Naturals, edges that aren't slicked down= unkempt?

[iri9109]

i used to be obsessed with sleek edges, but now most of the time i let my edges be...plus i noticed some breakage from using a hard brush... now sometimes i'll smooth with a wet product or gel and my hands or a verrryyyy soft boar bristle brush and then put my scarf on for a few minutes...but if i dont thats cool too

 

[keepithealthy]

I usually don't slick my edges down. I have done it a few times for certain looks. But my day to day..nope

 

[brucebettye]

I slick my edges back with my hands and some gel, but by the end of the day I have a little halo around my edges. I don't think it looks unkempt and I like it. But since I have been growing out my hair my edges have gotten longer so I don't really have to much baby hair around the edges. Also I believe this is just apart of being natural and I am okay with that.

 

[Tiye]

Not everyone has slickable edges. Does that make them unkempt by default?

 

[Beautytalk69]

My edges are ALWAYS slicked. I am a gel groupie..I just can't help myself. But my hair slicks down with no problem at all.

 

[yamilee21]

I give up on slicking down edges; mine won't stay slicked more than a couple of hours no matter what, even if my hair is flat-ironed. I sometimes try to make the effort for special occasions, but it is a lost cause. My daughter's are even worse... they don't even stay down long enough to take a picture immediately after combing her hair, .

 

[Napp]

I usually prefer them to be slicked or smoothed with a brush and/or product.on myself i just cant get with beady bees around my hairline. imo, for the most part it looks messy unless the rest ofthe hair looks like that too.

 

[PPGbubbles]

I recently got a giant tub of ecostyler gel. I was never big on edges I would just lay them down with a scarf

Now, I have started "smoothing' my hair down and I will tell you that it makes a HUGE difference in the appearance of your hair.

I recieve more compliemnts now AND I discovered that I do have somewhat of a definable curl pattern what a surprise!

#team Ecostyler!

I attached a pic of my slicked braided puff. I just smooth with fingers and use a scarf to lie the "adult" hurrs down.

 

[Imani]

Not everyone has slickable edges. Does that make them unkempt by default?

My thoughts exactly. My hair laughs at gel and such and its really dense and kinky across the front. So slicking down is probably not going to happen without like two tons of gunk in my hair.

 

[empressri]

My hair doesn't really like being slicked down. It might stay that way for an hour but after that? I look like a 5 year old little girl that was playing rough at school

 

[libertysince05]

I leave it alone, but apply a leave in x2 a week or if the hair looks/feels dry.
I doesnt look unkempt to me...

 

[Bubblingbrownshuga]

When I used to relax I had no curly edges. Once I went natural they came back. I had not seen them except on a picture when I was three. My mom straightened my hair from then on. I don't wear my hair smooth flat so they swirl and blend in to my hair and lay on my hair line. I like the look. I like the undefined softness they give me. When I was first natural an absolute stranger, a male, was standing on the bus with me and simply said " Your curls are so beautiful" the only ones he could have been referring to was my hair line. I had the rest in a braided bun. I really like the ones around the nape of my hair.

OH EM GEE!

VINTAGE, you are back! Girl I missed you so!

 

[melissa-bee]

Well It's nice that all of you have a choice because I don't. It's frizzy edges or frizzy edges for me, I have tried everything.

 

[faithVA]

Well It's nice that all of you have a choice because I don't. It's frizzy edges or frizzy edges for me, I have tried everything.

This won't help much since you are in London, but for the US and Canadian ladies, if you have difficult to lay down edges, Joie Naturals gel works fabulously. I thought I was purchasing gel for my twists but when I opened it I realized it had to be for edges because you can't do anything else with it.

I used it on dry hair and it laid my edges down for 2 days. And I don't do all of the scarf, brushing, etc. I'm just toooo lazy for all of that.

 

[Tamster]

I have natural baby hairs that don't need to be slicked. I never apply gel or anything to them, but thats just my hair type. what I don't like is the faux edge look where people take long hairs and create baby hairs and edges to be slicked.

For me, besides the baby hairs (that I let do whatever), I smooth my hair back with my hands and water. I don't like the super slick/hard/gelled look at all.

 

[Rocky91]

Welp, personally, I'm a big fan of slicked edges. And styled baby hurr.
I don't care what others choose to do with their own edges, tho.

 

[wavezncurlz]

IMO, my hairline and texture would look odd not slicked. Like BostonMaria, I don't use gel though. I like butters for my edges.

But don't you think it's a texture thing? My youngest daughter's hair doesn't really slick down even if I try (she's 3 and I think 4aish). She has cute little curly babyhairs that look so perfect. My oldest daughter and I do not have those little curls or fuzzies. It's either laid down or there is a literal halo of straight fuzz around our hairline.

 

[SheenaVee]

Depends if I can be bothered.

Sometimes I slick it and sometimes I don't. My hairs along my hairline are superfine and lay down really easily anyway so I don't need a lot of product or anything to keep them down. I just use a very soft brush and that keeps em down.

