Oy vey. Yeah, I haven't been here in ages because there is absolutely nothing exciting to report. I'm in the painfully slow process of growing out my layers, so every few months, I just get the bottom of my hair chopped back an inch or so and the layers evened up just slightly. That's all. Sometimes I look at it and swear that NOTHING is growing. Maybe I should just let it keep growing, layers or no, but I do kind of want to get rid of them. At any rate, this is the first trim after which the longest layer is still slightly past my shoulders, so that's happy.

It's been a year now, and my dad's out of town, and as soon as he gets back I'm making him take pictures, and then I'm going to post two pics: me a year ago with three inches of hair, and me now with shoulder-length and a few layers left.

SO. I'm starting to remember just why I hated my hair long so much once. I thought it was just my hair. But it's not. It's the SEASON. I grew up in Miami and Miami is the land of eternal summer. And my hair would NEVER BEHAVE. I got to New York and it started to behave beautifully. And then summer hit.

My hair is tangling CONSTANTLY. For the first time since chopping it all off a year ago, I have to comb it very, very often, because it tangles within a very short time after I last combed it. (Which I used to have to do all the time.)

Flyaways. My hair has been lying so smoothly and nicely, and suddenly the humidity monster attacked it and I have these awful flyaways EVERYWHERE. (Again, in Miami that was just a matter of course for me, but I'm not USED to it anymore! *pouts*)

CURLS. Okay...not real real curls, but humidity makes my hair do this funky wavy stuff. In Florida, even though it wasn't always LONG, it was long ENOUGH to undo some of this effect. Now it's not. My hair looks awful when it does this. Instead of many different locks of hair and each one seeming to have a mind of its own and wave and curl in its own way like my curly friends (and THEY have volume!) my hair waves in and out all together, like it's all in one piece. The effect is...uh...weird. I got it from my mom, whose hair did something identical once and then actually became wavy/curly when she got older.

So right now my hair is a disaster. I've start using Garnier Fructis, which my hair seems to LOVE, but ugh...the heat and humidity are doing a number on my hair. When I lived in Miami I didn't know anything else so I assumed that my hair was just bad long. (Although it was better than this...maybe it was used to it then, lol!) Now I don't know how to deal with all the changing seasons. Miami had no seasons. It had warm and hot. (Also known as "not rainy" and "rainy", or "calm" and "hurricane watch".)

So, for people who DON'T live in the land of eternal summer and are familiar with this kind of thing...what can I do to get my hair to settle down? It just looks disgusting.

El

Heya Ella.  First thing is first.


You need a ((((hug))))!

I think you may be cutting way too much off every time you trim, that's why it looks like it is not growing.  *guilty of the same thing.*  Instead of getting an inch cut off, go for 1/4th.  Then you won't lose your month's worth of growth.  The layers can eventually even themselves out.  Ya know?  Be patient >.>

Since the hair is tangling up, you could try to contain it by using a cute hat, two braids, or a ponytail.  For the flyaways, some people on this board use an aloe vera mixture.

Haircare also varies during the season.  During the summer my hair is happier.  In the winter it is dry.  It's hard to work against genetics.  I've tried and failed, many times.

Try not to brush the hair quite as much, too.  Even though it gets the knots out, it will cause quite a bit of friction to the hair if it is too frequent.

I hope stuff works out for you, and I helped out a bit.  But if not, I can give more hugs! =)

Oh Dear!

Another hug here.  Sometimes I think humidity can make me more homicidal than PMS used to.  Hair clinging to everything, the texture, can't get dry etc etc etc.

Now in spite of all o' that - it does sound like you are making really good progress *don't hit me, I'm delicate*.

I do agree with Pan though - sounds like waaaaay too much cutting - this from another sinner who hasn't made much progress in over five months due to GARRRGH - cutting.

I'm going to quit that ... good luck and can't wait to see those pics ...g

Hahahah...okay, first of all, I've had exactly four haircuts in the past year. One LAST August when I chopped off the perm from hell and started over, one in December(ish), one in March, and one a few days ago.  I call every four months or so "every few months".   ;D  So I don't think I'm getting it cut too OFTEN, at any rate, although it seems like a lot to me because I "grew out my hair" in my early teens by just never getting a haircut. Ew. I started when I was 12, I didn't have a clue what to do. When I was almost 16 I couldn't take it anymore and decided my hair looked ugly long and have worn it around shoulder-length ever since. (I'm 20 now.)

It could be that the amount is too much. I consider just going in and having them take a little off the bottom and leave the rest alone, but usually after four months it looks like a disaster because of the layers all growing at different rates. Plus I'm paranoid about splits. I get them really easily. Maybe next time I'll just get half an inch off all around.

I think I could get most of my hair into a ponytail at this point. It would be a TINY one, though. lol. This aloe vera mixture...what's in it? Other than aloe vera.  ^.^  I may try that.

Thanks for the tips!

Ella

How short is your shortest layer?  I think that french braiding will become your friend.  As long as the layers can get in the braid, they'll stay decently well, and won't stick out as much as they would in a dutch.  A classic french braid (or pig tail french braids), would work if the layers are still to short to get into one braid.  This will keep the hair from tangling, keep it off your neck in the heat, and when you take it out you'll have great waves.  I use aloe vera gel sometimes to keep the braid even more tame.  I'll usually mix in some oil with it, but if you decide to do that, use it sparingly.  Your hair will probably get weighed down easily by too much oil.  

(((ellasongbird)))
how aggravating -- I'm, finally, just getting beyond that stage.  For a bit of hope, it seemed to happen overnight, one day my hair was all over and the next it actually stayed in the braid or bun or whatever!

