How do you airdry while avoiding tangling ends

[bb09]

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.

divachyk -I've done that before and got a lot of shrinkage, but I'm not sure if I used a leave-in, or if I used too much of a watery product. I'm def gonna try it again. Thank you.

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.

prettypithy -Thank you.. I'll def try that as well. I don't know if that can be done on (my) soaking wet hair. I'll try though.

put magnetic rollers on the ends

MilkChocolateOne -My ends still dry the same way when I use rollers on the ends for some reason. Thank you though.

I'm relaxed too, but my hair still would knot at the ends, even when flatironed. I always airdry loose and 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.

leona2025 -Mine are freshly trimmed as well. Shed hairs causing tangles is such a good point & reminder. Thanks.

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 section with thread. It stretches hair apparently (method used in africa). I still have never tried it yet. i'll do it one day. when there is less laziness

coolsista-paris -. I'll definitely be trying it (atleast on my ends) when I find some thread.

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

lovely_locks -I'm gonna definitely start fingercombing as my hair dries.

I appreciate the responses!

 

[bb09]

How many times do I have to say definitely .

So I'll:
- Get all shed hairs out before detangling.. Is it best to start from the top or the bottom for that?

When plaiting:
- Smooth or comb my hair before I put it in plaits.
- Roll the ends with thread at some point since I can't get everything into the same plait.

When drying loose:
- I don't think my roots will do well with this, but fingercomb my hair as it dries to atleast keep the ends from sticking.
- Stretch it half way through somehow with plaits.

 

[Nonie]

@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.

@NappyNelle, I agree...but I was thinking of soaking the yarn in oil the way people who do yarn braids do.

 

[bb09]

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

SkySurfer -I'm intrigued by this. Are there youtube videos on it?
5 sections seemed to stretch my hair out nicely today. (I just moisturised, detangled, then plaited it).

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?

Nonie, thank you. When you say stretch out the hair, can that be done without pulling it downwards?

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?

HarySituation -For me, my hair still dries the same way it does as when I dry it loose. I've done this with 1 pony, 2 ponytails, 4 (purple rollers).

@NappyNelle, I agree...but I was thinking of soaking the yarn in oil the way people who do yarn braids do.

Thanks Nonie. I know we have some somewhere.

 

[Nonie]

@Nonie, thank you. When you say stretch out the hair, can that be done without pulling it downwards?

bb09 Not sure what you mean downward. Stretching can be in any direction. Just means when you finish twisting and get to the end you make sure the hair is not contracted but held in a stretched out state.

See how I stretch when I twist? Not just when I'm parting the hair but when I'm actually twisting. My fingers are smoothing out the hair as I twist... My fingers aren't just staying at the bottom where I'm currently crossing over. That's what I mean.

If I were wrapping the hair below, I'd only wrap the part to the left that is held taut, and then I'd be able to slide my fingers as I further stretch that remaining part. I am so mad there are no vids of African Threading in action so you can see how they do it.

 

[SkySurfer]

SkySurfer -I'm intrigued by this. Are there youtube videos on it?
5 sections seemed to stretch my hair out nicely today. (I just moisturised, detangled, then plaited it).

The way my mum taught me, is to section the hair into big parts, and then use the string to secure the base, the wind tightly down to the end tips of the hair.

It dries more quickly because it's stretched and it easy to style after in a bun/ dry stretched twists.

A few videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cg865rG2RE

In this one you can see that the lady has wound the string quite loosely..and the parts in her child's hair are quite small because she is using it as a styling technique. I do much bigger sections and wrap the thread so that you can't see any of my har through gaps.

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

This girl does threading which is more reminiscent of the type of threading I do.
Here it's not done for styling; only for stretching and drying.
I do big imprecise parts and big sections like this. Her hair is quite short so her hair only sticks out a bit, but it's quite funny when your hair is longer. You can 'accidentally' poke someone's eye out, because the hair sticks out so much when it's freshly threaded lol![/COLOR]

There are also other videos on youtube, but they often show micro versions of threading, which also done for style, but is quite time consuming.

Hope that helped

SkySurfer

 

[bb09]

Nonie, I mean once I've gotten to the bottom of the plait, is stretching synonymous with pulling? I just clicked the link and I can see you kind of smooth your hair. I have to get used to doing that I guess. I just pull pull.

