Waist Length, now what?

[NewGirl]

I grew my hair to waist length using sew-ins. I would wear my hair from time to time and I would press it. I have been natural since 2008. I didn't have a waist length goal. I just wanted healthier longer hair but not I didn't know what to do with my hair so I keep getting the sew-ins because they are easy. I was surprised to find I was at waist length but what do I do now? Each time I wear my own hair I find the press just doesn't last as long and on the 3rd day I leave my house looking one way and before the day is over I look another. I don't want to use a lot of heat to keep my style and I can't find another style that I like. Any suggestions?

 

[LivingInPeace]

My first suggestion involved a profane version of "Oh really? So this is a problem?"

So I'll just bow out and let the long hair ladies offer their advice.

 

[Evolving78]

Try some bunning styles to get you through your press, or try a twist out when your roots start to revert. I would take a very simple approach with styling since you aren't used to dealing with your hair at that length.

 

[HappyAtLast]

Now par-tay!

 

[SEMO]

You might have switch up the products you use when wearing your hair straight (try ones where water isn't in the first few ingredients). Products I use om my curly hair to moisturize it would cause my straight hair to revert.

 

[Foxglove]

Do you want to wear your hair curly or straight and do you care about your texture loosening from heat or not? That would probably affect the recommendations you're given

 

[NewGirl]

My first suggestion involved a profane version of "Oh really? So this is a problem?"

So I'll just bow out and let the long hair ladies offer their advice.

I can appreciate where you are coming from (totally understand) but it really is a problem because I feel tied to the sew-in. What's the use of having the hair if you can't wear it or you are afraid that manipulation will make you lose your progress.

I never thought I would have this much hair. I see it every other months and it makes me crazy when it's not braided up under a weave. I just don't know what to do with it. I wore relaxers before and had short hair but grew it to shoulder length and it would not get any longer. There was a lot of hair drama with relaxer. Once natural, it really took off in growth but I don't know what to do. I like straight hair but can't press every 3 days.

 

[NewGirl]

Thanks to everyone who had suggestions. I tried a roller set with products, worked well and looked great at bra strap but as my hair stays in the natural state, it wants to stay there. The last time I did the roller set it looked great for a couple of hours and then it start turnng into a huge difficult fro. Professional press lasts about 2 and a half days and then back to the huge not-as-difficult fro. I'm going to give the bunning the press a try.

 

[beauti]

now what? How about a picture so we can all drool?

Braid out
Twist out
Bantu knot out...endless styling options at your length, check out youtube.
You can do the heatless blow out method if you want stretched hair without the heat...

 

[luckiestdestiny]

What about keratin? Some people do that. Look in the keratin support thread. It should help you keep your hair straight longer.

 

[ezina]

Everything the ladies here mention plus PICTAS! Congrats on reaching waist length!

As my hair is getting longer (I'm currently MBL), I am finding styling a chore. I'm revamping my regimen to include stretching tools like curlformers, flexi rods, etc. so as to achieve fluffy "out" styles that would decrease tangling. Plus, I'm trying out hair sticks to create buns with the lower risk of breakage. But you seem more of a straight hair gal, though. If so, and since regular flat irons are failing you, I guess you could bite the bullet and try keratin treatments like the above poster mentioned.

 

[virtuenow]

Now you can learn how to wear your hair. Perhaps go on a no-weave challenge. That's basically what I did, even when it got hard I stuck to it. Now I know how to wear my hair w/o getting stuck in styles that don't work w/my natural texture. Even my presses work for me; but it took time to learn my texture to get there.

 

[NewGirl]

Thanks again.

I don't have pics right now. I was half way finished with a roller set when I realized the length was at my waist. I reached around and grapped my hair and pulled to my waist and I was shocked.

In a couple of weeks I will take out my current sew-in and take some pics. I have to show my sister and my best friend in person because they both said I was lying, no way my hair was that long. I have had to prove them wrong in the past so here we go again.

 

[Lylddlebit]

I agree with a lot of the posts here already I just want to add something: As you try new stuff to get your presses to last you have the option to start slow. That way even if you make mistakes you won't have a major setback. I personally like wear my hair in the way you really want it that way it doesn’t feel overwhelming as it get to new levels(intentionally or unintentionally ). Treating your hair like you have meet/exceeded your goal as you move forward helps with styling expertise. It will make it so that any new levels you reach don’t require any more drastic changes at once because they will have slowly been implemented over time.

 

[BostonMaria]

Congratulations on making it to WL!!

True question, no judgement, are you "addicted" to weaves? Are you used to wearing your hair out? I ask because of you didn't notice it was waist length my guess is that you don't play with your hair too much.

Try different products and doing your own hair for a while without the "crutch" of a sew in. I've been natural for 8 years, but primarily wore my hair in straight styles. I would complain that my curls wouldn't cooperate and I couldn't get it to look good, truth was I wasn't wearing it curly enough to find a technique that worked.

And please take my original question with a grain of salt. I hesitated at first because I didn't want to come across as mean or judgmental. If you like sew ins then continue.

 

[sgold04]

If you want to maintain straight styles you can also try anti-reversion products like beautiful textures TMS. My stylist used Design Essentials Strengthening system on my hair and it worked wonderfully, even in the rain! It's a cystine treatment that washes out after a couple months, I didn't want to permanently alter my curl pattern.

 

[Misseyl]

Thanks again.

I don't have pics right now. I was half way finished with a roller set when I realized the length was at my waist. I reached around and grapped my hair and pulled to my waist and I was shocked.

In a couple of weeks I will take out my current sew-in and take some pics. I have to show my sister and my best friend in person because they both said I was lying, no way my hair was that long. I have had to prove them wrong in the past so here we go again.

