brushing hair at desk in office - Yea or Nay?

[BarrelOfOtters]

AIBU to brush my hair at my desk or should I go to the loo to brush it. For context share office with one other person who I doubt cares. But is it bad etiquette? I have long hair.

How can brushing your hair be compared to cutting your toenails?😂

Surely having a haircut is more comparable.

It's recognisable as the hair of the person brushing, though some could also be shedding. Many other colleagues are also finding the hair in their workspaces. The person could brush in the loo then tie it back to minimise the impact on colleagues.

Normal people aren’t really bothered by something like this, but on mumsnet you’re expected to live in conditions more sterile than an operating theatre, so you’re going to get a disproportionate response from the hygiene nutters.

People who spray deodorant at their desk is another one! Why do
people think that’s fine?

Go to the loo to sort out your personal hygiene!

We were taught 'no public grooming' so that has stuck with me. However, I do have a quick brush if no one is looking. I also don't sit beside anyone. But yea, it's not like cleaning your ears or anything! We have a male colleague who puts aerosol deodorant on in the office. That is so so inappropriate but he's the kind of person who doesn't know any better.

No, go to the bathroom.

I have wavy hair so this is fascinating to me can only brush mine when it's got conditioner in so it gets brushed when I wash it, twice a week

Yay. Another mumsnet law I've broken. I'm always amazed what other people are bothered by.

Exactly. DH has wavy thick hair but keeps it very short at the back, slightly longer on the top. Yes, my hair would be very easy if I kept it that short, but it wouldn't suit me and I don't want to look like a man. Not saying that all women who have short hair look like a bloke or that there is anything wrong with looking like a man, but it's not a look I'm going for personally.

The shortest I've ever had is kind of like this. But as it grows out it is a fucking nightmare - always sticking up the wrong way when I woke up - and so much harder work and maintenance generally to make look good than long hair just past my shoulders that only needs trimming 4/5 times a year. I don't like having my hair cut enough to bother with short hair.

https://therighthairstyles.com/choppy-pixie-cuts/

I must admit I've never ever thought it was wrong of me to quickly run a brush through my wind tattered hair if I've come back to my desk after being outside. Nor would it bother me if other people do it!

Can't say it would massively bother me although I don't really fancy the idea of hair shedding all over the place. I more can't understand why you'd need to brush your hair urgently enough in work that you'd have to do it at your desk?!

I have curly hair, so brushing in general is a big no as it leaves my hair in big frizzy mess.

If I wear it down or half down, hairs shed all the time so brushing it or not won't stop that.

The amount of hair I hoover up on a daily basis at home shows that.

Honestly wouldn't give it a thought if someone was to brush their hair in front of me.

Exactly. I don't brush my hair at work (only brush it in the shower when wet and has conditioner on. But I can absolutely guarantee there will be a large number of my hairs in the office as it sheds like no one's business!

My partner jokes that he doesn't understand why I'm not bald with the volume of hair I shed. And that's with it tied up most of the time

I wouldn't do it myself, but I also wouldn't be particularly bothered if someone else did it.

I wouldn't care if I was your colleague. I sometimes brush my hair in the office at work, and don't think anything of it.

When I broke my arm/shoulder my colleague even helped me fix my hair if it fell out of my clip. In a company of mostly men the three women are pretty chilled and sometimes apply a bit of lipstick at our desk.

You forgot to add ‘in my opinion’. I’ve given mine and I was under the impression that’s what this site was for, and that the OP asked for opinions. You’re right there’s nothing inherently wrong with brushing hair at a desk in an office. I personally think it’s rude and inconsiderate and breaks the boundaries of personal vs professional behavior. An office is not your personal space, imo. And this whole ‘I’m too busy working to notice’ comment is so childish. Good for you. You’re the best! I think when a person works in a communal environment they should be conservative. I also don’t understand why taking a bathroom break to brush your hair is such an imposition. I do it as necessary to check my appearance, brush my hair, and reapply makeup.

That's of course your choice not to have short hair. I know many women with short hair and absolutely none of them look like men though, women have a different body shape and facial features, it's not hair that makes anyone look like a man or woman.

I was only disagreeing with the idea that very thick hair is unmanageable short.

@ABwithAnItch Your office might be a lot more conservative than others. We are professional in our work but we have a laugh and non of us get offended about most things.

I don't unserstand how you think brushing hair is the same as wipping your feet out and giving yourself a pedicure which I can't imagine anyone would think this is acceptable. I don't even want to see my DH cutting his toenails.

Ha ha glad you posted this!

My hair gets messy using a headset. If it needs brushing I brush it!

I don't have time to be up and down to the loo to brush it!

I know, I can imagine going home ranting to DH that Julie in the office had pissed me off big time because she'd brushed her hair at her desk 🙄

It's not conservatism, it's reality. In the real working world, people are busy, toilets are busy and no one will thank you for doing your hair in the bog when there is a queue.

I fail to see what is so wrong with putting a quick brush through my hair and applying lipstick at my own desk.

those who see it as totally ok, in the office, in a flatshare living room, have you checked with the other occupants that they hold the same opinion.
maybe some people's mothers allowed this in the living room at home, so they assume anything goes, anywhere re brushing hair.
to me it smacks of self-indulgence, self importance, or lack of personal continence or discipline.

It is brushing hair. I don't know anyone IRL who has a phobia about hair brushing.

How old are talking? My Grandma was a classy lady but didn't have a phobia about hair brushing.

I actually think people are weird who object.

Why are people scared of human head hair.

Dog hair? You would hate my Beagle.