HEADBANDS and general curly mess hair questions

[MeAndTheBoys]

I have curly messy hair, somewhere between shoulders and BSL.  Like it almost looks pretty when I air dry it but then it goes crazy.  And the back and underlayers aren't really all that curly, just the top layer of the sides around my face, really.

 

So I ALWAYS pull it back in a clip or a ponytail.  But I feel so "skinned" when I look at myself head-on--all my hair is pulled back.  If I do bangs, then I have to use a straightening iron and they blow all around--so I don't have bangs right now; they are chin length or longer, grwon out.  I have hair issues; I feel like I've just "given up" right now, honestly.  I used to always color and straighten and do chin-length bobs or shoulder length straight--but it was killing my hair, and I don't want to have straight hair really; it was just controllable.

 

So I thought adding headbands might help.  But I'm not sure they don't make me look more bare.  And they keep slipping back--  I bought some new ones today, "no slip" that are lined with this silicone stuff, by scunci (can't find a picture online other than this--they don't appear to be for sale online, but I got them at walmart):

http://www.scunci.com.au/Products/ActiveRange/39543AU-Brights.aspx

 

Um, they are still slipping off.  Maybe I just don't have a head for headbands.

 

What can I do with my hair???  Does anyone else wear their hair completely back and up, and have some tips for not looking so--pulled back and up :) or general ideas for the kind of curly hair that doesn't respond well to all the Curly Girl tips?  I did that for MONTHS and never could stop looking like a total mess.  I'd love it if it could be on the wavier side--- the ends just kind of look like a mess though when I try to wear it down.

 

I'm googling "how to wear a headband"--not getting help.  Any other ways to build some interest around my face without bangs?

 

Thanks for any help :)

 

Reading this over--lack of control, I think that's my whole issue, lol.  And my hair does not want to play that game.

 

B

[Liz CA]

I've seen people with a lot of beautiful hair in some kind of ponytail or swept up but some tendrils are framing the face. Usually looks very nice.

[melbotoast]

How about french braids? You can french braid just the front part to keep the hair out of your face or put all of your hair in one or two braids. There are lots of tutorials for braids now.

[MeAndTheBoys]

How about french braids? You can french braid just the front part to keep the hair out of your face or put all of your hair in one or two braids. There are lots of tutorials for braids now.

 

I do like braids! and I've done a lace braid off my face; thanks for the reminder to try that again-----

 

b

[Joyofsixreboot]

 

 

Headbands on me just result in a poof behind the headband. If I don't have product or it's been a few days since I washed I use the messy up do thing. Sometimes a loose French braid down the back and tucked under.

[zoobie]

I can't keep headbands in place either. I must have an egg shaped head or something. There are headbands lined with velvet ribbon (easy to make if you sew).

 

Have you tried a layered haircut? That works best on my curly hair.

 

Check Pinterest for ponytail styles. You can do a little braid or twist in the front before pulling it back. I do that and leave the rest of my hair down, and that keeps it out of my face. Half back styles may help too. Just run your fingers through the curls to pull back a section and use a hair clasp. Brushes make it fuzzy and bumpy for me.

 

Get a Wet Brush. I use cheap shampoo and conditioner most of the time. Frizz Ease and Tresemme have decent curly versions.

[MeAndTheBoys]

Start here. [url="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curly-Girl-The-Handbook/280049318688973

 

Headbands on me just result in a poof behind the headband. If I don't have product or it's been a few days since I washed I use the messy up do thing. Sometimes a loose French braid down the back and tucked under.

thanks for the link!!  I need to re-read my book, try products again, and make another effort.  I think I"ll get my hair cut next week and make hair my "May project", lol

 

I can't keep headbands in place either. I must have an egg shaped head or something. There are headbands lined with velvet ribbon (easy to make if you sew).

 

Have you tried a layered haircut? That works best on my curly hair.

 

Check Pinterest for ponytail styles. You can do a little braid or twist in the front before pulling it back. I do that and leave the rest of my hair down, and that keeps it out of my face. Half back styles may help too. Just run your fingers through the curls to pull back a section and use a hair clasp. Brushes make it fuzzy and bumpy for me.

 

Get a Wet Brush. I use cheap shampoo and conditioner most of the time. Frizz Ease and Tresemme have decent curly versions.

