Another Unexpected Benefit of Oil Soap

I've been extremely busy taking care of some things for my parents as well as coping with a migraine for the past few days, and while I've been showering, I haven't been washing my hair.

In the past, whether I used shampoo and conditioner or conditioner only, I've always felt my hair is greasy by day 3.

Today, my hair feels as clean as it did on the day I washed it. I can't begin to tell you my surprise. That oil soap is becoming better and better, as far as the benefits.

Who would have thought that using all of that coconut oil with shampoo could make such a difference and leave my hair feeling so soft but not oily?

I couldn't be more delighted with my results, as I've already said.

I hope to hear from some of you who have tried the oil soap method. It's the most revolutionary thing that I've tried since starting my long hair journey.

It's important to know that everyone seems to need to use a different ratio of coconut oil to shampoo, and some people are using no conditioner afterwards at all, while some of us have to.

Anyway, if you've tried it, I'd love to hear about it.

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful weekend.

'Til tomorrow my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Sometimes This Is Tedious

While I have oft said that I am not trying to rush into the future and wish my life away, I must admit that this hair-growing can be tedious. It requires every ounce of patience that one possesses.

I know that some of you are lifelong longhairs, and can't relate, but for us growers, the difference from month to month is so frigging minuscule.

When I look at my progress from February to December, I realize just how far I've come, but I have a feeling that my next trip to waist is going to be a very, very long haul.

I guess this is an exercise in patience that I sorely need.

On the upside, I am still very happy with the present state of my hair. Aside from the fact that there are many hairstyles that I can't yet do, I am enjoying my hair as much as is humanly possible. I JUST WISH IT WERE LONGER!!!

Of course, I'll get there in due time, so I'm doing my best to relax about it. Unfortunately, once in a while I have days like these.

I suppose everyone has days like these whether it comes to hair, saving for a special item or losing weight. We get past it and don't let it get us down enough to give up.

Speaking of weight, I hadn't weighed myself for some time. I weighed myself 3 times this week, and there's no doubt about it; I've lost 10 pounds. It doesn't really show much, but I do know that the next 10 pounds will show a lot.

Realistically, I don't expect to lose more than another 10-13 pounds, unless I become a long distance runner. I will look quite good 10 pounds from now and I'll be able to wear my jeans!

So one thing frustrated me; one thing makes me happy. I guess we're all this way to some extent.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling alone today.
xo

Hairstyle How To: Double Vertical Braids

This is an different variation on wearing a regular single braid or double braids. It doesn't look too interesting when you're standing still, but it creates an interesting swing when you walk.

I often do triple vertical braids, but for today i just did two. I didn't part the hair evenly enough into two sections that the braids were equal in width, but this gives you an idea of how it's supposed to look.

This is clearly an easy hairstyle to do.

Firstly, I parted my hair as if I were making a half-up, and I braided that area.

Secondly, I braided the remaining hair.

As I said earlier, this style has much more impact when one is moving. It creates an attractive swing, and has even more impact if you try three vertical braids.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

xo

Further to Live and Let Live

On Sunday I discussed the seemingly constant cry for women to cut their hair that seems to permeate all media.

I really appreciated all of the comments left on that blog entry and the emails. A point was raised that of course, women cutting their hair into particular styles keeps the women going back to the hair salons and that is completely true.

The world of beauty and fashion would be nowhere without changing styles. With regard to hair, new hair cuts and styles leads to more business for hair salons, it creates a need for certain new styling products and appliances, and generally benefits all businesses who have a stake in the hair market.

So I do understand why beauty and fashion editors will discuss the latest trends in hair, which will then in turn benefit their sponsors.

What I don't understand however, is why they can't just show off the latest styles without putting down people who dare to be different. It's one thing to show what's hot right now; it's another to insult an entire group of people.

It seems to be a constant that long-haired women of a certain age are treated as unstable people who are either trying to recreate our youth or to trap a man. There are endless articles trying to uncover the "hidden reasons" why a woman over 35 or so would choose to wear long hair.

The really sad thing is that so many women buy into it. I wouldn't mind if they just bought into it for themselves alone, but it so often seems that women are on a mission to change other women who don't fit into the current fashion mold.

I myself have had hurtful things said to me about the length of my hair and my age, and by people very close to me. For the most part, I get compliments on my hair, but the negative comments, especially from friends and loved ones, do sting. I can't lie.

