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Themyst
November 5th, 2008, 01:08 PM
Hi everyone, here's a pic that I hope will do. Please ignore the large butt in the picture, I'm not sure how that got in there. :whistle: How horrifying. How often do you see a picture of the back of yourself!!?

As I mentioned in my introductory post, I am currently in the middle of a hair crisis. I have many questions, but will try to tackle them one at a time. My first problem - I love to wear my hair down, however, it is thin-medium and tangles easily. I really have to mess with my hair, that is, wash it, dry it upside down, & spray it in place. It looks super when I do this (it's not like that in the pic though - just washed & dried). But even after making it look super, it only lasts for a bit before it starts looking flat and getting tangled.

I don't mess with it much - is that my problem? Do I need to pay more attention to it when it is down - that is, comb it often? I feel so vain when I have to do that in public. I'm extremely shy and literally feel faint when people take notice of me.

I really envy the ones who can just wash & let their hair dry naturally. Mine gets SO FLAT and looks awful!

Please give me an honest critique - thank you!

http://themysteriouslady.com/hairpic.jpg

Lady Jane
November 5th, 2008, 01:13 PM
I can't give you advice, since I am new here, but that butt comment cracked me up! LOL! And the little whistling guy next to it . . . aahhhh, too funny.

Ok maybe a little advice. Don't blowdry, but put it up damp. Less damaging to your hair, and mine always has volume on top when I take it down.

Alright, more experienced voices now . . .

harpgal
November 5th, 2008, 01:15 PM
OK Themyst. I will give you an honest critique. Your hair is beautiful! However, I will say that at your present length, I had to start wearing updos much more often. If you look around here, you will find all sorts of ideas about different updos.

Fine hair tangles. There is no fix for it other than wearing it in protective updos. I just comb mine once in the morning, put it up, and then take down the braid for sleeping at night.

I hope this helps you a little. Others will chime in with more ideas, I'm sure. Just be patient and accept your lovely tresses....just as they are. :)

Sherri
November 5th, 2008, 01:16 PM
Do you use a blowdryer? It looks super straight in the pic. You have very pretty hair btw.

Themyst
November 5th, 2008, 01:21 PM
Do you use a blowdryer? It looks super straight in the pic. You have very pretty hair btw.
Thank you - and yes, I do use a blowdryer. I wish I didn't have to, but if I let my hair dry naturally, it is so flat & limp. A blowdryer really fluffs it up.

My hair is very straight but as the day goes on, the ends start curling up a bit and it gets a little wavy.

RavennaNight
November 5th, 2008, 01:27 PM
Your hair is really pretty! Do you use silicone products at all? If you do at the roots, it may explain any flatness you incur. But silicone may help your length be less tangly, if your hair likes them. Not everyone's does. If you find your hair does like them, apply only to the length not by your head. I also find my hair tangles less since I have been actively trying to leave some conditioner in my hair after rinsing. Once again, don't apply that near your scalp either. Only the length, otherwise you may incur flatness. Oiling the length with coconut oil also helps some withmanageability. You can also put your hair into updos all the time, it keeps hair protected, unless (like me) you're one who enjoys wearing hair down. Hope that was helpful! :flower:

Sherri
November 5th, 2008, 01:39 PM
When it is still wet you could use those small clips to get volume on the top. Just push hair forward clip and let dry. Some people don't have time to let air dry though.

Themyst
November 5th, 2008, 01:49 PM
Your hair is really pretty! Do you use silicone products at all? If you do at the roots, it may explain any flatness you incur. But silicone may help your length be less tangly, if your hair likes them. Not everyone's does. If you find your hair does like them, apply only to the length not by your head. I also find my hair tangles less since I have been actively trying to leave some conditioner in my hair after rinsing. Once again, don't apply that near your scalp either. Only the length, otherwise you may incur flatness. Oiling the length with coconut oil also helps some withmanageability. You can also put your hair into updos all the time, it keeps hair protected, unless (like me) you're one who enjoys wearing hair down. Hope that was helpful! :flower:
For years I just used regular shampoo/conditioner like Suave or whatever. I switched among the various brands mostly looking for a good detangling conditioner.

