closetpuritan

muninx, posting in longhair @ 10:05 pm: Safe, Healthy, and Cheap Hair Lighteners?
Hello! I posted in this community in October asking for advice regarding my thin, non-growing hair. Thanks to your advice, it seems much better; considerably shinier, softer and more voluminous than it used to be. I haven't seen a whole lot of growth from it yet, but I did have to trim about an inch worth of split ends after that post, so there's still hope! (Its currently tailbone length.) Anyway, at the advice of all you wonderful people;

- I switched to a sulfate-free shampoo, and no longer get raw, bleeding sores on my scalp if I don't wash my hair every other day. I can now get by with just a weekly wash.

- I added a weekly ACV rinse to my usual hair care routine, and it really cuts down on the immense amounts of oil my scalp produces, which also allows me to wash my hair less often.

- I started putting coconut oil in the last 3 inches or so of my hair after every shower, and I'm seeing a significant reduction in the number of split ends I get.

- I now put my hair up in a Gibralter bun to protect it while I'm at work, and despite the fact that my job often involves manual labor such as wrestling large dogs and scrubbing floors, the thing stays! For 10 hours! I'm stunned by this, since my hair is so perfectly straight, fine and slippery that it won't even hold most barrettes or clips for longer than a couple of hours.

Anyway, this is all wonderful, but there is still one thing that's bugging me that I'd like to ask you all about.

As one of those people who was born with golden blond hair that is steadily turning mousy brown, I ask... Is there any healthy way to lighten hair? I've heard how to darken it in natural and healthy ways, but not how to lighten it. I currently use Sun-In, and I know its extremely damaging, but I really do want to stay a blond and I don't know of any alternative that's comparable in price (I can't spare the cash for salon treatments) but not as bad for my hair. I've heard a mix of chamomile, honey and lemon juice can be effective, but I don't really know the particulars of that, or if it even works. But anyway, I'm rambling. If any of you can provide any advice on healthy hair lightening, I'd be most appreciative! Forgive me if this is a topic that's already been posted in the archives somewhere. :)

lady_waterhouse, posting in longhair @ 11:06 pm: To cut or not
I haven't been here in a long while, mostly because i'm just not that interested in hair lately. Though i've come across a bit of a dillemma, and thought maybe you could help me out.

My hair has been hovering around buttlength for at least 4 years. It's straight, dry, flat, boring and doesn't actually suit my face at all. I've kept it long because, basically, I like the attention, it's the thing that pushes me beyond 'the average' so to speak. The fact that this hair doesn't do anything for my face shape, and it's too dry/long/annoying to wear loose made me think about getting it cut. I still want to keep it long (i've had short hair before, and it néver sits as I want it to, and keeping a short hairdo maintained is more effort than I want to put into it). But I can't really think of anything beyond 'layers'.

I have a fat, pearshaped face so I need some volume on top, but still want to keep most of my hair at least waistlength. I'm scared that with my dry, straight hair, layers will just thin out the ends and doesn't make my hair all bouncy and volume-y. Will layers work an any type of hair?

I'm really just asking for the impossible; I want layers and volume around my face, but still long enough so I can pin it back, and long enough for it not to be 'average'. I've actually even thought about getting some loose curls, but a perm is too damaging, and anything I do with braids or rags doesn't last longer for half a day. I already have side swept bangs but because I have to keep the rest of my hair in a bun or braid, it's still to all-around flat to do anything for my face. So any ideas are more than welcome, thanks :)

x_xrachyx_x, posting in longhair @ 05:10 pm: I'm sorry if the cut doesnt work :/
I'm gonna post some pictures of my natural hair colour + the colour I have now, Can i have your opininons about which I should have 'cos I can't decide!

( Pictures )

laharwine, posting in longhair @ 10:20 pm: Herringbone Braid
I recently discovered how to do the herringbone braid and I had some questions for anyone who can do it.

I have almost no problem with the actual braiding itself, but it's so time consuming. It will take me 15 minutes just to get a few inches worth of braiding done. It's very frustrating because I think this is such a beautiful braid.

