This is my first online hair journal. My ultimate goal is classic. I have always loved long hair. I thought for a while there I could not have it. I had friends who always had long hair, but mine never seemed to grow. However, I have learned a few things and am now well on my way.

I kept records of my growth since I started growing my hair out:

2006 Hair Length Measurements:
October '06
- 19

November '06
- 19.5"

December '06
- 20"

2007 Hair Length Measurements:
January '07
- 20.5"

February '07
- 21.5"
- trimmed back to 20.5"

March '07
- 20.5"

April '07
- 21"

May '07
- 21"

June '07
- 21"

July '07
- 22"

August '07
- 22.5"

September '07
- 23"

October '07
- 23.75"

November '07
-24"

December '07
- 24"

2008 Hair Length Measurements:
January '08
- 24.5"
- Trimmed to 24"

February '08
- 24.125"

March '08
- 24.5"

April '08
- 25"
- Trimmed to 24"

May '08
- 24.5"

June '08
- 24"

July '08
- 24"

August '08
- 24.5"

September '08
- 24.5"
- Trimmed to 22"

October '08
- 22
- Trimmed to 21"

November '08
- 21"

December '08
- 21.25

2009 Hair Length Measurements:
January '09
- 21.5

February '09
- 21.75

March '09
- 22
- Trimmed to 21

April '09
- 22

May '09
- 22.5
- Trimmed to 22

June '09
- 22

July '09
- 22.25

August '09
- 22.5
- Trimmed to 21

September '09
- 21
- Trimmed to 17

October '09
- 17.5

November '09
- 18

December '09
- 18.25

2010 Hair Length Measurements:
January '10
- 18.5
- Trimmed to 18

February '10
- 19

March '10
- 20

April '10
- 19.5 - Curly
- 21 - Stretched

Welcome to the world of hair blogging, Brunette85.  :)

It looks like your hair grows a bit faster than mine, so you'll probably catch up to me fairly soon! Best of luck on your journey to classic.

Congratulations on starting a journal! I look forward to reading your hair adventures in the future. :)

Welcome to the world of hair blogging!  A word of warning.. if you happen to become addicted.. well, you'll be just like the rest of us!  Mwahahaha!  :D

Hair journals are a great place to record your progress towards your hair goals and keep track of products and styles that work or don't work.  And..... if a few off topic posts show up - don't worry - we don't police for staying on topic!  ;D

to cut or not to cut; that is the question.

i have been contemplating a new experiment. i usually get my hair trimmed 1-2 times a year. however, i know that sets me back at least a 1/2 in everytime. i have an apponment in january for a trim. i think after that i may decide to execute my plan and not cut my hair for a year. just to see what it does.

does anyone have any tips for keeping hair healthy while not trimming?
what are your experiences with this?

i will still think about it until then and after i get my trim i will let you know my decision.

brunette85

I think it's a good plan! A couple of things I would suggest would be wearing your hair up most of the time, and doing S&D missions... which is where you take sharp scissors, preferrably ones used only for hair... and trim off any split ends you see. you only need to trim maybe 1/8th of an inch above the split, if that, and only the split hairs. other than that, just care for your  hair like you usually would. HTH!

k.

I have a trim very seldom - 12 - 18 months apart.  Between times, I "dust" my hair, another term for this is "S&D" (search and destroy).  This involves trimming just the damaged ends from the hair so that the damage does not travel up the hair and/or cause more damage by encouraging tangles and knots.

It will also be important to keep the hair in good condition - regualr conditioning and oiling will help keep the hair moisturized which keeps it pliable and less prone to breaking.

Just remember - all the damage is not at the bottom of the length of your hair - it is at the end of the hair, which can be at any length - so don't forget to look for split and damaged ends all over your hair.

Good luck!

hi all,

i must be entering a new stage of my hair growth journey. lately i have noticed my ends are curling ringlets just at the ends though. my mothers hair does this. so i guess she is being portrayed through my hair. thats one way to live on through someone else...lol.

i know its a little early but i just measured my hair and it grew. i am now officially 24" 1 inch from BSL. then onto waist.  i havnt had the money or the time to buy my normal jojoba oil for my hair. good thing i still have some left from the last time i bought some.

last year i ended up having to wash and oil twice a week because  my hair was so dry due to the weather. im watching my hair and seeing what it does as the months progress. im hoping to not have to do more oiling than neccessary. i will if i have to though. theres nothing wrong with it. i wouold just prefere to do it once a week. less to worry about you know?

well i just thought id share this with you since it is my hair journal :) i cant belive how much progress ive made since i started growing!! long hair in the making what a beautiful thing! :)

Congrats on your growth, Brunette85!  :)

today i decided i needed to buy more jojoba hot oil treatments for my hair so i went to sally beauty supply. when i got there i went over toward the hot oils and started looking. i noticed that they do not carry any of the natural jojoba oils anymore. i was looking at all the things on the shelves around and noticed they had deep conditioning treatments. this is something that i have been wanting to do  for a while, i just havnt had the time...

so i started looking at the different ones they had and i noticed they had one that catered to my hair needs.:) so i looked a the price and it was $4.39 but with the sallys card it was $3.89. however this week it was on sale for$2.61 including tax! i had to get it i couldnt beat that price!:o

its called Silk Elements Mega Cholesteral Conditioning Treatment. has anyone used this before? did you like it or would you recomend another?  well im going to go try it and see how it works. ill keep you posted...

