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Hi Hairy People,
I have a question to ask any of you who wouldn't mind responding...
How many of you longhairs out there *regularly* have a hair-brushing ritual? For those who might be a bit unclear re. what I'm talking about here, I'm specifically talking about brushing your hair when it's DRY ONLY (I've always been advised from as far back as I can remember that whenever the hair is wet, it's best NOT to use a brush in that case; but instead, a comb).
It was not uncommon in my grandmother's generation to hear about long-haired women brushing their hair every evening and/or morning, encouraging "100 strokes" with the brush. I remember one elderly woman when I was still a teenager who was shocked to hear a young woman friend of mine shampooed her hair every other day, -- when she confessed to only shampooing her long hair ONLY TWICE A YEAR!!! "Haven't you ever heard of just brushing?", I remember her saying.
I also had an aunt that lived in the East Coast of the US who had knee-length hair. My girl cousin got an opportunity to see it down a couple of times, because she stayed overnight at this aunt's house, getting to witness her brushing her long hair (which unfortunately I only got to see this aunt's huge swirl of a bun on top of her head - LOL)....
As for myself, although I never literally count to 100 whenever I brush, I do at least regularly do the dry-brushing ritual on average 4 or 5 times per week, going from scalp to hair ends in one smooth stroke (AFTER all tangles have been safely taken care of, first), several times over until my scalp starts to feel pleasantly stimulated and "tingly" (meaning that there's good blood flow happening at the hair roots). I then finish with a boar's bristle brush to smooth it all out at the end.
For me, this ritual helps me better endure going for longer periods of time between shampooing. And oddly enough, my hair afterwards usually does NOT feel "greasy"; but instead helps to have the scalp's natural oils (or sebum) travel down the hair shaft towards the ends (where it needs it the most)...
I've learned from here that many curly-haired people tend NOT to find brushing as beneficial for them as more straight-haired people do... hence, this is why I'm curious about who does a brushing ritual VS who does not.
I hope that long-haired women feel free to reply to this thread, as well as all of you MLHH guys, as I'm sure that hair-brushing is a "unisex" experience (LOL)!!
Thanks in advance!
- Ken in San Francisco
PS - Apologies over having posted this pic of myself many times before; but since it's the only shot I have of me doing my hair-brushing ritual, I include it to torture the newbies as well!
Hi!
I finger comb my hair after I wash it, so it's a little more manageable when I use a boar bristle brush after it's either dry or nearly dry. The boar brush is exceptionally handy at helping me ensure all my hair is neatly pulled back into a ponytail when I decide to tie back.
I probably spend about 5-10 minutes each morning brushing.
Hey Ken,
I don't brush my hair at all. I have slightly wavy hair, and I just get frizz and breakage from it. I use a comb to detangle my hair and that's it.
Peter
Just curious, Peter: How long is your hair?
I used to regularly dry-brush my hair even back in the day when it was much much shorter; but now that it's belt-length, I can't imagine ever going without my brushing ritual...
Thanks in advance for your additional reply!
- Ken
Being that I have hair that goes from the roots: straight to wavy then to curly, I usually just brush a ways down and finger comb the rest when it is dry. When wet I will use a wide toothed comb then a finer one to get any tangles left at all.
Hello Oneeye,
I remember seeing your pics, and that you have an amazingly full head of great-looking curly/wavy hair!
Although the pic that I included of myself tends to make my hair look very strait, in reality it is usually quite wavy (although NOT to the point of anybody ever calling it "curly")...
The longer my own mane has gotten, the more I have to take time to untangle the lower portion of it, first, and THEN do my brushing ritual. I also no longer find that a fine-toothed comb is helpful to me anymore, -- I either use a wide-toothed comb when wet; or, a good quality brush when dry.
Then there's good old-fashioned finger-combing... which I highly recommend for EITHER wet or dry hair!!!
Thanks for your informative reply, Oneeye!
- Ken
Hi Ken,
Great question to ask all of the experts here!
Since you have thrown down the challenge on this, I have decided to experiment a bit on myself. You see, I have noticed that if I use the boar bristle brush on the hair before I get into the shower, I notice how clean and fluffy my hair is. (I have the wavey type of hair you would not want to brush normally at the start of the day, but before I am going to wash it, is a perfect time)
It seems to take out any loose hair, tangles, and spreads the good oils down the hair shafts. Once I have given it a good brushing (on both inside and outside) I use a wide-toothed wood bristle brush to comb through a bit more, which does some extra scalp stimulation too.
