my hair

[ErinLeigh]

Lets see if this works so you can see what I am always talking about with keratin. pics will prob be big as i am freezing when trying to resize if they even post. I have never uploaded pics before.

1. hair early this summer
2. keratin disaster from last year!
3. keratin disaster THIS year on the one year anniversary (i know , I know) Look how hair can stand at 90 degree angle from stiffness
4. Umm keratin isn't supposed to be this poufy and fried. And look at the color it took with the toner stylist used. UGH Olive oil took care of that thank goodness..
5. Here is hair after 2nd cut to remove damage. I am so happy I cut it. I just cant handle when I hair feels ruined. I'd rather cut it start over.
My goal is to never damage it being stupid again.


http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af244/coconutcraze/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsfd06aab7.jpg (http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/coconutcraze/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsfd06aab7.jpg.html)

http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af244/coconutcraze/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps0aa8c2f5.jpg (http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/coconutcraze/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps0aa8c2f5.jpg.html)

http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af244/coconutcraze/Mobile%20Uploads/21eaed4d-4f7b-42ca-8ae7-abfd44cf2c2b_zps0ef739e7.jpg (http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/coconutcraze/media/Mobile%20Uploads/21eaed4d-4f7b-42ca-8ae7-abfd44cf2c2b_zps0ef739e7.jpg.html)

http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af244/coconutcraze/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps3a80f5a5.jpg (http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/coconutcraze/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps3a80f5a5.jpg.html)

http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af244/coconutcraze/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps8d311081.jpg (http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/coconutcraze/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps8d311081.jpg.html)

[ErinLeigh]

oh no, the one with the right angles is too small. I will redo it so you can see how stiff it was

[ErinLeigh]

http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af244/coconutcraze/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps11db8e09.jpg (http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/coconutcraze/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps11db8e09.jpg.html)

I also learned from these pics I was APL, never near BSL. I had no idea until looking at pics here what BSL really meant.
So the longest I have ever been without ruining and starting over, or just cutting for "fullness" was APL. In . my. whole . life .
I have always keot it this length or shorter. My goal now is real BSL and healthy.

[CurlMonster]

Your hair looks absolutely stunning in the first pics, I love the colour. It looks very healthy now too, you should reach your goal in no time. :)

[ErinLeigh]

Thank you. I was starting to enjoy my hair right before the incident :( I am guessing it will take one year of good care to grow it back to APL again? I am kicking myself for ruining it again. My gut told me not to do the keratin. It wasn't planned. The stylist suggest it and I should have said NO. I paid good money to get my hair destroyed right before a a big vacation. Needless to say, I spent the whole vacationed bunned with olive oil and cut it as soon as I got home.

The color is not natural. I have it colored and highlighted. My natural color is dark brown with some grey. I guess...I haven't seen my natural hair in 25 years. eek

[vikavegan_fr]

I love the color, I wish I was this blonde, but this will never happen for me.

[ErinLeigh]

I loved it too, was livid when stylist put that ash toner on when she kera-fried it. WHY? Yikes, it was insult to injury. Now that I am trying to be good to hair I am only going to blond out the bangs and face framing pieces and let the back be darker blond. Will see how long I can live with that before caving.

I have some photos of when I dyed it brown last time I will put in my album. It lasted literally 24 hours before I changed it. I love dark hair so much. Just not on me.

The pic of the new cut...the blonder gold color in the light is the most true depiction. The rest is in shadows and not picking up the lighter tones. It looks really dark in those pictures.

[ErinLeigh]

http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af244/coconutcraze/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd25f95a6.jpg (http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/coconutcraze/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd25f95a6.jpg.html)

here is a close up from 3 weeks ago. I am going to use this as starting picture towards adapting healthier hair habits so I can monitor changes.
This was the first cut right after keratin. (I did the second one a week later) I can see improvements since that day from using honey and oils. It still has damage on the ends but it is holding together better.

Its going to be a long road ahead but will be worth it if I can save what hair I have now and not have to cut off the inch I had planned for December. I am hoping to do enough good that I can switch to microtrims. I am still on the fence if that will be ok or not. All I do know if be careful with chemicals.

Hair was fried Oct 15. First cut Halloween and 2nd cut a week later so I guess I am now officially 33 days post keratin fry. .

