I couldn’t fall asleep last night and apparently hair is on my mind.
- In the last week Lisa, Engie, Rachel, and Stephany have all posted gorgeous pictures of their locks fresh off a trip to the hairdresser.
- I have to interact (read also: wrangle) my own hair daily.
So when I should have been sleeping (but couldn’t – I tried!), I wrote this blog post about hair.
- Do you like your hair?
Not particularly. I begrudge every second I spend on hair care (I dislike washing it, I dislike drying it, I dislike styling it – but I also dislike how it looks and feels if I don’t do those three things). My hair type is not of the wash-and-go variety.
An acquaintance has stick straight hair that is cut in a bob. She can wash her hair and literally do nothing and it falls all silky and straight and perfect with zero effort.
LIFE IS NOT FAIR.
At the end of the day, though, what a blessing to have thick, healthy hair. I try to limit my complaints with varied success.
- Do you have short, medium, or long hair?
Growing up in religious setting where long hair for females was common, I wasn’t allowed to have short(er) hair until my teens. Though when I was about eight I wanted shorter hair soooo badly that I started giving myself little haircuts.
It went a something like this: a tiny trim on Monday, another tiny trim on Thursday, followed by a teensy trim on Saturday for good measure. Which, for any math whizzes out there, added up to a very significant “trim”. my mother never said anything about my hair inching progressively shorter, but it must have been painfully obvious I was cutting my hair (and also painfully ugly – I was an eight-year-old with kitchen scissors and zero skill)!
As an adult, I fall mostly into the medium category. Once every year or two I get it chopped off to just above my shoulders. I love the lightness and ease of it for about a month and then hate that it requires daily maintenance. So I grow it out, I love it, and then one day wake up hating how long and unmanageable it seems. I go get it chopped off and the cycle repeats itself.
- Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair?
Wavy. But kinky, off-kilter, frizzy waves, not the sought-after beachy waves. Alas and alack…
The good news, my hair is very thick and if I curl it, those curls stay in well! But what a nuisance…
- Do you colour your hair?
I did some box colouring in my final year of university. Dark brown with red undertones that faded to ORANGE and took years to grow out properly. Since then, I haven’t touched any colour. I love the idea of highlights but it feels like so much money and hassle and one more thing to maintain.
- What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)?
As a kid, I was bleach-blonde. That darkened over time, and now it’s more of a dirty blonde, bordering on brown…unless I spend a lot of time outside in the summer sun when I can wind up with free, natural blonde highlights.
- Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other?
75% of the time I have my hair in a bun. It’s easy, it keeps the hair out of my face. I also think it makes my face look a bit slimmer and longer? I have a very round face, so adding height any way I can is helpful. If genetics dealt me this hand, why not pile hair on top of my head to provide the illusion of an oval face?
I feel like my hair never stays in place when I wear it down and I end up fiddling with it. With a bun, all the finicky work happens at home. (I usually sleep with my hair in a messy bun.)
Is my head shape is weird? Maybe? Either way, I look borderline ridiculous with a ponytail. It just never sits on my head quite right. I rarely sport a ponytail.
- Do you have thick or thin hair?
I have thick hair and a lot of it, but also shed incessantly. Years ago I spent a summer living with my brother in Montreal in his relatively tiny apartment. He wrote me months after I had moved out that he was still finding my hair in various nooks and crannies of his space.
It is an ongoing joke (?) in our house how much hair I shed. I am basically a giant human dog.
- Favourite hair products or accessories?
Multipacks of black elastics from the DollarStore. They are much thinner than Goody elastics, but I use two and I find they hold my hair in place much better than one thick elastic.
My Babyliss blowdryer. Salon-grade with an extra-long cord. I’ve been using it for almost a decade and it never misses a beat.
Your turn:
- Do you like your hair?
- Do you have short, medium, or long hair?
- Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair?
- Do you colour your hair?
- What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)?
- Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other?
- Do you have thick or thin hair?
- Favourite hair product or accessory?
Does anyone else shed excessively? Any hair-cutting horror stories from your youth?