So once again, I ask you to support your sisters in whatever their style happens to be, whether they wear a brush cut or hair down to their ankles. We women are so much stronger when we are supportive of one another's differences rather than expecting everyone to be the same and belittling those who are not. 

Wouldn't a world where we all looked and dressed completely alike be boring?  I think so, and I like to celebrate every woman's own unique brand of beauty.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

xo

Live And Let Live--Please!

I am really getting tired of articles written by beauty reporters and fashion consultants who think that very long hair simply needs to be cut. I was pointed to the direction of this blurb, written by the Allure Daily Beauty Reporter.


I really felt annoyed that the reporter had to put down a woman for proudly having hair down to her buttocks, and then going the extra mile to figure out the psychological reasons why some women are "afraid" to cut their hair.

While I have no doubt that some women cut their hair for psychological reasons, and others keep their hair long for psychological reasons, I truly believe that most women wear their hair at the particular length they wear it simply because that's the way they like it.


Of course there are also religious and cultural reasons why some women keep their hair very long.


Once in a blue moon, I read similar articles about women with short hair, but the focus is almost always on long hair. And by long hair, usually beauty editors mean anything longer than collarbone length.


Why is there this seemingly constant need in the beauty industry to suggest that women need to cut their hair? Particularly, women who have reached middle age are picked on for having long hair. If a woman feels beautiful with her hair at whatever length she wears it, that's good enough for me. I wish that we women would all be more supportive of one another's unique style.

Isn't that what it's really all about?


I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all and extra hugs to anyone who is ill today.
xo

Your Ad Here

Really Enjoying My Hair Today

First of all, thank you to all who commented on yesterday's progress photos. It made me feel very good, and I really appreciate it.

It's been a long haul just to get where I am, so having people cheer me on helps like you wouldn't believe.

Usually, when I'm just at home, I wear my hair up to keep it protected from wear and tear. While I do like to wear my hair loose when I go out, it's usually up when I'm here.

Today though, I wore my hair loose for part of the day, and I caught myself looking in the mirror with surprise a couple of times. I am yet again noticing how much longer it's getting, especially in the front.

It's such a great feeling to actually be able to see myself that my hair is growing. So often, we don't actually notice the changes in our own hair, because we see it every day.

Perhaps because I wear my hair up most of the time, I view my hair the way others might who haven't seen me for a while.

So I guess wearing one's hair up serves more than the purpose of protecting the hair and keeping it out of harm's way. It also allows us to notice the difference when it's worn down.

I'm really feeling positive about the way my hair feels and looks these days too. It's really been soft and shiny.

All in all, this has been a delightfully good hair day. I think I'll just leave it at that.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend.

'Til tomorrow my friends. Much love to all.
xo

December Update

Here are my December length photos. This month my hair grew 1/2 inch, but I also trimmed 1/2 inch, so there has been no visible growth. For quite some time, actually a few years, my hair was growing 3/4 inch per month, but I've noticed that for the past few months, I'm only gaining about 1/2 inch per month. I don't know why I'm experiencing slower growth, but it's been pretty constant since early this year.

Nonetheless, I'm pleased with my progress.

As a reminder, here is a length photo from February of this year.

It's probably needless to say that I'm not thrilled with the thin ends (do I ever stop whining about that?), but I know that eventually they will be removed.

Also, I'm starting to think that since the slower growth has become a regular thing, I may not be at waist length for my 50th birthday next July. If that's the case, so be it. I'll get there eventually.

All in all, it's been a pretty good year so far for growth and trimming away damage, so I'm good with it.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling anxious today.

xo

Happy December!

It's December already. I can scarcely believe it. Does last Christmas really feel as though it was almost a year ago? No. Not at all, at least not to me.

Seriously, where does the time go? It feels as though I'm still getting used to it being 2010, and yet in a month, it will be yet another New Year's Day.

When I really think about it, I can see and feel that time has passed. A year ago, I was still on what had become a complete hiatus for 15 months, from any online forums, my own website and Facebook. I wasn't even writing emails. For some reason, I needed to be alone with my thoughts for a while, and it wasn't until mid-January of this year that I returned to LHC and it was in February that I became active on Facebook. It was in April that I began this blog.