[ErinLeigh]

I am so aware of my hair ever since joining this forum. My bathrobe was rubbing the nape hairs that slid down from the clip while I was cooking. I started thinking about mechanical damage and breakage and simplyreached for the olive oil in the cabinet, coated the strand and tucked it back up. That's funny to me as in the past I would just twist the strand harshly and stuff it anywhere that it would hold. (i cant wear bobby pins as hair being fine and fragile always gets destroyed by them, I actually cringe watching all the updo videos when they start sticking all the pins in their hair)

I am proud of myself. In the month I have been on this site I have gotten my hair in better shape than I could have ever dreamed possible considering the fact it was breaking off and falling out with excessive shedding from shock when I first posted here.

This was me in October...
in one single day
Semi permi dye
bleach
next day
permanent dye
3rd day
color oops
1 week later
keratin fry
Hair care? Shampoo, condition, blow dry on high.

Compare that to November...
Oils-(Castor, coconut, emu, olive, grapeseed, sesame), SMT, honey co washes, vinegar rinses, scalp massages, ceramides, CWC, aloe vera gel, daily buns, prepoo, sealing, low heat, heat protector, sleep cap and satin pillow cases.
Heck I have even started the OCM and my skin is looking better every day!

My hair is in pretty good shape considering the fact it looked like photo's 3 and 4 a mere 30 days ago.

I really want to thank every single person who offered advice, or posted something great that I read. I don't know what my hair would look like today if I hadn't found this site.
I owe a little something to every poster for sharing their knowledge.

shout out to Firefox..you got my head right on my first day with your informative post on hydral fatigue and moisture versus water. I think that had a lot to do with the turn around of my hair as I became hyper aware what I was actually doing it and what effect certain actions would bring. It was awesome. I have kind of build my routine around some of the things you said. It really got me to thinking and reaing..seeking more and more info. Just a lot of small changes equaling up to something truly helpful.

THANKS EVERYONE.

[CurlyCap]

I know nothing about protein overload and I wish I could help.

BUT:

I just had to remark on what an unbelievably gorgeous hair color you have. I can almost never tell the difference between various shades of blonde (coming from a brunette only background)....but color, whatever it is, is to die for.

I look forward to seeing your update pictures as you continue your healthy hair journey!

[ErinLeigh]

I know nothing about protein overload and I wish I could help.
I look forward to seeing your update pictures as you continue your healthy hair journey!

BUT:

I just had to remark on what an unbelievably gorgeous hair color you have. I can almost never tell the difference between various shades of blonde (coming from a brunette only background)....but color, whatever it is, is to die for. I look forward to seeing your update pictures as you continue your healthy hair journey![/QUOTE]



aww thank you so much. I needed to hear something positive about hair after this latest ordeal. I really appreciate it although THAT comment is enabling as heck! :p Its the bigest sin of all, Its from BLEACH! So terrible. I am a dark dark natural brown, more ash than chestnut tones. You know the flat dark brown color that looks greyish black? That's me. I also have greys now that I am 40 so I do wonder what it would look like now.

My official color is 8N (Neutral)and 8G (golden blond) mix along with bleach highlights. I always pull gold and often times stylists freak and try to cool down the "brass" and end up toning it green/gray . They don't understand I love the golden tones. What they call brass I call Golden. I had to watch my stylists last color closely to make sure she didn't sneak any ash in this time. Last time she literally did a big ash toning in secret hence why I was upset with her. I was freaking out too as keratin sometimes seals in the color so i was worried I was stuck with it. I I put The olive oil on it daily for a week and it pulled all that out ash and left me the color of the last photo I posted in the pink shirt.


Gosh I talk a lot. Sorry, its just it really is stressful when you fry your hair off and I am so relieved to have a forum to vent about it, talk about it and get help for it.
I am beyond thrilled to have learned about coconut oil application before color or bleach. I did it for my first time with the last cut and it really did make a difference. I'm sold !
I am so grateful I learned that on this forum. I can't express that enough.

I was really hard to come here and see everyone's gorgeous heads of hair while mine was crumbling off. Instead of being depressed I decided to use the emotion to set a goal and get my hair how I want it. Most importantly, to be able to KEEP it that way and not fry it off like I always do.

[ErinLeigh]

Question if anyone sees this. Would henna/cassia mix get me close to my golden blond (sometimes reddish) color?