Header photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
Jan Coates
My writer’s brain loved the story about 8-year-old you trimming your hair in secret. I’ve never coloured my hair – I’m too lazy being the main reason, I suppose. But now that my hair is slowly greying, it has more body/texture than ever before, which I kind of like. I grew out my bangs about a decade ago, in preparation for a grey bob, but the grey is slow to come (not the wrinkles, though:)
Elisabeth
Laziness is a big one for me, too. I know that I would have a hard time staying on top of the “maintenance.” Also, I’m likely to not have a lot of grey based on my hair colour and my own parents (both of them are still dirty blonde with a sprinkling of grey and they’re in their 70s.
That’s interesting that your hair characteristics have changed as it has gone grey! I wonder if that’s common?
Jenny
Ah, if only you could just give me a little of your hair! Just enough to make it more manageable (you’d still have a lot.) My hair has always been thin. Growing up I was very self-conscious about it. Of course now I look back on pictures and think how good my hair looked back then! It used to be very wavy, but after my daughter was born all my waves disappeared. Now it’s straight, and thin. I use the Pure Abundance shampoo and conditioner from Aveda, and that does actually help. I almost always wear it in a ponytail or bun, partially because of the heat here and partially because having it down bothers me when I’m working. Oh, and I’ve never colored it. It’s very slowly going gray, and some of the gray strands are wiry and stick up like little corkscrews. Basically my whole life is like one long, bad hair day.
FWIW I think your hair is beautiful! But then, I’m envious of just about everyone’s hair. Sigh!
Elisabeth
Wouldn’t it be great if we could mix and match different hair characteristics at will. I’d gladly give you some of my hair! I have more than enough to spare.
How interesting that your hair went straight after your second pregnancy (and that your daughter has such curly hair!; I have a sister who had very tight curls as a kid…two of her four kids have TIGHT ringlets). I’m trying to think if my hair changed at all after having the kids? I don’t think so? I know some women say their hair is thick and lustrous when they’re pregnant, but I never experienced that…
I can’t imagine having hair down in heat like you experience, especially with the intense exercise you maintain!! And of course it would be annoying in your face at work.
This made me laugh: Basically my whole life is like one long, bad hair day.
Nicole MacPherson
I mean, I could write a whole blog post on this. I probably have written a whole blog post about my hair! What I have never said, because eyes are everywhere but I think this is a safe space, is that my mom told me my entire childhood that I had “terrible hair” so I grew up thinking that my hair was unusually bad. That makes my mom sound awful, but it’s true. I always wanted long hair, and she said it was too thin, too fine, too many cowlicks, and so she’d have it cut really short. By the time I was a teen I kind of did what I wanted but I have never ever gotten over the feeling that my hair is remarkably ugly. I mean, objectively I know it’s not true. My hair is at this point probably better than it’s ever been, thanks to my $$$ supplements, but I still have hair issues. Isn’t it crazy how something in your youth can affect you for life? Here, I’ll answer your questions.
Do you like your hair? I’m trying to!
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? Medium-long.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? It’s wavy, but not consistently so.
Do you colour your hair? Goodness yes.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? I had dark brown hair naturally, now it’s totally grey/ white, under the red colour.
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? I wear it down half the time, the other half in a bun.
Do you have thick or thin hair? Thin, but it’s getting better.
Favourite hair product or accessory? Nutrafol!
Elisabeth
Oh Nicole. I am so sorry. Comments like that stick with a child and come with them the rest of their life. I bet your hair was gorgeous and I so wish I could have given young Nicole the freedom to make her own hair choices that made her feel confident and beautiful. I think your hair always looks stunning and suits you perfectly! Gold stars for pursuing what makes you feel good, too. A colour you love, the Nutrafol treatments etc.
On that note, I’m so glad Nutrafol has been such a success!!
SHU
My hair is thick and wavy/frizzy , but I’ve been Japanese straightening since 2007! The color is a dark red/auburn that I inherited from my mom and then passed on to 0/3 of my kids! I hated the color growing up bc it was weird but I do like it now. I have a few gray hairs coming in mostly in the front and I’m very conflicted about dying bc I really don’t want to change the overall color of my hair! (Also I’m grossed out by the thought of having roots, so I think I may just go gradually naturally gray. Maybe?)