Also, a year ago, my hair wasn't even reaching APL length, and now I've just gotten past BSL.

When I think of all of the individual events that have happened in my life and in my family this year, I do realize that it really must be December, but it really is true that time is a relative thing, and as we get older, time genuinely does feel as though it passes so quickly. It's so important not to look to far ahead and wish your life away.

That's why I really do my best not to think ahead much to my next goals where my hair is concerned. Yes, my next goal is in the back of my mind, and I do have some days when I am frustrated by my lack of length, but for the most part, I try to just appreciate my hair the way it is now, and focus on its health and not on the length.


It seems as though just about everyone I know either has a cold or has a family member who has a cold. I am one of the ones who has a cold right now. It started on Sunday, and today, I'm feeling an enormous amount of sinus pain, and I have some chills, although I only have a very low-grade fever. I am quite certain that I do not have a sinus infection, so I know that in just a day or two I'll be feeling better.

I won't lie though; a sinus headache along with a migraine is really not much fun. The weather went from a balmy 57F/14C yesterday down to about 32F/0C today, so I think the drastic change accounts for the migraine. That should stabilize soon too.

On days like this, I am very happy that my hair is long enough to put up so that it can be kept out of my face.

This morning I took my hair down from my bedtime bun, gave it a brushing to get rid of shed hairs, and I just put my hair back up in a bun. Voila, hair done for the day!

I know that a lot of people find that having bangs is a lot of work, but with my hair type and the thickness of my bangs, mine are completely maintenance-free. They just lie straight down from the time I comb them down after a wash and they stay that way until the next wash. Once in a blue moon, they stick up on one side after sleeping, but a quick pat with a wet hand, and a couple of strokes with a comb, and they're as good as new.

I guess I'm lucky in that way.

Anyway, I do wish a very happy December to everyone.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Are Salon Shampoos and Conditioners Really Worth It?

This is a question that most people who care about their hair want to know the answer to. There are a lot of people who only use products purchased at a salon, and many of us who use grocery store brands.

I remember the days when I was single and had the disposable income to get my hair cut or trimmed every 8 weeks and have highlights put in every 3 or 4 months. I used to love the salon experience, and of course, I always bought the products that my hairstylist recommended.

Later, once I was married, had kids, and no longer felt that it was appropriate to spend a lot of money on shampoo and conditioner, I was fortunate enough to have an aunt who used to give me just about a year's supply of salon-brand shampoo, conditioner and deep treatments each Christmas.

Did those products really make a difference?

In my case, I honestly have to say no. For the past few years I have been primarily using the least expensive conditioners that are available. Although until I started using the coconut oil soap I wasn't using shampoo regularly, I did have a shampoo to clarify my hair when needed. Again, it is a bargain shampoo.

And my hair has never been healthier looking or more well-behaved.

While it's true that there are other factors as to why my hair is in better condition than it ever was, such as not heat styling, not combing my hair when wet, and wearing my hair in a protective updo while I sleep, if the salon products were that important, my hair just wouldn't be as healthy as it is.

I know I can't speak for everyone, and perhaps people with different hair types than mine might benefit from salon products. I just know what works for me, and what is working for me right now is the bargain basement products.

While I felt really good using the high-end products that only could be purchased at a salon, I think it was the illusion of using only the best that made me feel good.

Of course, it's important to remember that as with anything, there are going to be drugstore or grocery store products that don't particularly agree with one's hair, but I'm fairly sure that there is going to be something in those stores that will work just fine. It's a matter of trial and error. The same goes with salon products.

Personally, I would rather use trial and error on inexpensive products than on expensive ones.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Hairstyle: Lace Rope Braided Half-Updo

No, I am not sporting beachy waves created by heat styling products today. :) I managed to resist

Instead I'm wearing a Lace Rope Braided Half-Up. As you can see in the second photo, I rope braided the sides of my hair, using the lace braid method, and then continued each rope braid until they met in the middle, where I fastened them together with a France Luxe Barrette.

Of course it's always in hindsight that I see all of the flaws in my photos. For example, the hair from the crown, above the braids, isn't as nicely combed as I would have liked, but as so often happens, things show up in photos that don't seem as obvious when I look in the mirror. Sometimes that flash acts almost like an x-ray, exposing every imperfection. Since it's dark outside now though, I had no choice but to use a flash.

