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.