Never tried it myself,but keep us posted and let us know what you think!

well as i said i would keep you all posted....


all i can say is my hair feels amazing. i did my normal washing routine. then i put the deep conditioning throughout my hair including my scalp. then i put my shower cap over it and let it sit in for a hour. then i rinsed it out and used my regular conditioner and rinsed that out. i let my hair air dry. my results were shine and the feeling of silk.


this was only my first time using it so my hair is not used to it yet. i figure i will use the entire container. once a week i will use it when i wash my hair and hot oil it and make a definate decison after that if i will continue use or try another. so far though i like it. :)

as you have previously read i tried out a new deep conditioner and it was fabulous. well this morning when i woke up i was expecting the silky feeling to have faded from my hair against my pillows, but alas it feels GREAT! i think i really like this stuff. my ends feel amazing. well i gtg homework awaits...

for the past couple of days ive been trying the S&D method. but i wonder if that just causes the hair to split anyway. could just be my scissors t hough. i used my deep conditioner again and my hair felt so airy and light. i think when im done with this container, if everything goes well, i will buy the large one next time.

does anyone ever fell like thier hair seems shorter on some days?
i look in the mirror some days and think wow my hair is getting long. and other days i look and my hair seems shorter. i know that my hair looks long, but most of the time it feels short. haha, probably just me wanting to be longer and hoping it willhappen over night. :)

are there any oils or anything that i could use in my hair to make it smell pretty that isnt harmful?

happy growing....:)

Some days my hair looks several inches shorter which I find very annoying.  Comes with curly hair territory I guess, but it still bugs me.

To scent your hair, try rosewater.  You can find it at the health food store, and it comes in a convenient spray bottle.  I use it on my skin and hair-its great for reviving curls.  Just spray it on and scrunch!  I've tried mixing essential oils into a carrier oil and scrunching that into my damp hair, but it never smells very good to me.  I swear by rosewater!

i have thick dry hair. and today my hair feels greasy. however i am not used to (before i found these sites) having soft shiny hair. im worried that i may not be able to tell the difference. i asked a few people if any nd they said it did not look greasy, but i dont know if they just said that because they are my friends and did not want to hurt my feelings. if anyone has experienced this i would appreciate any suggestions.

has anyone come across this situation?
what did you do to get used to it or to change it?
could you tell the difference between grasey hair or shiny hair when always having dry hair?

One way to tell the difference, at least in my experience, is.. if the hair looks almost damp, or is sticking together in thin strands or clumps, its most likely greasy. if it's soft to the touch, but doesn't feel icky(not very descriptive, but it's the best word I could come up with), and it isn't sticking together, it's most likely just soft and shiny.

I hope that helps a little.

bad hair need help.....

for the past couple of weeks my hair has been staticky. i tried oil and dryer sheets (which made it worse for me). i tried putting my hair up, leaving it down, using more conditioner and i just dont know what to do. it has never done this before. not to mention wheni put it up parts of mt hair fall down and it makes it look unkept. does anyone have any advice or suggestions?

I suggest some deep conditioning.  Most of all, DRINK MORE WATER!  Also, sleeping with a humidifier should be a big help.  Sorry your hair is being bad.  I hope you find a solution soon!

A verrry light coating of hand lotion (preferably oil-free) in problem areas has helped me before.

today was my wash day. last night i put an ample amount of oil on my ends for an overnighter, and my static dissapeared. i may have to modify how much i oil my hair. i tried something new instead of using just jojoba oil i used jinseng oil as well. i dont know how my hair will react but thats the point of an experiment right?my hair is almost completely dry now. tomorrow i will be able to tell if my hair likes this change. well thats it for my hair. off to get Kasey to bed.

oh and thanks everyone for your opinions and suggestions. you guys are great! happy growing.  :)

Quote:

i dont know how my hair will react but thats the point of an experiment right?

Yes it is.   :)  Keep experimenting!

well it has been a few week since i have written anything. this was due to the end of semester finals. finally, yesterday was the last day.  so now i have a break for about 5 weeks.

i have an appointment in three weeks for a trim. i noticed my ends are in desperate need for it. and like i said i will try to not cut my hair at all for an entire year. but if i need one sooner like 6 months then i will know i can only go so many months.

i would also like to incorperate more oils into my hair routine. the problem is finding them. now that i have some free time i want to also start my yogalates again. this will also help with the lower back pain ive been having.

all in all im pretty happy with my hair thus far. hopefully by january 1st i should be at my first goal, BSL.

i was thinking about why i didnt have any growth this month. other than its in a resting stage, i realized that i hadn't been doing my scalp massages. the last month of school was very demanding for me. i think i got all caught up and forgot about my hair in some ways. so i have started my trend again hoping this will make a difference.

what are your experiences with scalp massages?

Scalp massages are something I'm also interested in.  Usually, on the days I don't shampoo my hair I just rinse it with warm water and massage my scalp.  I just rub it with my fingertips.  But I want to try doing scalp massages on dry hair on a daily basis...I'll let you know how it goes! ::)

Scalp massages...I used to do them almost every morning. Tangles my hair up like mad. Next year, I plan to do them every night for 6 months to see if they have any effect on my growth (although my guess is that they probably won't).

What I like about them is that it's a good excuse to relax...light a few candles, put on a Beethoven CD or something and fantasize about your hair being long, flowing and gorgeous. What I don't like is how my arms get tired after awhile and having to work through the tangles afterwards.

this weather is doing a number on my hair. i have soo many slpits now, goodthingi am hvaing a trim in a couple of weeks.

ive been tryingt o do some updos but i find that even though i may like the back i am not to happy with how the front looks. i guess it just takes practice.

oh yes, i was wondering, is there a difference between pure jojoba oil and organic jojoba oil?

brunette85 wrote on Dec 20^th, 2007 at 1:03pm:

oh yes, i was wondering, is there a difference between pure jojoba oil and organic jojoba oil?

I would interpret "pure jojoba oil" to be oil that has no other ingredients but jojoba oil.  

