I did a big chop! :O :D

[PixieP]

My ends have been annoying me for months. They're thin, scraggly, very damaged, and no matter how nice I treat them, they act like velcro. It's no wonder; they still remember chemical haircolour, they were bleached twice to year ago to make an ombre-effect, I used to use the curler a lot and the blow drier on hot, and then more bleach in May; even olaplex couldn't save these poor souls!

I've really started loving braiding, but the ends were ruining the fun. It makes braiding my hair so difficult because no matter how much I detangle, they stick to the rest of the hair and makes braiding hair. And, my braid has insane taper and I get these really long, thin, annoying tails:

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/225256C7-C7E7-4A4C-B83E-6AA9F4320972_zpsaay5ugce.jpg

The ends don't look too bad, I know. But look how skinny they are where the hairties are. With the taper I got, and the layers I had, it wasn't possible for me to keepon braiding them further down.

I did a smaller chop earlier this spring, but it wasn't enough. This was my length back then:

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps9tmttevi.jpeg
I had just reached hip, but... Ugh, those ends were barely visible, they were so thin!

This was my hair before today:

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/DF7CDAD6-642F-4075-82C7-31371B8E3F85_zpsrrcsghcg.jpg
Right hand is on waist. Hip would be the bulge above my left hand.

And this is after my chop:
http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/148121EA-C890-4F35-9F7A-1A11990A5635_zpsf5pvjsec.jpg
It's not perfectly even, my I straightened my hair today to cut it (after dousing it in heat protector, and using the lowest setting on the straightener!), usually I have more body wave and small waves and movements, so my hemline will never look straight anyhow.

But look at that happy, thick hemline! It's so pretty! Such a difference from the picture above that's hip with invisble ends! I'm about midway between BSL and waist now.

First did I did was throw it in a single english braid, and it makes me sooo happy. The tail looks good, I have much less taper, and it just looks and feel awesome.

YAY! :D

I know this sets me back a year, year and a half to reach TBL (guesstimate is I need 2 and a half to 3 years to reach TBL now?), but I'd much rather do that journey with hair I fully love, than to wait to start fully loving my hair.

[Frankenstein]

I think it looks great!

[hobbitlocks]

Your hemline looks awesome! I'm very impressed you did that yourself!!!

[DarkChocolate]

Your hair looks good:) I cannot wait to see braid pictures:)

[lapis_lazuli]

Your ends were lovely before and they're lovely now :) I'm glad you like the cut! To happy and healthy hair! :toast:

[Kiiruna]

It's even more beautiful than before - it really does look thick and healthy and happy! :o

[turtlelover]

I am a quality over quantity person, so I totally understand! Looks great, and nice and thick.

[lithostoic]

Looks fantastic!

[yogagirl]

Looks great and I'm glad it turned out just the way you wanted! I'm also looking forward to a braid pic if you feel like sharing :)

[diddiedaisy]

Looks great, you have a fantastic hemline :)

[PixieP]

Thank you all for your nice comments! :D

Here's a picture of the braid:

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/A97B1EE4-A3D2-4A9C-9B9F-C2D8C2BA395C_zpsypuxdqzh.jpg

Compare that tail to my signature picture...!

[PixieP]

Your hemline looks awesome! I'm very impressed you did that yourself!!!

Spidermom's self trimming method is amazing and so easy! I did a small mistake now and got a deep V, so I also tried Feye's self trim method for a straight hairline and that is also super easy! But for that you should have a helper :)

[Cg]

Your new hemline is really thick! Wow! You really didn't set yourself back any. In fact, you set yourself forward. See how happy you are with your ends now!

[Orca]

That's a nice, happy-looking hem right there. I like it! Fairy-tale ends are lovely too but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and cut out the rest of the chemical damage. Glad you're happy with the result!

[lapushka]

Your braid looks good and I think it looks lovely at waist (you're still waist)! :D Nice hemline - you did great.

[nakima]

I just love the color and great job trimming.

[PixieP]

That's a nice, happy-looking hem right there. I like it! Fairy-tale ends are lovely too but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and cut out the rest of the chemical damage. Glad you're happy with the result!

I love the look of fairytale ends, but it's never been what I've wanted. Adore it on others though!


Your braid looks good and I think it looks lovely at waist (you're still waist)! :D Nice hemline - you did great.

Yay for still being at waist! :D thank you!

