QuoteReplyTopic: eliminating weight from heavy hair Posted: January 12 2000 at 5:45am
I hvae a question about my hair. I have naturally thick, medium-textured hair. I have a LOT of hair, and its also partly wavy and partly straight. Its shoulder-length right now, and a little bit damaged from coloring. It only has a couple of face-framing layers in front.My stylist always insists on adding layers to the top layer of my hair and razoring the ends, saying that blunt cuts are not "in". I won't let him do that anymore, because it makes my hair look terrible! It kicks up the waves at the ends of my hair, and looks extremely bad. When my ends are blunt cut, my hair lies very straight and smooth and it looks 100% better, except for the weight. It is way too heavy.I heard from a friend that a stylist can texturize the bottom layers of my hair to get rid of weight. What does texturizing mean, and will it add more wave to my hair? How do I explain this technique to my stylist? Is it basically just leyring the underneath sections of my hair?If anyone else has hair somewhat like mine, it'd be great to hear how any of you cut or style it. Thanks!
Hey Lisa!I've got hair like yours: thick, sorta wavy, "normal" texture--and heavy! I've pretty much been told the same as you, that layers are the only way to get rid of the weight. I have long-ish hair now. It's layered, but I'm trying to grow them out. I tend to get really annoyed with the flatness on top of my head, so when I get a cut, I usually say okay with the layers.You have shoulder length hair. One thing I've noticed (my longest layer comes to just above my bra strap) is that the longer it gets, it gets a bit more body on top. It seems that once I was able to pull all my hair behind my back and it stayed there, that it was less flat. I think part of my problem is that I tuck my face framing layers behind my ears, which eventually makes everything go kaput.What's my point again? LOL. Sorry, I'm so happy to find someone on here with hair like mine, I babble. I'd like to hear of a cut to help with the weight as well.Some suggestions: A short blunt cut looked really good on me and had a lot of body. But right now I want to see how long I can go:)Also, try to encourage your waves. I was suprised that when I (heaven forbid!) let my hair air dry that it didn't look bad. If it does, brush it out and it still doesn't look bad (nice and casual). I'm very pleased with the results of ARTec's Volume Gel.Lastly, wack your stylist upside the head for telling you what's "in" if you didn't ask for it. I'm one of those people who will opt for "classic" over "in" anyday.I'll stop now. Let me know how things go!Alexandra
I'd like to know more about the "texturizing" technique as well. My hair is shoulder length with layers throughout...shorter on top and gradually longer. My problem is that the top layers are heavy (as if too much hair was used to make the top layers) and they tend to fall fall flat, which I hate since I like some height on top. There is a new stylist in my area that has been recommended to me that I'm thinking of trying, but how can I explain it to her so she can get my layers on top to stay up more instead of falling flat...I'm thinking they need to be shortened a bit, but maybe something else in addition to that as well would help? What should I ask for? Thanks!
Although my hair has changed with age, it has always been thick and naturally wavy. I used to wear my hair layered because I have a round face shape and wanted the height on top. However, now that my hair is below my waist, it is all one length and get the height from my heavily texturized bangs.When I used to have my hair layered, I would have them use a razor to really texturize and feather the hair, especially around my face and at the crown. The natural wave would hold the hair down so that it did not stick up.Hair Boutique's Jane Bullock has some of the thickest hair I have ever seen and she gets her hair heavily layered and texturized to the point that she has little spikes (whcih she loves and looks great on her) but she told me that she can't grow her hair longer without keeping layers or the hair is just too thick.You can get the stylist to "texturize" by using a scissors and cutting the hair in points to give the hair lift and movement. Or, if the sylist is really good, you can ask them to use a razor on part of the layers to give it a featherly texture. The problem with a razor is that the stylist really needs to know how to use it because if they don't, the layers may not turn out as you would like.When you go see a new stylist, I highly recommend taking photographs. Go to the nearest grocery or book store and flip through the photographs that are texturized or layered and then buy the magazine that has the look you want. Take it with you. A stylist needs a visual representation of what you want or else you may describe it too them and think that you are in agreement and wind up with a different look.You can also look through the Hair Boutique Gallery which has lots of texturized looks.Best wishes,Karen> I'd like to know more about the> "texturizing" technique as well. My hair is> shoulder length with layers throughout...shorter on> top and gradually longer. My problem is that the top> layers are heavy (as if too much hair was used to make> the top layers) and they tend to fall fall flat, which> I hate since I like some height on top. There is a new> stylist in my area that has been recommended to me> that I'm thinking of trying, but how can I explain it> to her so she can get my layers on top to stay up more> instead of falling flat...I'm thinking they need to be> shortened a bit, but maybe something else in addition> to that as well would help? What should I ask for?> Thanks!
