Hair - Then and Now

Is it vain and self-centered of me to do a post about my hair? Hmmm. Well, I'm going to file this in the "personal history" category, so maybe that helps! I feel like my hair and I have been on a journey that has lasted as long as I have been caring for it independently, and I think we've reached a place of mutual understanding, acceptance, and love. Ha ha, I'm so corny I know. But I've finally learned to LOVE my hair and I want to celebrate that!

For laughs, here's a little scrapbook of my hair through the ages (at least my adult life anyway):

2000 Engagement Photos

(Yeah, we got married when I was 19 so my adult life and my married life are one and the same)

2001 with 1 mo. old Dicie

I chopped off all my hair about 4 months after we got married and kept it short for a while!

2002

2003

(Brett is dying looking at these pictures of himself!)

2004

Not a perm. Back then I could sometimes coax a lot of wave out of my hair!

2005 With 1 yr. old Dallin

2006 With 5 mo. old Mia

2007 With Mia (1 1/2) and Dicie (5)

2008 With 2 mo. old Jameson

2009 Baking Avery

June 2010 with Mia

Confession: I haven't had my hair cut since then. I think it is a bit longer now than the photo on the left, and definitely flaunting some serious split ends! My fabulous almost-graduated-hair-student-sister, Melinda, promises to trim it for me at Thanksgiving. Hooray!

For the past 5 years or so I have kept my hair longer and I've learned that I really LOVE it this way. It requires a lot less maintenance, is really versatile, and I can throw it back in a ponytail easily. Of course, I also run the risk of looking like a polygamist, but I counter this by staying away from french-braiding it and only wearing my prairie skirts around the house. ; )

After having babies my hair always sheds quite a bit like anyone else, but it has gotten worse over the years. After Avery was born my hair began to shed and it never stopped. Every time I would shower or comb through it I would be left with a handful of hair. It became extremely disheartening to lose SO much hair so constantly. I am definitely grateful that I started out with fairly thick hair, otherwise I'm sure the thinness would be more obvious to others. My hair finally stopped shedding a couple of months ago, thanks to being 6 months pregnant, but I'm convinced that all the shedding is abnormal. My hair-stylist and my Dr. would both always say that "you lose 50-100 strands of hair every day" and that it's normal. Well, I disagree and I'm not really looking forward to what my hair might do after this baby. I also have pretty dry hair. It has some natural wave to it, which really translates to just being frizzy. My hair has gotten even more dry, thanks to hormones I'm sure, over the past couple of years. It's been so dry at times that it felt like straw.

I guess this is a big part of why I've had to develop a better "relationship" with my hair, because it has really been a pain! 5 1/2 pregnancies have really taken their toll! My hair is a major part of my appearance and I feel more feminine and put together when it is cooperating. So I've learned a few secrets about caring for my hair that have made all the difference.

I've learned that the natural wave/frizz in my hair puts me on the curly-hair spectrum. Curly hair is typically dry to very dry, and in this climate in the winter, it can be the Sahara Desert! I studied up more on curly hair care and found that the way you wash your hair has a great impact on how dry it is. So now I do not wash my hair! I know, GROOOOSSSS!! Actually, I just wash my hair much differently now. I learned that using regular shampoo on your hair, especially naturally dry hair, is the worst thing you can do! It strips it of all the lovely natural oils that are produced by your body. I learned about the "no-poo" method which is just a nickname for using no shampoo or using sulfate-free shampoo. My curly-haired cousin recommends a line of hair care products from DevaCurl that are no-poo and sound fabulous (she has amazing curly hair by the way)! I decided to save my pennies for now and try some other things, but I'd highly recommend DevaCurl to anyone who wants to work it with their curls. 

I started by trying the baking soda/vinegar method, but didn't feel like it worked for me. Plus, I got tired of the frequent phone calls from my fabulous almost-graduated-hair-student-sister, Melinda, begging me to quit the baking soda because it stripped my hair (love ya sis, you were so right!). At that point I just quit shampooing entirely and now I just rinse my hair with water in the shower, then apply an ultra-mega-moisturizing conditioner, rinse it out part-way, and that's it. My hair loves it! I only wash my hair twice a week (I still shower, but just use a cap for my hair), which really helps my hair's natural oil to do it's thing. I rarely use any styling products on my hair, so I don't have to worry about removing them. Every few washes I'll go ahead and use a small amount of sulfate-free shampoo just on my scalp, and it works great without drying my hair. I'm sure if/when I start exercising and sweating more, I will use that shampoo more often.

"Washing" my hair just twice a week not only preserves the natural oils in my hair, but it also saves time in the styling department. After showering I apply a leave-in conditioner, which helps with frizz, then I let my hair air dry. When my hair isn't so dry it holds curl really well and I can curl it once (I use a 1" professional grade iron) and it will hold for 3 days. The curls become a little more loose each day, but I like the "beachy-waves" look. Applying a little more leave-in conditioner or some mousse reinvigorates my curls just a bit too. So most days I can literally get out of bed, run my fingers or a large pick-comb through it, and my hair is ready for the day! Less blow-drying and less curling means less heat damage for my poor tresses. My hair is happy.

I've started coloring my own hair as well. I use Clairol Natural Instincts in Navajo Bronze Light Caramel Brown.  It is a demi-permanent color, so it is much gentler on my hair. It is really quick and easy to use and the color doesn't fade too quickly, especially with washing my hair so gently and less often. The reddish highlights in the color have been fun.

So, there you have it.  A way more in-depth post about my hair than I ever intended to write, but maybe some of what I've learned will help someone else out there. I know I definitely have some vanity issues, but I am also very grateful for my physical body. I hope that I will continue to love and care for it as the temple that it is, without obsessing too much. 

2011 Happy Hair

This is my hair on day 3 after washing and styling it once.

And this is my face completely au naturale. My skin is another battle yet to be won, but I'm learning to be more comfortable in it despite its imperfections!