Parents gymnast hair grooming products

[Deleted member 15064]

I'm in search of the holy grail of hair products this meet season.
Specifically, a paste/gel/cream/goop that will provide a slicked back style into pony tail holders. We most likely will be going with "Princess Leah" style braided buns again (don't tell my daughter as she thinks these are childish, but realistically, they work for her).
Her hair is super fine, but I guess that's irrelevant - we need something that holds, regardless. No sparkle, but clear shine would be great. I like to make a razor straight center part & never found any product last year that didn't need hairspray over top as well for hold. Felt like a failure...

This post may come off OCD but meet hair is the only thing left I get to style on this, my youngest child. She gets 355 other days a yr to do her own hair. I have to make this perfect! ;-)

 

[2littlegymnasts]

Have you tried "Got To Be Glued" it comes in a yellow tube. A lot of the moms at dds gym love it. Also starting with damp hair helps.

 

[aerialriver]

Dep gel. Super cheap and hair won't move an inch.

 

[cudutch2]

Got to be is the best..You have to work fast.. Dries like a rock..

 

[ollieblueeyes]

Aussie gel and scrunch spray, paired together, rock solid.

 

[Deleted member 15064]

Thank you for the ideas - I'm assuming damp hair is best & comb the product through thoroughly first?

I'm having some mini scrunchies made on Etsy to wrap around each bun. I've already read on here about the "screw" bobby pins. That should do it.

I'm looking to emulate the smoothness of Aliya Mustifina's hair. I guess I'll find out how it works the morning of our 1st meet in November.

 

[ollieblueeyes]

I actually do it with pretty wet hair. Wash hair, towel dry, comb thru for knots then glob on the Aussie Gel, comb thru with a fine tooth comb to pull into the tight pony tail. Spray. Then I seperate the pony into several small braids. Each section gets more gel before braiding then sprayed after. The gel really keeps the little flyaways/layered bits glued to the rest of the braid. The braided ends are tucked back under an elastic on the pony and extra tails clipped to the head. Once everything is done, spray all over. Spray again.

Both my girls have baby fine hair and this would hold rock solid thru the meet and more.

My younger DD used to do what we called bun-buns which are probably the same as the Princess Leia buns you refer to....I small hairnets from Sally Beauty supply and wrapped that around the buns several times. I used very few pins as I did not want her to her poked in the head! It helped everything in nicely and you could not see if on the floor.

 

[SignHere]

Ohhhh, we call those "devil horns" ! Love 'Em! I second the dep styling gel. It comes in a large tub. My girls laugh at my industrial size gel. But also Motions Curl wrap. In a yellow bottle.

 

[shelovestoflip]

Definitely Got2BGlued.

Her hair will not move once you put it in!

That being said, you need to style her hair first. THis product dries quickly and you really can't comb thru it. It just glues the hair in place!

 

[Deleted member 15064]

devils horns - ha!

i would love for LL to graduate to one ponytail or single bun like the older lvls @ her gym. but as long as she is doing rolls, they seem to get in her way. anyone else's DD have that problem?

 

[Deleted member 15064]

Definitely Got2BGlued.

Her hair will not move once you put it in!

That being said, you need to style her hair first. THis product dries quickly and you really can't comb thru it. It just glues the hair in place!

ok, so smooth this product on after the hair is in the ponytail...

 

[Quadqueen]

devils horns - ha!

i would love for LL to graduate to one ponytail or single bun like the older lvls @ her gym. but as long as she is doing rolls, they seem to get in her way. anyone else's DD have that problem?

Yes, when DD was in the lower levels, a bun didn't work because of the back extension roll, etc. I used to do two French braids. Her hair is super fine as well.

 

[shelovestoflip]

ok, so smooth this product on after the hair is in the ponytail...

Yes, I put it on after her hair is in the pony.
It's not 'smooth' really and you need to work fast and not use too much. It really just glues the hair in place so nothing falls out/flies away!
you should do a test first on a random practice day so you have a sense of how it works instead of waiting until meet day!
but seriously, her hair won't move!!

 

[LoveMyGymmie]

Is got to be glued a spray? Like Hair Spray?

 

[kitkat]

I am another one for "Got2BGlued"

We use the hair spray "got2BGlued. I think they have other stuff but we use regular gel to start with and then top it off with the "glue"

Best stuff ever.....

 

[JBS]

Looks like this is it...

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_beauty?_encoding=UTF8&field-brandtextbin=GOT 2B&node=3760911

 

[mylittlemiss]

We use this product specifically for hair gel on practice days and for meets, it's Got 2b Spiked, from the Got 2b line. I use much less on practice days and more for meets. I always start with damp hair (having a spray bottle handy with water is always helpful) and then put the gel in, one side at a time, if doing a two sided style, like you describe with the buns. If you put it on all of her hair at once, it will dry quickly and you'll have a sticky situation! I use a fine tooth comb to comb it through thoroughly and then style it--I think a fine tooth comb it a must to have on hand. I agree with what some others have mentioned, you will have to work quickly, though, in general, as the gel does dry up fast.

http://www.amazon.com/Got-Spiked-8-...sr_1_6?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1379940692&sr=1-6

I've got to add, that I have enough faith in this product, that I've done her hair the night before a meet on several occasions and her hair doesn't move! Depending on the style, I may put a scarf on her for sleeping. If a meet is really early and we have to be up at the crack of dawn, I know she won't want me tugging at her hair so early in the morning. It saves us both grief, by doing her hair the night before. I also have to say, Little Miss is a busy girl and if it stays for her, I am sure it would stay for most of our busy girls! Just be sure to do the hair tight! One more trick is to take the fine tooth comb and gently comb through the smooth parts again, after the style is complete and you've just freshly sprayed the hair spray. This is the hair spray we use:

http://www.amazon.com/2B-Blasting-F..._1_11?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1379940692&sr=1-11

Good luck! It's always fun to do the "meet hair"! Little Miss has had french braids I've done for meets stay in for a couple of days with all of that gel and hairspray!

 

[Deleted member 15064]

Thank you for the step by step guidance & links!
I've purchased the Got2Be yellow tube (couldn't find Aussie/Dep/ Motion Curl at the store I went to). The mini scrunchies arrived from Etsy for the buns. Found some screw bobby pins @ TJ Maxx. "Borrowed" a toiletry bag from teen DD. Looks like all I need now is a fine tooth comb.
That is interesting that you sometimes style the hair the night before (!) ... LL likes the crazy early meet times - 8:00 am / 2 hr drive. It adds an extra element of excitement. Expecting less of those as we get higher up the lvls.
Once that hair is done, I try to step back & let LL carry on with her meet day, with little interaction from me. I think it's my one (small) way of contributing/meddling. I *wish* I could still help out with practice hair - but nope. She buses directly to practice wkdays & doesn't let me touch it on wkends.

 

[mylittlemiss]

You are welcome! I've used the yellow tube before as well, but I find it dries even faster than the gel and is VERY sticky! Just be patient with it and that fine tooth comb will help a lot. Yep, I do her hair sometimes the night before. Little Miss has several sisters, one who is a former gymnast, so having done a lot of hair in my day, I'd rather get it out of the way, lol. Plus, it's more fun for me to have her be alert and cooperative, than half asleep and groggy.