Does anyone else have this problem or am I just inexperienced with the braid and practice will help? I can do normal three strand and french braids in no time, but this one...

I would really love to do all my hair in this either as one long braid or two, but my hair is 4 feet long. I think a few hours would pass before I ever finished.

There's no tagging system?

mistresscara, posting in longhair @ 08:49 pm: Brain hurting... so...confused. o.0
Ack! I need some help. Seriously. I have fried my hair to hell and it's so bad that I can barely get a brush through it. My boyfriend is a very tidy person (I am not) and likes to look clean and nice when he goes out. I honestly could care less half of the time. I'm pretty bad about it. Sooo... I need some help. Being that my hair is so fried, I've had to cut off a lot in order to make it manageable I hate the cut still and I can't really straighten it or use heat because I'm afraid I'll fry it more.

My hair is currently a faded red. My roots are brown. You'd probably seen me on here with multiple hair colors, but I want to stay with something normal and start using Henna from now on. http://www.mehndiskinart.com/hair_henna_dye.htm <---Where I'm going to buy the Henna from.

Question 1: From what I've read, I should buy 100 grams of Yemen Henna for my barely longer than shoulder length hair. However, the shipping is more than the actual Henna??? Um... should I buy 200 grams and freeze half of it until I want to use it? This seems like it would be cheaper.

Question 2: For my length of hair, what can I do with it being damaged to make it look nice? Hair up-do suggestions? (I'm going to try to straighten it tonight or tomorrow and see how it looks).

I often don't blow dry my hair or comb it after showering because it damages my hair so much. However, my hair is very frizzy and poofy and I have gotten complains from boyfriend's and even my BOSS' that my hair looked messy. /: I is gettin' fwustwated. :(

Anyone else have naturally messy hair? I feel much more comfortable with my hair in its "natural" state even though it's poofy and messy. Does anyone else have this problem? I often even feel UGLY when my hair is done up. I think it's just some weird psychological thing, but it's actually causing a problem. And I don't think anyone's trying to be mean... I've always felt ugly wearing makeup and nice clothes and such, so I know it's a personal issue, but I'm not sure what to do so that I am happy with my hair and other people are to. Maybe I shouldn't care what others think, but I don't necessarily think my hair looks nice either. It's just... "comfortable".

P.S. I know I ask a lot of the same questions, but I want to be sure of what I'm doing so I don't waste money or ruin my hair more. >.<

zcat_abroad, posting in longhair @ 11:12 am: Attempting Henna
Thus far I have failed.

Having read many posts, I bought some Lush Caca Noir henna, and tried it on a blob of hair reaped from my brush over the past couple of days. I mixed the grated block with boiling water, to the consistency of thick cream, dunked the hair in it, and left it.

I left it for about 6 hours, as I got busy and forgot, but this was the length of time suggested by the shop-assistant anyway. Having rinsed out the henna, the hair is darker, but not noticably black. Should I have heated the henna for longer, to release the dye? How do you know when the dye is released?

My hair is fine, straight, thin, and a dark brown, though slightly lighter than it appears in my icon.

iamladykatara, posting in longhair @ 11:12 am: Hot Rollers
The other day I decided to style my hair for once and give it a break from the french braid. I don't use curling irons or straighteners anymore, due to horrible experience of destorying my hair to have to cut it to my chin. My hair curly is at BSL length right now and I'm continuing to sucessfully grow it out to Waist Length. My hair is naturally tight waves and loose curls, my hair strands are fine to medium-fine. I have medium-thick hair density wise. I don't enjoy my hair straight because it never stays straight so I get use to having waves and curls 24/7, which I don't mind cause it looks very nice.

