Sunday Styling V

It's been a looong time since my last Sunday Styling post and I can't promise to make it a weekly feature; but I was so inspired by Meikmeika's New Year style that I decided to give the old braidout another try. Last night I sectioned off my hair, plaiting about ten locks and securing at the end with an elastic band. I do prefer to use cotton hair bands, but I seem to have lost most of them and I'm down to a collection of four! This morning I took the plaits out and was pleased with the results; my hair was really full of body. The crinkle is subtle, probably due to the fact that I plaited my hair when it was dry, but you'll remember that I don't like too much curl!

My Curly Perm!

No you're not about to see an Old Skool pic of me sporting a Jeri Curl!
Spurred on my the positive response to my hair yesterday I decided to show how versatile my SL's are. I plaited my hair and spritzed with Tea Tree Oil/Water mix (my new solution to itchy scalp).
When I took the plaits out this morning my heart nearly broke - I looked like I'd put my finger in a plug socket! The curls were so tight that my hair barely covered my ears. I tried to stretch, shake and finger comb the curls loose but they weren't having it. In the end I decided I'd just have to smile all day to keep the attention away from my 'do. I twisted a small section from the front of my hair and pinned it back on a diagonal (not sure how clear this is in the picture) - I have been wearing the life out of my centre part!

The curls seemed to drop slightly throughout the day and by the time I got home and took some pics it wasn't looking too bad.
But where did I go wrong? Plaits too small, too tight or both? Shouldn't have spritzed? Too much spritz?
All advice greatly received - I do not want to repeat this again!

Too vain to post a pic that shows the full disaster!

And reach, two, three, four...

I decided to do a gym test on my SL's today, I haven't been for over a week and with the prospect of a large Christmas dinner to eat I need to make some space! I put my hair in to fairly small plaits before going to bed last night and let them loose this morning. I'm not sure what I think about this style - my hair looks a bit sparse, although the picture doesn't really show this. I am pleased with the fact that you can't really see all of the parts; I had worried that I would look like a pin cushion when my SL's were completed!
I tied a bandana over the front half of my hair and let the curls come out of the back - not sure what my rational was for this but it looked the part. I did a good hour's workout and my hair survived - perhaps it was because of the bandana! One effect of the workout was that some of the curls dropped and some SL's are now back to being straight.
I intend to got to the gym everyday between now and Christmas Eve so I will monitor the effects on my hair - although to be honest I'm not sure what I'll be looking for!