Elisabeth
I love the colour of your hair!
The roots thing definitely holds me back. I am not good about staying on top of self-care/maintenance, so I think if I started dying my hair again I would struggle to keep it looking in tip-top shape. It seems like a process that’s not well suited to my personality type?
Erica
In theory, I like my hair; in reality, it annoys me. My hair is dark brown and, while it used to be curly, has relaxed a lot over the years and is now mostly just frizzy. I have a similar length cycle as you – but I dislike having other people cut my hair so I often cut it myself, and I’m shy about cutting it too short. I sometimes try to wear it down but it quickly becomes a frizzy mess. Usually it ends up in a ponytail or low bun when it’s short, a braid when it’s long (I find that a ponytail starts to get heavy, and also long ponytailed hair still goes everywhere). I don’t color my hair; I am lucky enough to have only a few grays (which have been there since my late 20s!) and at this point I am elderly enough not to care.
Elisabeth
I agree about ponytails going everywhere. Even if I’m putting my hair in a bun (the default for me), it really is 100x better if I’ve blowdried it straight. If not, the top of my hair frizzes up and goes everywhere and I HATE the feeling of the little hairs coming out and “dancing” around my face.
NGS
Do you like your hair? I don’t mind it. It’s boring, but that seems to suit who I am. It looked *amazing* for about twenty minutes after I left the salon last week, though.
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? Medium.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? Stick straight.
Do you colour your hair? No. I used to get highlights to try and hide the grey, but during COVID I couldn’t go to my stylist and I spent years growing it out. I will not dye it again, I don’t think. It’s expensive and time consuming.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? It’s hard to describe the color right now. It’s grey on the top layer and brown underneath the grey. I have been asked a few times if I have dyed it that way and I honestly have no idea who would want this color.
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? Most of the time I try to wear it down, but then I end up throwing it back into a ponytail for exercising or to keep it off my neck when it’s hot.
Do you have thick or thin hair? Thin.
Favourite hair product or accessory? I currently have three Goody ponytail holders on my person. I have a million everywhere in my vicinity at any time. Also, I swear by purple shampoo and conditioner at keeping my grey hair in check.
What a fun little quiz. I am super envious of your thick, wavy hair, but I guess the grass is always greener on the other side! I can just let my hair airdry and move on with my life, but it does NOT hold curl at all, so my styling choices are limited.
Elisabeth
I literally cannot imagine having stick straight hair! Especially since it took those curls so beautifully…even if they don’t stay in.
I think I’d wear my hair down more if it was naturally straight? I always feel self-conscious of it when it’s down. Plus, I really dislike things in my face (remember my face under running water PHOBIA). So a bun is definitely when I feel happiest.
I can never have too many hair elastics in the house, preferably all the same kind.
The grass is definitely greener as I have very much envied people with straight (or non-frizzy curls) hair my whole life. Letting my hair air dry! How incredible that sounds.
mbmom11
I sort of like my hair. It’s straight, brown , baby fine, and medium length. I do have some silver strands peeking through , especially near my temples. It never grows longer than below my shoulders. I always wanted hair down to my waist – probably because I had so many pixie cuts in my youth! I used to curl it, but I haven’t bothered for years. As a teen and college student, I would get perms. I loved the curls, and not having to wash it every day. I gave up perms once I started having kids. ($$$) .
I clip my front hair back on top of my head, or a pony tail in the back. I also got into headbands (slim, dark ones) for a while, but my kids keep breaking them.
I tried highlights for a while, in grad school, but I’m bad about maintenance. I always wanted to be a red head (I grew up looking like Velma from Scooby-do ; I would have preferred being Daphne!)
However, I did lose all my hair due to medication once, and it turns out I prefer my hair to being bald. It did allow me to discover why my bangs have always been a hassle (a cowlick -who knew!) , and that my natural part is much father over than I thought. I am going to get a haircut today – about 2 inches off – which is a big deal for me, but maybe just a trim to others.
And I have to hide the scissors or my daughter with special needs will cut off some random bits of her bangs/sides. Luckily, she has beautiful wavy/curly hair, so it’s never noticeable to others. (And I only figure it out because of a random curl on the floor.)