But when I like to style my hair I like to loosen my curls even more so I will use hot rollers to do so! They are really great and I use the kind that has a thick velveteen covering over them and they never heat up to tempatures that would burn my skin. The heat is a SUPER comfortable temp. The thing is the set I'm currently using is out-dated so I'm planning to get a new set. My problem is that I'm not sure if I should stay with the velveteen ones or go to the steam ones....anyone have personal experience with either? Anyone use them along their way to growing their hair long? Notice much damage from them? From what I've used, there is very little damage! Any certain roller sets you suggest that give little damage but style well?

Thank you in advance!

daichild, posting in longhair @ 03:37 pm: about olive oil for hair
I may be a total idiot asking this, but here goes... This thing has been bugging me for months now :D

Can you use the kind of olive oil you use for cooking on hair? I want to try the olive oil and honey mask soon and I was wondering if I have to use a certain sort of oil. Are there any olive oils for hair only? what about the honey part, can I just use the kind of honey I get from a grocery store?

I'm really sorry if this is a total dumbass question, I just didn't find a clear answer anywhere in the memories nor via google.

And finally, does anyone know how much I should use both incredients for the mask? Half and half or...?

Thank you so much in advance!

pepperedmoth, posting in longhair @ 09:32 pm: Tell me about your OILING experiences
Hello all-

I've oiled my hair for a while now, but keep switching oils and routines to find The One that my hair likes best. I'd like to hear about everyone else's hair types, oil types, and routines . . . and the sort of results you get.

I have medium thickness, fine, VERY DRY, slightly wavy hair. When I oil I take a small amount, warm it in my palms, and massage it through my hair from the ears down. I do this in the evening, braid my hair for the night as always, then wash out with a cone free, sulfate free shampoo in the morning (ordinarily I wash my hair every 3-4 days).

The first oil I tried was jojoba, which I didn't like because I felt as if it just slid off- never sunk in to actually nourish the hair.

Then I tried coconut, which sinks in better, but my husband can't stand the smell (which is too bad, because I LOVE it). However, I wasn't noticing much long-term difference.

Because of the smell issue, I'm onto almond oil, which so far sinks into my hair even better than coconut . . . long-term benefits TBD.

Tell me your routine, and how different oils have worked for you. I may be trying something new soon!

xx_rapunzel_xx, posting in longhair @ 04:09 pm: Has anyone ever washed their hair with shampoo that also acts as shower gel? Is it more harsh on your hair? Less? The same? The Philosophy-brand products have that, and I kinda wanted to try it.

On a semi-related note, do shampoos have expiration dates? I never/rarely ever see them. I know some shower gels do... just curious.

apple_buzz, posting in longhair @ 12:25 am: Hello there long-haired lovelies!

I've been a lurker here and thought I'd pop my posting cherry by asking: Is anyone here actually looking forward to going grey? People everywhere spend a butt-load of money to cover up those little silvery bits, but is anyone (like me) actually waiting for the day they can point at them proudly? I personally hope mine goes a nice white/light grey colour.

Besides my pointless rambling, here! Have a piccy of my hair curled for my sisters grad! I felt rather sorry for the poor girl that did it, all by her lonesome with just a curling iron and an industrial sized can of hairspray.

tragicheroine, posting in longhair @ 10:40 pm: New kind of braid
If you're a member of the long hair community, you may have already seen this, but recently I deconstructed a braid from a picture of flickr. I've never seen it before and as far as I know, it doesn't have a name. It looks a lot like the Dutch braid,in that it pops out off the head, except the points on it do not point upwards, they point downwards as in a regular French braid. Accordingly, it doesn't have that knobby beginning that Dutch braids have.



Hope this post was helpful:) It's nothing fancy, but a good braid for everyday.

karalianne, posting in longhair @ 05:36 pm: Fancy styles?
Saturday night is my partner's Christmas party for work. It's my first party as the "spouse," and of course I want to make a good impression. It's semi-formal - cocktails, then dinner, then dancing - and I have a lovely black (with red splotches on the skirt) cocktail dress that is sleeveless (wide straps), with an empire waist and an uneven hemline that falls just below the knee. I picked up a wide red scarf to wear over my shoulders, and I have a pin I can use to secure it. Still hoping for shoes, but if I have to I can wear my older black heels (they just aren't fancy enough).