"Organic jojoba oil" would mean the plant was grown without herbicides or pesticides.  Organic probably has no other ingredients, but I would check the labeling to make sure.

thanks, i didnt even think to look at the ingredients. i also think that what you said the diferences are, are true. only because i took an environmental science class at the college.

thanks for eveyones help and opinions thus far. you are all amazing! :)

well, i normally wait until saturday to wash my hair, but since we have had lots of snow fall i have been outside shoveling and wearing a hat. this had made my hair really greasy and oily and just plain gross. so i got in the shower and let the cold water run down my hair. i did not use any conditioner just water. my scalp felt soo much better.

when i got out i was looking in my bathroom closet and went to put some jojoba oil in and decided for fun to see what would happen if i put vanilla in my hair as well. i know that it smells good, but i dont know if it will have any effect on my hair.

does anyone have any experience with vanilla?

i had posted before about hair seeming shorter than it is. well at the begining of the month my hair was at 24" no growth since last month and i decided today i would messure to see if it was any closer to 25" and everytime i messured it said 23". maybe im not messuring right. i dont know what to do. its funny though, it seems to look longer than what it is messuring. Any ideas?

The most accurate way to measure is to start from the middle hairline on the forehead and measure to the very end of the longest part of your hair in the back.

I would also recommend having someone doing the measuring for you because if you do it yourself the measurement might not always be as accurate.

Jerry

well, i hope everyone enjoyed thier christmas, i sure did! my son kasey had a ball opening up the presents and playing with the wrapping paper lol. i got some money so i can go shopping for clothes. thank god all my clothes are either too small, from having kasey, or falling apart, too old.

i have started exercising again, louise solomon's yogalates. this is a great program and i love yoga. i have been wanting to do bellydancing. ive always loved how beautiful it looks. does anyone know where i can find GOOD DVD's?

i think my hair has grown, but i cant be sure. it looks longer but i havnt measured. i wont until the first. then on the 5th i wil have a slight trim no more than a 1/2 inch if that. then  i will measure again.

i cant believe it my son will be 2 on the 2nd. hes so big. time goes by fast.

as i said i started exercising and well it snowed here yesterday about 4 inches. so i eneded up shoveling and i guess with the yogalates and the shoveling it made me extememly tired cause i slept until 11 a.m.

well since ive started this i would also like to change the way i eat. there are many foods out there that i like but i know i should limit or cut out all together. i was hoping to do a sort of vegetable fruit diet. right now in the mornings i drink carnation instant breakfast. and that seems to be working as far as keeping me from eating whatg should be for breakfast lol. anyway i was just wondering if anyone knew where i could find recipies on fruit dishes and dinners made with vegatables?

now im looking to lose about 40 lbs. this may be  alot but i want to accomplish this once lb at a time. just like woth my hair one inch at a time. i think im also going to start going on a daly walk. i dont know how much this will help, but i do know that walkign is good for you and can help lower blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease.

so if anyone can help me in any way i would greatly appreciate it thanks :)

Walking is a great way to lose weight, gain endurance, lift your mood and keep your heart & lungs healthy. But there are a few provisions...

Number 1 is that you must be walking for at least 15 minutes at a brisk pace at least 3 times a week. Just meandering around the mall or up and down the block isn't going to help.

Number 2 is that the air you're breathing must be reasonably clean to help, rather than harm, your lungs. If you live in a major city, industrial area or ghetto, you are better off staying indoors on a treadmill because air quality in these areas is not the greatest.

Number 3 is that you must constantly challenge and push yourself. When your normal walk becomes too easy, walk faster, take a different route (preferably one with hills) or carry small weights or water bottles in your hands. If you keep walking at the same rate all the time, you will maintain your current weight and not lose any.

Number 4 is stay safe and be careful! A lot of crazy things can happen out there, so use common sense. Look both ways before crossing a street, use crosswalks properly, obey signs and signals, remember that people in cars might not always see you and you might not always see them, etc. Basically all of the safety precautions that you learned as a child.

This is something that I know a little bit about because I power walk about 10 months out of the year. 40 minute treks, every other night. I have found it quite effective.  :)

thank you AngelSpun i will keep all you have said in mind. i used to walk alot before i had my son and have gotten out of the habbit. and when its winter out like this i tend to not want to do it even more. i do want to get in shape more than i want to not go for a walk so this goal for me is something i will work very hard to accomplish.

i did more yogalates today. boy i feel great and tired all at hte same time. i know it going to take at leat 2 to 3 weeks before i see any change but it will be worth it. i have this crazy habbit where i work out for 3 months and then for some reason i stop. so this time when i reach that point. i will stop and remember why i am doing this. and hopefully i will continue and be rewared.

yesterday was a wash day. it felt so great. i decided to incorperate my oils when in the shower. my hair loves it and i feel its extra protection.

tonight im cooking hamburger helper for my son. somehting he likes, yippee :) it just so happens that his 2nd birthday is on the 2nd. hes gettng so big. hes having a party and everything. well gtg.

Happy New Year EverBody!! :) My son's Birthday is tomorrow, he'll be 2!

well it turns out that i only gained a 1/2 in of growth this month so i have set my counter for another month.

Happy birthday to your son, Brunette!

and don't worry, 1/2" is the average growth rate, so you're still doing okay. :)

Hi all,

Just wanted to say how much I enjoy this site and all it has to offer :)

today i went to the salon and got a 1/2 inch trim. she also evened up the ends a bit so now my hair is closer to one length. my hair is now back at 24", but it looks and feels great.  i will also reset my timer. i also got my eyebrows waxed. i like them. my eyes look more open and awake. i also went to wal-mart and picked up some make-up and exercise pants.

as i have said i had a trim on the 5th so now my plan is to not cut for a year. i will see where my ends are at in 6 months. i dont think i will grow to waist this year but im hoping to get to at leat 28".

Hair:
well, it has definately been a while. i havnt had much to report so that explains it. lol. now, however i do. i have read about how other people have had problems with shedding. well i am at that point. but i dont think of it as a problem. hair grows in cycles and one of the stages is your "old" hair gets pushed out by the "new" hair so when you think you are losing hair in a way you are but you are also gaining new growth. so i take comfort in the fact that this shedding is just a phase my hair has to grow through so i continue to enjoy it at every stage and length.