I've seen a threading video somewhere or a mention of it! It was actually a British woman in London as well, with her daughter. She does skits. I think I remember her just saying that's how she stretches her daughter's hair. I'm not sure she's done a subsequent video. I don't remember her S/N at alll.

 

[Nonie]

@Nonie, I mean once I've gotten to the bottom of the plait, is stretching synonymous with pulling? I just clicked the link and I can see you kind of smooth your hair. I have to get used to doing that I guess. I just pull pull.

I've seen a threading video somewhere or a mention of it! It was actually a British woman in London as well, with her daughter. She does skits. I think I remember her just saying that's how she stretches her daughter's hair. I'm not sure she's done a subsequent video. I don't remember her S/N at alll.

bb09 Yes, threading stretches hair so well! I am such a lousy bum. I was so sure before the end of the year, I'd find thread (black yarn) and wrap a section that I can hide up...or do my whole head in thread...so I can show you all how well threading stretches hair.

But yes, it is synonymous to pulling. But you have to be smart and make sure that your pulling is for the purpose of making strands lie parallel to each other. If your hair is balled up and you pull, that won't do you any good. You're trying to pull so that when you take the ribbon or yarn off, hair strands are parallel and looking as if you have blow dried hair that can be combed through with ease.

 

[bb09]

The way my mum taught me, is to section the hair into big parts, and then use the string to secure the base, the wind tightly down to the end tips of the hair.

It dries more quickly because it's stretched and it easy to style after in a bun/ dry stretched twists.

A few videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cg865rG2RE

In this one you can see that the lady has wound the string quite loosely..and the parts in her child's hair are quite small because she is using it as a styling technique. I do much bigger sections and wrap the thread so that you can't see any of my har through gaps.

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

This girl does threading which is more reminiscent of the type of threading I do.
Here it's not done for styling; only for stretching and drying.
I do big imprecise parts and big sections like this. Her hair is quite short so her hair only sticks out a bit, but it's quite funny when your hair is longer. You can 'accidentally' poke someone's eye out, because the hair sticks out so much when it's freshly threaded lol![/COLOR]

There are also other videos on youtube, but they often show micro versions of threading, which also done for style, but is quite time consuming.

Hope that helped

SkySurfer

@SkySurfer -thank you!! I already have the first video opened in another window .

 

[bb09]

@SkySurfer -I'm on the 2nd video now, and LOL why does her hair stick out more than the girl in the 1st vid? I might still only do it on the bottom half of my hair (once I find some thread)..

 

[Bublin]

bb09 Ah, i forgot...... so i put about 10 plaits in my har to airdry and twist the ends...i then use satin pillow rollers on the ends. This helps keeps the ends very smooth and knot free. I only do one or two revolutions. I also find the weight of the rollers makes my plaits stretch out just a little more - i have very fine/light hair (i'll tie the top of my hair down and leave the plaits hanging to dry for as long as possible before topping it all with a bonnet for bed.

eta (sorry i keep doing this) HERE IS A VIDEO SHOWING EXACTLY WHAT I DO - ONLY THIS LADY IS DOING IT ON DRY HAIR. IT GIVES THE ENDS A NICE FINISH.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC-DmJOC-sk

 

[HautePinkHeels]

Similar to what a lot of other people have said, when I airdry I clamp the ends of my twists with duckbill clips. It not only keeps the ends from tangling but the weight of the clips on each individual twist keeps the roots stretched too and I have an easier time with styling once my hair is dry:

(ignore the watermarks, I had these on my blog before I figured out how to disable right-clicking.)

 

[coolsista-paris]

bb09 : when you do find the thread to do it, SHOW ME!!!! ive heard that it even straightens hair not just stretch it. so we should try it out.

 

[coolsista-paris]

Similar to what a lot of other people have said, when I airdry I clamp the ends of my twists with duckbill clips. It not only keeps the ends from tangling but the weight of the clips on each individual twist keeps the roots stretched too and I have an easier time with styling once my hair is dry:

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(ignore the watermarks, I had these on my blog before I figured out how to disable right-clicking.)

