How do you airdry while avoiding tangling ends

[bb09]

I read one old thread which said drying in a pony was the worst thing you can do. Wash n gos were better for a poster because the ends are separated.. so they don't get a chance to tangle?

I know I'd get a lot of shrinkage if I were to leave my hair to dry my hair loose though. What's the best way to dry to get as much stretch as possible without the ends ending up tangled when fully dry (even though they're detangled when wet)?

 

[starchgirl]

The best way I've found to air dry to avoid tangling is to keep my hair sectioned into 6 or more sections after co-washing and detangling.

Edited to add:

I add my KT leave in and safflower oil to seal each section. Then I braid each of those sections to the ends. To air dry I'll do 10 braids. To braid and curl, I'll do 20 braids with blue perm rods on the ends (which also prevent tangling). I'll add shea butter to the very end of each braid to keep the SSKs from forming.

 

[Bublin]

I seal with a mix of Castor Oil and Jojoba Oil. Castor Oil is very good for keeping ends smooth. I put in about 10 large individual braids (you can do less the longer your hair is). About half an inch before the end i convert from plaiting to two-strand twists - this also helps with the tangles.
Braids stretch out the hair alot more than twists.

Every night i'll either use my oil mix to both moisturise and seal or use it to seal my moisturiser (i usually wear braid outs and just do large twists at night to maintain)

 

[bb09]

Thank you guys. Does anyone else dry their hair without braids? (I get more shrinkage when I do braids on wet hair).

Bublin -I might switch to using sunflower oil for oil rinsing, and castor oil for airdrying then. Thanks.

 

[westNDNbeauty]

I never air dry loose hair. Always in braids. But maybe banding might be an option to air dry loose hair without braiding.

 

[Bublin]

Here is a Youtube vid where she airdries loose

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7_iF_hJO4c

Personally it would not work for my hair type but you could follow her method and give it a try.

 

[PJaye]

I’ve been consistently air drying in a ponytail/bun since 1999 with no ill effects. I think the best approach would be to find out what your hair likes, which methods it responds most favorably to through trial and error, and practice those.

 

[bb09]

I have done a lot of trial and error with airdrying though. I just don't want the ends to tangle by the time my hair's fully dried. I even get that (snagged ends) when I moisturise my hair with condish, twist it loosely, then leave it. When it comes to undoing it, the ends snag together.

Bublin -thanks for the video link. I've done the same thing as her. The problem is when it comes to taking out the plaits. My hair's always fine Until it fully dries .. so that doesn't really work for my hair either.

 

[divachyk]

@bb09 - I air dry my hair loose. If I'm concerned with stretching my ng, I'll put it in a pony when it's about 90% dry and finish drying the remainder of time. My hair doesn't tangle back up while air drying. ETA: I'm relaxed.

 

[bb09]

Ok I might not be able to get around banding or braids..

My problem with braids mostly, is I can only do box braids, so the top 3 inches of my hair would be straight, while the length is crinkly.. I don't always like that lol.

Also with banding +/or braids, since my hair isn't all the same length, the longest hairs are the ones that seem to tangle. Nonie. Is there a way to get around that?

 

[bb09]

@divachyk -you're lucky! For me, it's always where I put my hairband, or the part the majority of my hair meets at. E.g.
__
____
__

(It would tangle at the midpoint of the second line, if you can picture that as 3 strands of hair lol).

 

[divachyk]

Here's how I work that @bb09...I will start you at my final rinse and walk you through.
-Final rinse in shower with barely cool water.
-I do not ring my hair out. I need all the water retained in my strands to help with hyrdration (low porosity) and slip when I apply my LIS.
-Apply LIs on sopping wet hair and gently comb through my hair with my Hercules Sagemann Jumbo Rake.
-Tie scarf around edges.
-Every 30 mins (give or take), I'll run my hands over my hair or lightly comb through it.
-I will continue running my hands over my hair and/or lightly combing until I'm 100% dry which keeps the strands separated.

 

[prettypithy]

I have recently begun completely brushing out my curls before twisting and the tangles are way down, my hair is far more stretched and tangling of the ends has disappeared from my life.

 

[MilkChocolateOne]

put magnetic rollers on the ends

 

[leona2025]

I'm relaxed too, but my hair still would knot at the ends, even when flatironed. I always airdry loose and it my ends would tangle. I also did and do get single strand knots. When I got my ends trimmed the knotting and sticking together stopped. Most of my tangles and knots comes from shed hair that I haven't gotten out and as it comes out it tangles around my other strands.

 

[coolsista-paris]

i also braid in sections (i should do more sections but lazy me...)

how about trying the thread method. ok it takes more time if you don't have the method.

sealing well, then section your hair and roll the sectio,n with thread. It stretches hair apparently (method used in africa). I still have never tried it yet. ill do it one day. when there is less laziness

 

[lovely_locks]

I use the shirt method and every 20 min. I will finger comb my hair dry. You can also braid your hair and twist them around rods and you will get a nice wave. Or you can just finger comb untill your hair is dry.

Sent from my SPH-M580 using SPH-M580

 

[Nonie]

Ok I might not be able to get around banding or braids..

My problem with braids mostly, is I can only do box braids, so the top 3 inches of my hair would be straight, while the length is crinkly.. I don't always like that lol.