Elisabeth
Headbands always seem to give my headaches, but I think they’re adorable!
What a great point about appreciating hair more after losing it due to a medical condition or medication. A friend of mine had chemotherapy for breast cancer many years ago. She beat the horrible disease and when her hair grew back it was a COMPLETELY different texture and curl pattern.
Lisa's Yarns
Do you like your hair? Meh. It’s fine? I don’t love it but it could be worse.
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? As a child I had short hair because my mom thought that looked best on me. I loathed it so when I had more control over my hair, I grew it out. Now it’s medium length. I don’t like it to be above my shoulders but I don’t want it too long.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? My hair is curly/wavy but it sounds similar to yours. It is prone to frizz. It can look nice if I wear it curly in the summer. It is a fool’s errand to try to blowdry/straighten my hair in the summer because of the frizz issue. So I wear it straight in the months when it’s too cold to leave the house with wet hair; when it’s warm enough to leave the house with wet hair, I wear it wavy/let it air dry.
Do you colour your hair? Yes. I have been going gray since my late 20s and I’m not ready for that change yet so I dye it but only 3 times/year typically. I have recently started to get a “money piece” which is highlights around the crown of your head. Those highlights disguise the grays so I can go longer without getting my hair colored.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? It’s kind of a blah brown color but it can get very light in the summer if I am in the sun a lot.
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? For work, I usually have it down as it looks more polished when it’s straightened and down. At home it’s either in a ponytail or a messy bun.
Do you have thick or thin hair? It’s thickish.
Favourite hair product or accessory? My revlon onestep blowdryer! I no longer have to straighten my hair – I used to blowdry and straighten it which is so hard on my hair!
I am relishing having control over my children’s hair. We cut it very short, especially Taco’s, because it grows so fast and it’s expensive to get their hair cut! And I am not willing to learn how to do it. But when I see teen boys with mops of hair on their heads that appear to not be combed, I shudder a little bit. One of our rotational analysts is a recent college grad and he seriously looks like he does not comb his hair and I am just baffled by how he could look in the mirror and think that looks fine for a professional corporate environment. I realize this is judgmental, but there are personal care standards that need to be observed IMO…
Elisabeth
I’m the same in summer frizz season. I did get a keratin treatment about 6 months ago and, honestly, I don’t think it did much? I don’t think I care enough about my hair to really invest more time or money into wrangling it into something that easier to manage.
I had no idea what a “money” piece was; now I know!!
Sarah
I think I like my hair long because it’s fun to style and do braids, etc. BUT ALSO I end up with a messy bun most of the time— which is why I am working with medium short hair right now— fun to actually wear it down (because I have to LOL). I like my natural color and trying to find it in a box (Madison Reed Sondrio is pretty close). I really like bangs, and I think the only product you really need is a good flat iron. I have a Chi right now, and it is good, but ghd brand is the best (I did not want to spend $300 on it tho). With a good flat iron, you can get by with almost no products and budget-friendly shampoo, IMO (but I still use Aveda everything because I like the smell). Ok, this is something I have noticed in your writing when you talk about self care— you say you hate aspects of care that involve washing/touching/putting cream on parts of your body. How could you maybe reframe these tasks to be acts of self love and not work? Might fit into the idea of mental/emotion rest?
Elisabeth
I like bangs but they do NOT work with my hair texture/wave pattern at all (ask me how I know this).
Such interesting and accurate insights! I really do hate self-care. I don’t know why exactly? I don’t enjoy the feeling of washing my face, hate the sensation of cream on my skin, begrudge the time it takes to deal with my hair (it’s hot, my arms get tired, etc – basically I AM A WIMP). I do these activities because I know the end results makes me happy, but I struggle to not loathe the activity. Maybe I need to invest more (e.g. nice-smelling creams?). I just think it’s not my “thing”? But something useful to ponder!!!
Birchie
Well, I’m sorry that you couldn’t sleep but happy that we got one of your epic “get to know you” posts out of it.
Do you like your hair? About 50% of the time. I resent that I have to wash it everyday (YES I do have to wash everyday – it’s oily), how long it takes to dry, using a hairdryer, and when I put effort into styling it and it just falls flat. I’ve gone with the “medium length, side part” style that I only have to brush or take a little time to curl if I’m feeling fancy.