All that said, I am going to try no-poo, not much conditioner, for a while, and see how long I last this time. After Showers, I wrap it up as usual, and use a little gel to help comb it back out, and that seems to keep the fly-aways at bay.
I will report back when I see if it all works.
Brushing BEFORE showering seems the way to go for me, and the "no-poo" thing may be impossible, but I am giving it a go, to see how effective the brushing is.
I am giving this another try because I've just been reading Jack Passion's new book on beards and beard care, which talks about soap/shampoos/conditioners/brushes and so on for facial hair. A fun book for all of you hairy faced people out there!
Jack is the 2-Time World Beard Champion, who will be here for this year's Nationals in Bend, Oregon June 5th. He is a fun guy, with like 3 feet of red beard, so he should know a thing or two about it.
Thanks for bringing up the subject of brushing.
-Daniel
Thanks so much for your informative and interesting reply, Daniel! I'm fascinated and very intrigued by hearing about these Beard Championships, and hope to eventually attend one of these Beard Conventions someday. I also enjoyed reading and seeing Oren's comments and pics from the event that he went to down in Austin, TX.
Also, where can I get Jack Passion's beard book, -- and what's the official name of that book?
Thanks very much in advance, -- and I greatly look forward to your 2nd reply!!
- Ken
PS - BTW, I have driven through Bend, OR, and remember it being an incredibly beautiful part of the state. My step-mom had retired up in Roseburg, OR, and during the mid-late '90s i went to visit her several times, one of which we took a trip to Crater Lake, and then over to Bend... i LOVE the area!!!
Hi Ken,
thanks for taking an interest in us up here to the north. Jack's book I bought on line from his site "facialhairhandbook.com" for like all of $14.95, but it is on Amazon too. If you tell him you want it autographed, he will, from the first site.
He makes an argument in the book for "soap" rather than shampoo for beards, which I found intreguing, and so at lunch, I went into one of the natural food places here, and looked for something to fill the bill. I came across a product line called "J. R Liggett shampoo soap", jrliggett@jrliggett.com so I picked some up. I don't recall too much discussion here about soap and hair, but the product line seemed very interesting to me (no "bad" Laurel Sulphate, only natural oils), so if my hair turns into a grease ball from water-only washing, I am going to check this product out. There is another fellow on this board who uses pure Castelle Soap bars, but I know it is not a popular thing.
Anyway, I know you will be amused by the beard book, and perhaps you will consider making the trek over here for the event. (see beard team USA's website) I know there will be lots of friendly faces here to great you.
It was nice to meet Jack in person and his like 3 ft long red beard, but sad that his hair was short... no one is perfect, I guess. He lives in the big beautiful Bay Area, so you may see him doing a music gig someday.
Let me know what you think about the book. I am well into my second year of growing the hair, so it may be time for photos...
-Daniel
Opps,
I got that one website wrong:
http://www.jrliggett.com
theirs is an product that can go through airline checkouts, since it is a bar, not a liquid.
what a concept!
and for the record, I am well past my second year of long hair, probably 29 months, after I had foolishly cut off 15 inches. Delusional thinking led to such foolishness!
-Dan
Thanks so much for all the helpful info, Daniel! I just got an e-mail from Bill & Larry here in SF, who are apparently driving up to Bend to attend the weekend event of June 5th up there...
I just took a look at Beard Team USA's website, -- FASCINATING!!! In fact, I even decided to join!
Are there any Motel 6's up in Bend, OR? If I end up deciding to attend the Beard competition weekend (just as a spectator, mind you - LOL), I tend to prefer staying at very economical motels.
I'll also e-mail you privately, so you have my e-mail address if you wish to.
Thanks again for all the great beard info!
- Ken
I am almost at the two week mark since my last shampoo/conditioning, my mom says its greasy and it is, but it doesn't really bother me much, going to keep at it for another 6 weeks and then if I don't have satisfactory results by then I will have to decide what I want to do. At the absolute least I hope that my 8 week session of no poo/conditioner lets me go longer between shampooings without my hair getting greasy (I was shampooing/conditioning it every other day before)
Good luck with your journey, and if it doesn't bother you too much I would try to go at least 6-8 weeks to allow your hair to readjust, at least that is the average that it seems to take people to do it when they do succeed.
Finger detangle my hair every morning after I get out of bed, which usually takes 20 minutes or so, can vary. Every other day I brush my hair from scalp to ends (shoulder length now).
Thats pretty much my routine, every now and then ill brush it on the day inbetween.
I have tried many times to brush my hair after seeing the effect it had in movies when "princesses" did their grooming rituals. LOL
But in my experience, brushing "took the life out of my hair". It became too dry and static-y.