I see that my perfectionism is trying to kick in. I am supposed to be breaking myself of that habit. Well, I guess that just posting these photos is proof that I'm at least making a bit of headway in that area.

In any case, this is a nice style idea for days when I want to enjoy my length, but keep the canopy hair somewhat protected by being out of the way.

This style could be varied by taking the two braids, combining them and then making a single braid from them. I'll be showing that type of combination braid in a future entry.


I am looking at the calendar, and I am almost in disbelief that November is almost over. Christmas is in less than a month!

I imagine that many of my friends managed to do Christmas shopping this past Friday, when there were some good sales on. I was not brave enough (or well enough) to venture to the stores that day.

I hope that everyone has had a good weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Missing My Heat Appliances

It doesn't happen often, and I don't frequently get the urge, but today, I am just longing to use some of my favourite heat appliances.

There are so many beautiful photos of women with loose, beachy waves that are so popular these days, and I would just love to have that look.

The only way I could really attain that though would be to use a large-barreled curling iron, or use a technique with a straightening iron that I've seen done. I also have a triple-barreled curling iron that gives lovely waves.

I am not one of those people who thinks it's sacrilege to use heat appliances. While I have written at length about just why heat appliances are damaging to hair, I don't think that there's anything wrong with people using them, as long as they are making an informed choice. Plus, some people have strong hair that can withstand heat styling better than others.

Unfortunately, I know I can't have it all. I've already made an informed choice to dye my hair, knowing that no matter how much care I put into my hair, there is no way it will ever be as healthy and strong as if I didn't dye it.

Given that I do colour my hair, I really can't risk the additional damage that heat-styling would cause.

When I used to heat style, I would often have split ends even at shoulder length. Right now, I don't have even one split end.

Yet, I am just itching to pull out a curling iron right now and style my hair into the loose, sexy waves that only hot irons can produce.

Yes, I can create a type of curl with sponge rollers, and I do know of ways to create waves with bandannas, braids and pin curls, but the outcome isn't as easy to control as it is with heat appliances. Also, there is instant gratification with heat styling.

However, I'm wearing my hair down, and even though it was washed yesterday, it looks as lovely and shiny as freshly washed hair. And there are no annoying splits for me to obsess over.

So I guess my curling irons will stay in the drawers and cupboards where they've been for over four years now. As much as I'm craving those beachy waves, I know that I would regret it if I started giving in to heat styling. I should count myself lucky that my hair is as good as it is considering that I dye it.

Perhaps instead, I'll do some sleuthing for yet more new methods of creating waves without heat. If I discover anything exciting, I'll be sure to share it here--with photos, of course.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all, and extra hugs to anyone feeling ill today.
xo

Your Ad Here

Hairstyle: Dutch Braided Bun

The hairstyle I'm wearing today is a Dutch Braided Bun. If you can make a regular French braid, you can make a Dutch or inverted braid. I've mentioned before that to make a Dutch Braid, you cross the middle strand over instead of under for every round of braiding.

I Dutch braided my hair and continued the braid to the ends and fastened it with a hair-friendly elastic. Then I took the braid, coiled it around itself and secured it with a Ficcarissimo in Emerald.

The braiding in these photos looks a bit loose. I think my hair was a bit too soft today to do a really nice tight Dutch braid. Sometimes it's easier to have a tighter braid a day or two after washing. However, if you know me, you know that I like looser braids just as much.


It's been a very windy day here today, and this is the first time it is actually starting to feel cold. We got the tiniest dusting of snow flurries. It was so light that it looked like the powdered sugar on a doughnut. Here for a few moments and then gone.


I hope that everyone has a lovely weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Still Refining My Oil Soap Method

Yes, I'm still on the oil soap kick. I'm changing up my mixes to see just what works the best.

As I mentioned on Sunday, I touched up my roots, and often my hair is a bit dry afterwards. It wasn't as dry as usual this time, but I did a deep coconut oiling on the length of my hair last night.

Today I washed it out with 2 parts coconut oil, 1 part shampoo, and 3 parts water. I'm still playing with the ratios. I'll be happy when I've decided on one recipe that I can use all the time. Today's recipe was good. I thought that the 3 parts oil was good too though. I must keep experimenting.

