Everyday 40s Hair

[skinnychik]

I've looked at one glamourous photo after another on this forum, and they beg the question:

Do you gorgeous ladies pull off those hairstyles EVERY DAY????


If so, how do you do it? How often do you wash/set yeor hair? How do you sleep with it? How many hours a day do you have to spend playing with your hair to look authentic?

(Considering the Rosie the Riveter look-->bandana)

 

[Lauren]

I don't do my hair vintage everyday, but have been going "vintagesque" with a mini pomp in front. Here's an article from a Mccall's magazine from 1942, I believe, on shortcuts for hair:

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Yes, I do. I wash my hair every other day, and set it every night. I will reverse roll it some days (in different variations, depending on my mood), wear it "Veronica Lake" on others, and "Betty Grable" (pinned up) on other days.

If my set does not turn out well (if say, the weather is humid or rainy), I will usually roll the front and either tuck the back in a snood or roll it into a chignon.

It's not that uncomfortable to sleep with hair set in pin curls or rag curlers, and only slightly so in sponge rollers (which is what my hair is set in right this very moment )

It only takes me about 10 minutes or so in the morning to do my hair, as I have been it styling it vintage for about four years now

 

[skinnychik]

It's not that uncomfortable to sleep with hair set in pin curls or rag curlers, and only slightly so in sponge rollers (which is what my hair is set in right this very moment )

Sponge rollers? Really? Do you have a pic of how you arranged them?

I was doing the pin curl sets overnight, but I keep getting bobby pin dents...even when I make crosses with them. I've resorted to Caruso hot steam rollers, but if it's humid at all the curl falls out.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

No, I don't have a pic But I arrange them like I would hot rollers, rolled towards my face.

Steam rollers don't work for me at all--I have thick, straight hair that doesn't always like to curl. I prefer Hot Sticks for a hot roller set. They are very hot and create faux pin curls (they look like rubber perm rods--you can find them at Sally Beauty for about $20.)

Otherwise, try pin curl clips, also available at Sally Beauty. They will prevent dents, and are much faster and easier to handle

 

[RetroMom]

Using a setting lotion may help keep the curl in, if your doing a cold set.

I use "Lottabody", I think many of the gals here do. It is very inexpensive and comes in a huge bottle which you will probably never use up!

On the days I don't set my hair, I sleep with a hairnet around my curls. It flattens them overnight, but it is easy enough to fluff them up in the morning.

Hope this helps....

 

[LizzieMaine]

I do a pincurl set every other night -- or sometimes every third night, depending on what else I've got going on -- and sleep on it with the help of a $2.49 satin sleep cap from K-Mart. I also wear this cap on the nights that I'm not pinned up, and can make a set last for a few days -- although by the end of it, it's more very loose waves than proper curls.

I don't do serious rolls every day -- usually I just poof up the front a bit, tuck the sides behind my ears, and hold the result in place with a headband.

And I'm another satisfied Lottabody user, even though I have to drive an hour and a half to find a drugstore that carries it!

 

[mysterygal]

so, would lottobody be found in places like Walgreens? I tried sleeping with sponge rollers one night and it was probably the worst night of sleep I've had in a long time...but I"ve never had tighter curls..actually, they were a little too tight....what I like to do with sponge curlers, is, but gel through my hair, put curlers in, wait a couple of hours...and presto! beautiful curls!

 

[jitterbugdoll]

You can find Lottabody at Sally Beauty.

Sponge rollers aren't horrible--you just have to get used to them. To avoid having too tight of curls/creating frizz, with any setting method, make sure you are not taking too small of a section. The hair will come out too loose/wavy if you take too large of a section. You can loosen too tight curls with a bit of smoothing cream or pomade, worked gently through your hair.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Pantene makes a good, inexpensive smoothing creme that I've found very useful for making my pomp behave as well as controlling curls. A little bit goes a long way!

Another thing to watch out for with sponge rollers -- it takes longer to dry than pincurling, especially if you're using thick sections. I've slept all night in spongies, and found my hair still damp in the morning -- so, definitely, watch the sectioning as you roll it.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Pantene is the one I use--they have one for blondes that I picked up But be careful not to use too much (the same goes for pomade), or you’ll end up with greasy hair.

Yes--sponge rollers do take longer. I usually don't set my hair soaking wet--I wait until it is slightly damp, or I will set it dry and then pat it damp with water.

 

[mysterygal]

it probably depends on your hair type, but even slightly damp, my hair will not hold the curl, so I pat just a slight amount of water onto my hair, or like I said earlier, just some gel...bed head makes some great stuff, and smell good too

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Have you ever tried a setting lotion? The best hair spray for making curls stay (great for humid locations) is Aussie Mega Freeze. This stuff will not budge--it even lasts pretty well on a hot and humid dance floor

I've styled hair at various events and for photo shoots, and coaxed curls into even the most reluctant heads of hair...and those are my two secret weapons.

You may also need to do a complete cold set, i.e. start with soaking wet hair, combed with gel or setting lotion, and then let it try completely. Don't know if you've tried either of those methods...

 

[Lauren]

Keep in mind that when doing a cold set, whether sponge rollers or pin curls it takes FOREVER to dry. I do that if I want my hair to last all weekend... usually leaving it in for an entire night and day wrapped up in a scarf. Usually it will last at least two days for me, with just minor hot iron touch up, and my hair is very fine and HATES holding a curl. I use lottabody setting lotion as well.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

You can always pick up a hood dryer--a lot of ladies like them for sets and deep conditioning treatments (they run quite cheap at the thrift store, too.) Always good when you want spend an evening devoted to beauty treatments, I think (hair, nails, the works )

I have very thick, porous hair (which means it sucks up more water than usual), and with a rag or pin curl set it will dry overnight. With a sponge curl set, it will not dry when completely wet, hence the damp set (I am a night owl and never wash my hair early enough before bed, so I have to compromise). What I like to do is touch up with Hot Sticks while applying my makeup in the morning--a curling iron takes too long, and you can’t multi-task (I am a bit slow in the mornings )

 

[mysterygal]

I haven't tried either of those methods. My hair will take to a curl, but I just have to be careful how damp I get it because it takes forever to dry

 

[jitterbugdoll]

The interesting thing that I have found is that even if my hair does not dry completely (every once in a while, I’ll wake up and it will still be slightly damp), the setting process changes the texture enough that it takes a hot roller set better then had I just washed, dried, and set it.

But, in case you missed my previous post, you ought to pick up a hood dryer. If you are going for the vintage look on a regular basis, you really only need to set your hair once every 2-3 days (when you have the time to), and then you can touch it up with a curling iron or rollers in between.

Though I must say the ladies I work with love seeing my snoods and chignons—what I call my “hair turned out funny so this was my solution” hairstyles, which of course, allow you to look vintage and bypass setting, if you so choose