Long-haired herpers UNITE!!!

[Ginevive]

I spend little extra time on mine, also. I just usually wear it down, or in a little bun thingie if I am working/cleaning/etc. Or what I call my "airhead ponytail" on the top of the back of my head.

[Shelby]

When I'm working and want my hair out of the way.. I love my hair sticks! So easy to put up a bun and it stays all day.

As for split ends.. a comb/pick is your friend. With a brush it's far too easy to tear strands which invite split ends. I always comb to detangle then brush to distribute oils. Come starting at the bottom and work your way up.. if you find a snag, don't yank through it, pull it apart with your fingers so you don't break any hairs.

Other than that trimming off split ends is the only way to get rid of them once they're there.

[Melicious]

I'm very simple. I use the aussie shampoo and miracle conditioner. Does wonders for my dry hair. Then...I just throw it up in a scrunchie...boring...

[SarahMB]

When I'm working and want my hair out of the way.. I love my hair sticks! So easy to put up a bun and it stays all day.

I need to find someone to show me how to use those!

[Kara]

I need to find someone to show me how to use those!

Soooooo easy!!! get yourself a pair of chopsticks or some blunt #2 pencils.

Practice pulling your hair back in a pony, and then twist (cw or ccw, whichever suits) until you can form a bun. Slip a stick/pencil close to your scalp, through bun, and close to your scalp again til it holds. It'll take some practice, but it's well worth the effort!

K!

[Shelby]

Yep.. you kind of make a 'stitch' with the hairsticks. Stick it straight down through the bun and pick up some hair from the scalp, then poke it out the other end... do the same with the second stick and.. voila!

[JLC]

~little sigh~ Thinking about and discussing my hair is an exercise in depression. But I'll follow this thread because my daughter has really pretty hair that is getting very long. Looking for tips on helping her learn to care for it.

[Kara]

Ok...let's determine hairtypes, as follows:

FIRST CLASSIFIER - Your curliness (or lack thereof)

The straight ones
1a - stick straight
1b - straight but with a slight body wave, just enough to add some volume, doesn't look wavy
1c - straight with body wave and one or two visible S-waves (e.g. nape of neck or temples)

The wavy ones
2a - loose, stretched out S-waves throughout the hair
2b - shorter, more distinct S-waves (similar to waves from braiding damp hair)
2c - distinct S-waves and the odd spiral curl forming here and there

The curly ones
3a - big, loose spiral curls
3b - bouncy ringlets
3c - tight corkscrews

The really curly ones
4a - tightly coiled S-curls
4b - tightly coiled hair bending in sharp angles (Z-pattern)

SECOND CLASSIFIER - What (most of) your individual strands look like

F - Fine
Thin strands that sometimes are almost translucent when held up to the light. Shed strands can be hard to see even against a contrasting background. Similar to hair found on many people of Scandinavian descent.

You can also try rolling a strand between your thumb and index finger. Fine hair is difficult to feel or it feels like an ultra-fine strand of silk

M - Medium
Strands are neither fine nor coarse. Similar to hair found on many Caucasians.

You can also try rolling a strand between your thumb and index finger. Medium hair feels like a cotton thread. You can feel it, but it isn't stiff or rough. It is neither fine or coarse.

C - Coarse
Thick strands that where shed strands usually are easily identified against most backgrounds. Similar to hair found on many people of Asian or native American descent.

You can also try rolling a strand between your thumb and index finger. Coarse hair feels hard and wiry. As you roll it back and forth, you may actually hear it.

THIRD CLASSIFIER - Your overall volume of hair

Put your hair in a ponytail with as much hair as possible in it. Don't bother with the way it looks - the goal is to have most/all of your hair in there. If it means it sits smack dab on top of your head, put it there.

Measure the circumference of the ponytail. If you have bangs and/or you can't get all of your hair in there adjust according to how much of your hair you have measured.

i - thin (less than 2 inches/5 centimeters)
ii - normal (between 2-4 inches or 5-10 centimeters)
iii - thick (more than 4 inches/10 centimeters)

[Shelby]

Ok..

1c M and between ii and iii

[SarahMB]

Thanks for the tips, ladies, I'll definitely give it a try. Plenty of chopsticks around here to use, haha. I always see the hairsticks at my favorite store, Sam Moon, and have always wanted to know how to use them so I could get myself a nice collection of them.

As for my hair type....hmmm!
It's definitely 1b/F, but the volume class is a bit trickier for me. I think it would measure as a i, but it's really a iii. It's seriously so fine that it looks thin, but every hairdresser who has ever touched it *always* says 'wow, you have a LOT of hair!' about 5 minutes in. My daughter's is even worse, even though her hair is cut VERY short, it takes two dye packs to get all her hair done.