Fast Fixes for Weird Hair Issues

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Am I the only one whose hair totally freaks out every winter? It's like it finally can't handle the dryness and indoor heating so it punishes me by sticking up all over the place and getting caught in the car door when I'm in a rush. This happens to me DAILY and makes me want to say bad words and yell at inanimate objects.

So this year, I set about trying to find ways to deal with my biggest hair issues, which are usually weird sticky-uppy hairs, static and overstyling. Can I tell you what works for me? Keep in mind my hair type, because it's pretty average and these fixes will work for most people like me, but not for like, crazy extreme cases. But then you can totally tell us in the comments what you do for your hair and all will be right with the world.

Major Static

Seriously, static is the bane of my existence, and it's so so bad when I let my hair air dry. Which is great because I let my hair air dry like, five days out of seven. So I've played around with a few different products to tame the hair that looks like it desperately trying to escape from my head.

Once I'm done shampooing, I use my conditioner and rinse it out. Then, just before i hop out of the shower, I grab another dime-sized amount of conditioner and smooth it all the way through my hair, but then don't rinse it out. This helps to add a little extra weight to my noggin to cut down on static.

When that isn't enough, I also use a finishing product. Cream-based ones are definitely the best for me. I like a styling creme that I run through my hair at the very end of styling, but guess what else works? Hand cream. When I'm in a pinch ie: in public and away from my massive store of products, I just wet my hands with water, get a pump of hand lotion and distribute it through my hair. Ta-da!

Weird, Baby Hairs

Do you guys know what I'm talking about when I saw "baby hairs?" Let me create a beautiful picture for you.

So last October, I was going through some major professional stress. I was making the jump from working for a specific company to going freelance and the transition was HARD. So I was super stressed out and for some reason my body likes to interpret stress as a cue to make me go completely bald. I lost SO. MUCH. HAIR. I would run my hand through it and come up with a handful of strands. Gross, right?

Well, everything worked out and I'm a happy little freelancer and that's great, but now all of that hair I lost has been growing back in. Yay, right! No. It stands up all over my head and I look like a crazy person who has been electrocuted. That is not hot. If you've ever had this problem, here's how to fix it.

First, get to your hairdresser. Like, now. When I explained my issue, my main hair girl cut in some bangs and layers so the baby hairs blended in. Then, I learned to never flip my head upside down when I blowdry. I usually looove to do this to get honkin' huge hair, but when I'm dealing with these little baby hairs I've gotta keep it smooth. That means blowdrying at a downward angle and smoothing them out as I go. Add a little serum to finish and bye-bye babies!

Over-Styling

OK, so this is totally superfluous and shouldn't matter, but it irks me. My hair holds a curl really, really well. Like, to the point that if I'm not careful, I look like a deranged Shirley Temple. That's no bueno! So I've learned to relax on the overstyling so that my curls look more grown-up. How?

Well, first, I use a flat iron to curl my hair. If you don't know about this I don't think we can be friends. Second, when I've done the curl, I quickly grab it and yank it down while the hair is still warm. This helps to loosen it up. Finally, I flat iron the ends a little straight. That way you get beachy waves instead of Toddlers and Tiaras curls. That's creepy.

Hair still totally freaking out?

It's called a hat. Get one. They're cute as long as it's not a daily thing and you don't wear gross trucker hats like that phase that Paris Hilton went through.


So, spill. What's your worst hair problem and how do you deal? I am completely aware that there are bigger fish to fry in the world right now but seriously, if my hair looks bad, no one in my house is having a good day. lol, kidding! Sort of.

8 comments:

plantingoaks said...

I have super-thick, coarse, frizzy hair, and I am a huge fan of hand-lotion as a de-frizzing (or 'lie the @#$% down!' agent. Much cheaper than specialized hair products, and, at least for me, more effective.

I do a step further than you on conditioner too, and don't even use shampoo unless I'm really sweaty and dirty. You scrub the conditioner into your scalp instead, and it still gets rid of the grease and stink, but keeps your hair extra-moist.

Sheriece said...

LOVE these tips :D

I fixed some of my static problems by getting all my dry ends chopped off and using a super-heavy moisturizing conditioner. I normally don't - I have oily skin and scalp and I usually end up looking like a greaseball in no time, so I shampoo only my scalp where the hair is grimy and apply conditioner to the rest of my hair - but not near my scalp. Voila! Bye-bye, static!

Jae said...

Yay for hand lotion! I've also been known to use Chapstick in a really , really big pinch!

Brills, Sheriece. I'm a roots-shampoo, conditioner-ends lover too. It's almost like we're related!

Jenna said...

Ugh, my winter hair is sad, sad, pathetic and more sad. What's worse is I decided to get 30 foils of bleach two weeks before Christmas. Word to the wise: NOTHING IS MORE DRYING THAN ARIZONA WINTER + BLEACH. I am still paying for it every day.

Natalie said...

AAAH! I have those baby hairs, too! They're like 2 inches long now and I can't wait for them to grow back nice and long. And I totally laughed out loud at the "It's called a hat." HAHAH! That's awesome. :)

Unknown said...

I am also in the super-thick, coarse, frizzy hair camp. It sucks. I honestly only wash my hair maybe twice a week. I take baths almost daily and keep the stink off, but it takes either 1-2 hours to blow dry my hair (depending on how picky I'm being) or most of the day letting it air-dry. It's just depressing to put that much time into getting it dry and then get it all wet again! When I'm more active I obviously increase this, but my skin and hair both do better with soap and shampoo less often as a general rule.
I actually love the Suave Professionals "Sleek" series of shampoo / conditioner / product. And it doesn't hurt my feelings that it's really cheap. My hair has enough natural wave in it to give it lots of body, which would be great if I had half the quantity of hair I do. My hair is down to my shoulder blades but it still gets scary big if I'm not careful.

Danielle said...

If only my baby hairs were temporary! Unfortunately they have always, and will always be there! Since it looks horrible when I pull it up, and I get bad headaches when I do, my straightener is my best friend. Whether it is to straighten or curl, it has seriously saved me!

MXTorres said...

When your hair is dry take a dryer sheet and in 4 big strands from top to bottom rub it. Or you can spray static guard to your brush and then brush your hair.

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