Hautepinkhills : great idea for the ends. (i might try it out but usually i do my hair like before going to bed so i cant sleep with the clips on)illl think of it when i wash at daytime

 

[bb09]

Thank you both ^^.

I might try that with clips first since I have some. I can't tell from the photo, but if your hair's long, are you twirling the plait around before clipping it down (like a bantu knot).

& do you clip the end to each plait to the root of that section, if that makes sense? I intend to do 5 or 6 sections. I'm really trying to avoid the thought of unravelling tangled or crispy hair.

Bublin -I think I need satin pillow rollers in my life.. Where did you get yours?

 

[bb09]

@bb09 : when you do find the thread to do it, SHOW ME!!!! ive heard that it even straightens hair not just stretch it. so we should try it out.

@coolsista-paris -earlier, my mum said there's ribbon in the loft (somewhere) , and I have no idea where our sewing kit is Lol. You might end up showing me first !

I'll let you know though, even if it's months from now lol. I hope you saw the youtube vids on the 2nd page?

 

[HautePinkHeels]

Thank you both ^^.

I might try that with clips first since I have some. I can't tell from the photo, but if your hair's long, are you twirling the plait around before clipping it down (like a bantu knot).

& do you clip the end to each plait to the root of that section, if that makes sense? I intend to do 5 or 6 sections. I'm really trying to avoid the thought of unravelling tangled or crispy hair.

Bublin -I think I need satin pillow rollers in my life.. Where did you get yours?

bb09: My hair is about an inch away from APL at its longest point in the back, so not very long.

I don't twirl the ends around the clips; I just clamp them, let 'em hang, and then move on.

I also take longer duckbill clips and clamp the roots of the 4 or 5 twists that are right in my crown area since that area gets the most tangled for me. For the rest of my hair, the weight of the clips on the ends of each twist is enough to keep the roots of that twist untangled.

I do about 16 - 20 twists as well; I find that when I do small, loose twists as opposed to larger twists my hair tangles less because there's less hair in the section and thus less opportunity for tangling.

 

[Bublin]

Thank you both ^^.

I might try that with clips first since I have some. I can't tell from the photo, but if your hair's long, are you twirling the plait around before clipping it down (like a bantu knot).

& do you clip the end to each plait to the root of that section, if that makes sense? I intend to do 5 or 6 sections. I'm really trying to avoid the thought of unravelling tangled or crispy hair.

@Bublin -I think I need satin pillow rollers in my life.. Where did you get yours?

I just realised you are in London! They were once sooo hard to find but more and more hair shops are selling them. I'm in South London and they def sell them in Brixton and Peckham hair shops.
Just go to the hair rollers section and have a look.

OR If you prefer something more solid there are cylinder sponge ones that are covered in satin too.

I know you can buy them online but that works out more expensive. They are the only rollers that keep ends smooth and don't encourage breakage.

 

[bb09]

@bb09: My hair is about an inch away from APL at its longest point in the back, so not very long.

I don't twirl the ends around the clips; I just clamp them, let 'em hang, and then move on.

I also take longer duckbill clips and clamp the roots of the 4 or 5 twists that are right in my crown area since that area gets the most tangled for me. For the rest of my hair, the weight of the clips on the ends of each twist is enough to keep the roots of that twist untangled.

I do about 16 - 20 twists as well; I find that when I do small, loose twists as opposed to larger twists my hair tangles less because there's less hair in the section and thus less opportunity for tangling.

@HautePinkHeels -APL hair is plenty. I'd never consider it "short". I was just asking because if your hair was, say NL, you could just fold the plait in half, then clip it to your roots.

Since you said you do 16-20 twists, do you clip the ends to the roots, or the length of the twist to the roots? I just can't picture what you do with the actual twist, since you don't bantu knot it.. sorry (btw I'm talking about the 1st pic).

Do you try to hide or tuck in the ends as well?

& to the part in blue, if you don't mind explaining, how do clips keep your roots untangled? I'm just trying to make sense of this lol. Sorry I'm asking So many questions.

 

[HautePinkHeels]

@HautePinkHeels -APL hair is plenty. I'd never consider it "short". I was just asking because if your hair was, say NL, you could just fold the plait in half, then clip it to your roots.

