I wish I had Zhang Ziyi's hair!

December 28, 2007 1:33 PM

I have slightly wavy hair that looks different it dries after a shower, and it's not always a pretty. What can I do, short of blow drying or styling, to control how it dries?

I let my hair air dry after washing. Depending on what I do while it's drying (i.e. taking a nap lying on my side has interesting effects - sometimes actually nice ones) and how long my hair is at the time, the resulting appearance of my hair changes.

I have Asian black hair. My hair is straight from the scalp to halfway down the back of my head. When my hair is shoulder length, the usual result is a long wave that goes from my neck to the bottom of my hair, and it looks fine that way. The problem is that when my hair gets any longer (right now, it's about 6 inches past shoulder length), the waves just do whatever they want, and it's usually shorter waves 2-3 inches long. Certain section will wave one way, other sections will dry another way, and the result is a rather unappealing mat.

I know I can just cut my hair to shoulder length, but having it longer does make it easier for using clips and such, so I'd like to give it a try for now.

I don't like blow drying my hair because it dries out my hair and makes my scalp itch for hours. Straightening it would (I think?) also dry out my hair. I haven't really tried any styling products, mainly because I have no idea what to try, but I'm open to suggestions. I would prefer solutions that do not take very much time though.

Example (although note that this is one of the better days, but that's the best I can do since that's what my hair looks like today, and I normally don't take pictures of the back of my head =)

posted by jasminerain to clothing, beauty, & fashion (17 comments total)

Your hair acts like mine does when it grows out. Products with silicone seem to help control frizz (dunno if that's an issue for you) and sort of subdues my hair so it lays better. Mousse might also work by encouraging the waviness.

Personally, I'd straighten it, but if you really don't want to put in the time and effort or are concerned about damage to your hair, then I'd cut it to the length that makes your hair do what you want. That way, you'll be happier with it and won't always want to clip it up.
posted by runningwithscissors at 1:43 PM on December 28, 2007

Looks like we have the same hair. Post washing, I hand squeeze out the water then comb in Proclaim Glossing Polish* using a very wide tooth comb and let hair air-dry with a towel over my shoulders. When my hair is very nearly dry, I use a flat oval brush on the underside, which seems to arrange the waves to flow in an unified direction as well as go a long way toward flattening them. On rare humid days, I spot flatiron out rouge waves.

*I use this brand largely because it's so much less expensive than those dinky John Freida bottles of frizz serum: 12oz for ~$7. I buy it at the local Sally's, not sure if other beauty-supply chains carry it.
posted by jamaro at 2:00 PM on December 28, 2007

i'd recommend running a flat iron through it. if you get a good quality ceramic iron (i use a coriolis pro but CHI makes great irons as well), you are only running that iron through your hair for the amount of time it takes for you to brush your hair. because it's ceramic, it's not really damaging at all as long as you keep your hair conditioned well.
posted by violetk at 2:02 PM on December 28, 2007

I have thick, dark, long, wavy (Irish & American Indian) hair and despise blow drying it, too. After towel-drying it and running a wide-toothed comb through it, I add a bit of texturizing gel, run my fingers through it a few times and scrunch it, then let it hang loose, braid it, or (most often) twist it into a loose bun with the ends hanging free. I have a high-quality straightening iron and a gel for that purpose, but it is very time-consuming and I, too, worry about damaging my hair.

Getting Zhang Ziyi's hair would definitely take some styling and effort.
posted by bonobo at 2:09 PM on December 28, 2007

runningwithscissors - I usually clip my hair up because I like the look, not because the hair is annoying me. But shorter hair is definitely an option.

jamaro - I think I'll give that a try. Does the glossing polish help in getting rid of the waves, or is it for glossing, as the title says? (That feels like a really dumb question)

violetk - Sounds like a good idea. Where in the stages of drying do you usually do that?

bonobo - Agreed, I don't think Zhang Ziyi's hair would be worth that much trouble to me.
posted by jasminerain at 2:25 PM on December 28, 2007

My recommendation would be to get a hair cut. You don't need to cut much off, but you can snip off any damaged ends, and you can get it cut in a way that will give it some shape and make it fall nicely when it dries. Tell the stylist that you don't blow-dry it: a decent stylist will give you a cut that will look ok if you air-dry it. While you're at it, ask the stylist for advice on products. If you're broke, you might look into being a hair model. That's not as fancy as it sounds: basically, trainee stylists need people to practice on, in order to prove that they know how to do particular hair cuts. Look in the "free" and "beauty services" sections of craigslist for trainees at reputable salons who are looking for hair models. If they're advertising that they'll do specific cuts, you probably want something like "long layers". Also, they might try to sell you their products, and you can resist the hard sell. Just tell them that you buy cheaper products at the drug store, but ask for advice about what to get.
posted by craichead at 2:45 PM on December 28, 2007

I have wavy hair, about shoulder length or a bit shorter. When I finally started getting "good" haircuts by a person who knows how to do long layers for wavy hair, everything hair-related became much much easier. Also going to the same person for many years who knows my hair.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 2:48 PM on December 28, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

It does a little of both: it's a silicone coating which temporarily flattens out the shingle-like cuticle layer of hair. These shingles tend to snag on each other, which makes for frizzy hair and makes hair look not-shiny. The silicone also slightly weighs down individual strands, which helps flatten waves but won't eliminate them from thick-stranded Asian hair. A mild flattening effect will come from flat brushing while barely damp; the silicone helps here by preventing static charges from building up from the brushing. If you want super-straight go with a high quality flat iron instead of a brush.

