Hair and "product"

[Cloud]

I'm trying to do more things with my hair. I never really learned how to style my hair well, because at the time I hit that certain age, it was seriously uncool to do any styling to your hair (except for maybe ironing it).

So, I surf around and watch tutorials on YouTube (which--yay! btw), but I'm at a loss about what kind of styling products to buy, and how many. It seems you need leave in conditioner, heat protectant, mousse, gel, volumizing spray, moulding wax, shine spray, and hairspray. All at once!

WTF? Do you really need all that stuff? I mean, really. All that stuff would cost a fortune and weigh down my fine, wavy hair. Any advice?

[BadKiTtY]

I fail at styling my hair too.

I would think going to a salon (with people who have nice hair obviously working there) and asking for advice would be good...but on the other hand they might just try to sell you gallons of product.

[Cloud]

I envy all peeps who make the hair thing seem effortless.

In non-sequitur mode, I want to see Chris Rock's "Good Hair."

[miss_jada]

What do you specifically want to do with your hair? All of those things do different things. Do you want it to have more volume, be straight or curly..? If you are going to use heat you need to use something to protect your hair from becoming toast but you dont need to go overkill

[Cloud]

I want to do different punky things to it, like Penelope Garcia in Criminal Minds.

[girlbassplayer]

Honestly? The only hair product I own is hairspray for when I'm having a bad hair day. I use a volumizing conditioner and normal shampoo. I am wary about putting so much **** in my hair when it's already mad at me for colouring it, haha.

I think the key to being able to do things with your hair is to just try new things when you're at home with nothing to do. No matter how many tutorials I read/watch, it still takes a lot of practice just to do simple things.

[Brytax is experience chest-o-drawers syndrome Updated 15 weeks ago]

I can't style my hair to save my life. And on the rare ocassion, when I do manage to do something with it, it falls back into its unruly, wavy self after an hour or so. Which is weird, because I can style everybody else's and it turns out great. Just one of those things I guess.

[ringqueen8 SNOW!!!! Updated 1 week ago]

the hardest part about styling your hair, is learning how to get your hair to do what you want. everyones hair is different, course, thin, curly, wavy, straight...mine is wavy, the strands are thin, but there are lots of them, so my hair is thick.
I have been going to the same hairdresser my whole life, so she knows exactly what my hair will do, and how to make it do what it doesn't want to.

Just play with your hair, braiding it, curling it, using different products in it to see what you like (less is more, too much will just make your hair sticky, stiff and hard to work with)

Shampoo, rinse, condition (comb through hair with a very wide tooth comb) rinse well (left over residue will weigh your hair down). wrap your hair in a towel and squeeze it dry(kind of like blotting up a spill on a carpet), don't rub it, it roughs up the cuticle and makes hair frizzy.
Put in a lightweight leave in conditioner(I like john frieda) IF you need it. It is usually applied BEFORE product, so that your hair absorbs the conditioner and not the product. So unless you are going to use product, I would not bother.
If you're styling mouse is usually the base(after leave in conditioner), it gives something for the style and other product to hold onto.

You can make your own cheapo leave in conditioner by mixing regular conditioner with water in a spray bottle. It could weigh your hair down though if you don't use enough water, thats why i go with store bought, its almost foolproof lol

[miss_jada]

I think go to a hair dresser and see what they say. Its hard with diff hair types. Im a bit of a champ with straightening/curling but i have nfi about punk things.

[Cloud]

practice and patience. yeah.

So, you don't use all that stuff on your hair?