Desperately need a new hairstyle!!!!

[Jennifer in MI]

Help me please? I have extremely thick hair. When I get hot at ALL, it just gets bigger and bigger. (Have any of you seen that Friends episode where Monica goes to the Caribbean? Yeah. THAT!)

 

I need help. I straighten my hair nearly every day. The SECOND I get hot, it gets big.

 

Is there a hairstyle that would work for me? I currently have it in a short bob. Every time I go in (every 6 weeks), I get it thinned a LOT! Seriously, with all the hair on the floor, you'd never know I have any left on my head!

 

I'd love a very short cut, but I don't have a pretty face. I'm not looking for sympathy here - really. I love the really short cuts, but those only look good on cute girls!

 

I'll look for a picture of me and post it in a little bit. But, I could use ideas/pictures NOW?!?!

[Jennifer in MI]

 

Okay. This is before I got hot. I like this.

 

 

That's e on the far right. It was, obviously HOT!!! See what I mean?

 

HELP!

[TravelingChris]

Well how do you want it? My youngest has very thick, very poofy hair, if she doesn't do things to it. She has shoulder length hair which she puts both non frizz conditioner and a type of gel to keep it from poofing out. We live in hot humidity so it can get very bad. But all the products she puts in keep it from being gigantic hair.

[Jennifer in MI]

Well how do you want it? My youngest has very thick, very poofy hair, if she doesn't do things to it. She has shoulder length hair which she puts both non frizz conditioner and a type of gel to keep it from poofing out. We live in hot humidity so it can get very bad. But all the products she puts in keep it from being gigantic hair.

 

I want it straight and pretty!!!! It starts out the day that way. Then it gets horrible an poofy.

 

So, I need more product? I'm good with that! What does she use? Honestly, I have a wonderful stylist. She never sees it poofy. Maybe I need to take in a picture! I use shampoo and a leave-in conditioner. I use a pre-straightening spray too. But, the second I step out into the heat, it poofs up! My stylist recommended an oil. I used it a few times, but it just looked like I hadn't washed my hair in a week!

 

My dd has the same issue. But, for now, as long as I french braid it every day, she's good! But we joke that she looks like a lion at the end of the day!

[Starr]

Nothing stops my hair from doing the pouf if there is water involved, rain, heat, humidity. I look forward to you figuring this out. :D My hair is not particularly thick but just has too much frizz built in.

[Frances]

What if you grew it a bit longer so you could pull it back or put it up when it gets poofy?

[justLisa]

Is it wavy/curly? I hate to say it, but if it is, you are climbing an uphill battle and the only way to win is slide down and get some Diva Curl.

 

I have wavy hair and right now it's about the length of your first photo. Diva Curl products make me look like I have hair and not a mop on my head.

 

I am considering going pixie though so.....

[Jennifer in MI]

Nothing stops my hair from doing the pouf if there is water involved, rain, heat, humidity. I look forward to you figuring this out. :D My hair is not particularly thick but just has too much frizz built in.

 

I think you should figure this out and let me know! LOL sometimes I love my hair. Most days, especially this summer, I don't!

 

What if you grew it a bit longer so you could pull it back or put it up when it gets poofy?

 

I've done that. But, I really don't like my face without hair around it. When I grew it long, I pulled it back every day because it just looked BIG and frizzy when it was down. And I hated it every day. I actually like it chin length and straight. Frizz, I hate!

[klmama]

I know you want it straight, but that's not the hair you have. Have you ever considered working with the curl to make it curlier? Check out the curly girl method.

[Jennifer in MI]

Is it wavy/curly? I hate to say it, but if it is, you are climbing an uphill battle and the only way to win is slide down and get some Diva Curl.

 

I have wavy hair and right now it's about the length of your first photo. Diva Curl products make me look like I have hair and not a mop on my head.

 

I am considering going pixie though so.....

 

Wavy when long. When short, just yucky except right after I style it in the morning.

 

Off to look up Diva Curl . . .

 

I SOOOOO want a pixie!

[Jennifer in MI]

I know you want it straight, but that's not the hair you have. Have you ever considered working with the curl to make it curlier? Check out the curly girl method.