I ordered a Wet Brush immediately :) after reading a couple Amazon comments; thanks.  Never heard of it, but for $8, I'll try it!!  Any recommendations on shampoo?  I used to CO and that helped.  A HUGE problem is our hard water--we spent a week in Branson with lovely soft water and my hair was beautiful.  Coming back home, it was a day or two and it was dried out and fuzzed again--so I KNEW.  Ugh.  We need to get a water softener, but I dont' know if that will happen.

 

Inexpensive product ideas welcome :)  thanks--

 

B

[wapiti]

I have hair that has a mind of its own.  After wearing it straight in a dry climate for 8 yrs, I went curly again two years ago.  I find that if I use a conditioner that's too oily (as my most "moist" ones tend to be) then the ends sometimes look stringy.  But, I often need the moisture.  I sometimes condition with one, rinse out excess and then add a different conditioner that I leave in before adding gel.  The gel is key for me, though which one to use depends on the weather (I use Deva arc angel in dry weather, angel in more humid weather).

 

Inexpensive products:  Tresemme Naturals conditioner is probably the least-expensive thing I use.  I use several varieties of Shea Moisture (Target), both the shampoos and conditioners, even the kid's curling butter LOL.  For my leave-in conditioner, I usually use either the kids curling butter or the pink Kinky Curly conditioner, about a quarter size, only on the bottom half, not scalp.  The Deva gel is expensive but I just re-ordered a big gel bottle for the first time (almost two years).  I keep two kinds in my shower but that's a long time - about a year per bottle.

 

It took me a long time to figure out my preferred style but I'm pretty happy now.  After putting on the gel (I lightly pat some on top and squeeze in the rest - not scrunch, that makes my hair too curly), I take a t-shirt and press it flat on the top and sides of my head.  Then I squeeze the hair length gently with the t-shirt and air-dry.  This way, the top of my hair isn't very curly - actually relatively straight - which looks better with my face.  (Curls = wallpaper for me; I can't wear patterns  :tongue_smilie: )  The bottom part is wavy/curly, how curly depends on which products I used and what the weather is.

[melmichigan]

My hair sounds a lot like yours, without help it's curly, messy, and falls between shoulder length and the middle of my back.  It sounds backwards, but I have it permed about every two years so it doesn't go "crazy". 

[elegantlion]

I wear headbands while it dries. I usually pull out a few bangs and finger curl them. When my hair is still damp, I take off the headband, it kind of keeps the hair going back and less puffy. 

 

mine is short right now, but I did that when it was longer too. 

[Deee]

Hey, you've got my hair! You can imagine how devine its been in Sydney this summer with record humidity and now a week of endless rain. I'm another pony-tail devotee. And yes, I am bored. Listening in here.....

[helena]

Have you tried headbands that have wire running through them? They're a long open ended band, not a closed circle. You twist it to close and tighten, then fashion a "bow" with the ends. It all stays in place a little better. I'm not sure how it'd work on curly hair. We find them much more comfy and secure. We've made our own using a tutorial on YouTube.

 

How about French twists? Easy once you get the hang of it.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I tried headbands too unsuccessfully. Ho about small hair clips (barettes) to hold back sections of your hair from your face in a loose way. I have done that to help tame my hair.

[J-rap]

I have a similar problem, only mine is mostly difficult in the summer with the humidity.  For the first time, I found a headband that works and I love it!  (I also get a lot of complements on it.  :))  It's like the silicone ones you describe, but is about 1 inch wide where it goes under your hair, and about 3 inches wide where it is on top.  The wideness on top plus the silicone on the bottom keeps it from slipping.  I'm quite sure I got it at either Target or Walmart.

 

[MeAndTheBoys]

I have hair that has a mind of its own.  After wearing it straight in a dry climate for 8 yrs, I went curly again two years ago.  I find that if I use a conditioner that's too oily (as my most "moist" ones tend to be) then the ends sometimes look stringy.  But, I often need the moisture.  I sometimes condition with one, rinse out excess and then add a different conditioner that I leave in before adding gel.  The gel is key for me, though which one to use depends on the weather (I use Deva arc angel in dry weather, angel in more humid weather).

 

Inexpensive products:  Tresemme Naturals conditioner is probably the least-expensive thing I use.  I use several varieties of Shea Moisture (Target), both the shampoos and conditioners, even the kid's curling butter LOL.  For my leave-in conditioner, I usually use either the kids curling butter or the pink Kinky Curly conditioner, about a quarter size, only on the bottom half, not scalp.  The Deva gel is expensive but I just re-ordered a big gel bottle for the first time (almost two years).  I keep two kinds in my shower but that's a long time - about a year per bottle.

