Thread: Someone fix my hair

I just watched a video of myself dancing from a few weeks ago & I kept focusing on my hair. I need to fix it, give it more volume, something. It just looks so flat on top. And...not unkempt, but just not fixed. It doesn't go with the costume.

Any suggestions for hairstyles or adding volume to waist length long layered hair that's not thick but not necessarily thin? Headbands I can't stand - my ears stick out & I look like I'm 12 - I'll wear one in a pinch if I have to but would rather go without. A pony tail seems like a good option, I stay cooler that way, but when I see myself in pictures I don't like the way it looks; funny shaped head or something? I like my hair down & I think GP does, too. The whole "bellydancers are supposed to have long hair" thing, I guess, idk. That and I tend to hair toss here & there. I can wash it & let it air dry loosely coiled/gathered on top of my head and it comes out with body, nice waves & some curls even, but any humidity (like a sweaty dancing body) turns it frizzy.

..c:: Have I just backed myself into the teasing & AquaNet corner?

Can you maybe just take the crown portion, tease & aquanet that bit (or add a bumpit), and fix it with a barette or fancy clip in back?

I know what I'm picturing (a very toned-down version of Amy Winehouse, but I know THAT doesn't sound pretty). I'll see if I can find a pic of my suggestion...

OK, here's what I'm picturing. Leave some hair loose around your face, pull the top back loosely (backcombed or not) and clip it.







Just ideas, of course.


eta: hm, my last two images won't show, must be protected in some way.

If you want to add some bling sans headband, what about a 'tiara' style of bling?

Not neccessarily just beauty queen style, you can do them to match costumes, etc.

It would give the bling on top look without curving around the head or poking your ears.

Use anti-frizz products - shampoo, conditioner, serum, spray, the lot. That should help with the humidity problem (I have the same prob). Hang your hair upside down when you dry it to give the roots a lift (and get a cheap thrill as you go dizzy, pass out and hit the deck lol!).

Here's a tip I read waaay back in the 1970s (not for Belly Dancers, just for flirts). Wear your lusciously long hair twisted and coiled up in a slide-comb or some other single grip tool/ornament - one you can release with one hand. Then, at the appropriate moment (part of the choreo? Pause in the music? Dramatic thing just before getting intot he ayoub? In the article I read it was when you were looking deeply into his eyes ha ha), then raise a hand and release the grip. The hair will come tumbling down ready for you to toss and show off. Think Jacklyn Smith taking off her motorbike helmet in the opening credits to the old Charlie's Angels shows.

Wot's aquanet?

Lauren, I like the pics you posted. I'm with Ruya. I'm in a constant wrestling match with my hair. Mine's not nearly as long, it's just longer than shoulder length, but it is flat and straight and boring. Ponytails look childish (though I wear 'em anyway), and "half-updos" like in the pics here don't work too well because my hair is too fine, and it looks like I don't have any hair. I don't like side-swept hair and so I'm stuck in a perpetual hair rut. Ugh. Ruya, I feel your pain.

Originally Posted by Freddie

Wot's aquanet?

Cheap, durable old-school hairspray (from before the industry went all touchable-hold). Great for beehives and backcombing.

AquaNet is awesome. Pretty much all my female family members use(d) it & it's all I ever knew growing up - everyone else I know from the South, my age or older, also has tales of their moms or whomever shellacking their hair with the stuff, too.

I really like the half up half down look w/a pouf. If I could get that, but with hair still covering my ears so they don't stick out like Dumbo, that'd be great. No idea how to get mine to do that, though - backcombing/teasing seems to produce the same weird 'butt' hairdo that was sported in the movie Dracula. Currently trying to get my hands on a bumpit, but so far no luck locally - though a store here is supposedly getting some in today & I'm stalking them in a big way.

The hairstyle I like best on me, is the wavy/curly look after it's been washed & coiled up, but it's rare because I can't walk around with gobs of loose coils & clips all day before a show while I'm running errands. The end result can be nice, though - a cascade of waves & curls down my back, but I like curly hair & don't normally have it so maybe that's why.

You can also get the wavy/curly look by braiding your hair when it is slightly damp (put some kind of product in for frizz) and wear the braid through the day so it is easy and out of your way, then about an hour before you can unbraid it and style and coil up.

Bump-its (they are super easy to use and sword work is a breeze if you're wearing one.)

