hair on the playa

[Barry Bennett]

o.k. fellow burners, I have a good friend who has really high profile hair, she spends hundreds a month on it, blah, blah, blah! what are some good tips to keep it healthy threw the week???

[bm_cricket]

o.k. fellow burners, I have a good friend who has really high profile hair, she spends hundreds a month on it, blah, blah, blah! what are some good tips to keep it healthy threw the week???

Shave it. Tie it up. Or spend many hundreds of dollars building the necessary equipment to wash it properly.

I'm a guy but most of the women I know just tie it up and accept that it's some degree or another of "mess".

And "healthy hair" means something different to everyone. Jes and I both say our skin and hair feels better when we leave.. admittedly it's matted and gross but feels healthy!

[Jindy]

She should wear a hat if her hair is dyed/bleached/whatevered. Then she should either forget about it (w/the exception of a mid-week plain water rinse) or plan on staying home. Playa is no place to care about hair. Oh, if her hair is long enough, braids.

[teardropper]

My partner ties hers up and covers it with a tube cloth kind of thing that completely covers the hair. We wash our hair, I have long hair, too, 2 or 3 times that week with 2 1/2 gallon sun showers. You just have to accept that even if you wash it the dust gets right back in it. That's the way it is.

[trystanthegypsy]

Braiding can cause breakage.. so maybe not the best option. Definitely cover it, and wash it, and then put on a leave-in conditioner to protect it from the dry air.

[Playa Foot]

Probably best to leave it at home.

[gyre]

Hair on the playa is always a problem.
It always ends up in your mouth.
Or the food.


What is high profile hair?
Famous?
Bad reputation?
Tall?

Weave or braid loosely.
Apply axle grease generously.
Wrap in a scarf.
Wash when you leave the playa.

[C.f.M.]

She needs to shave her fucking head and stop throwing away money on something so useless and stupid.

[teardropper]

She needs to shave her fucking head and stop throwing away money on something so useless and stupid.

Now, now, head shaving isn't the answer to all problems. Some, yeah, but not all.

[j_cavera]

Specify please: are we talking about on-the-head hair? (yeah, this is probably the only board where you can't immediately assume) If yes, then shave it. If no... well, probably shave it too.

- Jim

[Boijoy]

wtf is "high profile hair" ?????

[Boijoy]

oh oh this???

[C.f.M.]

wtf is "high profile hair" ?????

Hair that someone spends "hundreds" of dollars a month on. Styling, cutting, product, montly bill = $$$$$$$$

Like my "high profile" roof over my head.

[mudpuppy000]

WTF is up with that guitar? lol.

[Boijoy]

WTF is up with that guitar? lol.

I think it spins also.

Yeah. I don't get "high profile hair". I'm pissed if I have to spend more than 15 bucks on a hair cut. but, whatever-me-never... I spend rediculous amounts of money on other stuff.

[Dr. Pyro]

I don't mean to sound critical, but some people just don't belong on the playa. If she is going to be that high maintenance or a sparkle pony, perhaps an alkali desert isn't for her. I do shave my head, which isn't much of a reach I know. If she's going to be miserable then so will you. I cannot see anything good coming from this.

[Bob]

Two words: bear grease.

[pinemom]

oh dear...I will keep my overly wordy day today to myself...oh hell no I wont this is easy.....
Either cut it short or leave her home!
She will do nothing but start bitching at 7am the first morning you wake playa side. ( and not stop for the next 8 days! Then everytime you argue for the rest of your life your going to get that thrown in your face!
If a girl is spending way over 1000.00 on her hair a yr...send her to the Peppermill to wait for you.
They have a spa now, she'll be well taken care of and wont harsh your burn! (so way worth the hotel costs, right everyone?)

[phil]

I agree: shave her head or leave her home. We have all the drama queens we need on the playa, thankyouverymuch.

[Bounce530]

Shave it, shove it in a nylon and send it to the gulf coast.
http://www.matteroftrust.org/

[C.f.M.]

Shave it, shove it in a nylon and send it to the gulf coast.
http://www.matteroftrust.org/

"Doomin Gloom likes this."

Also, it's "helpful."

[bm_cricket]

Wow.. I knew we'd be disapproving of hair care but really guys?...

Okay, so, maybe you are on to something. If you think that this is someone who "wants" to have her hair looking pretty but is okay with it being a rats nest then maybe she can come.. If you think this is someone who "needs" to have it looking pretty then.. yeah.. leave her at home because your life will be hell.

Personally I try to keep my friends who spend money on shoes, hair dressers, or makeup down to the minimum... In 2008 I went with a girl who said that one of the things she liked the most about the the experience was realizing during strike/cleanup that she hadn't looked in a mirror once the whole week.