 

But, I don't have curly hair either! I just have poofy hair! I will look up the curly girl method though and see if it might work.

[elegantlion]

But, I don't have curly hair either! I just have poofy hair! I will look up the curly girl method though and see if it might work.

 

I would try it. Have you considered layers? Sometimes that helps it be less poofy. Also smoothing conditioners might help. Do you blow dry your hair?

 

You're adorable, poofy hair and all. :D

[DawnM]

You do have a pretty face, silly girl!

 

My hair is very puffy and in this humidity it can be brutal. I always get it "thinned" with thinning sheers at the hair dresser. I recently bought some off of Amazon and am trying it on myself. So far it is working!

[besroma]

 

I'd love a very short cut, but I don't have a pretty face.

 

 

Ok, first, I do *not* agree with the above. :toetap05:

 

I do agree with elegantlion that:

 

You're adorable, poofy hair and all. :D

 

 

I think the cut in the first pic looks fantastic on you. I would think of starting another thread asking people with the same hair type what products they use. Many people with your hair type straighten their hair and there are tons of quality products out there.

[justLisa]

I missed the "not a pretty face." :smash:

 

Whatevah! :D

[Jennifer in MI]

I would try it. Have you considered layers? Sometimes that helps it be less poofy. Also smoothing conditioners might help. Do you blow dry your hair?

 

You're adorable, poofy hair and all. :D

 

Thank you. Really. So much. I fight so much with my hair that I feel ugly most of the time. You brought me to tears.

 

Would you believe I have layers? Lots of them. It's just SO stinking thick. If I go even 6 weeks between cuts, I'm sorry. What is a smoothing conditioner? And, yes. I blow dry my hair.

 

I just watched the Curly Girl video on straight hair to curls. It reminds me of what I looked like in the 80s. I had a light perm and absolutely LOVED my hair!! It was so easy! My dh just said I should get a perm!

[Jennifer in MI]

I missed the "not a pretty face." :smash:

 

Whatevu! :D

 

AW. Seriously. Thanks. I wasn't looking for sympathy. But, I feel like my hair should be a defining feature because of its thickness. My face really isn't a cute kind of face though. It needs hair to frame it. I desperately want a pixie cut so I don't have to deal with it. Ugh.

 

But, thank you.

[justLisa]

*perm* Ok, before you use that swear word again....:lol:

 

Just try the Diva Curl. I am not kidding. My hair is not thick and just looks a poofy mess. There is one product that I use when it's wet, and then it almost dries a tiny bit dark/crunchy. then you just scrunch scrunch and it's amazing.

 

The refresher spray is awesome. I mist my hair once or twice a day, or more when it's humid.

[MariannNOVA]

Um, Jennifer -- you do have a pretty face! Oh, my heavens, do you have a pretty face? So stop that nonsense right now.

 

See if you can get your hands on Paul Mitchell THE CONDITIONER or Bumble and Bumble 'leave in or rinse out' conditioner.

 

If you find the B B, only use it as leave in.

 

Before you dry, and throughout, use a small amount - maybe pea size and run it through your dry hair. It should put your hair back to just blown dry condition. the stuff doesn't build up and your hair will look freshly straightened.

[Jennifer in MI]

You do have a pretty face, silly girl!

 

My hair is very puffy and in this humidity it can be brutal. I always get it "thinned" with thinning sheers at the hair dresser. I recently bought some off of Amazon and am trying it on myself. So far it is working!

 

Thank you. Really.

 

That's what my hairdresser uses after she layers the hair. I'm a bit nervous to do it myself! But it really works? Maybe I'll try it!

 

Ok, first, I do *not* agree with the above. :toetap05:

 

I do agree with elegantlion that:

 

You're adorable, poofy hair and all. :D

 

 

I think the cut in the first pic looks fantastic on you. I would think of starting another thread asking people with the same hair type what products they use. Many people with your hair type straighten their hair and there are tons of quality products out there.

 

See - those are the same cuts!!! That first picture is when the weather was perfect. No humidity. Nada. My hair cooperated.

 

That second picture? Same cut. See all the layers sticking out? It was hot and humid that day. And, we were INSIDE in air conditioning at the time it started poofing!

