BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Beauty Basics Let's talk about hair!

Let's talk about hair and share some styling secrets!

I just wrote an article about culry hair, which you can read at:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art33446.asp

The fact is, most of us wish we had someone else's hair. If ours is straight, we want curls, if it's curly we're always trying to straighten it.

How do you get your hair to do what you want it to? Do you fight against it, or work with it? Do you have any favorite products or techniques that you consider your secret weapons?

Are you willing to share?

Personally, my life got a whole lot easier when I gave up trying to having smooth, straight locks. Now I just work at getting maximum shine and definition to the curls, and fighting the frizzies.

My hair looks best when I don't wash it every day (curly hair tends to be dry) and when I avoid the blow drier. The only way to get definition and eliminate frizz is to use LOTS of product!! I like the ones by John Frieda.

Well, my hair is kind of limp so I usually use a volumizing shampoo. But to get a thicker look of my hair, I still have to blow dry it after I use the volumizing shampoo. I wish I have a thicker hair and more volume <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Do you blow dry with your head upside down?

My old college roommate had very fine, straight hair. Her secret was to sleep with her hair pulled into a ponytail at the very top of her head. When she let it down in the morning, it still wanted to "stand up" at the roots, which gave her the effect of back-combing without all the tangles.

It worked for her, I wonder if anyone else has tried it?

I blow dry my hair upside down. My hair was much thicker when I was younger and this was the only way to get it dry in a decent amount of time.

It's funny. I can use the same shampoo and conditioner, the same styling products, and the same techniques, yet some days my hair looks ok and other days it's a flop. I am sure the humidity has a lot to do with it but when it's not humid I just cannot figure out where the difference lies.

Hair is one of those things that never seems to do exactly what we want it to.

I've had the same experience, where the same products and techniques work great some days, and not on others. Humidity does have a lot to do with it. But what are the other variables?

I suspect that even though we thing we're doing everything the same, we're not. A slight difference in how much product we're using, how it's applied, or how our hair dries, can really change the outcome.

Or, hair really DOES have a mind of it's own...

BellaOnline does have a hair editor who's also a stylist, so maybe she has some answers? She's at:

http://www.bellaonline.com/Site/hair

The climate you live in (FL with its humidity) and the type of water you wash you hair (hard water) can give you headaches with your hair.

As for blowdrying, I would say try to AVOID doing it as much as possible. If you're just going to be around the house try to go without doing it. Over drying your hair just causes damage.

And a word of warning regarding hair dryers. Many houses have 15 AMP circuits you plug your hair dryer into. Many new hair dryers are 1875 watts which are at or beyond the limit of these circuits -overloading, hot wires. If your breaker keeps tripping you're having problems. AVOID plugging in other things like curling irons at the same outlet as your dryer. If you have an older house or you do not know what I'm talking about please ask a qualified electrican!

well, I just cut my hair pretty short, so I'm getting used to styling it. I use root booster before using the hair dryer and mostly use my hands to stlye it...I only use a brush for the longer fringe section.

the only thing i really hate about my hair is (oh, wait TWO things), is that i'm alergic to almost every single product out there (ESPECIALLY the professional ones, i'm a liscenced stylist, i've tried em ALL), so my scalp is almost always irritated.

the other thing i hate is my natural colour... but we wont go there. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Atebis, have you ever tried Arbonne shampoo and conditioner? It uses no animal products or testing. I, myself, have found that products with animal ingredients are the ones that end up irritating my skin and making my hair look like a tumbleweek. I've switched all my skin and hair care needs to Arbonne a year ago and have found great results. www.arbonne.com

Atebis, I have the same problem you do. Mine stems from an allergy to petroleum-based glycerine combined with super-sensitivity to fragrances, scents, dyes, etc.

I like the Saniyyah... Naturally brand. They make a nice lemongrass scented shampoo which is also Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate Free. It works pretty well, which is a miracle considering I have a formidable mane of curls.

I think the reason my hair is shiny, soft and frizz-free (even though I live in ultra-humid Louisiana) is because I don't use styling products (although I'm sure I'd be in the habit if I wasn't allergic) so my hair has never really undergone any damage. I wash it every other day and let it air-dry. That's it!