From Ottawa with cheese?

[Arndis]

So I stumbled across LHC while trying to find out if soap-style shampoo bars need conditioner to avoid tangles. (No firm answer.) I always wanted very long curly hair, but am unlikely to have it: what I have is fine, wavy hair (? F ii), that just won't grow past bra-strap length and drags when that long. It seems to prefer layers and being chin to shoulder length. Sometimes then it will bounce and curl into ringlets at the ends much like the avatar pic. The reason I put "? F ii" is that it goes from 1c to 2c depending on cut, length, current routine, weather, and perhaps the phase of the moon. I never figured it out.

So why am I here? I'm geeking over the kind of hair I'll never have, and getting all kinds of interesting tips and ideas on haircare, henna, etc. While overall my hair behaves well enough, lately it's been feeling dull and oily so I think it's time to change things.

I want to dye it again! I love being flaming red instead of bleah medium brown. The question is, do I buy a fresh bag of random brand Rajasthani henna from the corner store, or do I splurge on the good stuff from HennaSooq? Results with the corner store stuff in the past are nothing to reddish -- perhaps it is often stale. The current bag almost certainly is.

I want it to curl more! The best things I know for this are a fresh cut and letting it air-dry while not smooshed. Lemon juice rinses and amla sound interesting.

I like natural products, but can't always afford to pay 2-4x as much. I have a grab-bag of shampoo and conditioner, some with SLS and silicones, to use up before splurging on new stuff, thanks to an extra $1000 of tuition. It gets washed roughly every other day.

I hate wearing products -- mousse, spray, curl enhancer, etc -- they all feel bad. I can stand a fingertip's dab of styling paste. Having soap, shampoo, etc that smell good and smell compatible matters -- I forget to wear perfume and can't wear much makeup thanks to time and skin, so yummy-smelling lotions and potions are my treat for myself.

I miss hair-toys. I wish I knew some updos and had some toys for this length, but all my knowledge and stuff needs hair long enough to go well down the back.

[Wanderer09]

Hello back from Ottawa! :D:D

My mom uses henna and she's never had particularly good results with the brand I buy her from the Indian grocery either. She finds that it fades quickly, which is not supposed to happen with good henna. Perhaps it will be worth it for you to splurge on better stuff. :)

I've had great curl definition with aloe vera gel back when my hair was shorter, and it didn't feel sticky or stiff like other styling products do unless I used too much.

[2peasinapod]

Welcome to LHC! I have family in Ottawa! :flower:

I hear you about the natural products, too. I have one bottle of Burt's Bees shampoo and conditioner (relatively expensive, but still cheap as far as natural products go :bigeyes:). Lately, I've been leaning more towards completely natural products (ACV, egg washes, oils, etc). My hair seems to like it better, and it's a lot cheaper!

Check out the articles section, and don't be afraid to experiment! :D

[little_cherry]

Hi hi From MTL! :)

Welcome to LHC! Hope you enjoy it here!

[Pierre]

Welcome to LHC!

You won't get flaming red from henna if you're starting from medium brown, but you will get a rich, deep red with some brown in it. And you'll get hair that changes color depending on which way the light hits it. If the light goes around the outside, the hair looks red; if it goes to the center, it looks brown.

As to the length, try twisting the hair, then folding it, and securing it with a Flexi. Or try two Dutch braids.

[princessp]

Welcome! :cheese:

[Arya]

I'm new, and in Ottawa, too!