[Groovy Granny]

It looks awesome and must feel great ~ enjoy!! :)

[PixieP]

It looks awesome and must feel great ~ enjoy!! :)

GG! *hugs* I've missed seeing you around! Thank you! Hoping to be able to reach your level of awesomeness one day!

[hobbitlocks]

Spidermom's self trimming method is amazing and so easy! I did a small mistake now and got a deep V, so I also tried Feye's self trim method for a straight hairline and that is also super easy! But for that you should have a helper :)

Thank you for the encouragement :) I'm hoping to work up the courage by the next time I need a trim!

Your braid looks great!

[Duchess Fuzzy Buns]

Whoo! Looks good, nice healthy hemline! :cheer:

[browneyedsusan]

Holy hemline, PixieP!
It looks awesome!
I have a similar taper, but lack the nerve to cut off very much--it required a lot of patience to grow this hair! I'm hoping to maintain at hip for a while and see if it thickens up. Your hemline looks so fantastic that I might be enabled. :scissors: :)

[PixieP]

Holy hemline, PixieP!
It looks awesome!
I have a similar taper, but lack the nerve to cut off very much--it required a lot of patience to grow this hair! I'm hoping to maintain at hip for a while and see if it thickens up. Your hemline looks so fantastic that I might be enabled. :scissors: :)

My main problem was that since my ends were sooo tired, they would've just kept breaking off anyway. And I'd rather my hair take longer to grow out, as long as I'm happy with it the whole journey, than to wait 2 years to become happy with my hair! So do whatever you think will give you the most love for your hair!

[Groovy Granny]

GG! *hugs* I've missed seeing you around! Thank you! Hoping to be able to reach your level of awesomeness one day!

Awww thank you (((hugs))) that was very sweet of you to say :flowers:
I'm back now; life got a bit hectic for a while :p
I LOVE your avatar pic; was that a French braid with 2 rope accent braids (the ropes sectioned off first)?
I don't think I have enough volume to pull that off; then again I am still trying to figure out how you actually did it LOL

[PixieP]

It's a Dutch braid, transitioned into 2 rope braids at the nape, and then the rope braids are pinned along the Dutch braid and ends tucked under :D isn't it awesome? I just did it for the first time on Saturday and it's my new favorite hair do! You can do it with a French braid too, but my hair prefers Dutch braids.

[PixieP]

There's more pictures and a linked video tutorial in the braid thread :)

[Anya15]

It looks lovely, Pixie! I wish I had a hemline like that - being a wavy, my hemline is always piece-y and uneven, no matter how thick my hair might be!

Self-trimming requires guts - I'll need a trim after I hit tailbone and I am so scared! XD

ETA: What is the hairstyle you're wearing in your avatar photo? :flower: It looks beautiful!

[samanthaa]

Thank you all for your nice comments! :D

Here's a picture of the braid:

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/A97B1EE4-A3D2-4A9C-9B9F-C2D8C2BA395C_zpsypuxdqzh.jpg

Compare that tail to my signature picture...!

Are you really an i?? I'm solidly an ii at 2" and I often see your hair and find myself thinking that it looks much thicker than mine!

It's awesome that your so happy with your cut! Your hemline looks great and overall so thick!

[Arctic]

Are you really an i?? I'm solidly an ii at 2" and I often see your hair and find myself thinking that it looks much thicker than mine!

It's awesome that your so happy with your cut! Your hemline looks great and overall so thick!

Yes, that's what I've been telling her too; her hair looks just like mine, or very close to, I think.

Trim well done, Pixie! Enjoy your new hemline! :thumbsup:

[vampyyri]

It looks really good!! You have serious courage, I've been too scared to trim my hair from a V hemine to a U!

[DarkChocolate]

[QUOTE=PixieP;3263215]Thank you all for your nice comments! :D
http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/A97B1EE4-A3D2-4A9C-9B9F-C2D8C2BA395C_zpsypuxdqzh.jpg

Your braid looks awesome:) I love your color:)

[PixieP]

It looks lovely, Pixie! I wish I had a hemline like that - being a wavy, my hemline is always piece-y and uneven, no matter how thick my hair might be!

Self-trimming requires guts - I'll need a trim after I hit tailbone and I am so scared! XD

ETA: What is the hairstyle you're wearing in your avatar photo? :flower: It looks beautiful!