Also with banding +/or braids, since my hair isn't all the same length, the longest hairs are the ones that seem to tangle. @Nonie. Is there a way to get around that?

bb09 My hair isn't all the same length either...but I braid to the ends and that takes care of that. Maybe one of these days I'll undo several twists (Oh the hassle of it all ) and demonstrate stretching in a series of photos. (No, I suck at videos so I'll pass on that. I'll try to take nice clear photos.) I'm not sure I understand why different lengths should be a problem.

Do you have pics of your "stretching in braids" procedure? I'm just curious to understand why it fails coz of length differences.

I've never banded to stretch and I don't think it'd stretch as well as braids can, so I don't even try to test it. I already can see how the gaps would be shrunken and unstretched without even trying it out.

 

[NappyNelle]

Thank you guys. Does anyone else dry their hair without braids? (I get more shrinkage when I do braids on wet hair).

Ok I might not be able to get around banding or braids..

My problem with braids mostly, is I can only do box braids, so the top 3 inches of my hair would be straight, while the length is crinkly.. I don't always like that lol.

Have you tried drying in bantu-knots? Your hair will be curly, but you can use braids after the knots dry to elongate the curl.

 

[chocolate01]

HI air dry my hair in fat two strand twists. Air drying my hair loose is a no go for me

 

[HanaKuroi]

I let my hair get half dry then braid. Then when almost dry I apply my MHC styling creme or oyin hair dew and let it finish drying. If I air dry from soaking wet I get a bunch of shrinkage. If I don't braid twice I also get a lot of shrinkage.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[bb09]

@bb09 My hair isn't all the same length either...but I braid to the ends and that takes care of that. Maybe one of these days I'll undo several twists (Oh the hassle of it all ) and demonstrate stretching in a series of photos. (No, I suck at videos so I'll pass on that. I'll try to take nice clear photos.) I'm not sure I understand why different lengths should be a problem.

Do you have pics of your "stretching in braids" procedure? I'm just curious to understand why it fails coz of length differences.

I've never banded to stretch and I don't think it'd stretch as well as braids can, so I don't even try to test it. I already can see how the gaps would be shrunken and unstretched without even trying it out.

@Nonie- no, no pics sorry.. I need to find my other phone for that. My hair's actually in 4 plaits now. I braid it up until the ends, and just kind of twist the bottom.. it unravels anyway then it tangles. I don't want to try and do a tiny plait at the bottom though and get knots trying to take it out.

The banding point would be so true actually. Thanks for mentioning that.

Have you tried drying in bantu-knots? Your hair will be curly, but you can use braids after the knots dry to elongate the curl.

@NappyNelle -It's never been successful.. I've never been able to do even one lol. I might need to get bobby pins. Thank you.

 

[NappyNelle]

bb09 Sorry girl! Ok- maybe one more suggestion, LOL. This is pretty involved, but what if you air dry in braids, finger fluff, and re-braid with a light oil to stretch out the crinkles? I've done that several times before without knotting.

 

[Nonie]

@Nonie- no, no pics sorry.. I need to find my other phone for that. My hair's actually in 4 plaits now. I braid it up until the ends, and just kind of twist the bottom.. it unravels anyway then it tangles. I don't want to try and do a tiny plait at the bottom though and get knots trying to take it out.

The banding point would be so true actually. Thanks for mentioning that.

Maybe you could band the ends then? Only instead of "banding" do it like African threading...meaning no gaps. You stretch the ends and wrap them mummy style. Since it's just the ends, it shouldn't take long. What do you think bb09?

 

[bb09]

@NappyNelle -No, suggestions are good! Lol I made this thread for that! I get the knots when airdrying in braids (because the ends are undone) and when drying loose as well, which is what I'm trying to avoid. Finger fluffling afterwards is definitely useful. I'm usually fluffling out tangles from the ends though, ugh.

 

[bb09]

Maybe you could band the ends then? Only instead of "banding" do it like African threading...meaning no gaps. You stretch the ends and wrap them mummy style. Since it's just the ends, it shouldn't take long. What do you think @bb09?

That's a really good idea. I need to find the sewing kit. Is there anything I can use other than thread?

 

[SkySurfer]

It's all about threading the hair when you've just washed it.
Stretches your hair out nicely, and is a nice precursor to flat ironing.
My mum does this every night to her own hair, and her hair is BSL or something LOL, when stretched out

I deep condition after washing, then thread my hair in about 8 sections, the longer your hair gets, the fewer sections are needed.


Edit: Whoops, beaten to it with the african threading suggestion

 

[Nonie]

That's a really good idea. I need to find the sewing kit. Is there anything I can use other than thread?

Maybe a ribbon? In fact it could work better coz it's got a wider surface area so you just need a few wraps to get the hair completely covered. Don't forget to stretch out the hair as you wrap.

Or yarn?

 

[NappyNelle]

Nonie Ribbon is probably better if one can't find thread, because it is more likely to be satin. yarn would suck the moisture from her ends.

 

[HarySituation]

put magnetic rollers on the ends

I second this. Why don't you braid in sections as you normally do then instead of just twisting the ends or leaving them loose, put a roller or perm rod on the very ends to keep them smooth?