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

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

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.

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!

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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.

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!

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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

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same here!