Thank you! :D It's the hairstyle I described for GG here:


It's a Dutch braid, transitioned into 2 rope braids at the nape, and then the rope braids are pinned along the Dutch braid and ends tucked under :D isn't it awesome? I just did it for the first time on Saturday and it's my new favorite hair do! You can do it with a French braid too, but my hair prefers Dutch braids.


There's more pictures and a linked video tutorial in the braid thread :)





Are you really an i?? I'm solidly an ii at 2" and I often see your hair and find myself thinking that it looks much thicker than mine!

It's awesome that your so happy with your cut! Your hemline looks great and overall so thick!


Yes, that's what I've been telling her too; her hair looks just like mine, or very close to, I think.

Trim well done, Pixie! Enjoy your new hemline! :thumbsup:

I've measured twice this week, one day it was 8cm and the other day 10cm (user error might be a problem XD) so either I measured REALLY wrong the first time, or my hair has gotten drastically thicker XD I'll do a couple more measurements before I change it, to be certain. The first time I measured I made a really tight ponytail with a hairtie, the times I've measured this week I flipped my head upside down, gathered it into a pony in my hand, wrapped the measureing tape around it tight, and had my husband read me the numbers. Not sure if that's a more correct way to do it?

[PixieP]

I am in love with my new hemline, lol! This is what my hair looked like this morning after I took out my sleeping bun:

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/CC32B93F-E504-4933-A65F-F6FDAA255C20_zpsd4tugcbh.jpg

And this is what my dutch braids look like today:

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/23226354-8B18-49DA-A04C-1DF0C78E256B_zpswapntcng.jpg

So much better than those in the first post right? :D Much more acceptable tail length and look!

[Cg]

I am in love with my new hemline, lol! This is what my hair looked like this morning after I took out my sleeping bun:

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/CC32B93F-E504-4933-A65F-F6FDAA255C20_zpsd4tugcbh.jpg

Wow...drop dead gorgeous!

[vampyyri]

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t503/misherusedai/CC32B93F-E504-4933-A65F-F6FDAA255C20_zpsd4tugcbh.jpg

I know I commented on the other thread as well, but I forgot to mention that this is essentially my dream hair! The perfect shade of red, the big waves, the thick hemline... your hair keeps making me question if my virgin color is all that it's quacked up to be :hmm: I'm sorry, I know that I've said this before, but I have a serious crush on your hair! :crush:

[PixieP]

Wow...drop dead gorgeous!

Thank you Cg!


I know I commented on the other thread as well, but I forgot to mention that this is essentially my dream hair! The perfect shade of red, the big waves, the thick hemline... your hair keeps making me question if my virgin color is all that it's quacked up to be :hmm: I'm sorry, I know that I've said this before, but I have a serious crush on your hair! :crush:

Oh I'm blushing over here, lol! Thank you dear <3 And I think your virgin colour is amazing, if that was my natural shade of blonde I would have grown out natural! So golden and beautiful, it reminds me of Rapunzel's hair in Tangled <3 But my blonde is really grey and dreary, and it doesn't suit me, it's too cold and too light for my skintone. Annnnd I love my henna too much, lol.

[vampyyri]

Oh I'm blushing over here, lol! Thank you dear <3 And I think your virgin colour is amazing, if that was my natural shade of blonde I would have grown out natural! So golden and beautiful, it reminds me of Rapunzel's hair in Tangled <3 But my blonde is really grey and dreary, and it doesn't suit me, it's too cold and too light for my skintone. Annnnd I love my henna too much, lol.

Oh shucks :P I like it as well, but hennaed hair is just so beautiful that it's skewing my views! I've had red in the past (back when I first met my DH 10 years ago, and he had a thing for red heads), and it really did suit me... but he keeps convincing me to leave it be. Or, a direct quote from just yesterday "I like calling you goldie-locks, I don't think gingie-locks works as well", "Well... I think it does", "Quiet you, no henna!", "What about cassia?", "*audible sigh*" :rollin: The poor guy :lol:

[Groovy Granny]

It's a Dutch braid, transitioned into 2 rope braids at the nape, and then the rope braids are pinned along the Dutch braid and ends tucked under :D isn't it awesome? I just did it for the first time on Saturday and it's my new favorite hair do! You can do it with a French braid too, but my hair prefers Dutch braids.