For the past few months I've been using regular old TRESemme' (anti-breakage conditioner). It does the best job yet on my hair - it detangles nicely and doesn't leave it weighed down.

It has occurred to me lately that I should be devoting a little more time to maintaining my hair since it is getting so long. I don't want it looking 'ratty'. I'm always concerned that it might be.

I'm fairly busy ... I work from home and I have pets, etc. so I'm always popping in and out of my office chair, feeding the cats or dogs - both dogs are blind and I have to pick them up to take them down the steps all the time (2 story house). Well, even just doing those things, my hair is always brushing across the floor (eeww!) when I bend over so I do wear it up in a bun most of the time. It doesn't stay up well with sticks - I just pull it back, twist it, wrap it all up and secure it with two jaw clips.

lora410
November 5th, 2008, 01:55 PM
Honestly you hair is gorgous but you may want to try more up-dos to help protect your hair. I thought I had to blow dry as well but alas I learned to love my hair air dried. My hair got allot like your when there was to much buildup on it. I would comb it and it would knot back up 2 seconds later. I would suggest if you must blow dry then start applying a big of oil on the ends to help with moisture. So the tangling could be either moisture loss or product buildup from cones. try a clarify, apply some cheap vo5 or suave (this is cone free) and see how you hair reacts. if it is much better I would suggest staying non-cone.

Darkhorse1
November 5th, 2008, 02:17 PM
Gorgeous hair and your butt is tiny!!! I'm lucky I have natural wave to my hair, so when it air dries, it gets wavvy. But your still looks amazing! :)

Siava
November 5th, 2008, 02:24 PM
What butt? I can't see any butt because your gorgeous hair covers it up. ;)

Themyst
November 5th, 2008, 02:37 PM
You are all just too kind!

xrosiex
November 5th, 2008, 03:15 PM
Your hair is really very pretty. You have already been given some great advice. So I dont have anything to add. Welcome to the boards.:)

squiggyflop
November 5th, 2008, 03:46 PM
lovely blunt ends.. looks to be a nice color too..

Schmoomunitions
November 5th, 2008, 07:45 PM
You do NOT have a big butt!!!!! I have the same kind of hair, if I wear it down it flys all over and gets tangled. Ill try the clarifying wash too, also I was thinking maybe a cassia treatment would give you some body, I know henna and/or hair color gives my thin hair some body.

Themyst
November 5th, 2008, 08:06 PM
You do NOT have a big butt!!!!! I have the same kind of hair, if I wear it down it flys all over and gets tangled. Ill try the clarifying wash too, also I was thinking maybe a cassia treatment would give you some body, I know henna and/or hair color gives my thin hair some body.
LOL - thanks - but I'm not really worried about my butt, fortunately it is easy for me to lose weight. A back picture like that sure puts my butt in a different perspective though - no more Friday pizza nights for awhile!

Anyway, I have been considering coloring my hair for some time now. I knew commercial dyes were bad (have used them before - can you say DRY, BRITTLE HAIR? I CAN.)

So after finding this forum recently, I am quite intrigued by this henna idea. I just took a front pic of myself and I'm going to load it up in an editing program to try different colors. I had it jet black once - long time ago and it was very striking. But, I tried that again a few years back and it didn't look so good on me. My biggest fear is choosing the wrong color since learning that henna/indigo is so permanent.

I've also read a bit about the henna gloss. I'm wondering if I should start there - would it thicken my hair some? How long does it last? Is it really good for my hair? Yes, I am now on a quest to find the answers. How pathetic it would be to grow hair this long and then screw it up one afternoon with a big idea! Can you say 'been there, done that?' I can!

Since your hair is similar to mine, I am curious to know if your henna treatment made it more manageable? Did it weight it down at all?

carloota
November 5th, 2008, 08:08 PM
My honest opinion: beautiful hair. It looks very healthy, including the nice blunt ends. :)

Xi
November 5th, 2008, 08:12 PM
My hair is straightish and on the thin side, and I find that letting my hair dry in braids makes (in my opinion) pretty braid-waves. They give my hair volume without the need for a blowdryer. I also like wearing my hair down, but I am liking my hair up more and more as I learn the nifty updos here. And my hair looks nicer on the rare occasions it comes down if I keep it protected most of the time.

