Makeover time?

[hoopster]

I've been growing my hair out and excitedly checking in with LHC for a few months now but lately I keep seeing pictures of myself and thinking "yuck". Something needs to change. I henna'd a few times over the summer and I loved it at the time but then I realized that the reddish tones look pretty horrible with my wintery coloring. Its also just an awkward length, not quite to APL, and really flat. I just feel like I need to change it...I wanna feel pretty.

Should I just hunker down and braid it every day and try not to think about it? Should I dye it? CAN I even dye it at this point? I just need advice. How do you guys and gals deal with the urge to change it up?

:confused:
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[katienoonan]

I was in your position a month or so ago... My last cut was a year ago and my hair has grown 4inches (probably more, but bleach damage is breaking off and hampering progress)

So last month i made the choice of getting a shampoop in Dye.

http://images.mysupermarket.co.uk/ProductsDetailed/86/212086.jpg

It lasts for 8washes (or longer, depending on your hair). I had a lot of old coppery tones from reddish henna/permanent dye. I didn't want to henna again so this shampoo in colour gave me all the evenness of a salon-colour without any damage or permanence. It was only £3 in the UK too!

I also bought some clip-in hair expensions. This is a contraversial choice on this website, and although I can't feel or see any damage yet I did accept that there may be some that i'm not aware of yet. I do not regret a thing.

Here are some pictures :-)

This picture is from 2008 but best shows how my hair was about a month ago.. Imagine this mix of colur and damage but about 2inches shorter with wierd damage-layers.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7345&pictureid=110459

This was about 5months ago.. Again, not in great shape and the colours are just a big mix of coppery wierdness...

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7345&pictureid=110466



Here is my hair after my brown Shampoo-in Dye... sorry about the picture quality

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7345&pictureid=120507


And here is the dye after 5washes and with my extensions in... The colour is still really even and has toned down the overly-warm residue from my old dyed red.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7345&pictureid=120506



Just so you know, i'm not trying to endorse any of this.. I just want you to know that there are ways of drastically changing your hair without drastically damaging it. :)

[beccababesx]

For me, I put it up and tried not to think about it. You can try pretty styles, like rope braids, side buns, topknots, add pretty accessories like hairbands, clips or flowers, or no-heat curling/straightening styles like wrapping or rag curls.
APL was a very awkward length for me, but you'll be out of the woods very soon, so if I were you I'd grin and bear it until it got to a length you like better, and then if you still hate the colour you can do something about it.
If the colour really bothers you, maybe try vegetable demi-permanent hair dyes to see what you like better, to minimise damage.
Hope that helps!

[RapunzelKat]

That awkward length is frustrating! I remember I well from when I was growing mine out. I was able to wear mine half up or in a French braid. My best advice would be to hang in there - it will pass and there will suddenly be a LOT more you can do with your hair :)

I don't know much about getting dye out, but I have heard color oops mentioned in a few other posts. I'm not sure if it works with henna, but it might be worth looking into.

[jesis]

Get a trim, or go to the salon and get it styled. Or maybe buy some new make up. I know a new tube of mascara makes my eyes pop!

Try new hair masks, they might make your hair stand out a little more.

Believe me, I feel this way every so often and all I usually need is a little pick me up.

[hoopster]

thanks for the advice :)

katienoonan: you're hair looks so cute! i might try the 8 wash dye...i kind of want to darken my hair.

beccababesx: I had forgotten about rag curls! my friend with long hair does so many cute no-heat styles, I just haven't experimented enough. I'm pretty unskilled in the braid department. I can ALMOST do a french braid on myself.

rapunzelkat: I know, I know...but gah! Awkward phases. I'm just afraid I'm one of those people who doesn't look good with long hair. But I want some goddessy long braids, all the same.

Jesis: Good advice. I think I'm going to do a little spa-day. I just am having a week where I don't feel very pretty.. it happens.. :/

[FullMoonTrim]

Lets see:)
To make the color look better with your skin tone, find a good blush that helps the color look better. If you need to, you could maybe do a rinse that's not red or something like that.

You could take biotin (5 mg) to make it grow faster.
I would do fun styles with twists clips, or make a tiny updo, or just add a flower!
Maybe if you posted a few pictures we could come up with more ideas for you.