Other:
in other news i have started a new semester at college. i am very excited but i know i have a challenge ahead of me. i am taking 5 classes. 4 is considered full-time. so far everything is going good except for one class. we have online quizzes for our assigned chapters. i took the quizz and sent it everything was fine. when i go to check my email i have a email telling me that my instructors email does not exist. so it ook it again and sent it again getting the same result. i know that the email was correct becaue i checked it 5 times to make sure there were no errors. this is not a good start to the semester. i emailed my professor and hopefully we can get this resolved. other than that everything is great.

Hair:
i have decided to do my deep conditioning treatments once a month. i was to see how my hair will react. also just a bit of growth.

Other:
i have started college again. i am taking a full load, 4 classes. ill be very busy but i think i can handle it. i am keeping on top of my work so i do not fall behind. i got a 100 on my math quiz and the HW. next wednesday we have a test, im sure ill do well. my other classes are great. all of them are in differnt areas so i get to be well rounded lol.

Hair:
its been over a year since my new growth stared its way down my head. i have decided to measure its growth as well as the rest of my hair. my new growth is different lengths so i chose the shortest length to measure, this way when i reach a certain length i can trim the hemline to be blunt without worrying about shorter peices.

my new growth measures-in at 8" given this measurement it has been growing 1" per month. if it keeps growing a this rate then it will be at 37" within 2 1/2-3 years. if it grows at a 1/2" per month it will be at 37" within 5 years. major difference in years. i hope i did the math right.

i think this will help me focus on getting my hair all one length. that is a goal i am working towards. hopfully i can make it. im hoping once i hit 37" with my length i can keep it there till the rest catches up and then even out the ends.

i may post in the monthy measure-ins what both my lengths are. im not sure yet as i dont want to confuse anyone. we'll see:)

in other hair news:
i did not use my deep conditioner and i noticed my hair isnt as soft anymore and looks a little less "maintained". however, the static has disappeared. i may decide to re-think my plan: instead of waiting a month, i may change what i use and do the weekly treatments. hopfully i can find something that works like the one i have but does not create static.

8" in a year? Wow. I only get 4. Congrats!  :)

thanks Angel Spun

i know amazing! i think it may have to do with the way i treat my hair now. since i have been here my hair has changed dramatically in its look and feel. i think now that i have a routine and understand more about my hair it gives me confidence and shows up  in my hair. or maybe it just cant stand to be so short and wants to catch up with the rest, lol.

Hiar:
Well, I broke down and used my deep conditioning treatment. My hair was getting too dry and looked a bit unhealthy. The static did return, however, I found some conditoning spray in the back of my bathroom closet. I just misted the area with static and it helped. :)

Other:
It's vacation week, but I am still going in on wednesday for math tutoring. My math tutor is soo cute. I'll get help from him anytime. ;)

Hair:
Today was my was day. My hair is still drying. It should be completely dry in an hour or two. I have been contemplating how I want to wear my hair as it gets longer. I am naturally curly and I have been noticing how my curls look as my hair gains length. My curls are not so poofy and have weight to them. I am starting to like how they look. However, since my new growth is still faily short, i am going to wait until my shortest layers are BSL or waist. I havnt decided which one yet. Then I will wear it curly and see how I like it. Until then I will wear it striaght.

Hair:
Today I was looking at my hair in the mirror and realized the ends were a little below the bottom of my brastrap. It's a thick strap too. The last time i knew my ends were just touching the top. So this means I have reached my first mini goal of BSL and I reached it last month. lol. Therefore, my goals have changes my an inch. So now I am on my way to Waist. I am so excited. Patience pays off.

Congratulations 8-)


Like the saying goes:  Good things come to those that wait

Jerry

Congratulations!!!  Keep up the good work.  ;D

Congrats on the growth, Brunette85.  :)

That's pretty much how it happened for me too. One month, I made it to BSL. The month after that, I passed it. It happens pretty quickly.

Hair:
Well, it has been a long while since I have posted here. I have been busy with school. The semester is almost over. Anyway, my hair in the meantime is doing well. I havn't had a chance to pick up my hot oil treatments due to a busy schedual. luckily I am on vacation and plan on picking some up tomorrow and use them in my next wash cycle. i just did a self trim. My ends were in bad shape. I went four months without trimming, but my hair didn't like that so I did trim. I took about an inch off and my ends feel great. I am still at BSL so I am not complaning. I feel with my hair that if there is no quality to my length then there is no room for length. In other words I want health just as much as length. I've still been doing my weekly deep conditioning treatments and my roots and length love it. I have been wearing my hair up more lately. I guess that just comes with having long hair.

As for my "new growth" I am officially calling them layers. They look like layers and others have refered to my hair as being "layered" so that is what they will be called from now on until my hair is all one length.

Life:
I am doing well in school and i just took a tour of the college I am going to transfer to. It is wonderful. I love thier seven story library. They even have a gym! Kasey, my son, is in the terrible two phase. He also has been using the potty! Go Kasey :). I have been taking singing lessons and I plan to take piano lessons as well. I have two plans going for me. I will study to psychology to get my B.A. and in the meantime practice singing and piano playing so I can write melody to my songs and hopefull record a demo and see where that takes me. If one doesn't work out then i will have the other and vise-versa. I am very excited about my life at the moment I hope everything works out.

Glad you stopped in!  I hope you enjoy your break and pamper yourself!!
Gold stars to Kasey!!  I'm starting my voice lessons up again in May.  I love to sing!!!
Good luck with your lessons and school and drop in more when you can!

