Hi,
I'm a first-time poster. I really like this web site, by the way.

Anyhow, I have taken to using those old fashioned hair nets to enhance my curls. First, I wash my hair. Of course I condition -- I have to every time I wash or else I have a rat's nest. Then, I take out a hair net, tuck all my hair in (still wet), and go about my business. When the hair is dry, I take off the net, and voilá -- I have  a head of curls. If I want, I brush out hair with my fingers. This only works for us curly gurls! It's the same principle as "scrunching" hair, only it's more lasting because the hair has been "set" longer. It's easy, painless, and if you put on a soft headband or bandanna, it really doesn't look bad to wear out.

Hair nets come in various sizes (bob, regular, bouffant); the smaller the net, the tighter the curls. Also, I prefer the nets with elastic, because then I don't have to put ANY hard objects in my hair (like bobby pins) to hold it on. Since I have baby fine hair, I have to be extra careful about any fastener that will harm my hair.

Hairnets are also very cheap (.39¢ for two), and they come in hair colors to match your hair. They can be found at beauty product stores. If they don't have your color, ask the owner to order your color. You can also buy them on the internet, but you pay more. Give it a try and see if you don't create a head of bouncy curls!

Hi and welcome to the boards!

Are you talking about those filmy hairnets? Because the elastic in them isn't strong enough to hold in my hair when wet (it weighs a ton). Should I pin it up first?

/Kate

WELCOME!

Great idea you've given.  Makes me wish I had curly hair so I could try this.

Hi Kate,
Yes, I was talking about the filmy, old-time hair nets. I don't know how to answer you about the elastic issue. I have the opposite problem -- my hair is so light (in weight). You may also try the heavier nets (I'm actually holding one right now as I consider your question). They are usually dark brown and look like they are crocheted. They are much heavier than the filmy ones. You could also try a snood, which is crocheted (I believe). You may have to use hair pins or a barette to get yours to stay on. Also, a hard headband might hold on your net. The bouffant size (in the filmy nets) is also WAY bigger and able to hold a larger quantity of hair. I'm also thinking of those poofed caps that some people have to wear when working with food. They look like shower caps, but they are made of cotton (so your head can breathe). I think surgeons wear these caps, too.

The reason that I like the hairnets is that they are practically invisible (not totally). If you use one of the other types that I mentioned, you'd probably want to do it at home (except snoods -- people wear snoods as fashion accessories). Also, I'm guessing your hair takes much longer to dry than mine. The hair nets also allow for the hair to dry very quickly.

I've also heard that some people make hairnets out of their own hair. It sounds like a great idea, but I don't have the time for that -- heaven knows how they do it.

Everyone has to work and experiment with her own type of hair (that's why I have so many nets here, I had to experiment). Listen to ideas, then modify them to suit your situation. I'm always looking for quick, easy, and painless ways to work with my hair. I also seek methods that don't harm my hair. My hair is very fine and thin, so I hate to see one strand fall out. The hair nets are very gentle on my hair and yet give me a lovely bouncy doo with no work on my part. It's SO easy to do.

By the way, your hair sounds beautiful  -- thick, heavy curls.

It's a great idea, I'll give it a try with the regular hairnets but I'll probably have to use bobby pins. My hair is starting to get too long and heavy to hold tight curls so this might solve that problem!

How long does your hair take to dry? Mine takes about 2 hours when I just leave it loose.

/Kate

Hi Kate,
Boy, I've been washing my hair and running for years. It's hard to determine how long it takes to dry, because I never pay attention. If I have my hair pulled back or up, it takes longer. If my hair is loose, it takes a shorter amount of time to dry. Also, it depends on the weather and if I'm inside or out. I'm getting ready to go to the grocery store. I am going to wash my hair first, then net it. I will let you know how long it takes to dry when I get back. Another factor is if you put some kind of treatment on it. I'm going to be putting on a curling gel today after I shampoo and condition. I'll let you know the results.

Kate,
I guess it took about an hour and a half for my hair to dry (answering your earlier question). I stopped inbetween two stores (maybe at an hour and fifteen minutes of drying) and took the hair out of the net. There were still a few damp spots. If I hadn't put the gel in, I think it would have dried faster. I'm not really one for gel; I was just experimenting.

