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Exodus
June 4th, 2008, 05:23 AM
Yeah, I used the ponytail cutting method to cut layers into my hair last night.

The thing is, I'm growing out my natural colour, hennaed last time eight moths ago, and I just hate the look of the hennaed parts. I have decided to cut of the hennaed parts next year in June, but it's a year until then, and I have to be able to stand this hair until then. I figured that I'd like my hair a little better (since I really HATE the hennaed parts) if it's less of the hennaed parts. And I have always wanted to try the ponytail cutting method.

So, I washed and conditioned my hair. Toweldried it some, flipped my head upside down, brushed the hair and gathered my hair into a ponytail on the top of my head, secured it with two snoods. And it was way more difficult than it sounds to get the hair in a way that made me satisfied. But when i had in the ponytail I took a third snood, ran it down (or rather up, since I stood up now) the ponytail and then cut the end/tassel of.

It didn't felt totally good afterwards, but since I don't have a proper mirror at home I went down o town to go check myself out in some mirror somewhere. I did and I found out that it didn't look that good because the shortest layers where to long.

So, home again, wet down my hair again. I figured to get the shorter layers shorter but proportionally to the rest, I needed to set the ponytail even higher, more close to my forehead. So I did, but I was still not satisfied with the result of the cut.

So I did it a third time, gathered my hair into a ponytail right so close to my forehead as I could and the cut of some hair. Result was "Oops. OK. I finally got the shortest layers short enough." Also known as "Lookie, I have hair shorter than my shoulders again!". A little bit of a situation were you either laugh or cry. I didn't cry, it just felt ridicilous. Actually kind of hysterical. Like "What the hell have I done?"
Not the "What have I done?! :wail: :cry:" but "What have I done?. :shake: :ohmy: :rollin:"
I'm just a catastrophe sometimes.

So my hair is now not much shorter, the longest hairis actually the same lengt as before I started to cut, so the longest layers go down to waist/hip and the shortest is a little shorter than shoulder. But it so much less hair! My hair is so light now. I still can make a bun, even if it looks a little messy, and put my hair into a ponytail. But my braid looks like something brought to the slaughter. :hatchet:

But it's actually the best layered cut I ever had. And I have had a layerd cut by a hairdresser a few times.. Only thing is it would look so good if it were one colour, dark brown or black. But I'm not dyeing it, wont risk that dye stucks to my hair.

I probably not keeping up the layers, just cutting the bottom parts of as the hair grows, as I don't want my hair longer before it's all my natural colour.

Another reason that I cut it like this, by the way, is that I want myself and others get used to me with shorter hair, since I'll be having rather short hair next year after I cut the henna off. You know, a little bit therapeutic...

Oh, this post is to long...

Silver Strands
June 4th, 2008, 05:46 AM
I've heard those cuts look pretty nice.
Glad it kinda worked out for you.

How much of your natural color do you have and how many
inches left of the henna?

I only lasted 7 1/2 months growing mine out. I hated that 2 tone
look and so had it cut very short last May.

Good Luck.
I and i'm sure others feel the pain of growing out henna.
It's a tough one.

Exodus
June 4th, 2008, 05:50 AM
Oh, I think I have about 3 inches natural colour right now. (tomorrow exactly eight months since last henna). How much hennaed hair? The rest of it, layers hair down to my waist (at least I'm not that tall). I really hate it, but I would look like an idiot if I cut it now, I unfortunately do not look good in short hair. My head shape is somehow a little weird so I need hair to balance it out. But I really can't wait untill I'm cutting the henna off.

Silver Strands
June 4th, 2008, 05:54 AM
It sounds like you have a long journey
ahead of you.

I feel for you.

Curlsgirl
June 4th, 2008, 07:15 AM
Awwwwww sounds like you are happy but not? Anyway, it will be worth it in the long run! Just wear it up all the time and before you know it POOF! We're cheering you on!!!

Exodus
June 4th, 2008, 07:25 AM
Oh, I'm not unhappy with it.
It's like this: before I cut it it felt good, like when I ran my hands down my ponytail or so, but it didn't look good down. One reason also why I cut layerrs, was that the henna/henndigo killed the movement of my hair, so it just kind of just hang there. Now it looks better when down what was what I was trying to achieve. There life again in my hair, it has a movement. And it doesn't feel that bad when I just play with it.

I just wish it would grow faster, my hair grows so slooow.

So now it's summer and I'm probably wearing it down all the time when I'm not working.

And next summer, off goes the henna and then I will really start growing my hair!

Sanya
June 8th, 2008, 11:11 AM
I read about this cutting method, but I had no courage to try it out. Maybe some day. It's good to know, that it really works. Thanks for sharing :)

danacc
June 8th, 2008, 11:32 AM
In the past, I used this method to cut in a sort of fringe, with the shortest layers at chin length. I also had nice results with the pony tail centered right at the hairline on my forehead. Instead of cutting all my hair, I sectioned the front away from the rest, and just cut the front. It left me with fringe and layers that transitioned into the rest of the waist-length hair. I was pleased with it. Since then, I decided to stop maintaining fringe and let it all grow out.

spidermom
June 8th, 2008, 12:27 PM
I cut my hair that way in high school when the shag haircut became popular. It was so straight back then that you couldn't really tell how many layers I had, though. They all flowed together.

beyondcute
June 8th, 2008, 02:06 PM
I dont mean to be off topic but I thought henna was only temporary... If it has to be grown out I will stop hennaing NOW!