Oh that's it; very creative of you :thumbsup:

I really must try doing a dutch; now to re-train my old brain lol

Thanks for the inspiration and video link :flowers:

[Groovy Granny]

I am in love with my new hemline, lol! This is what my hair looked like this morning after I took out my sleeping bun:

And this is what my dutch braids look like today:

So much better than those in the first post right? :D Much more acceptable tail length and look!

WOW :agape:

Gorgeous :thud:

[PixieP]

Lol thank you GG! I'm very happy with it :crush:

[spirals]

My hair is your before (thinness, shape, and length, I mean) and I've been thinking of taking off at least 2 inches. Still thinking....

[Ellethwyn]

I did this last year, a little less than what you cut off, but still it set me back a bit, but it was totally worth it! Your hair looks happy, healthy and beautiful!

[Arctic]

I've measured twice this week, one day it was 8cm and the other day 10cm (user error might be a problem XD) so either I measured REALLY wrong the first time, or my hair has gotten drastically thicker XD I'll do a couple more measurements before I change it, to be certain. The first time I measured I made a really tight ponytail with a hairtie, the times I've measured this week I flipped my head upside down, gathered it into a pony in my hand, wrapped the measureing tape around it tight, and had my husband read me the numbers. Not sure if that's a more correct way to do it?
In that case your hair is even thicker than mine.

I have been SO sure you aren't i ever since I formed a circle of my tape measure according to the number you said before, and it barely went around a pencil. There was just no way your hair could have been that thickness.

It's good to make the measurement snug, and have hair very well brushed. And if possible measure in similar conditions each time, for example always freshly washed, 100% dry and without styling products, pony at the same place. This way they are comparable, the number can vary a lot due to several reasons.

PS sorry I messed up the quote, am on phone with no undo.

[samanthaa]

10 cm is nearing on iii, isn't it?! Wow! Even if there was some user error, I'm sure 8 cm is probably not too far off. One of your braids (from the two dutch braid picture) looks as thick as all of my hair together!

When I did mine, I tied my (well detangled) hair back tightly with a piece of yarn, then slid the yarn off, cut it open, and measured that with my measuring tape.

[vampyyri]

I've measured twice this week, one day it was 8cm and the other day 10cm (user error might be a problem XD) so either I measured REALLY wrong the first time, or my hair has gotten drastically thicker XD I'll do a couple more measurements before I change it, to be certain. The first time I measured I made a really tight ponytail with a hairtie, the times I've measured this week I flipped my head upside down, gathered it into a pony in my hand, wrapped the measureing tape around it tight, and had my husband read me the numbers. Not sure if that's a more correct way to do it?

I need to do this and have my husband read the numbers off to me as well... I kept getting a really wide range of results when I tried it myself.

I would put your thickness to ii at least, you're most definitely not a i!

[PixieP]

10 cm is nearing on iii, isn't it?! Wow! Even if there was some user error, I'm sure 8 cm is probably not too far off. One of your braids (from the two dutch braid picture) looks as thick as all of my hair together!

When I did mine, I tied my (well detangled) hair back tightly with a piece of yarn, then slid the yarn off, cut it open, and measured that with my measuring tape.

My braids are pancaked though, I always fluff them up :P

The yarn-method is a good idea! I'll try that :)

[littlestarface]

In that case your hair is even thicker than mine.

I have been SO sure you aren't i ever since I formed a circle of my tape measure according to the number you said before, and it barely went around a pencil. There was just no way your hair could have been that thickness.

It's good to make the measurement snug, and have hair very well brushed. And if possible measure in similar conditions each time, for example always freshly washed, 100% dry and without styling products, pony at the same place. This way they are comparable, the number can vary a lot due to several reasons.

PS sorry I messed up the quote, am on phone with no undo.

So it's supposed to be measured on clean dry hair? I always measured when it's oiled before washed hair. Bloody hell I should measure after I wash my hair then.

[Arctic]

The most important thing is to measure similar way each time, to make the measurements comparable. But out of curiosity it might be intetesting to measure under different hair conditions/variables too - at least I have found it interesting to see how much things like cleanliness, oilyness, wetness/dampness, products/nakedness, wavyness/straightness level, drying method, buildup levels... can affect the measurements. I personally feel clean, no producty, dry hair is most accurate, honest and most easy to replicate, bur your oiled hair sounds good way too.

[KittyBird]

Yay for big chops! Your braids look great, and I love your gloriously vibrant hair colour! :D

[ladyshep]

I like it! Do you like it?