HUGE problem -- literally!

wavynwild16

My hair is SUPER thick, and lately, I just can't control (or handle!) the volume, especially on 2nd day hair. It's outta control, huge, and poofy. But only at the bottom. The poofyness starts right below my ears and continues down my hair, but the top is flat. This just looks so rediculous, and I don't know what to do about it! Can any of you wavies help me "un-poof" my hair? I'm afraid to try clipping, because I don't want to make my hair any bigger than it already is (and I don't have duckbill clips). Part of the problem may be that I diffuse upside down, but I don't really have a choice, because if I do it right side up, my hair doesn't come out that good, and if I air dry, I get less definition and it takes FOREVER. If any of you with huge, thick, poofy hair have tried clipping and can honestly say that it helps, than I might be willing to try it. My hair is pretty curly the past few days -- I'll give it that -- but it's just so huge it's not even funny! Any tips or advice is more than welcomed! TIA.

Saila

Hmm. There are several things that may help you.

a. A hair cut. This might help your hair have a better shape. I'm no expert, but I am sure a talented stylist could help you reduce "bulk" which would make it easier to manage. Long layers have helped me in the past.
b. Moisture. Is the top of your head more moisturized than the bottom? Water and products help weigh hair down, so it could help to focus it on the length of your hair.
c. Setting. What if you diffused your hair until it was damp or barely wet and then you set it in some braids? (You can do as many or as few as you'd like.) This is also where clipping comes into play. Using clips at the top of your head will prevent it from being flat. If you focus it on the crown of your head, it will just give that area more volume, but not the rest of your hair. Because you said it starts at your ears, I think this will help.

Overall, I think moisturizing and sealing the length of your hair will help it be less poufy.

What are you doing at night?

Hope that helps!

IAgirl

Well, of course, if you clipped the top and sides -- then you'd have volume there too. I know you can get duckbill clips from Sally's, but I prefer those octopus clips for the top because they don't snag.

I have very fine hair, but what worked for my "end poof" was a haircut and it enhanced my waves to boot.
I did it myself, but the gist of it was the shortest layer is between cheekbone and chin, which I pulled out at a very shallow angle and cut at an angle, then I tapered the hair below that (by cutting) so that it formed a very gradual diagonal from longest to shortest layer. It's not a Deva cut, (although I'm sure I would have paid $50 or more for it!) but it does follow the shape of the waves, takes out the volume where you don't want it, and allow the waves to curl more instead of poof out. Kind of like the top of the wave is the canopy, which flows into and blends into the lower layers and all the ends of each layer get to curl on their way down instead of most of the hairs reaching the same spot and trying to curl in a big poof. On a good day it's hard to see the layers at all.

If there is a spot where the top layer sticks out or something doesn't blend, it gets snipped off until it fits. So this haircut is constantly a work in progress of pruning and shaping. Which reminds me, I need to clean out the drain in the sink...

I wasn't brave enough to do the whole cut, so I began doing it in increments to see what worked until I got the courage to cut those layers in for good!

I bet it would look even better on you than it does on me.

Robin-in-FL

Yes this sounds like a haircut issue - you probably don't have too much poof, it's just concentrated all at the ends, maybe you'd like that much volume if it was spread out along the length!

Very thick hair is a good kind of hair to have, you can go and get it layered and there will still be plenty of hair to go around.

The layers would probably help both the flat top and the bigger ends.

When mine is all one length it looks more like a mass of hair with some curls along the outside. When it's cut for curls, it looks more like it's all doing the same thing and some of them end further up, it works better. And mine isn't even near super-thick.

Definitely try a haircut.

Oh-and on the clipping, I read something by MirCurls that made sense; don't clip before you start drying, clip toward the end so that:
1. the curls are already established
2. the hair can DRY in the clips, all the way dry

Look for her post, but after hair is mostly dry, basically just take a handful of the roots and lift them with an octopus clip away from the head - sort of scrunch them in there but not the ends, just the roots/middle hair, and just the top layers (mostly because it's impractical to try to get at the underneath hair, I think) then leave it in there until it's dry dry dry.

