Leaving hair alone

[AstridSerena]

Hi everyone,

I am just wondering if you guys have tips on leaving the hair alone and not colouring it?

I had to get a pixie cut because of bleach damage. It's now a short bob. My natural colour looks a bit dull and boring when it is short, so I thought doing a lighter blonde ombre would help me feel better about my hair during the growing out process. I do ultimately want my natural colour, but it takes some length for the colour to look pretty. The blonde ombre bob I have now is a bit damaged, but nothing major.

I have a history of hair-dying addiction. I tend to dye my hair very frequently. I think it's because I am bored and wanting a rush of excitement. I also enjoy changing my appearance quite a bit, and changing my hair has always been the thing I gravitated to, maybe because it is the easier way to make a dramatic change. Ultimately, however, I want my long, natural, healthy hair back. I miss it so much.

[samanthaa]

I suggested this in a similar thread, but how about positive reassurance? Post some pictures of your hair in the blonette pride (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=80416&highlight=blonette) thread (or similar, depending on your natural color). You may feel better about it knowing that others think it's beautiful!

You can also post pictures of your progress is in the growing out dye/bleach (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=51155) thread. If you track your progress and have something to hold you accountable each month, you might think twice before dying it again! I'm in this thread as I grow out my henna.

Is your bob long enough to incorporate a paranda (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=91490)? That could give you some color!

It's a little late in the year, but you can also join the monthly photo project (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=135606) to track your growth each month (there's also a seasonal thread somewhere).

I find that taking an evening to treat my hair (doing a deep treatment, for example) does wonders for making me feel happy and excited about it.

[animetor7]

You can play around with vegetable dyes. These won't damage your hair, come in a wide variety of colors (from natural shades to mermaid hair), and fade out completely on all but the lightest hair colors. :)

[turtlelover]

Henna! If you like red, it does awesome things to your hair with zero damage!

[Irialii]

You can play around with vegetable dyes. These won't damage your hair, come in a wide variety of colors (from natural shades to mermaid hair), and fade out completely on all but the lightest hair colors. :)

I'd also recommend hair chalk, coloured hairspray/mascara to inject some variance without any damage. They're fun but will wash out easily.

[lapushka]

Henna! If you like red, it does awesome things to your hair with zero damage!

It's also pretty darn permanent, and not something you do lightly, or impulsively. ;)

This is grow-out type dye.

[OhSuzi]

I hear you! After years of dying / bleaching / perming / shaving / chopping – I am going for long and natural growing out from something that is currently the freakish love child of a pixie and a bob.

When I change up my hair it feels exciting & I like my hair to be BOOM! attention grabbing colours, OMG you shaved half of it off! It’s easy to change up and immediate and gives me an instant confidence boost! I feel freaking cool with an edgy new cut and people notice it.
My natural mousey brown is ok but it doesn’t scream ‘Lookat Moi!’ and no one’s noticing the unstyled growing out Pixie Bob Mullet (sounds like the name of Country & Western Singer) or at least they’re not looking at it in a good way. Sometimes I think my hair makes me look like a geek.

How to keep going with it?
1. Remember that your hair is a form of self expression, but it’s not actually you, if you’re fun and punky and like going out partying. If you can still be that same person whether you have brown hair, no hair, pink hair, then you properly know yourself!
2. If you’re confident enough to do crazy things to your hair in the first place invest in decent really cool hats / cool wigs that and just rock them. So much easier to do when your hair is short. Non-committal, easy to change up whenever you like, still attention grabbing headgear!
3. Same goes for crazy hair clips, blinging bobby pins, an oversized bow headband, hairbands look super cute on a pixie cut, tiaras. Etc. 20s stuff is super fashionable – look on etsy for something totally unique that no one else has.
4. Get inventive with your haircolour. My hair is too short for buns and ponytails but it’s currently completely natural and healthy, so for xmas parties I’ll be wearing it down shiny & natural and with that coloured glitter gel parting style so I can get a bit xmas sparkle & trendiness into my look. I’ve seen some really cool styles where they slick back the hair with I think coloured gel too almost like paint – ok not a look for work unless you work somewhere awesome – but definitely an exciting new look that most people won’t have. There’s other wash in/out colours like hair chalks.
5. Look out for mini hair growing milestones, noticing that the shaved part of my head had grown half an inch in 2 weeks was pretty exciting and motivating.
6. When I do feel like a geek with boring hair I remind myself that this is temporary, like an ugly duckling 3 years and my hair will be long and luscious and all the better for not dying / bleaching in between. I’m planning all the hair styles in my head once I’ve got to my desired length. I might even dye / bleach / do crazy stuff to the last 6 inches, knowing that if it does get over processed and damaged I can chop it off but my hair will still be long and I can grow what I chopped in a year.
7. Come on here for support and confidence boosting! Lots of people will be envious of your pixie style and are appreciative of a chocolatey brown hair colour! Come on here when you’re having a shall I colour / cut my hair moment, people will help you sleep on the decision and make you more certain about whether you want to do it or not.

ETA:
Also there is no reason you can't have edgy smart cuts, as you are growing it out from pixie to bob to lob to APL and beyond. It might slow your progress down a bit, but should help to keep any split ends at bay. However, I grew my pixie into a mullety bob and put up with it for 6 months & when I went in for a tidy up the hair dresser chopped it all back to pixie & I had to start again - so I am personally avoiding all hair dressers & trims for at least a year!

Also to add there's clip in fringes or coloured clip in highlights /coloured hair extensions you can buy on line- another healthier non committal way to change up your hair.
https://www.stargazer-products.com/media/catalog/category/SGS152A-MODEL_2.jpg

coloured gel - google miley cirus she does exciting stuff with her very short hair

ETA2:
http://strayhair.com/hairstyles/trends/glitter-roots-the-most-ridiculous-hair-trend/

Every hair style on this page is awesome and include Miley Cyrus or as I have now Christened her - Pixie- Bob Mullet!

[Mrstran]

I had the same bad habits. I'd get quickly bored of my color and end up bleaching or dying again within months. I think I can kind of understand why you would still want to dye it. If you do not mind cutting into a pixie, then there is nothing to be afraid of if things go badly with dye.
I on the other hand absolutely cannot cut my hair any shorter than shoulder length. Shoulder length is already pushing it very far with me so I cannot do anything to compromise the length I have left. I have no choice but to stay away from hair dye.

Maybe if you were afraid of the dye and keep in mind that your hair will dry out, break off, and get shorter. Also, no damage is reversible, you might be able to persuade yourself to stop.
OR- Take the soft route and use a semi or natural product.

Resist the temptation to dye with hash dyes. It will pay off :)