 

Ugh. Maybe I'll go with my 80s perm again.

 

And, thank you so much for the compliment.

[Occasionally]

 

I SOOOOO want a pixie!

 

So get a pixie (I'm no help!)

 

Seriously, looking at your picture you can totally do a pixie. Your face is adorable, and I don't think that has anything to do with framing it. That said, if you decide you don't like it, growing it out would be brutal. If you're not willing to risk it, I agree with others who have said to just go with the natural curl there.

[Jennifer in MI]

*perm* Ok, before you use that swear word again....:lol:

 

Just try the Diva Curl. I am not kidding. My hair is not thick and just looks a poofy mess. There is one product that I use when it's wet, and then it almost dries a tiny bit dark/crunchy. then you just scrunch scrunch and it's amazing.

 

The refresher spray is awesome. I mist my hair once or twice a day, or more when it's humid.

 

 

LOL about PERM being a swear word! Seriously - the 80s were where my hair fit in! BIG curls. My hair looked great!!

 

Okay. I'm ordering Diva Curl tonight. Off to figure it out . . .

 

Um, Jennifer -- you do have a pretty face! Oh, my heavens, do you have a pretty face? So stop that nonsense right now.

 

See if you can get your hands on Paul Mitchell THE CONDITIONER or Bumble and Bumble 'leave in or rinse out' conditioner.

 

If you find the B B, only use it as leave in.

 

Before you dry, and throughout, use a small amount - maybe pea size and run it through your dry hair. It should put your hair back to just blown dry condition. the stuff doesn't build up and your hair will look freshly straightened.

 

Awesome!!! I'll look for that too!

 

And, thank you for the compliment. Really. That first picture? I like the way I look. And, I think it's the hair that does it. Not my face. That second picture? That's what I've looked like this summer. I straighten my hair in air conditioning and it looks perfect. I walk out the door and I look horrible. The difference in my good days and bad days is my hair. And, I hate that!!!

[Jennifer in MI]

So get a pixie (I'm no help!)

 

Seriously, looking at your picture you can totally do a pixie. Your face is adorable, and I don't think that has anything to do with framing it. That said, if you decide you don't like it, growing it out would be brutal. If you're not willing to risk it, I agree with others who have said to just go with the natural curl there.

 

Awww. Thanks. Really. I think I have a "boy" jaw. If I got short hair, I'd look like a boy. That's why I don't like my hair pulled back. Maybe I should get plastic surgery?! LOL

 

I'm going to order the curly girl stuff tonight. I SOOOOO hope it works and that my hair can look like it did in the 80s! Silly, I know, considering I had a light perm then. But, I think it was just working with my natural out of control curls to keep them in control!

[elegantlion]

Thank you. Really. So much. I fight so much with my hair that I feel ugly most of the time. You brought me to tears.

 

Would you believe I have layers? Lots of them. It's just SO stinking thick. If I go even 6 weeks between cuts, I'm sorry. What is a smoothing conditioner? And, yes. I blow dry my hair.

 

I just watched the Curly Girl video on straight hair to curls. It reminds me of what I looked like in the 80s. I had a light perm and absolutely LOVED my hair!! It was so easy! My dh just said I should get a perm!

 

I would experiment. My MIL had wavy hair, so she thought, got a real curly girl cut and it's now curly and short and adorable. Mine is very curly.

 

First, ditch the blow dryer and trying toweling it a little and let it air dry, maybe putting in some smoothing creme. See what it looks like, what it does. Curly hair has to be trained, I'll bet yours has some of that same nature. Don't brush it when wet, I sometimes use a comb to comb in the gel and then don't touch it.

[Occasionally]

Awww. Thanks. Really. I think I have a "boy" jaw. If I got short hair, I'd look like a boy. That's why I don't like my hair pulled back. Maybe I should get plastic surgery?! LOL

 

I'm going to order the curly girl stuff tonight. I SOOOOO hope it works and that my hair can look like it did in the 80s! Silly, I know, considering I had a light perm then. But, I think it was just working with my natural out of control curls to keep them in control!

 

I personally think you need a "strong" face to pull off a pixie, and I think you could do it.

