Please hair type me! :)

[QueenBea]

I've been reading this forum since last summer, when I decided to STOP bleaching my hair (started as highlights, then got carried away), STOP the straightening iron and round-brush blowdrying, etc. I have only gotten two haircuts, to cut out the layers, and now I'm trying to get to BSL before I work on cutting out the rest of the damage and color.

You can't see my color line too much; I did a henna over the bleach last summer, and it's the same "depth" as my natural brown. IRL, the ends look much redder than the (boring) brown 3" or so roots.

Seeing this picture is very depressing b/c 1) my hair FEELS longer; 2) it air dries terribly with no product--MESSY looking; 3) is it really going to look better as it grows out?

All I do is wear it up now--mostly in a peacock twist with an occasional pony tail. It looks TERRIBLE down, even with products in it, IMO.

So--what type IS my hair, besides exremely damaged? :) And what should I put in it to get rid of the MESSY look? It's just so thick and unruly; notice a halo of fuzz around the top----

http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn254/QueenBea73/?action=view&current=hair12.jpg

This one looks even scragglier (it isn't as red as it looks there though; the lighting is messed up); I look like some kind of crazed killer. Good grief, no wonder I don't air dry my hair like this more often :) This kind of picture is just very revealing and depressing. Kind of like one time I was trying to lose weight and took a picture of myself in a swimsuit and saw what I REALLY looked like, egads. Good motivation though; I lost the 20 lbs :) (I'm pregnant now, so may be doing that again in 7 mos. or so----)

http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn254/QueenBea73/?action=view&current=hair32.jpg

QueenBea

[Xanthippe]

I don't see messy hair, I see wavy hair. :flower:

I would say you are a 2, probably more of a 2b. Here's a visual hair typing guide (http://homepage.mac.com/annsofie.henriksson/hairtyping/Personal27.html) that might help.

[prosperina]

Maybe 1c or 2a. I'm really bad with hair typing though.

Have you tried french braiding it? That would hide some of the damage, and french braids always look good, no matter how damaged the hair.

[Wanderer09]

I'd say either 2a or 2b. It looks pretty thick too.

[missy60]

I was expecting to see really terrible hair by your description. I do see a little frizz but its not that bad I can hardly make it out. I was looking for it since you told me it was there. What is your routine now? I would suggest moisture alot of it but I dont want to suggest alot of stuff you might already be doing.

[mommy2one05]

your hair does not look bad
what kind of washing products do you use...maybe if you used a s or c for moisture or frizz prone then you could get by with putting no products in hair
also i second the french braid...with little ones it is easy to keep my hair out of their little hands
and congrats on the pregnancy

[spidermom]

I know you're a 2, but it's too short for me to define the type any closer to that. Wavy hair can be messy; it's a fact of life. As mine got longer, it got curlier, and I think yours might as well. Learn the french twist if you haven't already; your length is almost perfect for that style. It hides a multitude of errors while you're growing out damage. I think your hair is going to be stunning in a few more years if you quit abusing it and keep growing it, especially with trims (my bias is showing; oops).

[Sofoulee]

QueenBee,

Your hair has a GREAT wave.

[savi]

You're in the wavy cathegory for sure. So 2a? Perhaps 2b? Let's wait and see until it grows longer. :)

[Faepirate]

I don't think your hair looks very damaged :) Actually I think it looks lovely. Maybe you're just very critical of it because it's your hair. I know what I'm like with mine.... I agree that it's hard to tell at that length - hair character tends to really come out at slightly longer lengths :D But I'm loving the waviness. My guess is 2b but let's wait and see. ;)

[QueenBea]

Thank you for all the replies :) Sorry I was so hypercritical last night; I got to thinking about it and realized that my mom (who has the SAME hair as me) has been on my case for 30+ years about BRUSH THAT MESSY HAIR! and it wasn't until high school that I ever wore it curly. And I have some pictures where it was long and beautiful because I wasn't MESSING with it all the time. But I have straightened it again for 15 more years and done a lot of damage.

Thanks for the encouragement that as it grows, it will look good; I'm holding on to that hope :) Glad to know it looks like waves and not just mess!

I think I'll start doing pictures every couple of months; it looks totally different from that perspective.

QueenBea

[Anje]

You're considerably wavier than I was at that length... I'm going to say 2b, though we'll see whether that holds as it gets longer.

[Irishred]

Definitely a 2a. you may have some 1c or 2b in there as well like me, I just averaged mine and call it 2a. You could be a 2b but as I got longer I sot straighter except for the ends.

What products do you use?

[1nuitblanche]

Your hair looks pretty! I think you're a 2a or 2b also.

[Juliet's Silk]

That's at least a 2a, I think a 2b even. I'm quite sure that it'll get wavier over time.

[florenonite]

I'd say you're a 2a/2b or possibly a solid 2b. Your hair's not messy, it's wavy xD

[maskedrose]

Wavy, shoulder length hair usually always looks a bit messy, from my personal experience :)

I felt like a regular bush woman for months when I was trying to get down to BSL, but at least yours is all one length now - the bush woman effect is definitely compounded by layers! Besides, slightly messy/wavy hair is now in style, so I say live it up while you can! Put it in a loose, messy bun and pin a flower over one ear, a low messy side pony, etc. until you get enough length for you to feel comfortable wearing it down (although it looks great now, IMO).

Oh and I think its safe to say youre a 2a or possibly 2b. Good luck growing!!

[Katze]

no way is your hair "Scraggly"! It's thick and shiny and has a nice wave to it. It is also a pretty color.

2b? maybe even 2c? There is a consistent pattern of waves throughout that look like they could even spiral or ringlet when it gets longer.

As another "messy" haired person I know the feeling - and I rely on hair gel, 'cones, and frequent SMTs to keep my hair looking good. At your length, just the ends curled, giving me the dreaded "first lady hair".

It could just be that that length is awkward and hard to deal with, and you have found updos that work. A french braid or two side braids might work at your length, as might varying your look with barrettes, headbands, etc.

It sounds like you suffer from the dreaded self-hate that many of us have...but trust a complete stranger, your hair does NOT look bad in those pics. Wavy, yes. Thick, yes. Scraggly not at all!