Hair:
As I have said, my hair now cantains layers and my new goal at this point, other than length, is trying to grow out my layers. I believe my shortest layer is approximately 10" so I have about 14" to grow for all my hair to be one length. I am also concentrating on my underneath. It has been growing out nicely. A bit slower than the rest of my hair, but growing nonetheless. I would still like to gain a little length, but I think at this point I will just maintain for a while. I havn't made up my mind completely yet. I was looking at my hair and decided to do a little self trim today. I had a lot of split ends so I trimmed the front. Instead of a sideways trim to frame my face, I trimmed straight across. This way my hair will end up with a blunt hair line.

-Does anyone have any experience and advise on growing out layers?

Life:
Well, this was my second time taking beginning algebra for school and this time I passed. Yay. On my way to college algebra 127. The difference between these courses is one you get credit for and the other you don't. So I am very happy that I get to go to the next step. Because I have taken almost all of the basic core classes needed for an A.A. degree, I had no choice but to take three online classes during the summer. I have already taken all the other classes they are offering. I have never taken online classes before, hope I can handle it.

I have also been taking singing and piano lessons so I can write songs. I have been pusing a music career on the side. I already have song lyrics written and my piano teacher wants me to bring them in so we can work on them together. I am so excited.

My suggestion for growing out layers - get your hair to a basic length that you can work with, then regularly trim your hair to that length.  This may mean you will stay at the same length for 6 months to a year, but once you have everything at one length, it will be a healthy length and you can then let it grow and grow and only do small trims a couple times a year.

Hair:
Well my hair is too short just soething else. It has so many different layers I dont know what to do with it. Sadly, the shortest ones are too short for me to have it trimmed to that length. That's okay I don't really want to lose mych length anyway. I think I am going to tough it out and wait to trim until October. This was I can try to gain an inch. I think with all the new growth i got my hair didn't know how to react to it. Also I havn't been able to get to Sally Beauty Supply to get my deep conditioning and hot oil treatments. At least I'll have a girst card when I am able to go.

Life:
I am taking three online classes this summer. They last twelve weeks. That is the last week of August. Then the next week the fall semester starts. I have been busy. I have also been looking into doctoral programs in California. I just want to be prepared when it comes time to finally choose. I would prefere a school with a combined MA and Psy.D program in the San francisco Bay Area.

My cat Pepper died last month. he was eighteen. I miss him very much. I hope he is happy wherever he is. Now I am just down to my other cat Sox and My dog Roby.

Kasey is doing fantastic. He is two-and-a-half now and very tall. He is 39" and weighs 36lbs. I cannot believe how much he has grown.

I have been exercising for a month and I feel great. I don't even get on the sclae anymore. My philosophy is if you feel great and you are comfortable in your own skin and you can fit inot clothes you like, then it doesn't matter how much you weigh. I am starting to get abs. I can see some change in areas. I know that this isn't going to happen overnight, but if I keep at it eventually I will see and feel the results I desire.

I have already enrolled at USM for my B.A. in psychology. All I need to do now is meet with the trasnfer counselor in september and find out when I can sign up for classes for the Spring semester. Things are happening so fast. This will be my last semester at this college and I will recieve my diploma in May. Wow!

Nice to hear from you and catch up!

I'm very sorry for the loss of your Pepper kitty.

Good luck w/your classes!

Hair:
Well, I was finally able, after all these months, to get down to Sally Beauty Supply and purchase my deep conditioning treatment and a bottle of jojoba oil. I got in the shower and did my routine. My hair loved it! It no longer looks as though it has been through the mill once or twice. My hair is soft, shiny, and healthy.

As I have stated I belived part of my hair dilemmas was the condition in which it was previously in. Now with this change I am considering waiting, like originally planned, to trim my hair in January. This is still being contemplated; nothing set in stone (the one year no trim idea was an experiment reserved to change at any time). I am just so excited about my hair I had to share!

Quote:

the one year no trim idea was an experiment

Hmm, I might just have to try this for myself. Says to myself *Just stay away from the salons*

As most of you know I have been going back and forth between getting a trim in october and waiting until january. I have decided that I am going to go for a trim in october; I made the appointment today. I feel good about this. My hair is in such dire-straights that a couple of inches WILL do some good. I would love to wait it out, but I have to do what is best for my hair and at this point health outweighs length.

I recently went shopping and bought a new bra. I have to buy mine at a specialty store because of my size. This one fits really nice. Did you know that if the back strap of your bra is rising up than your bra is too big? I found that out when I went to get a new bra. She was measuring me and I mentioned it too her and she infomed me. I'm glad I know that now. Anyway back to my point. I now have a bra that fits correctly and I need to make a change in my hair length measurements. I checked twice and my BS length is 23.5" and my midback length is 26". So after I get my hair all one length I will re-examine my length in measuring. I will still post my monthy measurements for record purposes.

Finally, I tried this new method for my hair. I took all my oils and mixed them together along with a capfull of vanilla for the sent. I heated the mix and then put it on my hair dry. I let it sit for 3 hours then rinsed and conditoned. It's hard to tell right now how my hair will react, it is still drying. I will post an upddate to let all of you know how it turned out.

I had my trim today. She only took off an inch, but it looks like more because I had done a couple self trims. My hair feels so much better.

I learned from my experiment of not cutting for a year that I need to at least trim once every 6 months.

I put a photo of my hair how it looks now. I still plan on doing my weekly treatment so this photo will change. This is just so you can have an idea of the length and health.

I have not measured yet and do not plan to until the 1st. I am guessing that with my self trims and the trim I recieved today there is a total of 3-4" of loss, but this is just an approximation.

I hope now, I can start fresh and achieve my goals.

Hi all,

I found these viseos and thought I'd share.