It's difficult to reproduce the experience of not washing for a week at Burning Man anywhere another alkali playa but if you want the experience of Burning Man as someone who uses a 1 gallon sun-shower every day then try this: Don't shower for a week and do lots of yard work. I recommend covering yourself in baking soda periodically from head to toe (especially your scalp, armpits, and private bits). Now, that's if you shower..

Do you still think she would enjoy it?

[gyre]

I've seen girls spend hours on makeup every day out there.
Couldn't tell the difference.

[bm_cricket]

I've seen girls spend hours on makeup every day out there.
Couldn't tell the difference.

I like the one I found. She's at least as sane as I am.. Probably more so!

[AntiM]

o.k. fellow burners, I have a good friend who has really high profile hair, she spends hundreds a month on it, blah, blah, blah! what are some good tips to keep it healthy threw the week???

Even if you manage a marvelous hair washing system, it simply will not be the same after the playa. Using high end product won't help much. She'll have to accept that she may have damaged hair.

But here goes:

Keep it covered and bundled up. Even short hair can be sun damaged, wind damaged, and encrusted with playa dust. Do not expect to maintain a default world hair style.

Use a light leave in conditioner, but don't try any conditioning treatments on the playa as they'll get crusted up with dust and use far too much water while rinsing.

Do brush it daily, have a wide tooth comb for detangling.

No blow dryers on the playa, even in an RV. You're drying your hair out badly just being there, don't pile on the stress to your tresses.

Plan on a cut or trim after the event if you fear split ends. They'll happen.

Perhaps this will be liberating and she'll find other uses for her money. That happens too.

[trystanthegypsy]

Thank you Anti-M for actually posting a nice reply!

And to the rest of you, I know this is super-snark land, but SOME people actually have to spend money on their hair for their JOB. Any kind of appearance-based job (acting, modelling, waitressing, sales, performance, lawyer, politician...) is greatly affected by the quality of your hair, especially as a female. It's the same as a high-power businessman (or woman) spending money on a good suit. Doesn't mean they don't want to get down and dirty for a week out of the year, and not have to cut all their hair off because it's gone all dry and crazy.

[C.f.M.]

"Quality" hair doesn't require spending a lot of money - if any at all.

[phil]

>SNIP<
but SOME people actually have to spend money on their hair for their JOB. Any kind of appearance-based job (acting, modelling, waitressing, sales, performance, lawyer, politician...) is greatly affected by the quality of your hair, especially as a female.
>SNIP<

Which doesn't affect my answer. It adds to the validity. If anyone, male, female, unwilling to identify as either, _anyone_ has a JOB where their hair is a factor in their JOB, the playa is not the place to bring it. If they're spending "hundreds a month on it," the playa is not the place to bring it.

I think that's good advice. Same goes for hand models. Aphrodite forbid someone who has a JOB requiring great hands should come to the playa for a week. Or foot models. If that's your JOB, don't come.

[bm_cricket]

>SNIP<but>SNIP<

Which doesn't affect my answer. It adds to the validity. If anyone, male, female, unwilling to identify as either, _anyone_ has a JOB where their hair is a factor in their JOB, the playa is not the place to bring it. If they're spending "hundreds a month on it," the playa is not the place to bring it.

I think that's good advice. Same goes for hand models. Aphrodite forbid someone who has a JOB requiring great hands should come to the playa for a week. Or foot models. If that's your JOB, don't come.

...Mostly true...just remember that not everyone has control over their job. And as a guy I have little place in an argument about women standing up for themselves in the work place. Women earn less than men for equal work. And their salaries depend on their attractiveness, even in desk jobs!

But it's true that there is no way to prevent 'damage' to hair on the playa. Personally my love and I feel healthier after spending a week someplace like a playa. Sure, our hair is a little more frazzled but after that first wash back home it feels healthy. Maybe it doesn't look healthy but screw what they think

[Savannah]

AntiM is right, it's possible your friend will find it liberating not to care, for once. 40,000 people strangers wont have expectations on how groomed she normally is. She could also cover up w/ a pretty wrap & do a whole costume inspired by it, or enjoy wigs at times. (Nothing overly expensive or unwashable, mind you, as they will get dusty.) Earrings & other costume jewelry are also especially fun when one's hair is covered. It's entirely possible for someone who loves to femme-it-up to be happy out there; I am.

If she spends a lot on her nails too, warn her that they'll probably go straight to hell out there, including her cuticles, and aside from filing the snags, moisturizing, & maybe using a nail brush when she showers, the manicure is best scheduled for after the trip--though I've heard of people giving themselves pedicures beforehand, to remove heel cracks that might hold playa dust. (Maybe that works.)

I find that toe nail polish stays on, though, because I'm not (usually) pounding stakes with my feet.