The Vanity Mirror: For beauty tips and other such things

Yeah, I think I understand what you mean. I've been trying to do that, but like I said, I think I need to practise it a bit.

Yeah, ibis clips. I used to love them because it was so easy to turn my regular hairdo into something a bit more 'dressy'. But they had to be metal all over, not just the spring.

I never knew that's what those were called, either. I've grown quite fond of butterfly clips recently.

Lice were mentioned a while ago. Here's a remedy that actually works: There's this one brand of face cleaner, I'll ask Mom which one when I get the chance. Coat your hair and scalp with it, then use the blow drier until the goop dries. Let it sit for a while (I'll ask about the details of that, too.) The product will act like shrink wrap, suffocating the lice. I can't remember whether it takes more than one application, as it's been a while since I've had to use it, but it works better than any commercial lice-killer, with the added benefit of being non-toxic.

I imagine you would have to do it more than once - it doesn't sound like it would kill the louse eggs. You'd have to look up how long it takes for eggs to hatch, and then do it again after that.

Yeah, you still have to find and squish the eggs manually, or wait 'til they hatch and try again, like you said, but it works wonders on the adult lice.

edited 9th Nov '11 8:13:14 AM by ladyofprocrastination

"I've grown quite fond of butterfly clips recently."

Yessss. I just wish their quality wasn't so hit-or-miss. I've gotten three-packs where one's lasted months, and the other two broke in the same day.

And don't let the dogs get a hold of them.

It's getting very cold. As a result, my already dry hair is now basically straw. Any tips for amping up the oil content?

Wash it less often, brush/comb it more often. The oils your scalp produces are the best thing for your hair IIRC, the trick is getting them from your scalp to the end. A shower cap allows you to stay clean while keeping your hair nice.

I only wash it once a week as it is. And I comb through it with my fingers before using a proper comb every couple of hours (since it's so long and liable to get tangled).

edited 22nd Nov '11 10:16:15 PM by Leradny

I tend to go with a hot-oil treatment about once every 10 days to a week. I wash my hair every other day, though, and use a moisturizing conditioner each time.

And yes, the old "brush 100 strokes morning and evening" helps, especially if you use a natural-bristle hairbrush.

edited 22nd Nov '11 10:18:28 PM by Madrugada

So, those hot-oil treatments actually work?

They do for me.

And here's my routine which I have just realized is a good idea to elaborate fully:

I do a 30 minute hot oil treatment with coconut oil (which I boil straight out of coconut milk so uh, no brand name) before I wash it with moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, once a week. Towel dry lightly, then let it air dry fully before finger combing it, then running a plain old single-row comb through it. The rest of the time I put it in a braid and pin it up when I take a shower so it doesn't get wet.

And while the bottom layers are perfectly fine, the top layer never fails to get strawlike and frizzy after a few hours in the cold.

I would definitely add a good brushing with a natural-bristle brush each morning and evening to that. The brushing will distribute the natural oils from the scalp down the hairshaft, and a natural-bristle brush won't tear it up because the bristles are only a little bit stiffer than your own hair (compared to plastic or nylon bristles, or god forbid, metal). Each stroke needs to start at the scalp, though.

edited 23rd Nov '11 5:52:33 AM by Madrugada

Wow, because I have the opposite problem I never knew how much stuff people with dry hair have to go through.

I woke up with the best bed head ever this morning. I have very fine thin hair with a slight natural curl and this morning I woke up with a lion's mane of loose curls. I have no idea how that happened.

Righto. *does google search, comes up with paintbrushes, bath brushes, sponges, and the occasional wooden pin hair brush* Sigh.

Lera: If there is a Sally Beauty Supply near you, try that.

linky 1

linky 2

linky 3

Vermont country Store

And I have gotten one! Brushing with it gently for about fifteen minutes doesn't seem to have made things any worse. So, crossing my fingers and continuing on.

So I guess this goes here, since I was ignored in Quickie Questions.

I'm lazy, but I want to look a little neater with respect to my hair. I brush it wet from the shower, and then maybe comb a few times a day depending on how much wind I've run into and how often I notice myself in a mirror.

I use conditioner on days I want to be a little nicer. (It's the only conditioner I found that didn't have an effeminate bottle, that's the main thing I know).

I'm beginning to suspect the only way to neaten from here is to use a styling product, but which one? I don't know the objective difference between a mousse and a pomade. I've used gel, but I don't like the look it provides if you style it with wet gel, and I don't want to allow time for it to dry and then re-brush.

Am I correct that the best action for what I want is probably to style it and then lay down a bit of hairspray?

Hairspray would work.

Basically, the difference between mousse, gel, and pomade is the form it's delivered in. A mousse is a light, aerated foam. A gel is a viscous, usually clear, well... gel. A pomade is either an oily liquid or a cream.

So mousse, gel, and pomade have essentially the same effect?

Pretty much. A pomade is going to be heavier and oilier, in general, so it's going to have a side effect of weighing your hair down.

edited 12th Jan '12 10:36:24 PM by Madrugada

So of those, a mousse would be the closest to what I'd want?

But then a hairspray is even lighter.

I just want it to keep its shape and frizz less in wind that wouldn't move a flag, but still be soft enough to look natural.