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Keeping (longer) hair in place without it being stiff?
So I'm growing my hair out and I'm at the awkward stage where it's too short to tie back, but too long to just let loose.
I mostly use a metal hair band, which is fine enough, but I'd like an alternative that isn't hair gel that makes it all very stiff and feeling like I'm wearing a helmet.
I've tried a hairdo cream, but at least the one I found smelled very strongly (perfume, not chemically) and it made my hair look oily and wet.
So my question is, are there products I should try that let me keep my hair out of my eyes (I usually just comb it all to the back) in some semblance of order while not stiffening it up?
Bobby pins, barrettes, and suffering/patience are the best options I've found
keep it simple, wear a hat
I can't stand wearing hats for a long period of time, unfortunately
That awkward stage is by far the worst part of growing out hair!
How long is it at the moment? If it's still too short to put behind the ears, what I did was also hairbands, but always wore hats when out. You can also use clips or pins for the annoying bits that go in your eyes. Maybe try conditioner or even leave-in conditioner to give it some weight, I don't know if it will help but it might make it feel a little better.
One piece of advice for growing out your hair which might seem contradictory: Get haircuts! And don't cheap out on it if you are able - go to a place where they know what they're doing and tell them you are growing it out. It doesn't have to look bad and awkward while growing it out because otherwise you're in for like 2 years of bad hair. Shaping it while you grow it out is super important to still looking decent and takes the awkwardness feeling away.
I had a haircut not too long ago, yeah! Need to schedule another to get the hair on the back of my head cut, don't want it long until it can be tied together with the rest of my hair.
The length right now is from the very front at the forehead to the back of the head, before it starts going down. I'm hopeful that it's not so long until it just stays back due to its own weight... but it hasn't happend yet x.x
Hmm that length might soon be enough to do a middle part and get it tucked behind the ears. Hang in there though, it will all be worth it eventually!
Yeah, I've had long hair before, but back then I could just be in troll doll mode all day, lol. Not long now, though!
I've used Pinaud Clubman Styling Gel for almost 30 years. A small amount, on a wet hand massaged throughout your hair. Style, let dry. It'll be stiff at this point. Run your brush through your hair again. Your hair will still stay in place but also be soft to the touch now.
Oooh, thank you for the idea! I'll have to see if I can find it here, but perhaps I can use that with the gel I already have.
I'm also just now realizing that perhaps me having chosen the extra strong hold gel is at fault for how stiff it gets x.x
Fwiw the "stiffness" is absolutely part of the hold of hairspray and gel. Brushing through it is the main solution IME but expect a less perfect hold
Also conditioning your hair can add weight and reduce flyaways before you get to the styling stage. Should make styling easier
As for scent, check both the men's and women's sections and look at the scents some. I think there tends to be a wider range on the women's side (but I don't buy a lot of mens holding gel so I'm less familiar with that category specifically) and less "musk" smelling stuff.
Also you can look at the type of hold, light or medium might work better.
Yeah, I'm not worried about it being perfect, I just don't want to look like a troll doll after a couple of hours, lol
The nice thing though is even if you do kind of troll doll you should be able to comb or brush through it again and the hold will still work decently
I find styling mousse works pretty well, it's firm enough without being heavy or greasy, and doesn't give that wet gel look. I have long curly hair (3A) and use VO5 Curl Defining Mousse, but there's so many to choose from.
You could also consider different hairstyles like braiding/plaiting?
Mousse + OSIS mattifying powder worked wonders for my 2A hair in terms of giving it, idk, structure and ideological continuity. Don't even have to apply it more than twice a week really
Once my hair is long enough to tie I'll have a basic bun/ponytail, just gotta wait for it to grow enough
Hair spray or similar product applied to dry hair. Keeps it in place without the cemented hair gel texture, and you can still move it around. You sort of have to train your hair to make it do what you want. Hats and hair bands will train your hair to do what the hat wants.
Sorry, no idea about product that would help, when I had long/out-growing hair I used a variety of hair pins, hairclips, shawls, different wraps with fabric or small braids (+ clip to fasten them).
I can't stand hats, unfortunately. And I have to wear a mask with a strap over the head at work, so it can't be anything too complex. I've got a bunch of hair pins for non-work use, though!
Have you tried molding paste? Styling fiber? Texture putty?
To be honest, I dont know the difference between those, they have varying degrees of holding power and shininess.
I would say if you dont want stiff helmet hair, just take a bit of the product in question on your fingertips and massage it on your scalp, so the product goes on the roots of your hair and holds it in the right orientation without covering the whole hair.
Yeah, I was standing before the hair product aisle and i had no idea what everything was, hah.
When I was growing my hair and in that awkward length I used bandanas.
Hair wax might do the trick. It's a little tacky to get worked into the hair, but your hair stays flexible and can be repositioned. Depending on the brand might lose some holding power in the sun, but I prefer it quite a bit to gel since it doesn't make your hair rigid.
...it's been a very long time since i started keeping my hair natural, but back when i used styling products nothing really held its form which wasn't crunchy...
...would you consider a stretchy cloth hairband?..they work great holding my hair back and are super-comfortable...
A worry with the cloth headbands is they tend to conflict with the arms of my glasses, or just look silly
I think I might have the perfect product for you, friend. Highland Glacial Cream (available on Amazon if that's your preference, but the website offers a money back guarantee if you don't like it).
It's strong enough to get the job done, but has a light hold and matte finish which makes it seem like there's nothing in your hair. It'll keep the hair out of your eyes, reduce any frizz, and allow you to run your fingers through your hair. Plus, it's (supposedly) all-natural, vegan, and cruelty free. It's a little bit on the pricier side as far as hair products go, but it'll last. They even give you this little metal key thing to squeeze every last ounce out of the tube. I've been using various putties, pomades, gels, creams, and conditioners for 20+ years and this is by far the best product I have ever come across.
Oooh, that looks interesting!