Need some hair help. Please :-)

[stjoad]

Hello all -- just discovered this forum and I think I'll be a regular. Seems like a great place.

So, I've pretty much had short hair all my life, and have recently attempted to grow my hair out as an experiment. My hair is extremely thick and coarse...think Jew fro, but not Jewish.

Here's a couple photos with short hair:

(pardon the idiot faces)

Here's a recent photo with longer hair (tons of product in there, btw):

First off -- which do you think looks better? Should I continue to try the long hair, or should I get it chopped off? My only problem with the long hair is that it's a ***** to maintain, and it's only going to get more difficult as it gets longer.

My one thought, if I were to get it cut, is that I like Fernando Torres' hair in this photo:

...but of course I'd be careful not to look like a guido.

I'm trying to make this post as succinct as possible...any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

 

[bradsmitty]

I dunno man, I think both the short and long look pretty good. If you don't want to upkeep on the long, maybe just get a short textured cut?

I don't think the long looks so much better than the short that it would be worth the pain ********** to keep it up if you don't want to...

 

[willpower]

I don't think the cut you suggested is going to be very flattering. Keep looking.

John Mayer has somewhat similar hair to yours. Look at some images.

 

[mm84321]

I like it longer. You have the Patrick Bateman look going on.

 

[bradsmitty]

Originally Posted by willpower

I don't think the cut you suggested is going to be very flattering. Keep looking.

John Mayer has somewhat similar hair to yours. Look at some images.

good advice

 

[stinger70]

longer looks better. If you dont have to straighten it, then it cant be that hard to maintain.

 

[stjoad]

Originally Posted by stinger70

longer looks better. If you dont have to straighten it, then it cant be that hard to maintain.

Well, I have a pretty heavy wave / frizz, which requires a lot of product. That photo was taken ~2 weeks ago -- now my sides are getting pretty heavy, especially around the temples. Should I get the sides trimmed a bit and let the top play catch-up?

Also, any products you guys/gals recommend for thick/coarse hair to flatten it (ie. de-volumize)?

 

[stinger70]

I have real thick hair too, you need to ask the salon to thin it out. You have to be pretty direct about it, say "I want to keep the length exactly the same on top, but need it thinned out" if you dont be really specific then they just cut it however they think looks tidy. They will most likely use a razor cut to take out the volume, and then its much easier to deal with. Just go regularly to get it thinned out, and then trim the length as well when it reaches where you want it. Again, tell them how long you are trying to grow it, otherwise they just randomly trim it down.

 

[stjoad]

Originally Posted by stinger70

I have real thick hair too, you need to ask the salon to thin it out. You have to be pretty direct about it, say "I want to keep the length exactly the same on top, but need it thinned out" if you dont be really specific then they just cut it however they think looks tidy. They will most likely use a razor cut to take out the volume, and then its much easier to deal with. Just go regularly to get it thinned out, and then trim the length as well when it reaches where you want it. Again, tell them how long you are trying to grow it, otherwise they just randomly trim it down.
I hear ya, thinning helped a lot when it was shorter. The one problem I've run into with thinning has been, after a few weeks of further growth, the short hairs begin to grow long again and just kind of stick up. Can this be avoided? I'd imagine it would be more noticeable once the hair gets really long...but then again, I could be wrong! When I started growing my hair out, I was thinking one of these two styles (not sure which would be best for my face, hairline, and hair type):

EDIT: While browsing the forums, I found this thread. I like the way he uses Murray's; could Murray's be a useful product for me as my hair grows?

 

[Brian SD]

I prefer Torres' hair more at the moment than in your picture:

 

[stjoad]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

Should ban OP for trolling Fernando Torres.

Haha, is he a taboo subject around here?

 

[Brian SD]

No, I thought you were saying he looked like a guido - didn't read the caption above the photo! Edited my post to better suit

 

[stjoad]

Ah, okay!

As for the two photos I posted above - what products could add a heaviness / chunkiness to my hair that Ben Barnes has? I've read about both Murray's Pomade and Jonathan Santin Dirt.

 

[willpower]

Originally Posted by stjoad

Ah, okay!

As for the two photos I posted above - what products could add a heaviness / chunkiness to my hair that Ben Barnes has? I've read about both Murray's Pomade and Jonathan Santin Dirt.

I've got JA Dirt. I use it mostly to keep my hair from having that too clean flyaway look right after washing. It's... OK.

Check out this guy's channel. He's really knowledgeable about hair product. Lots o' tutorials

http://www.youtube.com/user/mhrrasmus

 

[stjoad]

Originally Posted by willpower

I've got JA Dirt. I use it mostly to keep my hair from having that too clean flyaway look right after washing. It's... OK.

Check out this guy's channel. He's really knowledgeable about hair product. Lots o' tutorials

http://www.youtube.com/user/mhrrasmus

Ok thanks! Any idea what Bradley Cooper / Ben Barnes would use in their hair above^? Thoughts on which of those styles (if either) would look good on me?

Thanks again.