Starting over - pics of my first year progress (anniversary!)

[OleanderTime]

Hi all - I'm updating with a big picture post because it's been 1 year since my last big haircut. I used to be a more active member here, but then I got a little discouraged (ok, and a little busy) after I chopped my hair at the beginning of graduate school. Here is a timeline of the last year, ending with several taken today. I like my all-natural routine, but still seems slow - how's it coming?

This is the last picture I have before I chopped. This is from about a year and a half ago.
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/1year/1longbefore_zpse1b79051.jpg

The chop! I really like how this looks, but it's no fun to play with and the routine to get it straight just killed my hair (not to mention it was all razored up to get it this flat).
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/1year/2chop_zps07fc1ff6.jpg

Side view of the chop.
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/1year/3chop2_zps014207c1.jpg

After growing out from the original chop, I REchopped (oops). This was 1 year ago this week! Since then, I have had 2 very minor trims to even the front out from this more drastic angled bob.
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/1year/41yearago_zps0ab37f09.jpg

Side view, taken about 9 months ago.
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/1year/5lastsummer_zps07d83852.jpg

Today - 1 year later - front view.
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/1year/6nowfront_zps384768fd.jpg

Today - 1 year later - side view.
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/1year/8nowback_zps93a6764a.jpg

Today - 1 year later - back view (note: these shots are hard!).
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/1year/9nowside_zps36b87e36.jpg

Finally: 1 year after my last big chop, this is the progress that I've made. What do you think?
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/1year/10nowfront_zps2daf2e34.jpg

Thanks for looking everyone, I'm excited to be back. :)

[puddums]

Wow, that is awesome progress for a year! :agape:

[MiaBeth]

First off, I love your glasses!! Your hair has grown so much in a year -- and it looks much thicker than in the first bob pic, although as you said, it was razored.

[jacqueline101]

Your hair looks great.

[winship2]

Looking very healthy, and like the wave is going to be just gorgeous as it grows-- lucky you!

[joflakes]

It looks awesome! Well done on not chopping again. Happy growing!

[Louise148]

Brilliant progress. Your hair grows so fast :)

[oktobergoud]

It looks great! I've been in the same boat and my hair looked exactly like your short cut a year ago! It's an easy cut to grow out though. It does get easier now, doesn't it? :)

[bunzfan]

I love the bob on you though, but its grown a lot and looks very full and healthy now :D

[MintChocChip]

Great progress! It looks very healthy! Lovely. :)

[Medievalmaniac]

Your hair is sooooo thick! I'm very jealous, lol. It looks wonderful, and welcome back! How is grad school treating you? I just started my first year of PhD work this past fall and I am loving it -- but definitely keeping busy!

[RavenBaby]

Nice progress! you have a similar length to me at the moment, it looks awesome and youthful on you :)

[OleanderTime]

Your hair is sooooo thick! I'm very jealous, lol. It looks wonderful, and welcome back! How is grad school treating you? I just started my first year of PhD work this past fall and I am loving it -- but definitely keeping busy!

My hair is actually more POOFY than thick. I think my ponytail is a 3" circumference, which is sort of normal. But on a wash day when I take it down from a bun, it goes POOF. I love it when I'm inside, if I'm outside it gets too tangly.

I love grad school. I feel very grateful for this life. I feel super overloaded, naturally, but I try to keep in perspective that ultimately I'm getting paid (kind of) to do what I love (really).

[OleanderTime]

I love the bob on you though, but its grown a lot and looks very full and healthy now :D

Thanks! My whole life, I've wanted long hair, and once every year or three, I will ge the intense urge to chop and I always do. The sad thing is I really like how it looks - I feel more authentically me, because I spent most of my life in a chin-length bob. I want to find ways to have updos and natural care feel authentically me, to motivate me to keep growing! If you have any tips for that, ha, I'm all ears.

[OleanderTime]

First off, I love your glasses!! Your hair has grown so much in a year -- and it looks much thicker than in the first bob pic, although as you said, it was razored.

Thanks for the glasses compliment! This sounds weird to say, but it's just too true to not say: I get compliments on my glasses all the time, more than all other compliments about my looks, dress, accessories COMBINED. Every week, a new stranger will say "oh wow, I love your glasses!" It's fun. They're from "SEE" eyewear (do they have those everywhere?) and are definitely the boldest frames I've ever chosen. It was definitely worth it. SEE is expensive because they take absolutely no insurance, so I bought a Groupon Coupon and it made it worth it. I don't know what I'll do if/when these die!

[OleanderTime]

Brilliant progress. Your hair grows so fast :)

Hey, I'm a Louise, too. It's my middle name (family name). :)

I feel like this year's progress does look fast, which is very motivating to me, because in the past my hair has grown very slowly. In my previous TLHC life, I documented 4-5 inches of growth a year, which isn't nothing but is certainly below average.

I've always wondered if depression can cause slowed hair growth, at least via the mechanisms of other physical health issues associated with depression. The last 2 years of my life have been the most stable and happy, and a nice little reminder of that is that my hair grew at a normal rate.

Not sure how connected this is, of course, but I will take it to mean we should all value our health HOLISTICALLY - our insides, our outsides (hair), and our emotional and psychological health. It's all connected.

[bahoban]

very nice,, congratz!

[oktobergoud]

My hair is actually more POOFY than thick. I think my ponytail is a 3" circumference, which is sort of normal. But on a wash day when I take it down from a bun, it goes POOF. I love it when I'm inside, if I'm outside it gets too tangly.


I have the exact same thing!! My ponytail's circumference is 3" too and people comment on it being so thick, but it really isn't that thick. it's just very poofy after it's washed. As soon as it gets a really oily, it's very flat & thin-looking (while it isn't thin either ;))

[lapushka]

Wow, in the last year it grew out quite a bit. Lovely! :D

[marykatz]

It looks beautiful. My hair is poofy but my ponytail circumference is barely an inch so your hair seems thick to me!

[OleanderTime]

It looks beautiful. My hair is poofy but my ponytail circumference is barely an inch so your hair seems thick to me!

Right! I guess this is why texture is such an important factor. I know people with very straight, dense, thick hair and it doesn't look thick, while people like you and me and some other posters on this thread get a lot of poof and wave and texture. I honestly like that a lot. My hair never feels heavy or like I have too much, but it has volume (under the right conditions).

PS) I love your little striped cat picture, reminds me of my little tabby Chauncey.

[Natalia]

Ok i know this is a hair post (looking ood BTW!) but your skin is PERFECT!!!!

[MaryO]

Your hair looks so thick and very pretty! Well done! :-)