 

If you loved your hair back then, it's probably right on to just go with the curl that's there. Hey, you can always cut it later, too. :)

[Jennifer in MI]

I would experiment. My MIL had wavy hair, so she thought, got a real curly girl cut and it's now curly and short and adorable. Mine is very curly.

 

First, ditch the blow dryer and trying toweling it a little and let it air dry, maybe putting in some smoothing creme. See what it looks like, what it does. Curly hair has to be trained, I'll bet yours has some of that same nature. Don't brush it when wet, I sometimes use a comb to comb in the gel and then don't touch it.

 

How do you train it? When I don't blow it dry, it looks like picture number 2! But, I do use a brush. I definitely don't have spiral curls. But, I have a lot of wave.

 

And, what do you mean by a curly girl cut? How do I get one? I have a cut scheduled next Friday . . . .

[Jennifer in MI]

I personally think you need a "strong" face to pull off a pixie, and I think you could do it.

 

If you loved your hair back then, it's probably right on to just go with the curl that's there. Hey, you can always cut it later, too. :)

 

Seriously thank you. My face certainly is strong!!!

 

Off to order product!!!!

[elegantlion]

How do you train it? When I don't blow it dry, it looks like picture number 2! But, I do use a brush. I definitely don't have spiral curls. But, I have a lot of wave.

 

And, what do you mean by a curly girl cut? How do I get one? I have a cut scheduled next Friday . . . .

 

I train mine by pulling out sections and twisting them with my finger. It's as much fidgeting as it is training.

 

There are particular salons that do curly girl cuts, I've never had a real one. I forget exactly what they're called. Hopefully someone will chime in with the name.

[Caroline]

Have you tried a keratin treatment? I have friends who do this. I use a product by L'Anza that smooths my poofy hair. I, too have a ton of hair that goes poofy.

[justLisa]

I get the Set it Free, and Mist Er, right products for after cleansing

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Nothing stops my hair from doing the pouf if there is water involved, rain, heat, humidity. I look forward to you figuring this out. :D My hair is not particularly thick but just has too much frizz built in.

 

:iagree: Same here. I can have gobs of product in my hair and spend an hour blowing it out straight with a round brush. Any humidity at all will cause it to frizz up like a puff ball. Even in your poufy picture, your hair still looks better than mine on its best day!

[Jennifer in MI]

I train mine by pulling out sections and twisting them with my finger. It's as much fidgeting as it is training.

 

There are particular salons that do curly girl cuts, I've never had a real one. I forget exactly what they're called. Hopefully someone will chime in with the name.

 

My dd "trains" her hair like that when she wears it down. Poor thing has hair like mine. Absolutely gorgeous for a little girl. Curly at first. Then, BIG!!!! Like mine. DD curls her finger in her hair constantly and has gorgeous curls afterward! Hmmmmm .. .

 

I JUST saw the salons near me that do curly girl cuts!!! There's one near me. I may cancel my cut on friday to see about getting in with this place!

 

:nervous!:

 

Have you tried a keratin treatment? I have friends who do this. I use a product by L'Anza that smooths my poofy hair. I, too have a ton of hair that goes poofy.

 

A friend of mine got one. It was $200 for 6 weeks? Right? I can't justify that when I also color every 8 weeks or so! Yikes!

 

Off to look up L'Anza!

 

I get the Set it Free, and Mist Er, right products for after cleansing

 

Looking these things up too!!!!

 

:iagree: Same here. I can have gobs of product in my hair and spend an hour blowing it out straight with a round brush. Any humidity at all will cause it to frizz up like a puff ball. Even in your poufy picture, your hair still looks better than mine on its best day!

 

Well, that picture was taken an hour after we got to that wedding. It got MUCH worse. And, it wasn't curly. It was fuzzy/frizzy/horrible. That's why I never pictured myself as a curly girl! You should look at their website. There's a style called SWAVY that is ME exactly!!!! Take a look at their after pictures!!! You might like it!

[PrairieSong]

Um, Jennifer -- you do have a pretty face! Oh, my heavens, do you have a pretty face? So stop that nonsense right now.

QUOTE]

 

:iagree: I think you're pretty!! I know you weren't looking for compliments, but there it is. Don't have any recommendations except that it is easier to work with the type of hair you have rather than fight it. My hair is naturally wavy and most days I scrunch it to encourage that.