It still amazes me that while my hair is being rinsed after the oil soap shampoo, it feels a bit oily, but when I get out of the shower and remove my turbie towel, my hair doesn't feel greasy or oily at all, and it dries beautifully. It doesn't look as though there is oil in my hair, but the shine and manageability is drastically improved.

On the other hand, if I apply even the slightest bit of coconut oil to my hair when it's dry, it looks very oily indeed.

I should also add that I only had to use a fraction of the conditioner that I would normally use, after rinsing out the oil soap.

It's been really interesting to see how many different people at LHC have been enthusiastically participating in the oil soap experiments. It seems to be an overwhelming success with just about everyone, from fine straighties such as myself, to people with extremely coarse and curly hair and everything in between.

I suspect that once my month of experimentation is finished, I will be using oil soap instead of COing. It's early days yet, but I think that will be the result. I just may have to change my regimen post to reflect this.

One of the great things about belonging to a long hair forum is being exposed to so many new ideas and the enjoyment that comes from participating in the experiments that one is interested in. It feels really good to know that I'm not the only person crazy enough to try these things, and it's a lot of fun to compare notes.

It's been such a long time since I felt the urge or need to try anything new, as I've been in a very happy hair routine for years. It's been quite refreshing to embark on something new, and it reminds me of the excitement I felt when I first joined the forum at the time that I first started my original long hair journey.

I just find it really exciting to know that as much as I've learned about caring for my hair, there are always new things to discover.

By the way, I have read and am extremely appreciative of all of the recent comments. I just haven't gotten around to responding to them as yet, but I will.

To my American friends who celebrate it, I wish you all a joyous Thanksgiving. To those of you who don't, I hope you enjoy your little vacation.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

I Wouldn't Believe It If It Didn't Happen To Me

I have tried all kinds of homemade treatments and different methods on my hair since joining LHC. I've never been one to spend a lot of money on expensive salon products or anything, but I will try just about anything if it's cheap and homemade.

Although many treatments and elements of my regimen have been good for my hair's overall health, I have never once done anything that was so successful that someone actually noticed the difference.

Until now.

My husband, knowing my interest in hairstyles and hair care, has been wonderful with supporting me in my long hair journey. He does notice a new braid or hairstyle, and he does notice when it's starting to look long, but this time, he noticed that my hair looked different after using the oil soap!

He remarked to me yesterday that he could see the difference after the first time I tried it. I asked him to describe what he meant. He said that my hair looked much shinier, and he noticed that it's just falling differently. I asked him to try to articulate what he meant by that, and it seems that he sees that my hair looks somehow fuller and that it falls like a sheet rather than going "piece-y" as it usually does.

Now, I don't know if you realize how HUGE this is. Using the oil soap, I did notice myself that my hair is more shiny and lustrous, and I did notice that it's softer and that my halo hairs are lying down a bit more rather than sticking upwards.

However, I never imagined that the difference would be so noticeable that it would be visible to someone else!

I can tell you that I will definitely be continuing to experiment with the coconut oil soap until further notice. I can't tell you how excited I am with the results!


Well, I had a very strange night last night again. It's still this dang migraine. I woke up at 2:15 a.m. and I was wide awake. I had not gone to bed early last night.

Needless to say, I was not feeling too hot. I was waiting to feel drowsy enough to go back to bed, but it just wasn't happening. Finally at about 11:30a.m., I was able to head upstairs and at last I had a very long nap. After so little sleep this week in general, I confess that I still feel exhausted despite the long nap, but I am sure that if I can sleep well tonight, I may well feel rested tomorrow. Which would be nice. This has been a bit of a rough week, and sadly those things that I wanted to get done that were hanging over my head are still hanging there.

Well, if I feel better tomorrow, I can go a long way to get these tasks out of the way. Okay, I'm going to sip some tea and relax away this migraine.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Hairstyle How-To: Twisted Crossed Half-Up

This style is just about the easiest half-updo that I know. However, I think it's elegant in its simplicity. (Photos clickable for larger image.)

I parted each side of my hair from the crown to the ears. I took the right side and twisted it inwardly three times, then took the left side and twisted it inwardly three times.

Then I crossed the left twist over the right twist and secured it with a Ficcare beak clip.

It really couldn't be easier.

For anyone who's wondering, I still have the migraine that started on Monday. I did however, get a better sleep last night. And once again, I'm happy to say that my spirits are good.

