4 year anniversary!

[Evie]

I couldn't believe it today when I noticed in my profile I joined here in April of 2007! I have been part of this lovely community for 4 whole years, which I cannot believe :).....sadly I have not just grown my hair in that time, so I don't have 4 years of growth to show you, but it has been interesting....

So, this is where it all started, probably shoulder length, and damaged from a horrendous bleaching hairdresser incident, then treated with some henna and indigo.....

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/siggypic.jpg

I stayed like this for a while, varying henna and indigo to get reds, and then to go very dark....

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/2007_0916YvetteMalverns0086forsig.jpghttp://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/2007_0916YvetteMalverns0085forsig.jpghttp://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/2007_0828FranceBankHol070113.forsig.jpg

However, my personal life was in turmoil a bit. When I joined here, I was married and a lawyer, now I am divorced and a PhD student in the natural sciences....;) I did the classic thing upon getting divorced, and chopped off my hair, into this......which although I liked it, I regretted, and have been growing out since (this was Christmas in 2009)

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/recentlength.jpg

I also had to get my head round whether I wanted to be my natural blonde (yes, honest, here's proof)

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/blonde04.jpg

or being dark -

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/cinnebun.jpg

I had a tendancy to chop and change, as I had such low self confidence coming out of the marriage that I always thought the other shade looked better and trying to go back and forth (even tried bleaching henndigo and causing MORE damage) has not helped.....However, here it is today, I realised dark hair looked MUCH better on me, and so am sticking with it, as gently as I can.....I have maybe 1" of damage on the ends that I plan to cut at Christmas, and hope to reach mid back/waist next year, with healthier, dark and shiny hair

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/evie_066/IMG_0863-1-1.jpg

and if you read all that, thank you! I have loved being part of LHC, and look forward to the next 4 years......

[Dina L.]

Considering the chops you had a great growth and I can't really see any damage on this last picture. I also liked your first color, too!
And I'm glad you're life is getting better, too! :flower:

[ericthegreat]

Congratulations on your four year anniversary! I love seeing all the different shades of colors you have gone thro over the years.

[Evie]

Thank you! Yes, it is a much better stage in my life....there is some damage, but I am hiding it (cones help so much with this!) until it can be removed :)

Eric, it has been many colours over the years, you're right! I must say I am glad I've settled down now, and recognised that I don't need to keep changing to look good, I found that I always wanted fast changes and lacked patience, I thought I'd look better with x-coloured hair, and so had to make the change now! This caused a lot of problems! I turned 30 a year ago, and feel much more sure now of what suits me, and what works best, so finally feel comfortable in my own skin and my hair!

[Carriegirl]

Congratulations! This was a fun post to read and view! I'm sorry about all the difficulties you went through, but glad you're in a great place now. Your hair looks really good and I love the darker colors on you!

[Evie]

Thank you Carriegirl! Sometimes I look back on the last few years and wonder how the h*** i got where I am now! I wish I hadn't messed around with the colour so much, and done so much damage, but still, I have learnt my lesson!

The next thing I think I will go back to is using something similar to CV bars and ACV rinses, it did so much good last time, I can't think why I stopped.....;)

[PixxieStix]

What an incredible story, thank you for sharing an overview of your journey with this community over the past four years. It's very inspiring for a newbie like myself to see someone who is still here after that long and sharing your hair journey with us.

I'm glad you've found your "happy place", with your life and your gorgeous hair!

[PixxieStix]

What an incredible story, thank you for sharing an overview of your journey with this community over the past four years. It's very inspiring for a newbie like myself to see someone who is still here after that long and sharing your hair journey with us.

I'm glad you've found your "happy place", with your life and your gorgeous hair!

[PixxieStix]

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry for the double post! *blushes* That's embarrassing.

[Night_Kitten]

Happy 4th hairniversary! :D
The henndigo color definitely fits you very well, and your hair in the last pic is very healthy and shiny :)
And considering you cut it so short less than 2 years ago, that's some awsome growth too!

P.S.
I love Lord Nom, so cute!!!

[Evie]

Thanks - Pixxiestix I'm so glad this could help someone. I have always felt my hair is a bit of a let down after 4 years here given others lustrous manes, but it WILL get there.

Night kitten, I loved henndigo too. I was finding it got a bit purple though, so am carefully using chemical dye for a bit, but might go back someday as the shine was so good :)

[theodora]

That's some really impressive growth, and your hair does look really healthy, even if you say it has some damage, it is hard to tell!
I can relate to changing hair all the time relating to things happening in your life, just like other modifications in one's appearance (I had a phase with piercings in my teens whenever I went through something hard). It is good to see you feel good about yourself now and accept yourself. That's very inspiring!

Also, good luck with your PhD! I'm currently trying to finish writing mine (with a deadline in beginning October) and it's a really lonely and trying time, but hey, the end product should be worth it!

[Kosmos]

I tend to go through a lot of drastic changes when I go through turmoil too. Hopefully we can stick together and get the hair we want. :)

[Lostsoule77]

I think your hair looks really gorgeous! I thought the shine was from the henndigo. Being that it's from chemical dye that makes it even more impressive. It's a shame what we do to ourselves when we are in turmoil. I am happy for you that you are in a good place now and feeling peaceful in your own skin. Good luck in your hair growth goals. It takes patience, but you can get there if you really want. :)

[Fufu]

Happy 4 year hair anniversary :)

[Sookie]

Happy 4 year anniversary!!!!!!! :) I like your hair and i believe your look better with dark hair..it matches more to your skintone! I wish you now and on happy growing...don't chop your hair again :p :D

[Evie]

:flower: thanks everyone! It is strange how the dark colour works more for me. I have been debating going back to henndigo, but at least chemical dye CAN be removed whilst I know to my hair's cost indigo can't!

At least I'm not planning any radical changes for a bit.... :cloud9:

[paper]

Happy 4 year anniversary!!! :flowers:

Your dark hair is shiny and very pretty! Good luck growing!

[pixi_stix]

Happy 4th anniversary

Your hair looks great. The dark colour looks amazing

[pepperminttea]

Happy LHCiversary! I love all the different shades on you. :)

[Evie]

It is good to see other people like the dark shade too :cloud9:

pepperminttea I'll admit all the different shades have been fun, but I do regret the cost of trying to lighten henndigo, never again! There is something in that mix of bleach and indigo that not only goes grey/green (pretty, NOT :rolleyes:) but that seems to trash my hair completely....that is this 1" or so of damaged velcro ends that are the bane of my life! I am following Nightshade's advice on damaged hair (one of the articles in her siggy) and that is helping loads, and I'm planning on making some of Fox's Shea butter conditoining cream (I might add some other oils and honey to this like Nightshade says she does) to see if that helps for a bit!