 

Oh one thing: do you have any friends or family with your type of hair, whose style/cut you admire? Ask them where they get their hair cut. The right stylist can make all the difference.

[Starr]

Not everyone with some curl/frizz gets curly hair, even with the right products and cut. Mine will stay curly, when short for a couple of hours. But in the summer that would get you through a wedding. :D You are funny. Your face is not, it's lovely. I'm not so sure about thinning your own hair. hmmm I read that Kate Middleton gets her hair done 3 times a week. I think that is the best plan so far.

[jhschool]

You need longer hair. Then it

wouldn't get big. You could do it

up with a scrunchy like a soft knot,

or pin it back old-fashioned and

pretty. Even with one of those comb-pin-clip things, you could get it out of your face and it would look nice. And it's easy!

 

Also...you have a pretty face in the smiling picture!

[sparrow]

We have the EXACT same hair, right down to the color. It's those deep, dipping waves that frustrate me. I get ridiculous wings, particularly on the left side :glare:. My hair also tends to look like a bell if it's all one length.

 

I did cut mine in a pixie, but I'm growing it out again.

 

The best cut, for me, has been a tad longer than shoulder length, bangs, and LOTS of longer layers. I've used Infusium leave-in conditioner and scrunching, with good results.

 

You're totally pretty. You can do a pixie, if you want :001_smile:.

[SJ.]

Jennifer,

Women are very hard on themselves, I swear we can sometimes be our worst enemies. You are very beautiful and you have pretty, delicate features - perfect for short hair!

 

What you need is a better hair stylist that knows how to cut hair. I finally got into the best stylist I have ever been to (Ben), he has been cutting hair for almost twenty years and has lots of experience. His brother cut my hair and I ended up hating it, Ben fixed it and explained that stylists need to know how to cut hair for different types of hair. Basically, you can't always just do the textbook cut, you need to modify for hair type.

 

Find yourself a stylist with lots of experience! Or make an appointment with Ben and come visit Colorado, be warned he books months in advance but he isn't crazy expensive. :)

 

Give me a few and I'll post pics of the difference between the haircut Ben's brother did and what Ben did to fix it.

 

ETA: I think you would look great with an angled bob, chin length in the front and much shorter in the back.

 

Also, be careful with the scissors that stylists use to thin hair, sometimes it can make your hair frizzier. I know this from personal experience and the experience of one my best friends.

[Sandragood1]

My friend had a keratin treatment done on her frizzy red hair a week before the Kentucky Derby (late April?), It is only now beginning to get some frizz back, and that is mostly in the new growth. She has TONS of hair, very frizzy. It wasn't really curly unless she used curly girl tactics and products.

 

It was so fabulous that the before and after shot were used in the salons web site. If I knew the name of the salon I'd link it for you.

[Garga]

Does hairspray work? I have the opposite problem. My hair looks all lovely framing my face, and then falls completely flat and sticks to my head. Unless I spray it to death with hairspray. That might not work on big hair, though. I don't know.

[SJ.]

OK, here are the pics.

When I went into the salon I showed the stylist pictures of Victoria Beckham's angled bob. This is the cut I had two cuts ago and I wanted to do it again. If you google the cut you can see that sometime Beckham wore it sleek and sometimes she wore it textured - exactly what I wanted. He asked if I was ok with "dramatic" and I said sure. The pics with the green background are the first cut. He emphasized the natural waviness of my hair which was exactly what I did not want. He also made one side very blunt which looked like a little shelf and gave me a mushroom head look from the front.

 

Ben, the first sylist's brother and the guy I have been trying to get in to see for months, stayed after hours to fix the cut the same afternoon. He explained that my hair is difficult to cut due to the texture and the way it curls near my hairline by the neck. He was able to smooth it all out and make everything lay nicely.

 

Neither gave me the haircut I had in mind but they both had the same thing in mind and I ended up with two entirely different cuts. Jennifer - find someone with experience! If there are any schools in your area find the names of some of the high level instructors that have been cutting hair for 10+ years. Look specifically for someone who is passionate about continuing their education in the field.