When I want just waves, I put my hair in a ponytail, and put a soft ponytail holder every three or four inches. That's a really nice effect. But, my hair sounds less curly than yours. When I do the multiple ponytail holders, I get a Veronica Lake look. You can experiment with your hair and see what gives you the look you love best for yourself. The ponytail technique tames my hair quite a bit. Besides, I have to wear it back for work, so I'm actually setting my hair while I work. Don't tell my boss!
Julie ::)

Hiya,

My hair is a bit short, so I can't do the ponytail thing yet - when I ponytail my hair I have to pull it pretty tight so all the curls get pulled out.

I meant to buy a net today but forgot, I'm excited about trying it though! I'll let you know how it works out. :-)

/Kate

That is a great idea about netting the curls. I wonder if it would work to enhance my natural waves? I will have to try it to see. Thanks for detailing your routine!  ;D

Well, I tried the hairnet routine today. I can't honestly say that it made a huge difference in how curly my hair was, although I did take it off before my hair was completely dry. After 2 hours it was still pretty damp, and I needed to go out.  ::)

When I first took the hairnet off, I panicked a bit because it had given me a horrible looking "flip" hairdo (my hair is still above my shoulders). That straightened itself out after a few minutes though. On the plus side, I had NO frizzies (unusual for me) and it was nice not to have wet hair in my face all the time.

I'll try it again tomorrow, and this time let my hair dry completely. Stay tuned for updates!

/Kate

Ok. I put on the hairnet this morning (upside-down to avoid yesterday's flip hairdo) and started cleaning the apartment. FOUR hours later, everything was spick-and-span and my hair was FINALLY dry!

It gave me an "untamed" curly look. The curls are sticking out in every direction instead of the somewhat orderly look I generally favour. I forgot to part my hair, so the shorter (i.e. curlier) layers on my crown are going berserk. The hairnet's biggest benefit is that it eliminated frizzies and made my hair shinier (I suppose because it kept each curl in place as it dried). I'll be using this technique specifically when I'm doing the housecleaning (everything was kept conveniently out of the way), but otherwise the long drying time makes it impractical for me. Thanks for the tip, giddalti!

/Kate

 
Hi, Greetings from the dark continent!  ;D
I'm a new member in Johannesburg, South Africa. I have B/S length curly hair and I'm always on the look-out for new ways to style it.  The idea of a hair-net is intriguing, once all the shops are open again I'm gonna get me some.  ;)
Happy holidays everyone!

I gotta try this!

SF

I wonder...does anybody know a website that sells regular hair nets? I can only find the heavy crocheted kind online, but I just want regular brown nets.

...I live in Japan, and I can only buy BLACK hair nets! They are great for our humid summers, keep your hair out of the way while it slllooooowly dries, but I'd prefer one that matched my hair better, if I could!

Hi!  You might try www.ULINE.com I believe they have light brown hair nets. :)

Ummm, Uline is a packaging supply company.  Perhaps you could recheck your link, Curlgirl64?

Try www.vermontcountrystore.com and type in "hair nets".  This might be what you are looking for.  Good luck!

Strange,because I got a supply company that has hair nets!  I went into www.ULINE.com and yes it is a supply company as you say.  I have this funny feeling either its .net or spelled differently.  My boo boo though :-[

Curiosity made me check this out.  :-?  Uline.com DOES have hairnets under safety supplies, then go to protective clothing and there they are! ;D

Thanks for those links! I had a nice time strolling around the Vermont Country Store site.
They have an interesting "double comb" which has a kind of beaded netting between the two combs.

..I also suddenly thought that Amazon's new "sell anything" policy might cover hair nets, and sure enough, they do carry one brand.

ah,Silvermayne!  Thanks,for a minute I thought I was loosing it :o  I thought I saw something on that site,but then figured maybe it was just too late at night and it was the site on google after it that I saw hair nets!  Any hoo,thanks! ;)

I really enjoyed the Vermont Country Store site!

You're very welcome, Curlgirl!   ;D

Yes, Lisabelle, I love the Vermont Country Store.  It's especially fun to find things there that I haven't seen since I was a kid.  They're not cheap, but they're not too bad if it's something you really want and can't find it anywhere else.