Sounds like I'm ready, but of course as everyone here knows, our hair is our crowning glory, especially when it's at least waist length (which mine is)!

My hair is really thick and holds braid waves - to get it straight I have to brush or comb it out right after washing it. I have chopsticks and actual hair sticks, nothing really fancy. I also have a bazillion large elastics and a bazillion small elastics and a bazillion hair pins and bobby pins. I even have hair clips and barrettes. I also have a huge collection of decorative scarves and could probably find something to wind through my hair there, or go find the skinny craft ribbon that's hiding in the back seat of my car right now.

But what should I do with my hair?

I have been thinking I might try that fan braid, but I think with how thick my hair is it's not necessarily going to work, even though technically it's plenty long enough. I could do a rope braid bun. I could do the pretty bun I posted a picture tutorial for back in August. Or I could... what?

Anyone have any preferences or suggestions? I'd just wear it down and "tie" it with a braid coming from either side (I've done it and it's simple and fairly pretty), but with the dress the way it is, I think up is preferable.

Links to tutorials or pictures most welcome. :)

EDIT: I have looked at the Memories before, which is where I found the fan braid tutorial. I'm looking for opinions and ideas specific to an occasion like this, rather than just clicking through the hairstyle Memories until I find something that will work.

Tags: hairstyles

asi_fue, posting in longhair @ 04:44 pm: Milkmaids
Does anyone have any tips for securing milkmaid braids?
I've finally come around to wearing my hair up more, and milkmaids are the least frumpy way to me.
Anyway, milkmaids for BSL hair seem to involve tight elastics on the ends. Does anyone have a way to avoid this?

aylah, posting in longhair @ 12:14 am: Winter hair?
Heya all, I've a question for all you veterans of long hair!
( Long-winded question and a pic! )

me_miscreation, posting in longhair @ 05:44 pm: ( Please excuse the bloated gut, I've been on the couch eating donuts too long :-S )

slightlysoprano, posting in longhair @ 10:53 am: Time
So how long did it take you all to reach your desired lengths? I know there is no magical pill that will make my hair grow faster, so I figured I'd ask you!

My hair is currently 2-3 inches below my shoulder (wahh the stylist took off wayy too much at my last trim :'() and my first goal is BSL, then I would love to eventually have waist length hair... I hope this is a realistic goal!

I wonder how long this is going to take.... could I have ***BSL hair by the summer? *Edit: that was supposed to read BSL, not waist by the summer... sorry haha

Thank you =)

*Edit: I'm 5'4, and I have naturally wavy/curly(ish) hair. The reason why i asked in the first place is because i HAD my hair about bottom of ribcage (so thats like, 3 inches above waist length) at one point, and i have NO recollection of how long that took! haha

ishje, posting in longhair @ 03:21 pm: ever afraid you're not going to make it?
( I am... questions and concerns ^^ )

desi_de_lu_lu, posting in longhair @ 11:49 am: Bigen Hair Color
I looked through the memories, tags and tried to search back but I couldn't find anything -so far- on Bigen hair color.

I am curious to try the dark auburn, to coax my hair back to its original color. (see below)
( pix )

The thing is, my hair is various shades and strengths of black. By this I mean, I haven't re-colored it in about 5 months, so it is faded, and really light in parts and in good health. It is waist length now and obviously I don't want to cut or bleach it to lift out the black.

My question is, Internets.. has anyone had success using a lighter "vegetable" based hair color such as Bigen on (lets say "light black")? And if so, what were your results? I expect the roots may end up lighter, but how about the rest?

Here is a current pic:
( pic )

ladyelektrik, posting in longhair @ 01:26 pm: I've got the itchy scalp blues...a little off topic?
So my scalp is itchy. It always has been. Never really paid attention to it until now. I'm not sure why.

Either way, my google-fu recommended that using head and shoulder would cure that, but head and shoulders contains some not so desirable chemicals.

Are there natural ways to get rid of the scalp itch?