If you can ponytail it you could also bun it using a buncover -- that's what I did for several months until I could do a somewhat decent "naked" bun.  Still may do it sometimes when my hair wants to revert.  Galadriel does a scarf bun which would also help hold all those ends in place and make your bun look bigger.

I use straight aloe vera gel, bobby pins, clips, etc to tame the flyaways and layers.

Just remember, summer is half over in NY. Another month or so and you'll have lovely fall weather with well-behaved hair  ;D

My hair is not curly, it's not straight its fravvy(wavy + frizzy).
I purchased the Curly Girl Book by Lorraine Massey even though I'm not a curly- there's a good section in there for wavies- I'm doing a modified CG routine and it's helped my hair a lot.(not look so frizzy and out of control)
I live in the humid midwest and my hair looks better this summer than it did last summer with the book.
Plus I do cold water rinses- think it helps.
In a way I'm thankful for my waves- frizz- my hair is so thin it  at least gives me some volume!

Babyfine, what's a modified CG routine? For that matter, what's a CG routine!?

wrote on Aug 19^th, 2005 at 10:00pm:

Babyfine, what's a modified CG routine? For that matter, what's a CG routine!?

CG = Curly Girl.  It is a specific routine for people with curly hair.  I don't know all the particulars, but a significant part of it is using conditioners to wash the hair.  The routine is designed to enhance the natural curls.

Okay, well, now I posted a pic of my hair in the "show off your locks" forum and have it on my avatar...so you all can see the length and so forth. You will see what I mean about it...if I could get it into a ponytail I would BARELY be able to get all of it in because some of it is still too short, and the ponytail in general would be too short to even be worth the time.

That picture was immediately after washing it and letting it airdry. Once 24 hours of humidity have gotten to it, it's got flyaways sticking out everywhere and a few unruly layers start trying to escape.  ;)

The layers make it look wavier and thicker than it really is. When my hair is long it is (almost!) stick straight. And thin.

So. With this picture of my hair...WHAT can I do with hair this length when the humidity comes around? Believe me, I have tried the ponytail and it's not worth it. It looks pretty ridiculous. I have a few combs, but again, once the humidity gets to it my hair takes on this extremely slippery quality and no way will combs stay in it.

On the plus side, despite the fact that humidity has now become THE ENEMY (I never really minded it, even in Miami where it was much worse, until now), my hair has never been in such good condition. I have pictures of it the last time it was very long, when I was 15. It's shameful. The ends are so scraggly and fried-looking it's obvious I'd been tearing a brush through my hair and pulling it up in super tight ponytails for marching band for two years.

I still want to know about this aloe vera business...someone said "aloe vera MIX" which makes me think that it does NOT mean putting straight aloe  vera in my hair.   ;)  Although, who knows? It's not like I have a clue about any of this.

Ella

1.  Aloe vera gel:  Fruit of the Earth example  I take a bit of the gel, rub it between my fingers, then use it on my hair.

2.  Style ideas: since your hair doesn't seem long enough for a pony tail, how about just dealing with the front and let the back hang loose?  
 - cornrow twists from the front hair line for about 2 - 3 inches.

 - twists with mini claw clips to hold in place.

 - pull front hair back and put in one or two barrettes.

 - wear a headband or aliceband to hold the hair back away from the face.

 - wear a scarf to keep the hair back.

Hang in there - it won't be much longer before you will be able to put your hair in a pony tail, then a bun!  

I wore a ton of 1/2 ponytails when my hair was your length.  Also, see if you can turn your 1/2 pony into a little bun.  For a long while it was the only way I could wear hairstix in my hair, til it got to be bun making length.
Do you have bangs?  If you don't, you can make a side part and take about an inch of the front hair and tuck it behind your ears (secure w/pins if you need to, or mini clips).  Take the hair at the crown and make a pony, push it toward the front so you have a gentle poof.  Pin to keep the poof in place and voila! you have a cute do.  Comb the pony hairs into the rest of your hair in back to blend.

wrote on Aug 19^th, 2005 at 10:00pm:

Babyfine, what's a modified CG routine? For that matter, what's a CG routine!?

i just got the book from the library, and found a few usefull things.
there are washes for all the types of curly hair in the book (corkscrew, botticelli curls, and wavy hair)

this is the daily routine for wavy hair:
1.Wet hair under a gentle shower, letting the water simply flow through it. (don't disarrange the basic shape of you hair as to not disturb the waves)

2.Now take a tablespoon of conditioner, and using your fingers, lightly coat your hair from the ends to the midshaft.

3. If you're using shampoo, squeeze a half teaspoon onto you're fingertips and apply it gently to the scalp and roots only. rinse thoroughly.

4. add a half teaspoon of conditioner to your hair, and work it through with your finger. then rinse quickly, for just a few seconds.

i did this routine twice so far it worked great :)

wrote on Aug 19^th, 2005 at 10:00pm:

Babyfine, what's a modified CG routine? For that matter, what's a CG routine!?

What BB and Beesan16 said.
Also, to add to what Beesan said the way she recommends  drying  wavy hair -scrunching with a towel or a diffuser (hair dryer) and placing clips in the crown to prevent a "flat top", to lift the weight of the wet hair off your head so the crown doesn't dry flat.  I myself had had trouble mastering this so I just do my own thing., scrunching with my head upside and clipping it my own way.
I actually shampoo my hair twice a week Wed and Sat with a gentle shampoo but I'm  trying to stretch it out longer. I really love this book even though I'm not a curly(just a wavy) and don't follow it religeously.

wrote on Aug 21^st, 2005 at 7:51pm:

I really love this book even though I'm not a curly(just a wavy)

same here! :)