Man, ATP, how totally different your hair must be from mine: with my mane, after the brushing ritual, usually I feel as if life has RETURNED to my hair -- at least my scalp feels very invigorated (as well as my hair itself usually feels smoother and softer, as well as LESS dry)...
I guess we're just all different!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, ATP!
- Ken
I don't brush...generally, I fingercomb when dry, then use a fine toothed wood comb to finish. And mostly keep my hair up during the day to avoid tangling.
I always do a full comb out before washing...saves all the shedding in the shower and the tangling that ensues.
Hi Trolleypup,
Thanks for the informative reply!!
I used to own a wooden comb, bought it up at Bolinas while attending a Blues Festival many years ago.... I miss it! I remember having to apply oil to the wood. Now that I often apply oil to my hair ends, I wish I hadn't lost that comb.
It's become my regular habit of choice over the past few years to also wear my hair up (or, should I say, "back in a bun"), -- and yes, what a difference it makes in avoiding tangles at the end of the day.
I can't imagine life without my brushing ritual, though. Even back in the day when my hair was short, I've always loved how my scalp felt stimulated afterwards, as well as my hair always felt smoother...
Thanks again for sharing your experience, it's fun to read about how we're all a bit different!
- Ken
A wood comb can also be quite nice for stimulating the scalp.
Hey Ken, great pic of you no matter how many times you show it:)Actually I don't really remember that one for some reason.lol.
Anyway to answer your question I try my best to brush out my hair twice a day.Usually its once in the morning and once late afternoon after I get home from work.I would only brush my hair when its dry and would do some detangling first before I start using a wide tooth comb.After the preliminary detangle I only use a boars bristle brush throughout the entire process.I hear you on that scalp stimulation as isn't it a great feeling:)I admit loving the way my hair looks and feels after a good brushing but unfortunately I never make that 100 strokes!I guess in the olden days people had more free time for that unlike the rough and tumble lifestyles of today.I still need to wash my hair daily as if I don't after the second day it really starts lookin' crummy.I use shampoo very,very sparingly though.So in a nutshell this is my hair routine.
Oh, great talking with you the other day too!Glad we were able to connect:)
Mark
Interesting hair care routine you have there, Mark, and thanks so much for sharing it!
I was pleasantly surprised to hear that you don't remember ever seeing that pic of me doing my hair-brushing, as I thought I've bored everyone to tears here with it (LOL).... My good friend Christopher took that pic of me back in '05, when we used to regularly go up to Ukiah to visit a mutual friend of ours. One time he made a comment about my hair: "Oh, that hair of yours is SACRED TERRITORY." Considering he likes to buzz his hair real short nowadays, I got a big kick out of his comment!
Say, if you feel like chatting on the cell again this weekend, on Fri. evening after 8PM, CA time, I'll be through w/ work by then, and it will be an excellent time, if it works also for you then...
Later!
- Ken
Hi Ken,
Ha Ha Ha, I like that comment your friend made about your hair being "Sacred Territory" as ain't that the truth:)Funny a buzzed guy would even think of it like that.Hmmmmmmmmmm, maybe he's having second thoughts!
I'll have to give you a shout then Ken.A bit late for me but hey....it's Friday!!!!LOL. TGIF!LOL
Mark
Well, Mark, although this pic is pretty damn UNflattering of myself in my opinion, it at least shows my friend Christopher & I together (attending an AIDS benefit dance up in Ukiah a few years ago).... Although he looks good in a buzzcut (not to also mention the tux), I much prefer seeing him w/ more hair on his head!
OMG, i look like an aging, ugly old grandma in this pic! Speaking of which... Christopher, as well as a couple of other dance friends of mine, even teasingly have a nick-name for me whenever they see me on the dance floor wearing my hair up in a bun: "Grandma!"
Uh-oh... maybe I'll regret sharing that here (LOL)!!
- Ken
I only finger comb. I have curly hair.
Yes, I well remember your excellent head of very curly hair, -- and a VERY full mane of it, too!!!!
Seems to me that everybody I remember from here who's ever posted pics of having curly hair apparently does NOT do the same kind of dry-brushing ritual that I tend to do (and have always done in my past, even when my hair was short)...
Interesting how we are all a bit different about things like this!
Thanks so much for your reply, Adam!
- Ken
I don't have a regular time span for brushing my hair, usually I brush it when i feel it's a mass of tangles. When I'm not so lazy, I try to do it more often, as I know that five minutes every other day can save me twenty minutes of annoying detangling once a week.
