be the ticket. I'm blanking on the name but there are two vendors I can think of one in Eugene and one in Portland....lemme search. Here's one: https://www.etsy.com/shop/northwestgoods/?etsrc=sdt I used to buy theirs at the Corvallis farmer's market and a different family member had a booth at the Portland one, might have been Brooke: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/oregonjewelry That said, that was over two decades ago, so I don't know if they still do the markets! It looks like NWGoods is pretty active on FB and Instagram still and they do some local fairs. I don't know where in the Pacific Northwet you are, but I figured I'd mention them since being able to try things out is so helpful! The forks held well for me until my hair got too heavy and ditto for the slides. The slides in particular are what I thought of for you since you might be able to find one that fills that gap between flexi sizes! The only other one I can think of in your region isn't on Etsy anymore, but he was kind of jerk anyhow.

[Rainbouu]

I only discovered updos when I joined LHC, but I was already at BSL by then. We have some great megathreads sorted by length that should give you some ideas though and I know there are some other fine-haired folk in them!

I wonder if a crown braid might work for you as a workout style? That is one where it is a bit easier for fine hair to get really tidy and they look incredible. I don't think I've been able to do one since waist. I know French Twists are another than seem to be easier at shorter lengths and with more compressible hair. The best I ever got looked more like an alien bump than a sleek business style haha

The grass is always greener for hairstyles! There are many that require long long hair, it's true, but on the flip side, there are also lots I can't do anymore.

And sometimes it's just the tool. Thin hair sticks are currently right out (literally - they self eject) for me but super thick ones are great. At other lengths though, the super thick ones just unravelled and fell out. Hair forks are another thing to try and for you the light metal ones might be the ticket. I'm blanking on the name but there are two vendors I can think of one in Eugene and one in Portland....lemme search. Here's one: https://www.etsy.com/shop/northwestgoods/?etsrc=sdt I used to buy theirs at the Corvallis farmer's market and a different family member had a booth at the Portland one, might have been Brooke: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/oregonjewelry That said, that was over two decades ago, so I don't know if they still do the markets! It looks like NWGoods is pretty active on FB and Instagram still and they do some local fairs. I don't know where in the Pacific Northwet you are, but I figured I'd mention them since being able to try things out is so helpful! The forks held well for me until my hair got too heavy and ditto for the slides. The slides in particular are what I thought of for you since you might be able to find one that fills that gap between flexi sizes! The only other one I can think of in your region isn't on Etsy anymore, but he was kind of jerk anyhow.

Oh my gosh, you're so sweet, even recommending local vendors! <3 Yeah these guys aren't too far from me. I seem to have had bad luck at Saturday markets for hair toys, but I work weekends so I can rarely go to most markets.

Anyway yes, the grass is always greener. I love Heidi/milkmaid braids for their security, but lately all the pins have been giving me headaches. Which is odd because for so long they didn't. So I should look into different variants and by length styles...I have found some good video tutorials on shorter hair as examples too hrm...

Ive also started to really consider looking into hair taping at this point because I hear it's so gentle.

[Lady Stardust]

I think my hair is quite similar to yours Rainbouu, in that it compacts a lot, it’s slippery, 2” circumference, and it’s often uncomfortable to wear a bun, because I’m prone to migraines.

There are a couple of things that have helped. If I can wear a headscarf, Rosie the Riveter style, I find that supports the bun and makes it more comfortable. I can only wear that with a fork with head curve, or with tiny upins. I often cover my hair to protect it sun and wind, but it has the added bonus of being a comfy style.

If I’m not wearing a scarf, the most secure and comfortable hair accessories, by far, are spiral sticks by ReDoodle (neko_kawaii). There’s a thread about her Etsy shop, I’ve linked to a page where I’ve posted photos. My hair was a little bit thicker then, I think, maybe 2.5”
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com...128242&page=15

I often wear double plaits if I’m going to the gym, mainly because I need to lay my head flat on the ground or against equipment. I use the technique where you don’t separate the sections as you plait them, so they form a plait from the bottom up. Eventually you can’t plait any further and and you thread the end through the gap that’s left. I figure that lowers manipulation a little bit, because there isn’t a braid end to rub on my hair.

[Shorty89]

I definitely have days like this, often with freshly washed hair.

[Rainbouu]

I often wear double plaits if I’m going to the gym, mainly because I need to lay my head flat on the ground or against equipment. I use the technique where you don’t separate the sections as you plait them, so they form a plait from the bottom up. Eventually you can’t plait any further and and you thread the end through the gap that’s left. I figure that lowers manipulation a little bit, because there isn’t a braid end to rub on my hair.

I think I've seen this method before, but does it have a name?? I need to try and find sone video tutorials and follow along.

And I'm definitely trying to find some hair scarves I like to play around with. I struggle a little because my tastes are really plain, it's difficult for me to justify "accessorizing" for some reason. All my friends are always trying to tell me how cute different things I try are but I never listen.

I definitely have days like this, often with freshly washed hair.

Those are the worst days for buns I agree, I can usually do a braid while my hair is sticky from my leave in at least

[Albact]

When I know I won't have time to fix my hair in the morning, I do two Dutch braids the night before. But if your braids tend to get messy overnight and that doesn’t work for you, you can try doing a quick braid in the morning instead. And then you can use the braid itself to hide any imperfections.

I simply pull up the tail of the braid and hide the ends and the hair tie. I pass the stick through the strands of the braid and I don't feel any tension. I use t-shaped sticks or a French pin to prevent it from slipping and falling out of my hair.

I love the single braid because it doesn't feel tight at all, but sometimes I don't have the time to do it well before leaving the house, so I just hide my mistakes like this. And if the three strands are very uneven, I simply redistribute the hair at the end. The braid will not come undone and will have the three strands of the same size.

I hope you understood me, I'll leave you two photos so you can see how it looks:
[IMG] [/IMG]

And for doing sport, what works best for me is to leave the braid down. It is impossible for me to do sports with a bun, a claw clip, hairpins, etc.

Although my favourite hairstyle for when I don't have time is a slick back with a low bun, braid or whatever. Although I don't think it's good for the hair.