Feeling down about my hair :(

[goldenbrunette]

Hey everyone.

I dunno, I just feel downright rubbish about the way my hair looks. I am getting so bored with the colour, especially as my hair is taking so long to grow and all around me beautiful girls get their hair dyed and it looks gorgeous. I'm just bored of my natural colour and even though I tell myself that at least its better for the hair to leave it alone, it doesn't look like the hair on here. Does anyone know any reasonably priced products for shine and softness? Please give some tips thanks

[goldenbrunette]

I feel stupid rereading this. How vain a person must I be to let something like hair get me dowb, at least i have it!

[Riot Crrl]

Well the cheapest products I know for softness and shine are oil and vinegar.

Doing stuff like oiling and vinegar rinses and moisture treatments might help you feel better about it and more like you are "doing something to it."

[Loviatar]

I'd say you can't do better than SMT - Snowymoon's Moisture treatment.

I use 1 part aloe vera gel, 1 part honey, and 2 parts conditioner (I like to use VO5) mixed and warmed in the microwave, then leave it on for as long as you like. I try to leave mine for an hour but even after 20 minutes my hair is happier.

Coconut oil overnight makes me feel like I'm helping my hair, too. HTH

[girlcat36]

Patience...patience...patience.... I know.

My hair was horrible when I started here. I was really depressed about, and then also sometimes felt stupid, because at least I still had SOME hair left, and I should be grateful. I got a lot of good info here and tried a lot of different things, some worked some didn't. It's hard to see how easily some people can grow such beautiful hair when we struggle so much with ours, but we have to learn to make the most of what we do have.

[goldenbrunette]

thankyou i am going to coconut oil it now before i go to bed and will hopefully feel better when i wash it in themorning.

those are wise words girlcat
goodnight all x

[Katurday]

If you wish to change the color, then might I suggest collecting shed hairs and doing henna experiments on them?
You could also try henndigo.
Many people here are just as unpleased as you about the whole natural haircolor deal, so they henna.
It greatly improves shine and softness too.

(But remember, its permanent so like I said, shed hair testing first and use the two week rule!)

[crebbsgirl]

Oh I hear ya on the getting down about your hair. I'm researching Henna right now! Coconut oil seems to be helping me though. And I've heard good things about Camellia oil, I think I will try that next.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=456

[DecafJane]

I feel stupid rereading this. How vain a person must I be to let something like hair get me dowb, at least i have it!

Wow. I hope that you can feel better about yourself soon! We all feel bad about our hair from time to time. There are some great suggestions here for making your hair feel better, but I hope you can also be kinder to yourself in future. We're all hair-obsessed here - we understand. ;)

[spidermom]

It's hard to comment on your hair and what might help when I know nothing about your hair. I looked at your profile, but there's nothing there.

[Blueglass]

Cassia is less drastic then henna so, maybe that can help increase shine, with color change except on very light hair.

[SHELIAANN1969]

I bet your hair is fine, show us a pic and I am sure it isn't complete " rubbish "

If we can take a look and give advice on what we can see, I am sure it won't be as bad as it seems right now. :)

[Sceleste]

There's nothing wrong with changing your hair color. Many of us dye our hair: some with box dyes, some with henna.

I truly hate my natural hair color. I used to dye with chemical color but dyeing (and poor hair care) made my hair brittle, dry and breaking. I stopped dyeing and let my hair grow natural for about a year. I disliked myself every day when I looked in the mirror. I did enjoy seeing my hair grow longer and longer but still wasn't happy because of the mousy brown color. So I started using henna and have been a hennahead ever since. I feel happier about my hair than never before.

Whatever you decide to do with your hair - henna, highlights, permanent box dye - think about it for a while. Use the 2 week rule and don't do anything hasty. And strand test first!

[amaiaisabella]

If you want to change your color, of course you can do so, just take more precautions than necessary to protect it. Many members color their hair, and it's some of the most beautiful I've seen :)

If you're growing out your natural color due to a previous experience, and are not opposed to chemicals, you could try a clear shine treatment. You can buy one, though I haven't heard the greatest things about them, or you could do one in a salon. They perk up your color but don't change it. It might make you feel better about your progress :)

[GlennaGirl]

I don't like my natural haircolor, either. I'm pale but not too pale, my eyes are pale but not too pale, and my hair is pale but not too pale...so I look very washed-out au naturale. (Is that how you spell that? Is there an "e"?) I henndigoed for a while and my hair was very dark. Now I use just henna (you can see that part on the top and streaking through to the ends) and it just gives me a little "boost".

As others have said, henna is permanent, so I'm not necessarily saying you should do that. But if you want a color boost/change, there's nothing so wrong with that.

[Kirin]

There is nothing as a person that sums up our feelings of self satisfaction like our hair. (I was going to say women, but I realize as my husband grows out his hair, and ahhhhhhhs! at it daily, we are NOT alone LOL). "Crowning Glory" and other titles aren't lying, there is some sensual, intimate personal satisfaction from our hair, how we choose to style it, what its condition is.

Its why women cry often in hair salons, ever notice this? I myself have cried my eyes out at many hair disasters and felt "ashamed" walking around with some disaster or another visibly obvious. Its part of our identity.

There is nothing petty or shallow about feeling depressed or upset about your own hair. Its important to -you- and is uniquely tied to your identity as a human being and individual.

Make -good- choices about your hair. If you decide to color, or what-have-you, make sure that decision is sound, instead of fumbling through a long trek of disasters. Ultimately, YOU need to be satisfied, not us.

[wintersun99]

Wise words, Kirin

[FrannyG]

I would love to give you some tips, but you don't have any information about your hair type or length available, so I'm afraid I can't be of any help.

Would you please fill out your profile?

[spidermom]

I would love to give you some tips, but you don't have any information about your hair type or length available, so I'm afraid I can't be of any help.

Would you please fill out your profile?

Yes; please do!

[thankyousir74]

I'd say you can't do better than SMT - Snowymoon's Moisture treatment.

I use 1 part aloe vera gel, 1 part honey, and 2 parts conditioner (I like to use VO5) mixed and warmed in the microwave, then leave it on for as long as you like. I try to leave mine for an hour but even after 20 minutes my hair is happier.

Coconut oil overnight makes me feel like I'm helping my hair, too. HTH

Does the aloe vera gel have any other ingredients besides aloe vera? maybe its an odd question, but it wouldn't have cones in it would it? (pardon the noobishness) and would you get that anywhere, like any grocery store or drug store? :shrug:

[spidermom]

Does the aloe vera gel have any other ingredients besides aloe vera? maybe its an odd question, but it wouldn't have cones in it would it? (pardon the noobishness) and would you get that anywhere, like any grocery store or drug store? :shrug:

I find mine at Rite Aid with the skin lotions. Buy the clear kind sold for skin care, not the green kind sold for sunburn relief. You can find it at health food stores/departments as well. One popular brand is Fruit of the Earth. Mine is the Rite Aid in-store brand.