Sometimes I only flat-iron the strands which grow from the crown of my head (like yours, my hair is mostly one length), which are the strands which are on the outside in an effort to avoid frying my hair from too much heat. (Incidentally, Asian hair can take a lot of heat abuse so don't be too worried about irons and blow dryers if you are only doing it a few times a week).

Occasionally, I'll go with an alternative look by wash/condition + silicone + wide comb and then fingercurl for big loose curls (the tousled tresses look), so the silicone isn't preventing waves as much as it's making my hair more pliable to what I want to do.

From the picture, your hair looks like it's in great shape so go light with the glossing stuff: too much will make your hair look greasy/lank. It washes out easily, though, so experiment away.
posted by jamaro at 3:00 PM on December 28, 2007

one of my friends who has thick, coarse eastern european hair goes through this japanese process of soe sort every six months or so. not sure what it's called, but it always leaves her hair smooth, glossy, and straight. no clue what it's called (sorry) but maybe that's a viable staring point for you.
posted by patricking at 3:08 PM on December 28, 2007

jamaro - Thanks for the great explanation, I think I'll give the silicone a try.

patricking - I think it's this but that's a bit out of my price range. I'll keep that in mind for the future though, thanks!
posted by jasminerain at 3:39 PM on December 28, 2007

My hair is almost shoulder length, layered and I make a point of getting a hair cut every 5-6 weeks or so to thin out and tidy up layers but I never blow dry my hair - my drive to work takes an hour and it is always near enough dry when I get to work so that's fine by me. People compliment me on my hair so it seems to work :)

But I have found that you need to have a good hair cut and that products may not be a waste of time and money like I always used to think.

My styling regime such as it is consists squeezing a bit of curling gel and a bit of finishing cream into my hand and mixing those and running my hands through my wet hair scrunching it and arranging any curls with my fingers and letting it dry like that.

Now I would have never dreamt of mixing products and indeed using products until my hairdresser gave me a bit of a lecture. She finds my minimalist approach to hair styling entertaining but is willing to work with me to find a solution that allows me to spend time on things other than my hair...

So if you haven't got one - get a good hair dresser, explain your exact problem to them and let them tell you how to manage your hair in a way that fits in with your lifestyle...you don't have to use salon products - but a good hair cut and products are probably the way forward.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:42 PM on December 28, 2007

as long as your hair is dry, you can run a flat iron through it at any time.

if you are worried about your hair becoming dry or damaged, i would recommend that you use a leave-in hair conditioner. just spray or run some through your hair after you have washed and towel-dried your hair and let it dry naturally (or you can blow-dry). while i am also asian, i have baby-fine hair—but i have also been coloring it red every six weeks without fail for the past dozen years or so, so the condition of my hair is a big concern of mine. i do a lot of conditioning, both in and out of the shower. i also blow dry my hair after every wash and usually run a flat iron through it several times a week and my hair has virtually no damage.

i also agree with those who posted above recommending you find a good stylist who knows how to cut your type of hair. having a good stylist is key to great hair!
posted by violetk at 3:57 PM on December 28, 2007

my natural hair is also wavy and looks like this. but after a ceramic flat iron, it was like this. i didn't find that using the ceramic iron dried out or damaged my hair, but it did usually take me a long time to do. i loved how it looked after being straightened tho.
posted by groovinkim at 4:39 PM on December 28, 2007

My hair is very similar to yours (yay Asian hair!). When it's short it's straight; when it's midlength it's a nice wave; when it's long it's all sorts of funky. I find that humidity makes a difference - my hair is straighter in dry weather.

When I get it cut in a salon they use a flat iron but give me waves (they bend the hair up). I don't like having dead-straight hair, it makes me look like a ghost. Flat irons are good for temporary straight hair, but for long-term you'd need to get your hair rebonded.
posted by divabat at 5:26 PM on December 28, 2007

from what i understand, you'd prefer it to be straighter, right? i never one that battle myself.

well, an alternative is to make it curlier (embrace the wave/curl instead of fighting it). I have wavy hair that gets frizzy very easily. I never knew how curly (and actually manageable as a result) it could be until I went to a salon specializing in curly hair (called the "devacut"...from what i know they are in New York and San Francisco)

basically, they cut your hair dry and go with the curls, not straight across like normally. then, after washing, putting product in...you don't towel dry and barely wring out your hair. And, you scrunch it with not a towel, but a less absorbent cloth like a t-shirt. this gets most of the moisture out, but its still pretty wet. it takes about an hour for my hair to dry this way, sometimes i use a diffuser to speed it up. so, its pretty easy but not that quick if you wanna run out the door.
posted by hazel at 7:02 PM on December 28, 2007

You could try the Japanese straightening perm as mentioned above. From what I understand, it's gentle on your hair and lasts a few months. Try a salon specializing in Asian hair - they'll be able to do the Japanese process plus give you a cut suited for your type of hair.
posted by exquisite_deluxe at 8:34 PM on December 28, 2007

Heh. I have hair like that. I don't know if this is an option for you, but I tend it put it up before it dries. I dry it as much as possible with the towel so it's damp, not dripping, and then I clip it up (buns, ponytails, whatever). By the time it dries it's already in shape, and depending on what you actually do with your hair, you get a fair bit of control over how your hair curls when you take it out of the 'do.
posted by Phire at 12:00 AM on December 29, 2007