 

Good luck!

[SJ.]

Two more pics.

 

BTW, I never thought I could pull off hair this short but now I love it. If you want a pixie, get a pixie. I think you will look beautiful.

 

 

ETA: I do not have to do anything to make my hair straight, he cut it to lay straight even though my hair is very wavy in the back.

Edited August 13, 2012 by SJ.

[justLisa]

My dd "trains" her hair like that when she wears it down. Poor thing has hair like mine. Absolutely gorgeous for a little girl. Curly at first. Then, BIG!!!! Like mine. DD curls her finger in her hair constantly and has gorgeous curls afterward! Hmmmmm .. .

 

I JUST saw the salons near me that do curly girl cuts!!! There's one near me. I may cancel my cut on friday to see about getting in with this place!

 

:nervous!:

 

 

 

A friend of mine got one. It was $200 for 6 weeks? Right? I can't justify that when I also color every 8 weeks or so! Yikes!

 

Off to look up L'Anza!

 

 

 

Looking these things up too!!!!

 

 

 

Well, that picture was taken an hour after we got to that wedding. It got MUCH worse. And, it wasn't curly. It was fuzzy/frizzy/horrible. That's why I never pictured myself as a curly girl! You should look at their website. There's a style called SWAVY that is ME exactly!!!! Take a look at their after pictures!!! You might like it!

 

You could really have some gorgeous hair. The thinning may be causing more harm than good. If you try the Diva products, and grow it out you are going to be that girl with the hair everyone dreams of. And yes on the stylist who knows curly hair .

[justLisa]

Two more pics.

 

BTW, I never thought I could pull off hair this short but now I love it. If you want a pixie, get a pixie. I think you will look beautiful.

 

Aren't you TOO CUTE!! But you have straight hair, and it is not so thick. REALLY thick hair and wavy looks totally different short.

[SJ.]

Aren't you TOO CUTE!! But you have straight hair, and it is not so thick. REALLY thick hair and wavy looks totally different short.

 

True but my point wasn't for Jennifer to cut her hair like mine. The point was to show the difference when you use a really experienced stylist who knows what to do with different hair types.

 

ETA: Thanks. :blush:

[Jennifer in MI]

Two more pics.

 

BTW, I never thought I could pull off hair this short but now I love it. If you want a pixie, get a pixie. I think you will look beautiful.

 

 

ETA: I do not have to do anything to make my hair straight, he cut it to lay straight even though my hair is very wavy in the back.

 

I do see the difference! Thank you! And you are super cute and that cut really flatters you!

 

You could really have some gorgeous hair. The thinning may be causing more harm than good. If you try the Diva products, and grow it out you are going to be that girl with the hair everyone dreams of. And yes on the stylist who knows curly hair .

 

I'm going to call the salon near me to see if I can't get in with one of their people. Thank you. I finally have some hope for my hair!

[Starr]

Jennifer I'm excited for you trying something new. Looking forward to picture updates. And if you want to go back to what you have now that won't take long either. My friend with very thick, although straight, hair goes to China town for her hair cuts.

[woolybear]

Just sayin'.......I don't see it looking big in those pictures. :) Now, my hair gets huge, frizzy, yuck. I gave up on straight long ago. Sometimes I dry it straight-ish, but basically I know my hair will never be straight. I go through stages of accepting the curlyness, but never the frizz.

 

 

:bigear:

[Starr]

Let's see how many pages we can manage talking about Jennifer's hair. (That really is lovely the way it is.) :lol:

[angela in ohio]

The only way I can keep my hair straight or in big curls or waves (I don't want the natural curly look,) rather than a kinky frizzy mess is to put in extra strength Frizz-Ease serum right after my shower and then use Chi Straight Guard. I've tried everything, and this is the only way to make my hair truly frizz-proof. It's not cheap, but I get to have silky hair. :D

[ktgrok]

I know you want it straight, but that's not the hair you have. Have you ever considered working with the curl to make it curlier? Check out the curly girl method.

 

YES! You need to stop trying to have straight hair. Or move to Vegas, with no humidity, lol. (best hair days I ever had were in Vegas).

 

Go in to your salon with your hair air dried, so she can see what on earth she is working with.