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? Mostly medium. Like you, I’m on the “perpetual cut it short & grow it out” plan.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? Straight with a little bit of curl.
Do you colour your hair? Never have I ever, which is a surprise to me. I always assumed that once I went gray I would start dyeing it, but at 49 I barely have any gray. Now that I’m more mature/the world has changed to accept gray I don’t think I’ll ever color my hair.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? Brown with a bit of a red tint and a few sparkles here and there from the odd gray hair.
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? Down. I put it up in a quick ponytail or bun when I work out, or if I’m doing something where my hair gets in the way. If I’m cooking then I HAVE to wear it up or I will leave a trail of hair in the food. Team Shed here!
Do you have thick or thin hair? Thick but it’s getting thinner with age.
Favourite hair product or accessory? Those telephone cord style hair ties! I always have one on hand for all of my “get my hair in a ponytail NOW” needs.
Elisabeth
Okay, I’m glad I’m not the only one that resents time spent on hair things!
I’ll be curious to see how my hair changes as I get older. I hope if it gets thinner it doesn’t mean I just shed even more. Yikes! I’d need our robovac running 24/7…
Rachel
Another awesome post. I feel like I would enjoy reading your writing about anything!
I did not realise you had thick wavy hair! I also have super thick wavy hair that looks amazing when hairdressers style it and then looks adequate to poor when I try to sort it out myself. I think your hair looks lovely!
I always have to tell the hairdresser to make a longer appointment to suit my long thick hair. I also shed like crazy (especially now, 6 months postpartum). I was once told that I had both thick strands of hair and lot and lots of hair, so it’s extra thick.
The best my hair ever looked was during covid, when I did the “no shampoo” thing for 10 weeks. It was greasy and gross for about a month and then started to look AMAZING every day. Gorgeous waves, people on Teams were asking me how I styled it. However I missed the smell of shampoo and the feel of lathering my hair so I started washing it again. I only wash it once every 4-5 days but I love a good hair wash.
Elisabeth
Awww. Thanks <3
Yes to this: "looks amazing when hairdressers style it and then looks adequate to poor when I try to sort it out myself." My hair can look fantastic, but recreating the look is above my skillset!
Shedding is such a nuisance. I see my hairs everywhere on the floor!!
Ten weeks! Wow! I've heard such great things about the no-wash approach, and COVID lockdowns would have been the right time for that! I wash my hair 3x/week on average, I suspect? It depends how I style it how quickly it gets greasy. In a pinch I could definitely get by with washing it twice. As long as I've been alive my mom has always washed her hair once a week - on Saturday's. Her hair never looks greasy! She has long, thick hair and hated how long it took to dry it so she has a routine and it works like a charm! I'm kinda jealous 😉
Joy
Ah, the hair woes! I always feel like I’m stabbing in the dark with my hair.
Do you like your hair? Mostly. Now that I’ve figured out how to get the style I want I like a lot.
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? Most would classify it as long (upper/mid-back length), although it’s shorter now than ever in my life (also due to religious upbringing!)
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? It can be all of the above but defaults to frizzy-straight if I don’t make an effort.
Do you colour your hair? Other than a little Sun-In as a teenager, no.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? Dark brown with ever-increasing silver that I’m honestly not mad about.
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? I usually end up with a bun but love how my hair looks down.
Do you have thick or thin hair? Medium- thick
Favourite hair product or accessory: Trader Joe’s Shea Butter and Coconut Hair Serum – I stock up when we visit my family and ration to make it last!
Elisabeth
Your hair is BEAUTIFUL! I love the colour and it’s so thick and lustrous.
Shea Butter and Coconut? Sign me up! That sounds decadent and must smell like a dream!
J
I’m fascinated by Rachel’s COVID hair comment. Did you not wash it at all for 10 weeks, Rachel? Did you rinse it when you bathed, and just not use products in it?
Your questions, E:
Do you like your hair?
Generally yes. I get tired of washing it and blow drying it, and when I see candid pictures I think maybe I look like a witch when it gets too long, but it’s relatively low maintenance hair and I’m glad for that.