Originally Posted by _Tanya_

Bump-its (they are super easy to use and sword work is a breeze if you're wearing one.)

don't do sword work, but i'm stalking a local store that's supposedly getting a shipment of bumpits in today. if i can get one i'm hoping it'll work.

Slightly digressing: I just bought my first can of Aquanet. It has the loveliest smell! I haven't used it to backcomb (beware of my hair when I do, cuz I have lots of it!), but I am using it to get the short hairs on the back of my neck shellaqed into place (assisted by copious bobby pins) when I wear my fake pony. It stays great, but it brushes out easily when I take out the pony. I'm in love!

I also use it on my eyebrows to keep them in place. Spray a little on my eyebrow brush and brush over the brows - no more strays!

I got some at the local Walgreens a box of 3 for ten bucks, just make sure they match your hair color (they come in blonde light & dark, brown, and black) I can't tease my hair to save my life but I can fudge my way through using these. Pair it with a cute headband and then pull some tendrils out to cover your ears if you're so inclined.

They also have little bang bump its if you ever feel like getting the bangs off your face. Just use them like the regular ones and they hold the rest of your hair back as well.

If you want the curly look I would suggest hot rollers. My friend (who has thick but mostly straight hair) swears by them and she says she puts them in while doing makeup and takes them off and her hair has body and bounce.

Aquanet - it will give you helmet hair if you use too much. Which means it has great hold which is what you need. Think of the blue haired ladies who go to the salon every week to have their hair done and how it stays that way for a week!

mmm...Aquanet *cough cough* just don't breathe while in the hairspray fog. inhale & you're likely to glue your nose hairs together.

Tasha, it's Walgreen's I'm stalking actually ..l;, they had some, but all 4 locations sold out super fast. Cashier at one told me they ordered more & shipments arrive on Friday, so I'm just waiting to bolt up there at lunchtime. Apparently everyone wants one - Sally's was supposed to carry them here, but they don't.

Originally Posted by _Tanya_

Bump-its (they are super easy to use and sword work is a breeze if you're wearing one.)

This is the problem I have with my long, flat hair: If I manage to get any volume on the top, it interferes with sword...
So is there any way to balance a sword in front of the bump-it thingie? I'm thinking you would need to put the sword behind the bump.

The spot where I balance my sword is in front of the area where I'd put a bumpit. I've tried them, my baby fine hair won't cover the durned thing. *pouts*

Ruya, you know you can just order them online and the mailman will bring them right to your house, don't you?

They really are about as easy as the video makes them look. www.bumpits.com

Originally Posted by khalima

This is the problem I have with my long, flat hair: If I manage to get any volume on the top, it interferes with sword...
So is there any way to balance a sword in front of the bump-it thingie? I'm thinking you would need to put the sword behind the bump.

If I'm using the big bump-it I put the sword in front of it, if I'm using the bang bumpit I put the sword behind. The best placement for the big one is at the spot right before your head starts to curve down towards your neck, think 60's big mod hair for inspiration. If you're having a crap balancing night, the bump-it paired with those egyptian style headbands makes sword work pretty damn idiot proof (while still looking impressive) ..g.:

Omg, all this talk of aquanet is bringing back memories of teasing my permed hair and bangs to unbelievable heights back in the day. I think I personally created the hole in the ozone layer through my unrestrained use of aquanet.

Aquanet rules, the smell always reminds me of my mom getting ready to go out, teasing her hair with some aquanet, putting on the good revlon lipstick, and dabbing her writsts with Shalimar.

I can't find aquanet anymore in drugstores, I may need a bhuzzer to ship me a few cans!

(Also, boom! just realized I passed my 1,000 post and got an extra star!)

Originally Posted by phillyraqs

Omg, all this talk of aquanet is bringing back memories of teasing my permed hair and bangs to unbelievable heights back in the day. I think I personally created the hole in the ozone layer through my unrestrained use of aquanet.

Aquanet rules, the smell always reminds me of my mom getting ready to go out, teasing her hair with some aquanet, putting on the good revlon lipstick, and dabbing her writsts with Shalimar.

I can't find aquanet anymore in drugstores, I may need a bhuzzer to ship me a few cans!

I got mine at *gasp* wal-mart. It's now in a tall white can, not blue and silver.