'Til tomorrow my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Just Coasting Along

The title says it all. I'm just coasting on this long hair journey at the moment. I'm pretty happy with my length, and looking forward to the next milestone, but I'm not thinking about it too much. I am happy with my trim, and, well, just over-all pleased with my hair in general. I don't know that I'll feel that way tomorrow or next week, but today I do, and that's good.

I tried the oil shampoo again today. This time I thought I'd try a higher ratio of coconut oil to shampoo. I used 3 parts coconut oil, 1 part shampoo, and 3 parts water in my squeeze bottle. I love the way it comes out frothy almost like mousse. It makes it really easy to make sure that it spreads everywhere on my scalp readily.

Right now, I like the results of the oil soap with the higher oil ratio. The first thing I noticed was a huge increase in shine after my hair dried. Also, my hair doesn't feel too oily in any way. Of course, the true test will be how my hair is tomorrow. If I find that it's too oily or limp, then I will try at 2:1:2 coconut oil/shampoo/water ratio the next time. Really I should have done that today instead of 3:1:3, but I'm nothing if not zealous in my experiments.

I am back into a bit of a style rut. I just keep putting a bun on the top of my head when I'm at home. I do that because it's comfortable, really.

Unfortunately, my migraine did not go away, and it's still blasting away today. I set a new record of waking up early due to migraine, which was 2:30 a.m. I managed a short nap, but as you might imagine, that didn't do much.

I guess given how lousy I'm feeling physically, it's not surprising that I have not been busy practicing new hairstyles, or trying out some of the more intricate ones that I already know.

Again though, I can honestly say that my spirits are good, and as we all know, that's the most important thing.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Your Ad Here

Oil Shampoo

I have been following a thread on LHC that Ktani started and references in this blog entry of hers.

In researching hair care for movie stars from the past, she found that Carole Lombard's hair stylist used an oil shampoo that contained coconut oil and castile soap. Ktani did an amazing amount of research on the benefits of using an oil shampoo containing coconut oil. Since that time, many LHC members have been working to create a mix of coconut oil and shampoo that will work for them.

Today I was going to do that protein treatment that I've been talking about for a couple of days, but I still wasn't up to having a deep treatment on my head for an hour, so I thought I'd experiment with creating an oil shampoo.

Because my hair is colour treated, I know how important it is to make sure that I have enough protein in my hair. Coconut oil helps to protect the protein level in the hair, and after weeks of just observing the results of the the oil shampoo recipes that various LHC members have tried, I decided that even though I am a Conditioner Only girl, it couldn't hurt to give this a try, since I had all of the necessary ingredients handy.

For this experiment I mixed one part Down Under Naturals Fruit Kicks shampoo for colour-treated hair, and one part shampoo in a squeeze bottle. I then added one part warm water and I shook up the concoction (I ran the bottle under hot water for long enough to melt the coconut oil first).

When I got into the shower, I rinsed my hair thoroughly with water and then squeezed small amounts of the shampoo mixture on my scalp. It lathered up beautifully, and it had a lovely silky feeling as I washed it. I allowed the lather to reach the ends of my hair so that it could take up some of the oil, and I massaged my scalp for a minute or so.

I rinsed my hair thoroughly and I then added conditioner to the length of the hair from the nape down. I performed the rest of my showerly duties, rinsed my hair well, and then followed with my usual diluted ACV rinse.

I had been concerned that it would leave my hair feeling oily, but that was not the case. My hair feels clean but soft and it dried quite quickly and without any tangles.

It's far too soon to tell if this shampoo method will be beneficial, but I'm willing to experiment with it for a while. When I feel that I've experimented enough, I'll post the results here and also give my results to Ktani.



Oh my goodness, what a beautiful day it was here! Although the weather forecasts showed cloudy skies for this week, it turned out to be a lovely, mild and sunny day. I am feeling much better than I did, although my tummy is not quite back to normal. At least I slept better last night, and I was able to complete some tasks that I was not looking forward to doing, but that I knew needed to be done.

While I didn't set any records for accomplishments today, I did get to finish off a couple of errands that were weighing heavily on me, so I call that good.

I want to say hello to Viiryen, and thank you for posting a comment yesterday!

