new thread
I'd love to hear all of your tips and tricks for the awkward stage... most of the advice I've found searching the archives relates to longer hair, but mine (at nearly 1 year of growth from a buzz cut) isn't long enough to tie back and doesn't have enough weight to lay back/down on its own. It's also wavy and curly at the ends and very fine/delicate.
For a while I was wearing a bandana covering most of my hair, and then I switched to a beanie for a while. I feel like they're both soaking up too much oil from my hair – I frequently put them on while my hair is wet or at least still moist because it takes upwards of two hours or more to dry. And regardless of whether I have anything covering my hair, it seems to break on top (especially if parted down the middle) and in the front.
I've been using a gentle shampoo about once a week, and coconut oil based conditioner after shampooing plus a few additional times per week. I rinse my hair with water on a daily basis, and I sometimes rinse a second time each day after a bike ride. After rinsing I gently blot my hair with a towel to get most of the excess water and then I comb with a wide-tooth bamboo comb. My hair tangles easily so I gently run my fingers through the ends as I comb to help separate the hairs.
After combing I've been working a small bit of almond oil through my hair. This has helped but it isn't a cure.
The result from my routine is that my hair feels kind of frizzy - it seems like lots of individual strands don't want to come together and they kind of fly around on their own. It's especially noticeable in front if I've parted my hair to keep it off my face. The "free spirit" strands just fly all over and I fear they're going to break.
Is it best to keep using the bandana and/or beanie or let my hair fly free? And is my hair really damaged or is this just the way mine is?
Thanks!
your hair looks great - all that body, wave & curl + the colour - your doin' fine - the biggest problem with awkward stage is that it gets in your eyes, face, mouth etc. ... I chose a headband for a while - until I could 'pony' the lot - I think Raul & Anthony have great ideas & attitudes toward rapid growth & varied expression during the awkward stage - I would follow their lead to a T - have fun & enjoy your hair as it mutates daily cheers CEM.
Thanks man. I sometimes wear a headband at home, but my hair isn't quite long enough for it to work quite right. Large portions of my hair end up looking awkwardly pushed up above the headband.
There's a lot of long haired guys where I live (Portland, Oregon), and most of them seem to be wearing beanies through the awkward stage and beyond.
Sounds like a lot of rinsing. Dryness and breakage may decrease if you just let your hair be more and rinse less.
Also, such an approach will be less work. You might want to give it a try.
Bill
I tend to sweat a lot so I fear that my hair will get pretty nasty. Plus there's the issue of keeping my hair out of the water while in the shower - it's not long enough to tie up or anything so the back hangs down far enough to be in the stream of water.
I used to use a headband before being able to tie most of my hair back in a ponytail. You can find nice sporty ones made for football players if that's what you like.
Anthony
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