This first video is of a man with very long hair. I say very long becuase I have never seen a man with this length hair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hPU9Gx5sRI&feature=related


This next video is of women from back in the day I am n ot sure of the year but I would say late 1800's to early-mid 1900's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndh24sJuUK4&feature=related



Also, I went to Sally today and I was picking up my usual deep conditioning treatment and hot oil and I decided to look on the rack that had hair accessories, and I found hair sticks. Granted they are plastic and were very cheap, but they are my first hairsticks and I am proud to own a few pair FINALLY! The pair on the right is brown if anyone cannot tell from this picture.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t66/longhairbeauty/DSC01121-1.jpg

Ew, fetish videos are so creepy. :P

The 2nd vid I would place from the 1930's. Women at the turn of the century did not wear skirts that short. Not even the *ahem* "working girls." It looks similar to film clips that I've seen from the mid-late 1930's.

And shocking as it may seem, you can find decent hairsticks at places other than LongLocks. :o But you must be verrry careful. Be sure to file down any seams that may be damaging and go over your filed spots with clear nail polish.

Nice hairsticks!

Hi everyone!

How are all of you? I Have not posted in over a month. I started a video channel on youtube and made a few videos on hair styles. I thought I would share them with you.

http://myspace.com/143brunettehair

Hair:

I have been in a dilemma for a while now with my hair. It is uneven and driving me crazy. Therefore, yesterday I did a self trim. I have not measured yet, but I probably took off about an inch maybe an inch and a half. My hair is still below my shoulders. I would never go above that point. I tried to be patient, but when one side is an icnch or so longer than the other along with annoying layers that are not quite as long as the rest, patience goes right out the window.

I will sacrifice length at this point to get my hair all one length. I know that I do not have the will to wait years upon years of growth and still have shorter hair. I want it all one length. Once this is a factor then I will continue to grow my hair long. So if my measurements are the same or go back an forth for a while you will know why.

I have had layers in my hair for 8 years. I feel this look is played out and boring. Not for others, for me. Everyone has layers now. Yes it looks pretty, but I'm bored with having the same look as everyone else. I want my own look and that look is all one length, blunt style.

Honey, I'm sorry to say it, but the only way to have perfectly even ends is to have someone else - preferably a professional - trim them for you. Self trims look soooo bad!

It helps to know someone who is going through beauty school, or have a trusted barber or stylist who understands that you want one simple, blunt length. Not the highlighted layers and slanted razor cuts of the rest of your generation. It's tricky to find someone like that...but they do exist.

I know I cannot possibly get my hair blunt without help. I do have a hairdresser that I trust which I have been with for 11 years. She does what I want and does not pressure me into anything. I would never let anyone come near my hair with a razor. That is a stupid idea, in my opinion, and should not be allowed in hair salons. I am still sorting out what I want to do. I may just keep my hair as is, with a U-shape, and let it grow a little longer, then get it cut straight across. We shall see...

Hair News:

For the past couple of months I have been contemplating a trim. Finally, on saturday I got one. I only lost an inch and my ends feel great. I still need about an inch more trimmed but I am waiting another six months before I do it again. I also had light layers put in on the side. I am happy with my decision and can now focus more on my hair growth than hair troubles.

I am so frustrated and disappointed with my hair. My ends are horrible. My ends are different lengths, tangle easily, and have split tremendously. I am going to lose a lot of length with this trim coming up at the end of the month. I am just going to have my hair cut straight across. I am thinking I will lose about 4 inches of hair. I wish I did not have to lose so much, but it is what my hair needs. I am hoping My ends will be thicker and I can grow the lose back out and have better luck with the ends.

I know it can be a downer!  Look up though,that trim will be beneficial to your hair!  Damage can only go one place(up) if not dealt with.  So cutting off the damage will only be good!

I know it's not a comfort but I've decided focus on the health of my hair and not be so caught up in how long I'd ultimately like my hair to grow (and that's not set in stone) and I find it easier to accept that I need more frequent trims than I'd like.  Curlgirl's right on about the damage!  

Thanks Girls. I know health is more important than length. I know my hair needs this and I know I will feel better after. You are right, all damage does is move on up and I need to nip it in the bud before I have to lose more length than necessary. I think I am going to try getting a trim every 4 months and see how my hair reacts to that. Six months was a test and well, I failed, so now I am going to try a shorter period between trims.

Thanks

Don't think of it that you failed.  Think of it that you're experimenting with what your hair needs, and you've found out something new.  :)

Thanks MichelleR. I will be sure to think in positive ways. :)

Hair:

Well, I am certainly on a long journey. I had to post-pone my appointment for my trim in late August to early September. All together, my hair lost 3 inches. So now, I am at 18 inches. This is one inch shorter then when I started growing my hair long in 2006. I have added a new picture. As you can see, my ends are much fuller and much healthier. I plan to go back for another trim in December. I want to keep trimming until all of my hair is one length. Once I reach this goal, I will decide what I will do from that point. I have a long way to go, but it is well worth the wait and experience. I know that without maximum health I will never reach my full potential in length. I am glad I made this decision. Now I can relax a bit and enjoy my new ends. :)

Life:

I am back in college again for another semester. This is my second semester at the University, (I am a junior, and I transferred from a two-year community college). I am not as intimidated as I was last semester.

I was seeing someone, but he turned out to be a complete jerk. Now I am just enjoying life, my son, and school. I am so excited that we are approaching autumn. This is my favorite season. I love watching the leaves change; I love the smell, raking the leaves, and especially Halloween! There is something magical about this season and I just love it!

I love autumn too!  This is when I can start doing alot of cooking!  I cannot wait :)  Woot  Halloween!!!

I am so excited. I recently embraced my natural curls. I have always wanted to wear my hair this way, but I had no idea how to manage or even care for curly hair. Fortunately, someone on the LHL found this website. www.biracialhair.org and it has helped me tremendously. I still have some damages ends, which I am taking care of in December when I go for my next trim. I am going to discuss with my stylist how I should have my curly hair cut. I have read many articles, which all say that curly hair should have long layers so as not to bulk too much at the ends. I am no expert so I want a second opinion. I have also stopped relaxing and using my ionic flat iron. I think my hair will be all the more healthy for this small act. There are still a few inches of damage so I plan on going in every three months and having no more than an inch trim until my hair is completely, curly virgin hair.