..l;, I don't watch TV so leave it to my Bhuz friends to clue me in! I've never heard of a bumpit before but now I'm intrigued! I like to have volume in the front of my hair when I wear my looong pony tail extension and this looks super easy. Also, on the topic of waves and curls- if you wait till your hair is almost completely dry or mist it slightly and then wind it around cotton socks you get the most amazing curls or waves!
For waves:
The Long Hair Community Discussion Boards - deep waves/snake waves
For curls: use socks with a longer cuff. Section off hair and hold sock next to scalp while you wind hair down the sock like you would wind the hair around the barrel of the curling iron. When you've reached the end of your hair, tie the toe and cuff together. All cotton socks work best because they're more absorbent. You'll look like a monster for a few hours (or over night) but the curls will be amazing and they last a pretty long time. You can add styling product if you like. I just use aloe diluted with water to mist my hair with.

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

..l;, I don't watch TV so leave it to my Bhuz friends to clue me in! I've never heard of a bumpit before but now I'm intrigued! I like to have volume in the front of my hair when I wear my looong pony tail extension and this looks super easy. Also, on the topic of waves and curls- if you wait till your hair is almost completely dry or mist it slightly and then wind it around cotton socks you get the most amazing curls or waves!
For waves:
The Long Hair Community Discussion Boards - deep waves/snake waves
For curls: use socks with a longer cuff. Section off hair and hold sock next to scalp while you wind hair down the sock like you would wind the hair around the barrel of the curling iron. When you've reached the end of your hair, tie the toe and cuff together. All cotton socks work best because they're more absorbent. You'll look like a monster for a few hours (or over night) but the curls will be amazing and they last a pretty long time. You can add styling product if you like. I just use aloe diluted with water to mist my hair with.

This really makes me want to grow my hair back out.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

This really makes me want to grow my hair back out.

Haha! Well, I can certainly be your enabler for that! I'm currently about 3" away from my goal of tailbone length :) Yes, I am a bit hair obsessed.

*anxiously awaiting more spiffy hair tricks*

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

Haha! Well, I can certainly be your enabler for that! I'm currently about 3" away from my goal of tailbone length :) Yes, I am a bit hair obsessed.

*anxiously awaiting more spiffy hair tricks*

Mine was that long, and longer, ages ago. I don't think I want that much hair again, but I want enough to play with...

*emerges victorious from the mall* I was jewelry shopping & wandered over to Claire's and there they were! Who knew? Cashier said they just got them in today, they've been selling out as fast as they get them. I can't wait to get home and play w/this.

Do they hold up well enough on their own for dance, or do they need help staying in?

Comes with a rat-tail comb for teasing. Awesome. Already have a good one from Sally, but I'll take another, lol.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

Mine was that long, and longer, ages ago. I don't think I want that much hair again, but I want enough to play with...

When I graduated high school mine was mid-thigh. Pulled on my neck too much though, so now just below waist/top of hips is about as long as I can stand it.

Lol. Mine is midthigh currently, so I am struggling with a hair v belt fringe smackdown at the moment. I wonder how much weight the bumpits would carry? Cos I need something to pull my hair above belt level for some costumes, yet my hair is so heavy it tends to eat lesser hair products :)

Originally Posted by DancingRuya

*emerges victorious from the mall* I was jewelry shopping & wandered over to Claire's and there they were! Who knew? Cashier said they just got them in today, they've been selling out as fast as they get them. I can't wait to get home and play w/this.

Do they hold up well enough on their own for dance, or do they need help staying in?

Comes with a rat-tail comb for teasing. Awesome. Already have a good one from Sally, but I'll take another, lol.



When I graduated high school mine was mid-thigh. Pulled on my neck too much though, so now just below waist/top of hips is about as long as I can stand it.

They hold up just fine, it's taking them out that's a pain in the ass.

i'm sucha goober, i had to take the medium one & sauner down the hall from my office to the ladies room & test drive it real quick ..l;,

sectioned some hair away from the crown, slap bumpit on my head, lay hair over it. looked weird by itself. then I pulled hair up from around temples, like to pull to it all back in a clip behind the bumpit. faabbulous! some teasing & hairspray will be needed, but that's okay. almost works without it, but the teeth poke through some areas. can't wait to see what the giant bumpit will do ..g.:

now i need a rhinestone clip.

Love this thread, Ruya, thanks to all for the tips!