That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger or drives you totally insane. :-)
> I hvae a question about my hair. I have naturally> thick, medium-textured hair. I have a LOT of hair, and> its also partly wavy and partly straight. Its> shoulder-length right now, and a little bit damaged> from coloring. It only has a couple of face-framing> layers in front.> My stylist always insists on adding layers to the top> layer of my hair and razoring the ends, saying that> blunt cuts are not "in". I won't let him do> that anymore, because it makes my hair look terrible!> It kicks up the waves at the ends of my hair, and> looks extremely bad. When my ends are blunt cut, my> hair lies very straight and smooth and it looks 100%> better, except for the weight. It is way too heavy.To Lisa and others;The problem you talk about is suffered by many that have naturally curly hair in various degrees. You have already experienced the 'standard layering technique' of your stylist and have seen the results--little curls flipping up all over. This is caused by the layering HORIZONTALLY of the outer layers of your hair. This releases the weight from the hairshafts letting them have a mind of their own!Your observation of when your hair is blunt cut behaving much better is because of the weight of the hair pulling a lot of the curl formation into submission. Yet when very full thick hair such as this is blunt cut only it looks like it has just been cut with a pair of clippers to a straight line for the Cleopatra look. Careful underlayering techniques are used to control the bulk. This is accomplished by first cutting the style in a blunt outline as usual, then small UNDERNEATH layers are cut slightly shorter than the outline, and each one is graduated slightly from the previous one, with the shortest next to the head. Usually this is best done with a pair of scissors or a small set of trimmer clippers, not a razor. Don't get me wrong, it can be done with a razor but only if the hair is overdirected vertically and very very carefully done. When cutting with the trimmers a clipper-over-comb with the hair being 'rolled' upward with the comb and very very carefully being released by the combined movement of the comb and cutting action of the clippers. Try to find a stylist that 'understands' undercutting layers and this should help.william> I heard from a friend that a stylist can texturize the> bottom layers of my hair to get rid of weight. What> does texturizing mean, and will it add more wave to my> hair? How do I explain this technique to my stylist?> Is it basically just leyring the underneath sections> of my hair?> If anyone else has hair somewhat like mine, it'd be> great to hear how any of you cut or style it. Thanks!
Lisa
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Alexandra,At least someone can relate to my hair woes! I feel the same as you - when my hair is longer, it is less flat. Unfortunately, I recently had to have it cut to shoulder length because of some major damage.I totally do the same thing as you do with my face-framing layers..I always tuck them behind my ears because they get in my way. I think that's what makes my hair look even flatter.I think I am going to go with the "undercutting" technique that William described. I hope it will give me more wieght on the top of my head. I feel like I have pyramid hair!I get it done on Thursday so I hope it will work out ok. I'll let you know.> Hey Lisa!> I've got hair like yours: thick, sorta wavy,> "normal" texture--and heavy! I've pretty> much been told the same as you, that layers are the> only way to get rid of the weight. I have long-ish> hair now. It's layered, but I'm trying to grow them> out. I tend to get really annoyed with the flatness on> top of my head, so when I get a cut, I usually say> okay with the layers.> You have shoulder length hair. One thing I've noticed> (my longest layer comes to just above my bra strap) is> that the longer it gets, it gets a bit more body on> top. It seems that once I was able to pull all my hair> behind my back and it stayed there, that it was less> flat. I think part of my problem is that I tuck my> face framing layers behind my ears, which eventually> makes everything go kaput.> What's my point again? LOL. Sorry, I'm so happy to> find someone on here with hair like mine, I babble.> I'd like to hear of a cut to help with the weight as> well.> Some suggestions: A short blunt cut looked really good> on me and had a lot of body. But right now I want to> see how long I can go:)> Also, try to encourage your waves. I was suprised that> when I (heaven forbid!) let my hair air dry that it> didn't look bad. If it does, brush it out and it still> doesn't look bad (nice and casual). I'm very pleased> with the results of ARTec's Volume Gel.> Lastly, wack your stylist upside the head for telling> you what's "in" if you didn't ask for it.> I'm one of those people who will opt for> "classic" over "in" anyday.> I'll stop now. Let me know how things go!> Alexandra
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William:Thanks! That's what I was thinking about asking my stylist to do but I didn't know how to explain it. Sice a lot of the weight will be gone, will this help give some more volume to the roots of my hair? Or do I need to do something else to get more volume on top? Right now, as you can imagine, my hair is very flat on top and gets way too muich volume at the ends..leaving me with a lovely pyramid shape! I usually have to use a lot of product and a straightening iron to make the bottom part flatter, but then I just have flat hair all over. I hope this cutting technique will eliminate this porblem!Lisa> To Lisa and others;> The problem you talk about is suffered by many that> have naturally curly hair in various degrees. You have> already experienced the 'standard layering technique'> of your stylist and have seen the results--little> curls flipping up all over. This is caused by the> layering HORIZONTALLY of the outer layers of your> hair. This releases the weight from the hairshafts> letting them have a mind of their own!> Your observation of when your hair is blunt cut> behaving much better is because of the weight of the> hair pulling a lot of the curl formation into> submission. Yet when very full thick hair such as this> is blunt cut only it looks like it has just been cut> with a pair of clippers to a straight line for the> Cleopatra look. Careful underlayering techniques are> used to control the bulk. This is accomplished by> first cutting the style in a blunt outline as usual,> then small UNDERNEATH layers are cut slightly shorter> than the outline, and each one is graduated slightly> from the previous one, with the shortest next to the> head. Usually this is best done with a pair of> scissors or a small set of trimmer clippers, not a> razor. Don't get me wrong, it can be done with a razor> but only if the hair is overdirected vertically and> very very carefully done. When cutting with the> trimmers a clipper-over-comb with the hair being> 'rolled' upward with the comb and very very carefully> being released by the combined movement of the comb> and cutting action of the clippers. Try to find a> stylist that 'understands' undercutting layers and> this should help.> william
> Yes, Lisa - I too have pyramid hair. Heavy, thick, coarse, slightly wavy. I always found long and straight the best, though I am getting a bit old for that style now. I had it cut in a bob, but my hair was way too big! I had layers cut and they curled all over the place.Now Ihave a good style. It is past the shoulders with a big layer cut a coupleof inches from the end and kind of graduated so it slightly flicks up if I leave it and curls under if I blow dry it that way. In other words, all the weight is cut from the ends, so it does not do a pyramid!It is kind of a long Rene Russo.
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