My new routine is this. I cover my hair in a hot oil treatment and let it sit then I do my regular scalp shampoo, my conditioner, and then my deep conditioner. I then let it sit I put more conditioner in and let it stay in. I get out of the shower and separate the curls how they want to curl combing any knots out of the ends then I let it air dry. After my hair is completely dry, I put it in two braids and keep it like that overnight. The next morning I have beautiful curls that stay in place and look like curls instead of the frizz. I just apply a small amount of conditioner mixed with water over the top and the bottom and I am good to go for the day. I still only wash once a week.

I have only used her technique once and so far, I like it. Her advice has worked for my hair so far. There is my news. I will post a new picture next month and my hair will be curly.

That looks like a really neat website.  She has a lot of good information.  Definitely let us know how it works for you!  I look forward to seeing pictures.

We'll look forward to seeing that new picture! :)  I hope you have a hairdresser who's well informed on your hair type.  

Can't wait to see the pic!  
I'm anxious to try her routine,also.  I don't have as tight curls as she does,but nonetheless, I am tired of the guessing game.......will I be frizzie this time or will my "spiral corkies" behave? ::) :-?

I guess it has paid off, finally giving into my curls. I have received nine compliments! I cannot believe it. I do feel great about my hair. It does not look as dry and damaged. I am sure my trim on the third will just increase my hairs overall health. It is nice to know people do notice :)

I'm glad you're getting so much positive feedback.  The compliments are good motivators even if we're doing this for ourselves.  Well, I find them motivating. :)

That's great!  I would love to see a recent picture of your hair while using that curly hair system.

Thanks Drear and MichelleR. I am happy and thankful for finally finding peace with my hair. I post a hair pic every other month. Therefore, in January I will post a new pic. Thanks again girls. :)

Life:

Well the past few weeks have been horrible. I got the H1N1 Virus and on top of that developed pneumonia. I have very sick, and boy, am I sore. I did not realize how taxing coughing from pneumonia is on the body. My lower back is in so much pain. Moreover, it did not help that I could not go to the chiropractor for two weeks because I was contagious. Nevertheless, I am starting to feel better but as I said, I am sore. I am still on medication and I go back to the doctor on Thursday to see how things are progressing toward full recovery.

Since I was so sick, I missed two weeks of classes. Thankfully, my professors are willing to work with me to finish out the semester. I do not have that much to do but this is the last week I can do it because this is finals week. 

Hair:

Oh my goodness, my hair is having a fit. Because of all the medication I need to take, it has taken a toll on my hair. My hair is usually dry during the winter, but this is twice as dry. My hair feels like straw. I think I may have to deep condition twice a week for a while until my hair calms down and I finish out my prescriptions.

I did not get as much growth as I expected but that is probably because I have been sick and that causes stress. I did get growth so I know I am ok. The front of my hair is almost to my collarbone, which is exciting. I did have a hair appointment for the 3rd, for a trim but I had to cancel because I was sick so I made another and the next available spot was next month on the 14th. I would not mind so much except I was experimenting trims every 3 months. Oh well, such as life.

I am happy with my hair. It is by far the healthiest it has ever been since I stopped using hot tolls and chemicals on my hair. I have grown to love my curls. I cannot wait to see how my hair looks as it grows. This is such a fun journey.

Happy Growing
Happy Holidays!

Wow, H1N1 and pneumonia!  I'm glad to hear you are feeling better.

Thanks MichelleR. I am grateful I am well. I hope none of you has that experience.

I'm so sorry that you've been so sick!  I'm glad you're feeling better!  Isn't it surprising how we take our bodies and the things that they do to help us on a regular basis for granted?  Like sitting up using our ab muscles.Who knew you could be so aware of them and your back until you have a hard persisant cough??
So glad your professors were willing to work with you while you were out of school trying to get better.  That H1N1 is no joke!  Pneunomia,too!
Here's to a speedy full recovery and Happy Holidays! :)

Oh, Curlgirl you are so kind and you are right, I did take all of those pleasures for granted. I think that may be part of my new year’s resolution to try to remember and appreciate what is most dear and near to me. I wish you all happy holidays. Be safe and don’t drink too much egg nog ;)

I really feel for you and wish you a speedy recovery.  Glad you have sympatic professors. 

January 1, 2010

Well it is a whole new year and I am on a steady path to successful health and growth. I think this year will be promising and very different from the past 3 years.

I am anxious to see what my hair looks like, as it grows curly. Now that I have more information on how to care for my hair properly, I can beg to see improvement. 

In the past, my hair was dry and frizzy. I did not have the tools and the knowhow I do today and because of that, my hair suffered.

Since my last cut have been contemplating what I want to do about my ends. My ends do not really have a shape or at least a shape I am comfortable with at this point. I think my ends would look better with a U-shaped hemline. I have had this shape in the past and always liked it on myself. I have an appointment on the 14th for a 1/2-inch trim; I think I will have her trim in a soft U-shape.

After that, I am not sure that my plans are. I know I want to gain length. I know that constant trimming will not achieve this goal. I may just get this trim and then not trim until I think my ends need it or I may go back in three months for another ½-inch trim. I suppose it depends on my hair.

Happy New Year!

January 14, 2010

So I got a trim today and it was awesome! I went in with my hair totally rockin' the curls and I told my hairdresser how I work with my hair now and how I have grown to appreciate and love my curls. I told her of my hair care routine products and oils I use as well as not using shampoo anymore.

She was very receptive to everything. My hair was washed with conditioner only. When I told her I was growing my hair out and that I would continue coming in every three months for a trim, she said "For no more than 1/2 and inch or less right?" That made me so happy.
I expressed my desire for a soft U shape and she delivered.