 

It took me a long time to figure out my preferred style but I'm pretty happy now.  After putting on the gel (I lightly pat some on top and squeeze in the rest - not scrunch, that makes my hair too curly), I take a t-shirt and press it flat on the top and sides of my head.  Then I squeeze the hair length gently with the t-shirt and air-dry.  This way, the top of my hair isn't very curly - actually relatively straight - which looks better with my face.  (Curls = wallpaper for me; I can't wear patterns  :tongue_smilie: )  The bottom part is wavy/curly, how curly depends on which products I used and what the weather is.

 

I think I need to try some different products--------

[MeAndTheBoys]

My hair sounds a lot like yours, without help it's curly, messy, and falls between shoulder length and the middle of my back.  It sounds backwards, but I have it permed about every two years so it doesn't go "crazy". 

 

Another friend told me that she does that, and I've considered it-- it's on my radar.  Do you get a curly perm with smaller rollers or do you aim for more of a wave with bigger rollers?

 

I wear headbands while it dries. I usually pull out a few bangs and finger curl them. When my hair is still damp, I take off the headband, it kind of keeps the hair going back and less puffy. 

 

mine is short right now, but I did that when it was longer too. 

 

You reminded me that I used to do that--for a while, I put a big fabric headband on to let it dry for a while, to unpouf the top and give it direction; thanks for the reminder-----

 

Hey, you've got my hair! You can imagine how devine its been in Sydney this summer with record humidity and now a week of endless rain. I'm another pony-tail devotee. And yes, I am bored. Listening in here.....

 

Oh, I live in the land of high humidity, in the South.  It will go up to 79% here today, in April; in the middle of summer, it averages at 90% humidity, ugh!!!  I pulled out and old book I have about hairstyles for long hair: http://www.amazon.com/Hair-A-Book-Braiding-Styles/dp/1570540187 and I'll play around with it.  I'm good with having my hair up and back--it's just around my face, I need SOMETHING :)  Humidity is not a friend to wearing hair down, esp curly and wavy--

 

Have you tried headbands that have wire running through them? They're a long open ended band, not a closed circle. You twist it to close and tighten, then fashion a "bow" with the ends. It all stays in place a little better. I'm not sure how it'd work on curly hair. We find them much more comfy and secure. We've made our own using a tutorial on YouTube.

 

How about French twists? Easy once you get the hang of it.

 

Never heard of those headbands!!! and will look them up!!  Yes, I do twists; as mentioned above, I am going to try to get out of my pony glut and get back into some more interesting styles :)

 

I tried headbands too unsuccessfully. Ho about small hair clips (barettes) to hold back sections of your hair from your face in a loose way. I have done that to help tame my hair.

 

I think you're right--I'm going to hit the store tonight and try to get some small barrettes, and practice pulling it back with loose poofs instead of tightly---

 

I have a similar problem, only mine is mostly difficult in the summer with the humidity.  For the first time, I found a headband that works and I love it!  (I also get a lot of complements on it.  :))  It's like the silicone ones you describe, but is about 1 inch wide where it goes under your hair, and about 3 inches wide where it is on top.  The wideness on top plus the silicone on the bottom keeps it from slipping.  I'm quite sure I got it at either Target or Walmart.

 

I picked up one like that yesterday @ Walmart--but put it back and got the 1" wide one.  I will try one like that, thanks!  I also have some knitting patterns printed out and I bought some cotton yarn (they said acrylic slips, but cotton and wool have more "grip") and I wonder if I can put something on the inside to be grippier . . .

 

Plans, plans.

 

Thanks for the conversation; all helpful and leading me to think!  I haven't been motivated about hair, and it's time I get out out of my slump.

 

B

[Butter]

I have absolutely nothing of substance to add to this conversation.  I just keep reading "HEADBANDS" as "HUSBANDS" and it makes me laugh every time I scroll by the title.

[MeAndTheBoys]

I have absolutely nothing of substance to add to this conversation.  I just keep reading "HEADBANDS" as "HUSBANDS" and it makes me laugh every time I scroll by the title.

 

My HUSBAND wisely keeps his mouth closed when I complain about my hair :) but my boys have said, "Please wear it back, Mom," lol.  It's so crazy when it's down, I think it frightens them, ha ha.

 

B