Your hair in the picture is beautiful, however -- perhaps you won't need to resort to my little tricks :)

Themyst
November 5th, 2008, 08:22 PM
My hair is straightish and on the thin side, and I find that letting my hair dry in braids makes (in my opinion) pretty braid-waves. They give my hair volume without the need for a blowdryer. I also like wearing my hair down, but I am liking my hair up more and more as I learn the nifty updos here. And my hair looks nicer on the rare occasions it comes down if I keep it protected most of the time.

Your hair in the picture is beautiful, however -- perhaps you won't need to resort to my little tricks :)
Sometimes I do wash my hair at night and then put it in four or five braids. It does come out incredibly wavy and fluffy - it's almost embarrassing because everyone stares.

Hmmm... so I come to this forum asking how to make my hair more beautiful, but then I don't want anyone to look at it! I guess I even perplex myself.

Oskimosa
November 5th, 2008, 08:45 PM
Some of us ADORE straight smooth silky hair like that! I think it looks fabulous, and I think you do too. If you have curves, embrace them!! I embrace mine and love my shape, even if I don't love the overall size.

intothemist1999
November 13th, 2008, 06:17 PM
Some people don't have time to let air dry though.



Good point! I have to shower earlier and earlier in the evenings! :)

It's a bit of a joke with hubby, my anal "air drying" thing :)

For the record, my hair is always flat and limp. Even when I blow-dried, it would look good for about half an hour. It always went back to flat though.

intothemist1999
November 13th, 2008, 06:21 PM
If you have curves, embrace them!! I embrace mine and love my shape, even if I don't love the overall size.


"...even if I don't love the overall size." Hmmmm. Amazing how one little sentence can give one (me!) so much to think about!!!


.

plainjanegirl
November 13th, 2008, 07:36 PM
"...even if I don't love the overall size." Hmmmm. Amazing how one little sentence can give one (me!) so much to think about!!!


.



Yes I love that little comment that was made.
Kinda puts things in perspective.



And your hair looks awesome. Keep up whatever is working for you.

Dolly
November 13th, 2008, 07:55 PM
My hair is much like yours......only not nearly as long.....YET. I also like to wear mine down. BUT I have learned to accept the fact that, unless I roll it, it will NOT be fluffy. Like you, I could blowdry it and everything, but mine goes flat too.

It is just one of those things with our hair type.....one of those things that you have to deal with. Learn some more updos and try to have fun with them. Your hair is absolutely gorgeous.

Oh, and for the record......my butt is MUCH bigger than yours!

krt1013
November 13th, 2008, 08:24 PM
I say your hair is gorgeous -- Just take some of the aforementioned advice :)

Sometimes I think it would be impossible for me to grow mine out into such a silky-long sheet like that... It seems so hard!

krspies
November 13th, 2008, 08:55 PM
I love your hair. I envy you your length. I'm with you though. Mine falls flat too. Even the waviness that comes from putting it up and taking it down again doesn't last very long. forget curl. ain't happening here.

Themyst
November 13th, 2008, 09:24 PM
I am really flattered, thanks for all the compliments.

I wore my hair in a bun (most of the time) for several years - the bun thing really works. One day you take it down and suddenly realize that it's long.

I just hate squashing it up in a bun all the time.

But there are so many tricks of the trade here on this forum, I'll have fun for some time trying them all out!

Tressie
November 13th, 2008, 09:54 PM
Hi, Welcome, and I must say you have lovely looking hair! I think you should just enjoy it and continue to take good care of it.

Don't give up on the hairsticks, though. If you'll get your hair twisted just right and put the stick in the right way, believe me, it will really hold. I have hair that most things slither out of, but I am in LOVE with hairsticks! I sleep in a short stick or two with a bun on top of my head! I have found that it just takes practice to get the hang of using sticks.

Now, I'm still a novice, but if I can use them................anybody can!