As a method, I start from the very ends and carefully brush the tips going up inch by inch for the first third (that's a couple of inches more than one foot); then I can brush all the length together, usually.
Amen to that comment, ale!! I tend to get plenty lazy myself, too -- although once I take the time to pick up that brush, I always wonder why I procrastinated the ritual, as it always feels so good afterwards!
Your hair as I remember is considerably longer than mine (mine is just at belt-length now); but I tend to employ the same technique of slowly untangling and brushing the bottom portion, first, followed by working my way eventually up to the hair closer to the scalp.
I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one here who likes to use a brush now and then... Thanks so much for your reply, ale!!
- Ken
With my dry, thin hair, brushing creates serious friz .
Usually, I just detangle using a widetooth comb and/or finger comb
I don't have a brushing ritual as such... I usually brush it every morning and night, but as I tend to wear it in a braid most of the time it never takes very long. However, when I have nothing else to do, I'll occasionally take the time and have a really good brush and spend 10 to 15 minutes on it.
I wash my hair at most twice a week normally, sometimes only once. I brush it beforehand to get any tangles out and also to clear out the dead wood as it were - saves clogging the shower drain. I use a little shampoo and a lot of conditioner. Some of you will throw your hands up in horror at this, but I brush my hair wet. It just seems to work better for me than using a comb. Maybe I was using the wrong type of comb (wide tooth, nylon), but it always ended up tangling my hair, so I gave up. What I do with the brush is work from the ends upwards unless I find a snag, in which case I'll detangle by hand. Then, when it's all brushed out, I'll coat the whole lot in jojoba oil. (Thanks for the tip about applying it to wet hair, Ken. It works a treat.)
I thought I was approaching terminal at belt length, but I was mistaken. Currently, as I type this, my hair's about a palm's width from the seat of my chair.
My granny had much longer hair than I do now. She wore it in plaits 24/7. She combed it out every morning and then wrapped the plaits round her head like a coronet. They used to go round twice. Her hair was grey at the scalp, but chestnut for most of its length. Anyway, she only washed it very infrequently, to my knowledge, at most once a month - if that. It was quite a palaver for her as she had mobility problems and it took about a day to dry.
To be honest, I think it was helping her with her hair that really got me interested in growing my own. She taught me to braid it because her hands used to get tired and the loss of dexterity due to arthritis didn't help either.
I dread to think what she'd say about my hair now though, because she was definitely of the opinion that a man's hair should never be longer than a No.3 buzz and she certainly wasn't one to mince her words! A definite matriarch if ever there was one.
Hi Viking,
The main differences between you hair care routine and mine are the following:
1) I never use a brush when my hair is still wet (I just finger-comb and/or use a wide-toothed comb on wet hair);
2) whenever I dry-brush my hair, I make it as long a session as I possibly have time for (or at least until my scalp has that invigorated "tingly" sensation, which indicates that a lot of blood has flowed to the hair roots area);
3) I go back & forth between alternating between "thorough" shampooing sessions (you know, just like the directions on most shampoo bottles suggest); and then "edited" lighter shampoo applications (where I only apply a modest amount of shampoo to my scalp area, just ONCE)...
"Otherwise", your hair care routine is about the closest I've read here so-far to my own regular hair care rituals.
Thanks so much for your informative reply, Viking, -- and I loved reading the story about your granny's hair, it was a great read!
- Ken
Thanks for your comments, Ken.
Both of my sisters also have long hair - although one cut it to about shoulder length about a year and a half ago due to having two kids who like to pull anything which hangs within reach!
Anyway, the one who still has waist-length hair, when she's finished brushing her hair, wraps an old silk scarf around the brush and then spends another few minutes working on her hair with that. Her hair's in great condition and has a deep sheen, which she puts down to the silk. I keep thinking about that old silk shirt I haven't worn in ten years which is hanging at the back of my wardrobe...
Regular? I suppose I would. Part of my wake-up ritual is a shower, which almost inevitably involves drenching my hair daily. I tend to hold back on the shampooing, conditioning etc for every third day, but I usually like to water-wash my hair every morning. Once my hair dries post-shower, which is usually at least an hour afterwards, I brush. I've heard of the 100+ brush-strokes before, but that seems excessive to me. I brush 'till i can do a full sweep, tangle-free, then I stop. I've been told my hair is thin, I'd like to keep as much of it as possible!
I also tend to find myself brushing before leaving the house. Often it's because I "ponytail up" when in public (a habit picked up from living in windy places!) but I like to have taken a brush to my hair before being seen.
