The HAIR Thread: Tips, tricks, and horror stories
I did a search and didn't find a thread like the one I wanted to post, so I decided I would put this out there. If there is a similar thread, my apologies.
I would have to say that since becoming a dancer, I've learned quite a bit more about hair: hair pills, deep conditioners, hair sprays, pomades, oils, hair color, et al.
I'm not a hair stylist and I'm sure I make mistakes, but there are some products and things I LOVE to do for my hair and I wanted to hear what you ladies (and men!) love to do for your hair type, or have heard and admired for other hair types.
It's rather appropriate since I'm sitting here at the computer waiting for my copper hair color to completely set before I wash it out and deep condition.
Here is my favorite hair product I've found this year:
http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Root-S...3197619&sr=8-1
(it's cheaper at Sally's or in the ethnic hair care section of the grocery store-- they even offer one use packets for a quarter of the price around $1.69 versus $6.99 bottle.)
This makes my newly bleached and colored hair feel so slippery soft and not the ratty mess that I've gotten used to feeling, especially since I make the repeated no-no of not sacrificing length to get rid of split ends (preferring to do it maybe 1/3 of the time, or individually cutting split ends.)
I've been turned onto the Hair Pudding ($5.99 for a jar) by the same brand and like it quite a bit, as was discussed in the "How do I get this hair" thread.
I've also gotten a Conair 1875 Ion Shine blow dryer for about $16. I'm cheap, and just needed a cheap blow dryer. I haven't noticed a difference one way or the other since I so rarely blow dry my hair.
My hair is about done so I'll add more to this later, but one thing that always surprises me about other dancers, is that so few use fake hair-- or they figure they need REALLY expensive hair in order for it to look good.
I shop at a Beauty Warehouse in one specific town when I travel and stock up for six months on hair and often shop the clearance section. I get the pony-tail clips of long wavy hair for about $16, take the clip out, and then bobby pin the flat cap onto the slightly ratted crown of my head, then I pin the hair at the front of my head over it after ratting it a little and pumping up the volume. I ALWAYS get compliments and when dancers ask me about my hair and I tell them, they often times want to see how i fix it in because it looks so natural (and this is in the bright lights of the locker room!)
I would MUCH rather fix in fake hair, be able to take it out at the end of the night, and not torture my hair with curlers and sprays (my hair is so bone straight it wouldn't hold a curl for an hour let alone a whole shift.)
The key though, is a slight wave in the fake hair (otherwise you have to be prepared to brush it out once an hour or two on shift to avoid rattiness) and having a slight variation of color unless your hair is EXACTLY color matched it it (which was SO easy when I had black hair. Now that I have red, I use a variegated red hair-piece.)
Now it's your turn!
Re: The HAIR Thread: Tips, tricks, and horror stories
I LOVE my clip-in extensions.... I did sew ins and even glue ins before... I didn't really like either one... but I saw that a bunch of girls had extensions, and they turned out to be clip ins which I'd actually never thought about... now I can take em out whenever, and then just pop em in and go... not to mention they are way cheaper (since I make my own) and last longer... they're good all around
Re: The HAIR Thread: Tips, tricks, and horror stories
I would love some instructions on how to make my own clip-in hair extensions!
Re: The HAIR Thread: Tips, tricks, and horror stories
^depends on the type you're looking to do. I know with the individual little clips, you buy good metal clips from a beauty store and buy a weft of hair in the length and style you like, and sew them in. You can either do a little clip and just cut the weft in an inch or so length, or you could take five or six inches of weft, and sew two to three clips along it. Rat hair slightly at the base, spray with hair spray if you're really worried about it falling out (more likely for short, straight hair), clip in, and throw in a couple bobby pins for good measure. I've always heard it recommended that, if you're going to go this route, to get human hair rather than synthetic, because you're going to all the trouble to sew them in which is a pain, and they'll last nearly forever this way.
As far as the clip-ins that I do, see these ponytail clips?
http://www.ultimatelooks.com/hairpie...haipieces1.htm
nearly all of them, if not all of them, are drawstring hair pieces, where the section of netting that the hair is attached to has it's ends around a drawstring, which is pulled tight, and then pieces of the netting are secured over the clips of the claw clip that attaches to your real-hair pony tail.
If you take out the drawstring, the netting relaxes to where it's almost flat. You can then cut this netting (being careful to part the hair so you'r just cutting netting and not the hair) and come up with fake hair that you're comfortable clipping in. Because I like it big and fake, I typically buy two ponytails, and then secure two of these netting pieces into my hair, one on top of the other, but the top one slightly forward. It typically takes about 15 or so bobby pins to secure it to where I'm comfortable, and then with the huge chunks of hair to the top and sides of my forehead I've held away from this process, I bobby pin it back over the top part of the fake hair. Or else I pull that hair back and secure a headband which keeps it out of my way and requires little to no product (because with bobby pinning, I put product in to avoid wisps falling out and getting in my face.)
However, you can use however much or little hair you want. I've taken these wefts before and cut them in half and used them to help me boost my hair in front when I've done geisha style hair or the type of pompadours seen in the early twentieth century, all the while using my real hair to cover the fake.
So there's lots of stuff you can do. Just buy a cheap pony wig and experiment at home to see what you're comfortable with. You can get human hair ones but I just don't see the point unless you're never in a rush getting ready and plan on taking excellent care of it.
Re: The HAIR Thread: Tips, tricks, and horror stories
For making clip ins there are some pretty good videos on you tube... def get the best quality hair you can bc you want them to last a while... Sally's has really good clips, and be sure to get a hook needle and hair thread to match your hair color
Re: The HAIR Thread: Tips, tricks, and horror stories
I've learned a lot on www.longhaircommunity.com. Since then, I've been hennaing, oiling and massaging my scalp for more lustrous hair growth.
Re: The HAIR Thread: Tips, tricks, and horror stories
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AriahsPariah
I've learned a lot on . Since then, I've been hennaing, oiling and massaging my scalp for more lustrous hair growth.
I joined them a little over a year ago. My hair has never been better. I stopped ripping my hair with brushes, I stopped combing when it was wet, I stopped washing ever day (I'm now down to once a week MAYBE), started wearing my hair up, started oiling and deep-conditioning, and started using henna (though I'm about to go back to chemical black dyes, indigo is too expensive for me).
Right, I also stopped straightening my hair or using any sort of heat, which had caused my beautiful hip-length hair to break to bra-strap length in less than 2 years. (I started straightening when I started dancing.) Before I started using heat, my hair was still growing despite all of the other horrible habits I had "caring" for it.
Seriously, kids, don't straighten your hair. Worst thing you can do for it. Oh, btw, if your hair is steaming, that's NOT a good thing. That's the water inside your hair boiling and pushing itself out through the cuticle!! Your hair will NOT be well-hydrated when you're done.