I was going to ask for pictures however, I would love to have your problem. I'm one year in my natural journey and if I get hair that I don't know what to do with then I'll probably make sure it's even all-around and then cut it to bra strap then start on a styling binge. I'm so in love with my hair that I try to find distractions.

 

[HappilyLiberal]

Jus' sayin'

 

[naheda72]

I put in 3 Bantu knots at night and it has a slight wave to it the next day. Usually holds up all day. I put oil and a wet spray at night to dampen my roots, comb thru it then knot it and it needs to be tight at the roots so that is straightens back out, as it serves as a set. I have 4b hair and my daughter has 4a hair. When her hair is straight she holds on to it for a looooong period of time, like a month. For the most part it holds up for the whole month using this technique.

 

[NewGirl]

Congratulations on making it to WL!!

True question, no judgement, are you "addicted" to weaves? Are you used to wearing your hair out? I ask because of you didn't notice it was waist length my guess is that you don't play with your hair too much.

I'm not offended at all because you may have a point. I feel it is a problem. At first it was a protective style to help me to grow my hair. At first when I decided to grow my hair after major drama in which my hair broke off to 4-inches, it grew well with the relaxer but there was hair drama and set backs and it would only get to a certain length and stop.

I found that it grew well in the weave and I decided to go natural, why relax when I'm not wearing my hair. I would wear my hair for month in between weave installs and then I started wearing it less and less. After a while I realized that I didn't know what to do with my hair, pressing was not holding up like it use to and so I relied on weaves and maybe got addicted. I didn't pay my hair any attention and really didn't notice the progress. Absolutely shocked at WL. I NEVER thought I would have this much hair, would love to wear it all the time but I don't know how.

 

[silverbuttons]

I would say to start out with a trim! You can start playing with your hair while it is blown out at first. Then.... try out some products on your hair to get the feel of what it does and what it actually looks like. Twist-outs, braid-outs and bantu knot outs are all easy styles.

Go YouTube crazy.

Congrats on your WL hair! I can't wait to be there!

 

[Supergirl]

OP, I feel ya feel ya feel ya. I've grown to waist length a few times, and really I wore my hair in a bun 99.5% of the time. I got into a bun rut, and yes I almost couldn't stand having my hair out for more than a day or two every few months.

Oh and wash days became such a chore that I would dread it and go weeks without washing & conditioning. So, I did something I'd been talking about doing. I got it cut into a bob. The bob is super cute, but oh my, how I can't stand the maintenance. So...I'm growing my hair back out, but (never say never) I don't believe I want waist length hair ever again. I think a nice SL or BSL length will be ideal for me.

I can absolutely relate.

 

[bklynbornNbred]

Play on YouTube. There are a ton of naturals that straighten their hair for longer than 3 days. Pay attention to technique and products that they use. While I'm leery of advising anyone to follow another's regimen it sounds like you need to utilize different products. Either your stylist isn't straightening properly or you are using the wrong products. Either way it will take a while. Have a few styles lined up for the next time you take weave out and commit to 3 weeks before putting it back in. Most of all have fun.

PS While researching you may find another stylist to visit. One that specializes in natural hair not a round the way scissor happy person you met on instagram.

 

[rafikichick92]

I'm almost BSL and wear my hair straight 100% of the time. I use Sabino Moisture Block before I straighten and my hair stays silky straight for 2-4 weeks even with humidity and light rain and still reverts when I shampoo.

 

[s2fast4ya]

I'm almost BSL and wear my hair straight 100% of the time. I use Sabino Moisture Block before I straighten and my hair stays silky straight for 2-4 weeks even with humidity and light rain and still reverts when I shampoo.

rafikichick92

how are you using this product? before blowdrying on wet hair? after blowdrying or setting? I have this product but Im trying figure out the best way to use it. thanks!

 

[rafikichick92]

s2fast4ya I use it on wet hair before blowdrying. The wetter the hair, the better it works, so I usually section my hair and spray each section with water immediately before applying and blowdrying. Also, it will coat your scalp/hair and cause shedding, so I wash with castile soap or a random SLS shampoo to prevent that.

 

[ikandi87]

Im rocking the blow out half up half down look. It can look juvenile but I kind of like that. I dont flatiron my hair any more...just a quick blow out to stretch my hair and make my buns fuller. Im not wl, just grazing apl tho....

 

[s2fast4ya]

s2fast4ya I use it on wet hair before blowdrying. The wetter the hair, the better it works, so I usually section my hair and spray each section with water immediately before applying and blowdrying. Also, it will coat your scalp/hair and cause shedding, so I wash with castile soap or a random SLS shampoo to prevent that.

Thanks so much!

 

[ClassyJSP]

OP I don't know if anyone suggested this but can you watch some YouTube videos from BSL or longer hair gals? That could give you several ideas on how to style your hair.. I'm pretty sure all of them are not using heat.

 

[CurlyMoo]

I'm not offended at all because you may have a point. I feel it is a problem. At first it was a protective style to help me to grow my hair. At first when I decided to grow my hair after major drama in which my hair broke off to 4-inches, it grew well with the relaxer but there was hair drama and set backs and it would only get to a certain length and stop.

I found that it grew well in the weave and I decided to go natural, why relax when I'm not wearing my hair. I would wear my hair for month in between weave installs and then I started wearing it less and less. After a while I realized that I didn't know what to do with my hair, pressing was not holding up like it use to and so I relied on weaves and maybe got addicted. I didn't pay my hair any attention and really didn't notice the progress. Absolutely shocked at WL. I NEVER thought I would have this much hair, would love to wear it all the time but I don't know how.

I think gradually experimenting with natural styles (nothing extreme) will help you through weeding you off codependency to weaves.

I understand how dependency can happen.Its easier and versatile.