When I got home, I measured my hair to see how much I lost and it recorded at 19”. It must be from the supplements I have been taking. I started on Christmas, my hair measured at 18.5” at the beginning of this month, and she took off ½ and inch. I cannot wait to see how I measure for next month!

She also put in a Moroccan oil designed for curly hair and used a wide toothcomb to comb my hair after it was washed. She even set it aside especially for me when I come in for my appointments.

She told me that my hair was healthy and was in great condition. She said she is looking forward to it growing out and being able to work with it curly.

This was truly and awesome experience. I am so glad I chose this path; it is justly rewarding.

That is fantastic!  Hold on to that hairdresser!  She sounds like she's a rare find. :)

Sounds like you found a great hair dresser!
Be sure to get her name, and maybe even her phone number, in case she ever moves her chair to another business.

Sounds like you got a lovely haircut, too. Do you have any pictures?

I've heard about Moroccan oil for hair and body that should be good.  She sounds like a good hairdresser and I know they're hard to come by these days.

February 1, 2010

I am definitely gaining length. My hair was at 18.5" at the beginning of January and I had a 1/2" trim on the 14th. This month I am at 19". Therefore, I gained an inch in 2 weeks and 4 days. I think this also has a lot to do with the supplements I have been taking since Christmas.

I have noticed that my hair really likes vegetable oil. I use more of it than my other oils when I do my weekly wash. It seems to last in my hair longer and keeps the frizz under control.

I am continuing my plan of a 1/2" trim or less every three months. I know how my ends get and I know that this is what it needs. I have read that some curlies can go longer without trims and I wish I could too. Maybe that will change once I am a length that I can do multiple updos to protect my ends.

I am going to monitor my growth and for the next year to determine if the supplements actually are helping in growth promotion. I have also increased my scalp massages.

Yay!  We're following the same growth pattern! :)


Quote:

The last POST request from your IP was less than 90 seconds ago, and was blocked to prevent overloading the forum. Please try later.

I know; I type too fast. ::)

Wow! 1" in two weeks is awesome growth. What kind of supplements are you taking?

Out of curiosity, what kind of oils have you tried? Most hair oils I've seen are vegetable based, like evoo or jojoba. Have you tried emu oil?  :)

February 11, 2010

Hi all, in the past few months I noticed my hair was dryer than usual. I have been oiling and deep conditioning and leaving the conditioner in my hair after I showered and still my hair just did not seem moisturized enough to the point of satisfaction. So last week when I went to Sally Beauty Supply to pick up more oil I noticed a moisturizing treatment made by the same company as my Cholesterol deep treatment. I decided to try it and see how my hair liked the change and the added moisture. My hair loved it. It feels really smooth and conditioned. I can now feel the difference between what was dry hair and was is my coarse wiry hairs. I am still going to use my other treatment, I think I will alternate weeks and see how my hair does, or I may just use both at the same time. We shall see. I just wanted to share my experience with all of you lovely folk.

Oh yes, the name of this product is “Silk Elements MegaSilk Moisturizing Treatment”.

Thanks for the name!  I'm sure other"curlies",including myself are feeling the wrath of winter on our hair!!  Me myself am going to try to locate this and try it.

March 20, 2010

Well, I have been pondering a while about how I should measure my hair. At first, I was measuring curly because when I measured my hair, it was the same wet and dry.

However, I have been watching my hair and have concluded that I should start measuring my hair either wet or pulled so I get an accurate measurement. My hair is starting show me that when it dries it curls up. This is no big deal. I know I have said otherwise in previous posts, but things change and this is one of those changes.

I like to measure when my hair is wet simply because it's easier to get a baseline measurement from month to month. When my hair is dry, frizz, waves, or curls can vary my length too much to figure out what's going on.

kittennoodlesoup wrote on Mar 25^th, 2010 at 10:17pm:

I like to measure when my hair is wet simply because it's easier to get a baseline measurement from month to month. When my hair is dry, frizz, waves, or curls can vary my length too much to figure out what's going on.

I have found this to be true as well. I can see, now that it is a little longer, how much it actually curls up when dry.

April 1, 2010

I was supposed to have a trim today but my stylist fell and injured her foot and cannot stand or walk, so I had to reschedule for the 29th of this month. I am not sure if I will go then because I may not be able to afford it. We will see.

I will also measure my hair differently. My hair shrinks as it dries so I will be measuring both stretched and curly. I will not declare my goals until I have reached them curly.

Everything is going well with my hair it is a lot softer and is starting to get long. My hair is in the best condition and very shiny.  :D

April 29, 2010

I was scheduled for a trim today; however, I am unable to afford it. I have no idea when I will be able to afford it again. This is good news because my hair will have no choice but to grow!

I did experiment a little with my wash routine. Instead of oiling my hair in the shower before I washed it, I oiled it when it was dry and then washed. I also used more deep conditioner and less regular conditioner. I do like the results, but the front is a bit dry. I suppose I can oil the front and top and leave the rest. We shall see.

I usually oil the nite before I shampoo, and only where my hair needs it, which is usually the ends.  I shampoo & condition every 3 or 4 days, and deep condition every other week.

May 20, 2010

Over a month ago I was supposed to have a trim, however that did not work out and I cannot afford one at this time. So it has been about four months since my last trim and my ends can only tolerate a three-month span before the ends split and tangle. I decided that I would do a self-trim and see how it worked out. I have curly hair so I chose to trim it dry. What I did was find all the hairs that were frayed, dry, brittle, and split at the ends and trimmed them to the rest of the length. I am happy with the results because I did not lose much length and my ends feel great. I do not think I will be doing this for the long term, but when it is my only option and my hair really needs it, I think that it is okay. I am not very good at trimming my own hair and I know that I will eventually muck it up so the next time will be with my hairdresser. Anyway, I just wanted to share my good news.

That's great to hear about your self trim!  Alot of people are hesitant about doing it,but glad to hear yours went well!  Maybe sharing your good experience will get some to try it themselves!