Do you have short, medium, or long hair?
Medium I guess. When I was younger I used to cut it short, grow it out, cut it short, grow it out, and that was fun. As I’ve gotten older I’m more afraid of having ‘helmet hair’, so I just keep it long or medium.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair?
It’s pretty straight, though if I don’t blow dry it, it has a bit of waive to it. I always wanted curly hair, but now see how much work that can be, so maybe not.
Do you colour your hair?
Yes. When I was young my hair was very light blonde, and it darkened over the years. At about 20 or so I started coloring it blonde. I’ve tried red (with blonde highlights, I LOVED it, but it was very high maintenance and destroyed my bath towels), and natural, but I always come back to ash blonde.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)?
I read a book once where the character’s little brother described her color as ‘hair colored hair’, which always stuck with me. I suspect that is my color. It’s dark blonde, almost brown, and now has some grey in it, though not a lot considering I’m 58. My father went grey pretty late.
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other?
Ponytail for working out, going for my walk, doing yoga, then down after I have my shower.
Do you have thick or thin hair?
My hair is fine, but I have a LOT of it. I am thankful for this. Both of my parents had a lot of hair, so I’m hopeful that I won’t have to worry about it thinning, at least not for a while yet.
Favourite hair product or accessory?
Hmmm. I guess the stupid hair dryer. I dislike drying my hair, but if I don’t it looks blah. Not wavy enough to be ‘beachy’, though maybe I could force it to do that if I tried, not sure. It’s not a look I like on myself, so I haven’t forced the issue. When I curl my hair, the curl usually falls out in less than an hour. I just end up with a bit more volume.
Elisabeth
Okay, I laughed so hard at the “witch” comment!!
I’ve traditionally been the grow it long/cut it short, but I think I really need to keep it medium so I can always fall back on my beloved bun?
Hair coloured hair, an apt description.
Michelle G.
This was fun to read, Elisabeth! I’m a lot like you in that I let my hair grow and grow and periodically cut it myself to just above my shoulders. My husband helps me with any stragglers. I love that you gave yourself haircuts at 8 years old! That’s so cute!
I have extremely thick, natural red hair. It’s getting some gray in it, and I don’t mind. I’ve always hated having my hair cut because it pulls, and the hair-washing sink kills my neck. All the hair dryer noise and constant conversation make me stressed out. During the pandemic, I stopped going to the hair salon, and I’ve never gone back.
I like my hair, but my bangs are a real pain. I have to trim them every couple of weeks, which makes a mess in the bathroom, and I always get hair in my eyes. I’d love to grow them out, but I rely on them to cover the wrinkles on my forehead!
Elisabeth
Natural red hair is so, so lovely! I used to cut my hair as a teenager (and I gave myself some trims during COVID), but I’m pretty terrible at it. That said, I exclusively cut my husband’s hair (he’s probably been to a hairdresser less than 3 times since we got married!)
I wish I could pull off bangs because I think they are so sassy and fun. Alas, they look truly ridiculous on me and are wayyyy too much maintenance for my hair type.
Gigi
You mentioned your hair is wavy and holds a curl well. Makes me wonder if you could have curly hair? I say this because this is what my hair was like prior to just embracing the curls. I also shed so much that I’m surprised I have any hair left on my head!
Do you like your hair? Depends on the day. But I’m not complaining…most of the time.
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? Medium. If it starts to get long it makes me crazy and drags down the curls. I’m contemplating a bob but since I cut my own hair these days, I don’t have the confidence in my ability to make it right.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? Curly
Do you colour your hair? Without a doubt. Unfortunately, the older I get the more frequently I have to do it and that gets old.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? Brown
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? Usually down.
Do you have thick or thin hair? My hair is very fine.
Favourite hair product or accessory? Medium claw clips (for when I do where it up) and my hair dryer. Also cannot recommend Marc Anthony Curl Creme enough. Love it
Elisabeth
I have written down that Curl Creme and will be seeking it out at the drugstore tomorrow. You’re right; I’d probably do well to embrace the curl!