My hair isn't like hers but this helped me so much, I don't clip 'em all the time but when I do, waiting until hair is almost dry and scrunching the roots into the octopus clip works so much better than starting at the beginning and trying to 'direct' the hair with the clips.

wavynwild16

Saila wrote: »

Hmm. There are several things that may help you.

a. A hair cut. This might help your hair have a better shape. I'm no expert, but I am sure a talented stylist could help you reduce "bulk" which would make it easier to manage. Long layers have helped me in the past.
b. Moisture. Is the top of your head more moisturized than the bottom? Water and products help weigh hair down, so it could help to focus it on the length of your hair.
c. Setting. What if you diffused your hair until it was damp or barely wet and then you set it in some braids? (You can do as many or as few as you'd like.) This is also where clipping comes into play. Using clips at the top of your head will prevent it from being flat. If you focus it on the crown of your head, it will just give that area more volume, but not the rest of your hair. Because you said it starts at your ears, I think this will help.

Overall, I think moisturizing and sealing the length of your hair will help it be less poufy.

What are you doing at night?

Hope that helps!

I actually focus all my products on the length of my hair -- I don't put any at the roots -- so I don't think that could be a problem. I do think moisture might be part of the problem, though. I think the length of my hair is fairly dry, so maybe I'm due to try a Spritz & Condish.

Oh, and I pineapple at night. This has always helped me achieve the best 2nd day curls and give me the least amount of tangles.

Robin-in-FL wrote: »

Yes this sounds like a haircut issue - you probably don't have too much poof, it's just concentrated all at the ends, maybe you'd like that much volume if it was spread out along the length!

Very thick hair is a good kind of hair to have, you can go and get it layered and there will still be plenty of hair to go around.

The layers would probably help both the flat top and the bigger ends.

When mine is all one length it looks more like a mass of hair with some curls along the outside. When it's cut for curls, it looks more like it's all doing the same thing and some of them end further up, it works better. And mine isn't even near super-thick.

Definitely try a haircut.

Oh-and on the clipping, I read something by MirCurls that made sense; don't clip before you start drying, clip toward the end so that:
1. the curls are already established
2. the hair can DRY in the clips, all the way dry

Look for her post, but after hair is mostly dry, basically just take a handful of the roots and lift them with an octopus clip away from the head - sort of scrunch them in there but not the ends, just the roots/middle hair, and just the top layers (mostly because it's impractical to try to get at the underneath hair, I think) then leave it in there until it's dry dry dry.

My hair isn't like hers but this helped me so much, I don't clip 'em all the time but when I do, waiting until hair is almost dry and scrunching the roots into the octopus clip works so much better than starting at the beginning and trying to 'direct' the hair with the clips.

Yes, I probably wouldn't mind the volume if it was all over, not just concentrated on the section below my ears!

When I was younger, I had my hair cut into layers -- and this was when it was straight (or when I was treating it like straight hair), and I hated it then, so I'm kinda a little afraid to jump back on that bandwagon again. But with my curls it might look better, so I might be willing to try it once more.

Wow, that makes total sense, and that really helps me (a newbie who doesn't know that much about clipping!) out. Thanks!

Oh, and IAgirl, thank you SO much for the do-it-yourself haircutting advice! To tell you the truth, I was actually thinking about getting a Deva Cut, but they cost so much money, and I would have to do some research on what salons over here are "curl friendly." Thanks again!

plunkybug

Try Super Soaking. Rudee uses that to control poof and define clumps. While diffusing, do you pixie diffuse?

wavynwild16

No, I don't pixie diffuse. I'm always afraid my curls are going to get piled into the diffuser in weird ways, and they'll come out in weird ways! I'm a gutless wimp, I know!
EDIT: Oh, and regarding the SS method -- I have tried that, and I think that all the extra water pulls my waves out. (Remember that thread I started about getting good first day hair that you replied to? My hair either comes out pretty good or really bad with that method.) Thanks so much for the suggestions, though!!! I appreciate it.

pedaheh

Have you tried super soaker, followed by pressing the water out of your hair with a towel or whatever? Then plopping (if your hair can plop). Getting a lot of the water off should help stop the curl from getting pulled out.

wavynwild16

Oh, thanks for the advice, Ped! I knew you'd chime in sooner or later. You know the answers to all my hair dilemmas!

I haven't tried "pressing" the water out of my hair with a towel -- just straight on plopping afterward (yup, my hair LOVES plopping! Couldn't live without it!). The extra water is my biggest issue, so this could help me. Thanks!

Oh, and Plunkybug -- I'm so loving you right now! I tried the Pixie Curl Diffusing method on my second day hair -- all I can say is OMG!!!!! My curls were so tight when I first turned the blow dryer off -- like 3b tight, no joke! Eventually, they fell out into my normal waves, but it reduced my poof dramatically and is now my go-to diffusing method! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I don't think I would have attempted it again if it weren't for you. I am a happy curly camper now.

plunkybug

:thumbright:

wavynwild16

:geek:

wavynwild16

OK ladies -- here's an update!