Were u only using henna or indigo or a mixture, etc.

Isilme
June 8th, 2008, 03:11 PM
Beyondcute, henna is PERMANENT! Sorry to scream, but it really is. If you haven't hennaed very much you can try to strip it with harsh baby schampoos, loooong oil treatments and such. But henna is permanent. I wis I could direct you to the old hennas removal thread. If you seach the old archive you may find it.
ETA. see if it works http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=71635
Sorry to hijack this thread, I just had to help a hennahead!

To the OP, I hope you get to cut out the henna soon!

Xandergrammy
June 8th, 2008, 03:24 PM
I'd love to see a picture of your new haircut.

It's funny, I haven't dyed my hair in two years, but I have no problem dealing with being "multi-toned". I'm too stubborn to give up my length just because all my hair isn't the same color (but then again, I'm older than you and don't have as many years to grow!!)

flapjack
June 8th, 2008, 04:51 PM
I'm generally scared to death of trimming my own hair. It's so straight that any group of hairs that is not even WILL show up. My ends have to be exactly even (or not, depending on how I get it cut) or it's obnoxiously noticeable. I've had crooked ends before and 20 million people asked about them within a week, I swear. Hahaha.

Blueglass
June 8th, 2008, 06:14 PM
If you use pure henna, or at least nonindigo, it is possible to bleach with ammonia and peroxide. You can also try to much your natural color with a brown specially henna if you are brunnet.

EvaSimone
June 8th, 2008, 08:55 PM
Exodus,
It's refreshing that you are calm about your hair, even when their is a mishap. Sometimes on this board or in real life people become (in my unqualified opinion) a little too worried about their hair... so it was refreshing that you weren't having a meltdown because you cut more than you originally planned...

you seem like a very mellow and funny person!

I am glad most of the henna is cut off and it sounds like your layering turned out nice! :D

vindo
June 8th, 2008, 09:32 PM
I had the same cut at Midback length in 2004. I loved it back then and it was the best layered hair cut I ever had.:)
Just one hint - The Ponytail always goes as close as possible to your forehead to avoid uneven cutting in case you trims again for shorter layers.
I only grew my layers out because at a certain length my hem was too thin with that cut and I wanted more length than just waist.

Xan
June 8th, 2008, 10:09 PM
I've used it in the past and seemed to work good. I was thinking of trimming another inch but I just cant bring myself to lose any length.

ColoradoDreamer
June 8th, 2008, 10:39 PM
I've never done that haircut on myself, but I had a couple of friends who did it back in the '70's, when we were in high school.

On the subject of henna, I've been using the LUSH caca brun for awhile now and have been more or less pleased with the results but I really need to do my roots right now (have about an inch of virgin growth to cover up), but I just can't bring myself to do the all-day mud-in-my-hair thing to get the results. I keep putting it off and putting it off. I refuse to use chemical color now that I've hennaed, as I fear either damaging my hair beyond repair or winding up with frog-butt green locks.

Today, after I washed my hair, I did a light blow-drying on a very cool setting to get the front sort of dry and then let the rest of it air-dry. The front was falling into my face, so I grabbed a pretty clip and did a half-up. If I do say so myself, it looked really good. My DH said it was really pretty too. I especially liked the silver around my face.

So . . . now I'm feeling really ambivalent about keeping up with the coloring and am leaning toward going back to two-toned hair. Some of you will remember that when I first joined here last year and as recently as late fall, I was growing out to virgin hair. But then I got a wild hair (pun intended) and decided that, even though I'm old enough to be a grandma, I didn't want to look the part with all the silver and I made a run to Sally Beauty Supply for colorant. Then I decided the henna would be kinder to my hair. Now I have a bad case of lazy and don't want to wear a mud pie on my head for a day to get brunette hair back.

What to do? What to do? Meh. Be it known that I am NOT taking the clippers to my head. I refuse to be bald ever again unless I absolutely have to. I'll probably do what I started to do last year. Namely, let my hair grow, take good care of it, and gradually trim it all to one length and all to one color. Unless I get another wild hair and make a mud pie on my head again.

You never can tell just what this old broad is gonna do!

Pegasus Marsters
June 8th, 2008, 10:41 PM
I cut layers like that before, the shortest were around armpit and the longest around waist. I loved how it looked and it made my overly thick hair far lighter without having layers all sticking out of my braids.

Pegasus Marsters
June 8th, 2008, 10:43 PM
(but then again, I'm older than you and don't have as many years to grow!!)

Now that's just plain depressing.

beyondcute
June 10th, 2008, 06:49 PM
Thanks for the info... I wish Id known before but alas you grow and learn... :cool:

Anje
June 10th, 2008, 09:38 PM
Hi Exodus. I'm sorry you lost so much length, but I'm glad you got a great layered cut. I've never tried that one myself. Lately, I've been trimming a ponytail with my hair brushed over my head and the tail coming off my chin. That gives a nice U shape for me. Anything done in front of your face will give you more layering up front with less in back, if you're ever interested.

1nuitblanche
June 10th, 2008, 10:12 PM
I, too, use this cutting method; well, just started--I did it first at the end of April and again at the end of May trying to get length layers to meet with my growing out bangs. I'm more or less there now, and it certainly looks better than before (less choppy), although I was a little distraught by the amount of short hair that doesn't stay behind my shoulders now.