I guess that's it for today.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Rainy Sunday

Yes, it's been a rainy day, perfect for someone who is still getting over a tummy bug. Happily, I'm not feeling the damp chill that I felt yesterday. I'm still not feeling up to par, but I was able to eat a little bit today. Unfortunately, I've been awake since 4 a.m., so my mind is still a little bit dull, as is my body. Early to bed, I guess.

Well, there must be something in the air, because I've noticed an unusual number of friends and LHC members wanting to cut their hair. I wonder if it has something to do with the time of year. I do know that the last time I cut my hair short was around this time of year. I don't know.

I've said before that I really like shorter cuts on some people, but the only thing that worries me is when people make impulsive decisions. It takes years to grow out very short hair, especially layered cuts. On the other hand, hair does grow back. Well, that's why I always suggest the two-week rule. A well thought out cut is likely to be a more successful cut than an impulsive cut is likely to be.

As for me, with being ill the last couple of days, I really haven't been thinking about or doing anything with my hair at all. I guess it's been a few days of benign neglect. I've just basically kept it up in a bun, doing it no harm, but not treating it especially well.

I really need to do that protein pack, because I can tell that my hair needs some protein right now, but it's not exactly an emergency.

Well, I'm off to watch the last hour of the BBC's version of  Jane Austen's Emma. It's been an enjoyable series. While not completely faithful to the book, it is faithful in spirit to the book. I don't think there's a TV or movie adaptation of any Jane Austen novel that I haven't seen. Jane Austen is like comfort food to me.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, did what you wanted to do, and I wish you all a good week ahead.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo

Your Ad Here

Oh Dear

Well, my daughter left for home early this morning, before the sun even came up. We were supposed to take some photos of her hair last evening, and also, she wanted me to give her a trim.

All of that came to a crashing halt when a simple toilet repair turned into a plumbing disaster.

To make a long story short, a pipe that should have been threaded into the main pipe was soldered in by the workers who built this house. There was no way to expect that, because in this particular case, every plumber would tell you that soldering is a no-no. So the shut-off pipe was broken right at floor level when my daughter and my husband were trying to remove and replace it.

Fortunately, the main water was shut off in the house, but once the pipe was broken, there was no way to turn the water back on in our home without a geyser shooting out in the kids' bathroom, which would have caused a major flood.

We had to call in a professional at 8:00 P.M., and before I went to bed, the pipe was fixed, the toilet was working, and we were a few hundred dollars poorer.

Everything was in chaos, and we didn't get around to taking photos of my daughter's hair, nor did I get to give her the trim she wanted.

I guess we shouldn't have waited until the last minute. Well, live and learn.

In any case, I realized that I have a length photo of my own hair that was taken exactly one year ago tomorrow. I took another photo today. Because the shirt has lettering on the back, it's another good one to establish the amount of growth I've had in a year. (Photo is clickable for a closer view.)

Since last year's photo was taken, I have trimmed off  3 1/2 inches, which is about a half of a year's worth of growth, so I'm fairly pleased with the amount of progress I've had in this one year.

I am still embarrassed by the thin ends, but once again, I have to remind myself that I need patience and eventually, my hair will be longer, and all of the thin ends will be trimmed away.

I wonder how many times I've had to remind myself to be patient in this blog. I don't know exactly how often, but it's been a lot. I have to keep reminding myself that I don't need to be perfect, and this is a journey, not a race. Okay, I am duly reminded.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.

Hairstyle Photo: Loose Wavy Curls

As I mentioned on Monday, I curled my hair that day with large foam rollers to create very loose wavy curls. I used the method outlined in this blog entry, but this time I made smaller sections and used more curlers in the set  for more defined waves than what you see in the photo in that previous entry.

It still only took a few minutes to set my hair with just a spritz of water and my favourite hair-friendly Morrocco Method styling gel, which allows shine, but also holds extremely well without being crispy or sticky.

I wonder if any of you know how much fun it is for someone with such straight hair to have even a bit of volume.

If I had wanted tighter curls, I would have used smaller rollers, but really, I just wanted a bit of bend to my hair as well as some body.

For even longer lasting curls, I would go with a wet set and keep the rollers in until they dried, but even with this method, my hair was still wavy the next morning after taking my hair out of my bedtime bun.

I appreciated the comments to yesterday's entry and I have replied to all in the comments section. I seem to be getting much better at doing that.

Anyway, that's it for today, short and sweet.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Much love to all.
xo