Progress report (warning: pic heavy)

[kanzer]

So it's been a little more than 2 months since I joined LHC... I've tried way too many things during that time, but it's been great, I've learned so much and my hair is much happier!

I just thought I'd do a little photo journey so you can all see how far I've come in such a short time thanks to LHC! :cheese:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7274&pictureid=99196
August 2008, after accidentally giving myself a bob with the kitchen scissors. Worst decision EVER.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7274&pictureid=99191
December 2010. A good hair day, pre-LHC. I used to wash and blow-dry every day to tame my waves/curls, and straighten occasionally.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7274&pictureid=99199
December 2010. A bad hair day - I was staying in a hotel and didn't bring my own shampoo and conditioner. This is half air dried, and it's a frizzy, shine-less mess.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7274&pictureid=99195
February 2011, air dried with curl mousse and coconut oil - already looking better!

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7371&pictureid=99174
March 2011, air dried, coconut oil and brushed - so shiny!

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7371&pictureid=99179
March 2011, fringe (bangs) air dried without product! Never knew my hair could do this...

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7371&pictureid=99184
March 2011, air dried CG method. Still too frizzy for my liking but curlier and bouncier than it's ever been!

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7371&pictureid=99193
March 2011, air dried CG method. I love it! The back is never as nice, but I'm still learning.

So to sum up: I'd just like to thank everyone for being so nice and supportive, and for all the helpful tips! If it wasn't for you I'd still be frying my hair with the blowdrier and wondering why it looked so dull!

Onwards and upwards! or downwards, really - here's hoping I get to waist by the end of the year!

[Hylia]

wow, you have made so much progress and your hair type and color is so beautiful.

[gypsymoth]

Wow! Your curls are GORGEOUS! It's really lovely to see dramatic, beautiful progress like this - it reminds me how it's so totally worth all of the experimenting and fighting scissor temptation. Keep it up :p

[scorpio_rising]

OMG your curls are to die for! I think we have pretty similar hair texture so I am interested in the fine details of your routine. ;-) I'll go check your profile for any more details, and look further into CG, to which I haven't really paid all that much attention - until now!

[CurlyCyndi]

you hair is amazing. I really love it a lot! congrats

[Fufu]

I like your curls, wonderful progress.

[Artsy]

wow what a difference in few months:)

[silverjen]

Gorgeous! Well done!

[jojo]

massive difference, love the colour and curls!

[xoxophelia]

o.O.. I actually didn't think your hair looked bad at all to start but the curls are gorgeous. How exactly do you get them to dry like that? I will have to try it out and see if perhaps I am drying my hair wrong as well..

[christine1989]

You have perfect curls! They look great long. :)

[Dragon]

Looks great :) Great progress.

[RecklessCharlie]

Such a difference! You hair now is elegant and absolutely beautiful! Congratulations on so much progress :)
And your colour is fantastic!

[MoonlightShadow]

your waves and curls look amazing :)

[Rocket22]

Kanzer love your progress! :)

[Lostsoule77]

I love how your curls look! It's amazing how just a couple of months can make such a difference. Keep up the good work on this beautiful journey. :)

[evampr18]

The last picture with the glasses is my favorite, I love your energy, you look like you know you look hot, and i love your hair. I t looks super bouncy and touchable.

[lindaton]

I want your curls.

[McFearless]

Your hair is gorgeous. I love the curls!

[KahlanAmnell]

Pretty, pretty! Congrats on all the progress. :-)

[jackiesjottings]

It is looking lovely and I adore your curls :)

[Firefox7275]

Wow I hope my curls end up looking as good as yours! :D I've only just worked out mine is curly not wavy, I haven't yet started any CG stuff but have stopped trying to pull it straight.

[Vorvolaka]

I'm loving the curls!

[jasper]

Wow! Your hair looks great! Now I want to be a curly girl too!

[Lippytoes]

What gorgeous curls you've discovered!

[bella77]

you curls are wonderful- *jealous* and your hair looks fabulous and shiny!!!

[freckles]

those are some truly amazing curls!

[kanzer]

Wow, thanks SO much everyone! I guess I was feeling a bit down about my hair cos though I can see the difference everyone around me is getting pretty sick of me talking about my hair all the time :o It's lovely getting so many compliments from real connoisseurs :D

It's such a change from what my hair used to look like growing up:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7274&pictureid=99224
It was cut like that (by my mum) until I was 12. I hated it, I think my quest for long hair has a lot to do with that haircut. It was naturally this straight until I was 17, 18, when it started getting wavier/curlier by the year. I had no clue what to do with it!

Now all I need is to figure out how to get the back to be as curly as the front without being sticky or producty and I'll be happy! Oh and I want to get to waist length of course :p

Quite a few of you mentioned Curly Girl, and I can really recommend trying it - that and leaving in my conditioner probably made the most difference in "awakening" my curls. I haven't perfected the CG method yet mainly cos I can't find curl gel here in Holland, but I'm going over to Ireland soon so I'm going to check all the shops there. It does seem to make a difference whether you use mousse or creme instead of gel. I bought the Curly Girl book on The Book Depository (http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780761156789/Curly-Girl-the-Handbook) where it currently costs around 7 euro with free shipping worldwide!