I will do the slicked look for an interview or going out somewhere like a party or something. Everyday hair? Not necessary.

And no, I don't think it looks unkempt at all.

 

[PinkGirlFluff]

I don't do slick now that I am natural. It does not fit my personality formal or not. People would look at me like, "Who is she fooling?" lol. Besides I like a little volume in my styles. I love my thick edges and I would like to keep them. I'm not trying to have to put on donkey pee and massage holly water on them to get them back to where they are now.

 

[BostonMaria]

@BostonMaria

Girl, I'm not even gonna talk about my 70's school pics

I'm a member of the over 40 club, but I also don't work outside the home - so I don't need to look professional. When I go to an event, I never wear my hair up, so I've never really thought about it that much.

And thanks, BM, for telling me I don't look cute ...I still ain't gellin', though.

Ahahaha no I wasn't talking about youuuuu!
My hair is very dry so when my edges frizz up its just a scary sight

ETA: Oops, I just realized this question was directed to naturals.

When my hair was relaxed I didn't have the problem of a frizzy hairline until I was about 12 weeks post relaxer. After that nothing tamed it and I'd look like a lion

IMO, my hairline and texture would look odd not slicked. Like @BostonMaria, I don't use gel though. I like butters for my edges.

But don't you think it's a texture thing? My youngest daughter's hair doesn't really slick down even if I try (she's 3 and I think 4aish). She has cute little curly babyhairs that look so perfect. My oldest daughter and I do not have those little curls or fuzzies. It's either laid down or there is a literal halo of straight fuzz around our hairline.

Yeah see this is what I mean. Its cute when its just straight up frizzy, but a 3" halo of fuzz ain't cute on any adult LOL

 

[danigurl18]

I don't think it's unkempt. My edges are alwasys frizzy because that's just the nature of my hair. Mine will stay down for about an hour tops before the frizz takes hold. I rock the halo with pride!

 

[melissa-bee]

I don't even mind that I can't gel down my edges properly. It's only that it looks "unkempt" compared to everyone else hair that I see daily. I know that I look after my hair so I shouldn't feel that way. I think I actually look better with a bit of frizz, I look more relaxed. When I look at some pictures I can see the beauty of it. Like in the attached pics.

 

[Tamster]

I don't even mind that I can't gel down my edges properly. It's only that it looks "unkempt" compared to everyone else hair that I see daily. I know that I look after my hair so I shouldn't feel that way. I think I actually look better with a bit of frizz, I look more relaxed. When I look at some pictures I can see the beauty of it. Like in the attached pics.

The last pic is closest to what I would rock and my texture. I think that looks beautiful!

 

[nichelle02]

Yesterday I learned that for *me*, I really prefer slick edges. I was in a rush yesterday and just plain ol' forgot. I looked in my rear view mirror and scared myself.

It doesn't take much, though. I use a very tiny amount of Hairveda Almond Glaze, rub it into my hands and with one swipe rub it into my edges. Then, I use a scarf for 5 minutes. I slide that off and voila, slick edges that don't look like I bathed them in gel. They stay that way all day.

I've been bunning at least 3 weeks out of the month so this is the routine now. This is just my preference for me. My edges just look fuzzy without it.

 

[leiah]

I don't even mind that I can't gel down my edges properly. It's only that it looks "unkempt" compared to everyone else hair that I see daily. I know that I look after my hair so I shouldn't feel that way. I think I actually look better with a bit of frizz, I look more relaxed. When I look at some pictures I can see the beauty of it. Like in the attached pics.

the middle pic is what my hair looks like. i have type 3 hair so its more flyaways than fuzz. i used to slick them back but now i love them especially after seeing them in fashion pics like that. thanks for posting that

i never think it looks bad on anyone regardless of hairtype. i saw a woman with relaxed hair today.. it was raining and she had a big fluffy hairline it actually looked good

 

[LaughingOctopus]

My edges don't slick down.

 

[Lucia]

I slick them back w some water avj sometimes i just use con and oil brush smooth or aloe vera gel or any gel on hand. Ima gel fanatic too but I weaned myself off hardcore gels like Eco styler this winter and used avg instead. Well see how that works out for hot humid summer months I may buy a big ecostyler tub and just go with it.

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

This is my hairline, exactamundo. Even when my hair is straightened, my edges still curl up and lay/lie this way. I get comments on this all the time.
I don't even try to fight it, i let it do what it do. (always wanted to say that, lol)
*Shrugs*

Amoreofcurls

Your hairline is ideal, IMO. And, yes, it does look like a toddler's head - but most toddlers have pretty hair!

 

[Roux]

depends. slicking doesn't cause me any crazy tension at all with the right products.

 

[PhonyBaloney500]

I used to be obsessed (no more). For a formal meeting I will but otherwise I let it be.

It seems that many associate un-slicked with unkempt. Look at threads about Zahara's little halo or even 3A Halle Berry's daughter (her name escapes me right now). "Brush that baby head!" I'm thinking, really? Looks fine to me.