I tried once or twice not brushing for a day or so and I've always regretted it. The tangles irritate me too much. Though I suppose it's alleviated somewhat by my fidgeting habit: I always have to have my fingers be doing something, and often these days it seems to be playing/detangling hair!
Hi Ken,
With apologies for the late reply (I am not online much lately), that is a great photo, and your hair is shiny and healthy. Obviously, brushing works well for you.
For the most part I finger comb after it is quite dry, followed by a wide-toothed comb, then a finer comb. I do use a boar bristle brush from time to time (brings out more shine), but I don't have a particular routine.
Take care,
David
No need for any apology, David -- just great to hear from you!! I'm not online as often as I used to be, either... I sort of visit here in "spurts", for example. One week I can't get enough of this place; the next week I'm too busy w/ work and/or other things happening in "real life" to even have time to lurk anymore... It can be pretty nutty!
Well, considering your hair always looks hands-down WONDERFUL, i'd say, "If it ain't broke, don't 'fix' it!"
Take care, David. It's always a pleasure hearing back from you!!
- Ken
I brush just about every day with a boars bristle brush, I dont count the strokes or anything just brush until I'm satisfied with the shine/feel of it. I also use a regular brush to work out the tangles in the morning. I've tried finger combing, and a wide tooth comb, but I can only get a comb through my hair when its wet, if its dry it just turns the tangles into knots. When I use a regular brush I try to use it as little as possible just enough to get the tangles out, or to neaten it up if I was out in the wind or something.
Hi John S.,
Are you the same John S. that I know from Northern Michigan, jonalbear's partner? If so, cool that you finally deiced to post here -- and WELCOME!!!
I do a similar ritual of using a NON boar bristle brush to get out my tangles, first; then finish w/ the boar's bristle one. I used to have a wooden-tine brush that was great for stimulating my scalp; but it eventually wore down and fell apart... I need to buy a new one!!
Thanks again for your reply, John!
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken
I have wavy hair at the end and never brush my hair. I like it better when it forms spirals.
Hi Vincent,.
I have wavy hair most of the time, too (I say, "most of the time", because it always looks far wavier immediately after shampoo & conditioning days and/or water-wash only days). If I twist & twirl my hair even a small bit when my mane is still damp, I can even get natural ringlets that spiral at the ends... When I stop being so lazy and start taking some new pics of myself, I'll share here!
For me, the brushing ritual really helps me last longer between shampooings. While it's true that a serious dry-brushing session can take a lot of the curl out of hair, all I have to do afterward is dampen it a little, and then re-twist and twirl until the spirals come back... Try it! I think you'll like it!!!
Thanks so much for your reply, Vincent!
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken
I secure my hair in a sectioned-tail at night. When I remove the ties, I first finger comb to work out any knots/tangles, then when I can freely run my fingers through the hair, I then brush it out. I use two brushes. One is a wood brstle brush that I use to even out and shape the hair. After a few strokes with that, I switch to a boar bristle to finish and smooth down the strands. I don't spend very long doing this, just enough to get it in place before tailing, braiding or whatever style I choose. Always on dry hair, never on wet. Wet hair is combed with a very large wide-toothed comb.
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Hi Ken, I have only been using a wide tooth comb on my hair. I am worried about breakage and tangling. I may get brave and try brushing, but only if it does not increase shedding loss. I am fascinated by the lady that does brushing in place of shampooing. I remember a guy in a wheelchair, a few years back who did not wash his hair at all. His hair was past his waist, if I remember correctly. For him, brushing alone was enough to keep it clean. If I could pull off washing it maybe only once monthly, it would save me having to spend 2 hours washing and drying it every 5 to 7 days. Anything that can reduce the time I spend on hair maintenance is of great interest to me for sure.
Scott
- I just wanted to say I know exactly what you're talking about. Your question really made me smile. ;p I inherited my Irish Grandfathers' late 1800s' Etiquette book, which had all kinds of interesting things in it's second half, about hygene, soap recipes, natural beauty as a result of health, and hair care. Both men and women were advised to brush. I kept my hair that way when I was 16, 17, and 18, when it was relatively short. I had my daily hairbrushing rituals, and tried to only wash it once a week, but often it was two or three times a week. I've done it a few times now that it's past my sholders, but not much. Once in a while if I need a bath & my head is itchy, but I don't have the time, I'll massage the scalp, then use my large tooth handle-less comb, starting from the bottom, then working up, after using my fingers to detangle first. Then I scratch over my scalp with it. I love how it feels. I only use that comb anymore, and almost the only time I comb it is when I'm in the tub, with the shampoo in, detangling with my fingers first, then working up from the bottom, eventually going over my scalp really good.