I tried the SS method yesterday. I scrunched out some of my RO condish under the shower faucet and used what was left in my hair as my LI. I had both sides of my hair dangling in front of me, and I slowly scrunched palmfuls of water into my hair slowly and carefully. I "pressed" out a bit of water with a cotton t-shirt and then I scrunched in a bunch of gel. I could see my waves forming BIG time, which never happens while my hair is wet and "un-plopped," so I had the illusion that this was turning out great already. I plopped for anywhere from 45 minutes - 1 hour. I took my plop out and diffused until my hair was dry, and my hair came out TERRIBLE! It had minimal wave definition and most of the waves were oddly shaped. I was very unhappy! But, thanks for your suggestions! Any insight into why this didn't work out? TIA!

pedaheh

I hate it when my hair pretends like it is going to have a great day and then everything goes down hill.
IDK what the problem is either. Maybe you need to plop for less time since your hair is dryer preplop. Weird that it seemed to pull your waves out. Hmmm?

plunkybug

Try adding the gel and then scrunching in the water and doing it the rest the same. I do agree with Ped that you may be plopping too long.

wavynwild16

Thanks, ladies! I don't know if plopping for less time would help or make it worse -- every time I take my plop out too soon and there's too much water in my hair, it makes my waves collapse.

Plunky -- just so I'm getting this correct, you mean scrunch in some gel, super soak, "press" out some water, scrunch in some more gel, and then plop?

Thanks! Oh, and on a happy note, I got AMAZING 2nd day hair today! Like, out of this world curls. My hair's so confusing -- lousy 1st day hair and amazing 2nd day hair??? Whatever -- I'm just glad it looked so great! I just don't know if I'm willing to put up with awful first day hair to get it nice on the second day, though...I'm gonna have to start showering at night!! Hee hee.

Saila

Have you tried scrunching out the water with a towel before plopping?

plunkybug

wavynwild16 wrote: »

Thanks, ladies! I don't know if plopping for less time would help or make it worse -- every time I take my plop out too soon and there's too much water in my hair, it makes my waves collapse.

Plunky -- just so I'm getting this correct, you mean scrunch in some gel, super soak, "press" out some water, scrunch in some more gel, and then plop?

Thanks! Oh, and on a happy note, I got AMAZING 2nd day hair today! Like, out of this world curls. My hair's so confusing -- lousy 1st day hair and amazing 2nd day hair??? Whatever -- I'm just glad it looked so great! I just don't know if I'm willing to put up with awful first day hair to get it nice on the second day, though...I'm gonna have to start showering at night!! Hee hee.

Add gel, super soak and scrunch and plop. Take plop down and diffuse partway and scrunch in more gel and dry some more. How much you dry depends on you, but I dry more water out since I have fine hair. I diffuse to 80-90% dry. It takes time, though that might be my drier...I've had it a few years.

wavynwild16

Thanks for clarifying that, Plunky! I'll try that today after I wash my hair and let you know how it goes.

wavynwild16

Plunky -- I tried your method. And......I got more wave and curl than last time! But, still, nothing like my usual routine gives me. The thing is, sometimes my usual routine gives me tight waves, but they're kinda weird-looking and discombobulated. They look kind of like mutin waves -- somewhat tight mutin waves that look zig-zaggy, and not so "wavy" (I gotta try to airdry more often)! The SS method just gives me hair that looks kind of flat and dragged out. Like....I raked my stylers in and didn't try to scrunch to revitalize the curl or something. Second day hair came out okay. Not too great (or as good as last time), but not TERRIBLE either. I'm just thinking SS isn't my thing! I gotta go read over the techniques thread again! Ha ha! Any other suggestions? Thanks so much for all your help so far. You guys (I mean GIRLS!) are the best!

plunkybug

Maybe just try adding in your gel to very wet hair. And don't rake it in either. Raking breaks up clumps and I think to reduce bulk you want to keep the clumps.

wavynwild16

Yup! What I think I'm going to try doing is scrunching the water out of my hair like I have been (while adding a LI, so I don't get too much condish in my hair -- maybe!) and then scrunching in a BUNCH of gel into my wet hair, taking out my plop, and diffusing/air drying. I think scrunching in extra gel after my hair is "un-plopped" breaks up my clumps, and -- like you said -- I need my clumps in the trade-off for bulk!