Since you said you do 16-20 twists, do you clip the ends to the roots, or the length of the twist to the roots? I just can't picture what you do with the actual twist, since you don't bantu knot it.. sorry (btw I'm talking about the 1st pic).

Do you try to hide or tuck in the ends as well?

& to the part in blue, if you don't mind explaining, how do clips keep your roots untangled? I'm just trying to make sense of this lol. Sorry I'm asking So many questions.

The part that you highlighted in blue explains the first pic. I just literally took some clips and clamped my roots down. I inserted them the same way you would a bobby pin. The first pic is actually kinda optional--if you don't get a whole lot of tangling in your crown like I do you probably won't have to bother with doing all that. That's just extra insurance on top of clipping the end of each twist.

I don't do anything to the actual twist. After I put clips on the end of each twist I just let them hang (2nd pic). No bantu knotting, no clipping them elsewhere, they just swing freely.

ETA: I forgot your last question. When I add clips to the roots I pull my hair taut as I do it. Then when I clamp the roots it keeps the hair taut.

 

[bb09]

I just realised you are in London! They were once sooo hard to find but more and more hair shops are selling them. I'm in South London and they def sell them in Brixton and Peckham hair shops.
Just go to the hair rollers section and have a look.

OR If you prefer something more solid there are cylinder sponge ones that are covered in satin too.

I know you can buy them online but that works out more expensive. They are the only rollers that keep ends smooth and don't encourage breakage.

@Bublin -yep, I'm from London . The last time I was in the Finsbury Park's Pak's (NE London), the selection of rollers were really bad. I ended up getting purple rollers online.

I think I'd definitely need the smaller ones to properly protect my ends..

 

[bb09]

The part that you highlighted in blue explains the first pic. I just literally took some clips and clamped my roots down. I inserted them the same way you would a bobby pin. The first pic is actually kinda optional--if you don't get a whole lot of tangling in your crown like I do you probably won't have to bother with doing all that. That's just extra insurance on top of clipping the end of each twist.

I don't do anything to the actual twist. After I put clips on the end of each twist I just let them hang (2nd pic). No bantu knotting, no clipping them elsewhere, they just swing freely.

ETA: I forgot your last question. When I add clips to the roots I pull my hair taut as I do it. Then when I clamp the roots it keeps the hair taut.

Ohhhh. Sorry, I get it now . The 1st pic is you clipping down your roots, and the 2nd pic is you clamping your ends.. but it's the same washday.

I just assumed you meant different washdays, different scenarios.

Thank you.

 

[HautePinkHeels]

Ohhhh. Sorry, I get it now . The 1st pic is you clipping down your roots, and the 2nd pic is you clamping your ends.. but it's the same washday.

I just assumed you meant different washdays, different scenarios.

Thank you.

LOL I wish I did have multiple ways to successfully air dry! But yeah, this is all the same day.

 

[bb09]

Welcome to the forum btw! Thanks for helping me out HautePinkHeels . I just saw your number of posts.

 

[HautePinkHeels]

Welcome to the forum btw! Thanks for helping me out HautePinkHeels . I just saw your number of posts.

LOL I just gave you my first thanks. *feels fuzzy and accomplished*

 

[SkySurfer]

@SkySurfer -I'm on the 2nd video now, and LOL why does her hair stick out more than the girl in the 1st vid? I might still only do it on the bottom half of my hair (once I find some thread)..

Hey
Her hair sticks out because she's wrapped the thread more tightly around the section of hair with fewer gaps and more revolutions of the thread. this makes the section of hair more rigid.
Think like a bandage around your elbow, the more closely wound the bandage, the harder it is to flex and extend for elbow..your arm stays straight. Bad analogy, but that is what is happening with the hair x

 

[bb09]

SkySurfer -ohh. Good analogy though! Thanks for explaining that.

 

[Liberianmami26]

I usually might do tight twists or braids

 

[bb09]

Liberianmami26 -Thank you ^^. I think my issue was getting shed hairs out, so I'll try drying in twists /braids again. I just hope I don't get the snags /tangles!

 

[constance]

put magnetic rollers on the ends

This is the only thing that works for me--applying leave in liberally and wrapping the last 3 inches around hard rollers. I usually use a few duckbill clips to hold the ends in place, and then wrap it all up in a scarf until dry.