OMG your curls are to die for! I think we have pretty similar hair texture so I am interested in the fine details of your routine. ;-) I'll go check your profile for any more details, and look further into CG, to which I haven't really paid all that much attention - until now!

Thanks! We do look like we have similar texture! Yours seems to curl/wave more without as much product but otherwise quite similar - I'm sure you'd get great results with the CG method!


o.O.. I actually didn't think your hair looked bad at all to start but the curls are gorgeous. How exactly do you get them to dry like that? I will have to try it out and see if perhaps I am drying my hair wrong as well..

Thank you! And what I've been doing is CO washing, leaving in a fair amount of conditioner (Garnier triple repair), finger combing it into my normal parting, scrunch squeezing the water out, scrunching in way more curl gel/mouse/creme than I would think necessary (like a palmful), plopping for 10-20 mins while I get dressed etc, and then air drying with as little touching as possible. If I touch it, I mess it up. I am still learning this lesson cos I WANT TO TOUCH IT so badly! It's hard in winter cos it takes about 2-3 hours to dry... I can't wait for summer!

I hope this helps for your hair too.


Wow I hope my curls end up looking as good as yours! :D I've only just worked out mine is curly not wavy, I haven't yet started any CG stuff but have stopped trying to pull it straight.

Thanks! And it's a revelation to me too, I always thought I had straight hair. Good luck with the CG method, it's great and much easier than straightening!

[kanzer]

Oh and I also wanted to say a special thanks to all the hair colour compliments :D I'm so glad I also decided to grow out the dye when I cut my horrendous bob! I'd been dying it redder/blonder since I was 14 because so many people have dark blonde hair in Holland and I thought mine was boring. I had forgotten what my natural colour was like and now I love it! So much easier to maintain - not to mention healthier - than dying it all the time :P

[ooo]

*envy* originally my journey started around the same time, but I'm far behind you. Congrats!

[x0h_bother]

Stunning! Impressive growth & wonderful curls! :thud:

[knoxkatie]

you have such pretty bouncy shiny hair! nice work :D

[mrsbob]

Your progress is wonderful and your hair is just gorgeous!

[xoxophelia]

Quite a few of you mentioned Curly Girl, and I can really recommend trying it - that and leaving in my conditioner probably made the most difference in "awakening" my curls. I haven't perfected the CG method yet mainly cos I can't find curl gel here in Holland, but I'm going over to Ireland soon so I'm going to check all the shops there. It does seem to make a difference whether you use mousse or creme instead of gel. I bought the Curly Girl book on The Book Depository (http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780761156789/Curly-Girl-the-Handbook) where it currently costs around 7 euro with free shipping worldwide!



Thank you! And what I've been doing is CO washing, leaving in a fair amount of conditioner (Garnier triple repair), finger combing it into my normal parting, scrunch squeezing the water out, scrunching in way more curl gel/mouse/creme than I would think necessary (like a palmful), plopping for 10-20 mins while I get dressed etc, and then air drying with as little touching as possible. If I touch it, I mess it up. I am still learning this lesson cos I WANT TO TOUCH IT so badly! It's hard in winter cos it takes about 2-3 hours to dry... I can't wait for summer!

I hope this helps for your hair too.

Thanks! And it's a revelation to me too, I always thought I had straight hair. Good luck with the CG method, it's great and much easier than straightening!

I would be surprised if I get anywhere near the type of curl you do but perhaps it will give me more even waves. :).. I will have to try this out but I may also wait for slightly better weather.. since my hair takes about 5 hours to dry normally....

[soni92]

Wow that's awesome, love love your hair!!!

[Lianna]

I'd be so happy if I had your "bad hair day"!! :)

[einna]

That is just amazing! your curls are just amazing. I want to have those curls! =)

[Dina L.]

Kanzer: your progress is great and your curls are beautiful! :)

Still have a question: what is CG method?... :doh:

[kanzer]

Thanks again everyone!

Dina L - CG is Curly Girl, have a look here (http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair) or here (http://www.ehow.com/how_4619919_curly-girl-hair-care-method.html). Basically you wash your hair with conditioner only, leave most of it in, scrunch a bit, coat your wet hair with gel and scrunch it a bit more before letting it dry naturally. It works really well! :)

[fairystar32]

beautiful xxx

[Dina L.]

Dina L - CG is Curly Girl, have a look here (http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair) or here (http://www.ehow.com/how_4619919_curly-girl-hair-care-method.html). Basically you wash your hair with conditioner only, leave most of it in, scrunch a bit, coat your wet hair with gel and scrunch it a bit more before letting it dry naturally. It works really well! :)
Thank you very much! :bowtome:
I bookmarked it. After trying out some new oiling methods for the length, this will be my next adventure! :deal: