Parents Help me learn how to do hair!

[Dr Maleficent]

Voila attempt at super-hair

 

[MerriWeather]

C'est tres jolie!

 

[Dr Maleficent]

C'est tres jolie!

merci!!

 

[thefellowsmom]

Just a couple of tips. My dd has the unruliest of hair. She actually decided this year to cut it would be short enough to do a curly pony but she has tons of flyaways around her face and an uneven hairline. Really, a nightmare for smooth finishes.

Clean hair is super slippery. I find everything stays in place better with dirty hair. So, I have her not wash it with shampoo the few days before the meet and then I just have her wet it in the shower or spray it down with a spray bottle right before I start. I like to let it dry just a touch before starting, I find it hard to get out the lines from the comb/brush if the hair is too wet.

I have this very fine tooth comb with a pick on the other end that works awesome for dividing hair and smoothing. Two tools in one.

Two hairties are better than one!

Gel, Gel and more Gel! Any store brand that says stiff or super strong will work fine. I do find that if I put it in her hair and then immediately try to do her hair while it is still all over my hands it gets sticky and is harder to control. So I put it in and then wash my hands before starting.

I totally agree about practicing and putting them in front of the TV. Keep them still and occupied and it will go a lot quicker.

It doesn't seem to matter which style I do it still takes way longer than I think it will so I always leave at least 45 minutes. Maybe longer for you as her hair is so long. It should take less time as you get better at it, but any way about it it is an undertaking.

If she has an early morning session and I use lots of gel I can usually get the front part of her hair braided the night before and a little extra gel and hairspray will fix up any flyaways in the morning.

Good luck and make sure to post a pic so we can celebrate your meet hair victory with you

 

[MerriWeather]

Well. She had a competition Sunday, so Saturday night, I stayed up late and watched YouTube video after YouTube video after our last "practice hair session" didn't go so well.

I found an awesome tutorial called "the perfect ponytail" and started with that. Mind you, we also had to be up at 5 AM, so at 5:15 AM, I was doing her hair complete with warm salt water in a bottle to control flyaways, a hair dryer, boar bristle brush and a special ponytail holder. The ponytail was FLAWLESS and didn't take me long at all. Then, I pulled it through another ponytail holder halfway to make a little pony "loop" and took all of the extra hair that was hanging down (from not being pulled through the holder all the way) and wrapped it around the ponytail holder repeatedly to hide it and pinned the crap out of it. Used a ton of hairspray. It was PERFECT.

We were running late due to weather so I didn't get a chance to take a picture before I sent her off to her team.

And then I just about cried when she came out for march in and HER HAIR WAS IN A BUN ON TOP OF HER HEAD.

I seriously was teary-eyed. I worked so hard and it was so pretty! I asked her coach afterward why she took it out and gave her the bun and her coach was "worried" it might fall out. DD didn't know enough to say anything so she went with it.

I feel crazy saying it, but I was seriously devastated for a few moments. I told DD I will do it again for practice soon and then she can prove it will be fine (or maybe prove it won't be fine, but at least if it stays in the coach won't undo my hard work next time).

*sigh*

 

[Iwannabemargo]

aw bless - you did a super job I'm sure. I always test DD "gym hair" out at practice - if it lasts a 3 hour gym session it will last for a comp.

 

[stillgotmyleotard]

As I have mentioned in another post, I have hairdo skills. I realise this may sound a tad arrogant but I don't really believe in being coy when you know you are impressive. Sadly, my technological skills are lagging way behind my hairdo skills so it may take some time for me to add pictoral proof of my claims. I would also want to find pics that are not clearly of my daughter.

I am a braider by trade, have been for many years. And even if I hadn't been, I would have needed to learn pretty quickly by the time I gave birth to my curly wonder. Because I am a braider, and girls in general love them, I have found myself working on all manner of hair types, lengths and textures pretty much everywhere I go.

My tip for neat braids and sections, including ponytails is good, old-fashioned Dax wax. Cheap, easily accessible and works a treat. Just dab your fingers lightly into it and get going. It only takes a tiny amount; the hair should not be a slick. Dab it to the root for French braids or cornrows and along the length for a standard plait. For kids with sensitivity issues, swap it out for Vaseline, used in the same way. No hairspray necessary, and the braids will stay neat for far longer than they need to.

 

[cbifoja]

I'm determined to learn how to do a dutch braid this summer. I'm so tired of french braids and love the look of the dutch/inside out braid. Tried it once and felt like I was braiding with my feet. Felt so awkward.

 

[stillgotmyleotard]

The difference between a Dutch braid and a French braid, put simply, is that with a French braid you plait over and with a Dutch braid you plait under. That either helps a lot, or completely muddies the water.

I'm actually sat here, showing you how to do it with my hands but, of course, you can't see them.

 

[cbifoja]

Yeah, I know the mechanics but it feels weird in my hands, you know? I tried it once on a squirming, resentful, tender headed 9 year old (sounds like more fun than it actually was), and it was just horrid. Segments weren't the same size and I couldn't remember if I had just taken the strand under or needed to do so. I was just a hot mess all around.

 

[stillgotmyleotard]

Oh, I know what you mean. I do long, loose plaits with four strands instead of three. I'm so used to doing them, I have to really think about doing standard plaits with three strands!

If your hands are used to plaiting over, just practice plaiting under for a while when doing straight plaits, without adding the confusion of pulling hair in. Think of it as braiding drills, build up to the big skill haha.

 

[MerriWeather]

Braids. Ha ha ha. Not a chance in heck with my kid. Her hair is so long that as I am braiding it, the bottom starts to braid itself so I have to manage to hold what I am doing in place while untangling the bottom every three crossovers. It's a nightmare!

 

[MILgymFAM]

My younger daughter has hair to her booty, and thick to boot, so we have had to come up with the most convoluted systems of braids and loops to get her hair in place. On top of that she is incredibly tender headed. I wish I could french braid, I have never heard of a Dutch braid, and I really wish she would just cut her hair some! My older daughter's hair is mid back, but thicker, but at least she lets me tug all I want to get it done! Ha ha.

 

[MerriWeather]

Here was today's attempt for practice. We will see if it survives.

 

[Rumjello]

Get a spray bottle, fill it with water, spray the hair down, then fix it. Keep wetting it...Once done, hairspray! My DD has very thick hair. This is the only way I can get a clean look. Also, I was told "dirty" hair works better than freshly washed.

 

[my4buffaloes]

That looks awesome!

 

[Rumjello]

Here was today's attempt for practice. We will see if it survives.

 

[Rumjello]

Oh my! That is outstanding! Just lovely.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

mine used to moan all the time that it "hurt" when her hair was done - my answer was either put up with it or cut it - your choice. She doesn't moan any more.

 

[purpleleomom]

That's really cute. What did you do with the ends? I want to give it a try.