Stephany
This was such a fun post, and I loved reading all the comments. Hair can be such a fraught topic, can’t it? We always want what we don’t have! I have friends who only need to wash their hair once a week and my hair starts getting greasy by the end of the DAY I wash it! Ugh.
Do you like your hair? I do! Like I said above, I just wish it didn’t get oily so quickly!
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? Long hair. I’ve had every hairstyle I could have (aside from a pixie, I guess!) but I’m enjoying the long hair with bangs look now.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? It’s straight. When I let it air-dry, it has a slight wave to it but nothing crazy.
Do you colour your hair? I doooo. I don’t like the color of my natural hair. I would like to switch to at-home coloring at some point to save money, but I also really love the salon experience.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? Natural color is a very light brown. I just recently got highlights, so my base color is a dark brown with caramel balayage.
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? My hair is ALWAYS in a bun unless I’m doing something social or have a big day of meetings. I think I look better with my hair down, but it annoys me to no end to leave it down when I’m just at home. And I can’t even have it in a ponytail because I’ll just twirl strands of the ponytail incessantly. (I also clip my bangs back if I’m just at home, lol.)
Do you have thick or thin hair? It’s not super-thin but it’s not thick either. So medium, I guess? And very, very fine.
Favourite hair product or accessory? I have one of those blow-dryer brushes and yooo… it totally gives me the blow-out look! it’s crazy! It does take longer to style than if I just blow-dry/straighten, so I don’t use it every day but it is nice when I want to look extra spiffy. Otherwise, I can’t live without my straightener. Even though my hair is straight already, I like to do some quick swipes with the flat iron to get it smooth and silky. And a straightener is a must for my bangs, like Sarah said!
Elisabeth
I have heard so much good stuff about the blow-dry brushes! And agreed on the straightener; I also use it if I’m going to add curls. I donated my curling iron years ago! So much easier to have one tool suit a variety of purposes!
Maria
I loved the hair trimming tale! When I was 4 I cut my hair and I still remember the pure joy of the sensation of it giving way to the scissors.
Do you like your hair?
Overall yes though I am often frustrated because it’s messy.
Do you have short, medium, or long hair?
Medium to long
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair?
Straight
Do you colour your hair?
Nope! Never have
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)?
Dark brown with increasing amounts of white. We go white early in my family – I’m 32
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other?
Ponytail or bun
Do you have thick or thin hair?
Thick but getting thin as postpartum hair loss is really hitting me this time
Favourite hair product or accessory?
A good hairbrush or comb that feels nice on my scalp
Elisabeth
A good hairbrush is critical; how did I forget to mention that?!
Melissa
I think your hair looks great. I’m surprised you don’t like it.
Do you like your hair? No really. It’s thin, not completely straight, but also not curly, gets a bit frizzy and is a nothing brown.
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? Medium. I usually get it cut just long enough to put in a ponytail.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? Straight, but not quite straight.
Do you colour your hair? Yes, highlights. I used to also put a semi-permanent in that covered the grey but then I started to react to the colour. Highlights are fine because it doesn’t really go on your scalp.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? Light brown
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? I like my hair down but can’t be bothered drying it. I normally wear it in a ponytail, or if going out and don’t want to dry it in a bun
Do you have thick or thin hair? Thin hair
Favourite hair product or accessory? Frizz-ease. Just a little bit makes my hair sit fairly smoothly.
I have a horror story of haircutting by my best friend at school. We were in year eleven, and she decided she didn’t want her fringe. I said she needed to grow it out then, and despite my insisting she couldn’t get rid of her fridge by cutting it off near the roots, she did it anyway—her whole fringe cut off down to the skin. She had an interesting next three months or so as it slowly grew back down her forehead, and then, of course, she still had to grow it out.
Elisabeth
Ha – well, I think Stephany is right that we all want what we don’t have, right?
“Nothing brown” and “hair-coloured hair” are two hilarious descriptions from this comment section on colour.
I haven’t used Frizz-ease in years, but used to use it daily.
That bangs/fringe story is both hilarious and horrible. Gah!! She was definitely not the first person to try that approach but how painful to have to grow it out from nothing.
San
This line made me weep… “She can wash her hair and literally do nothing and it falls all silky and straight and perfect with zero effort.” <– READ: I WANT HAIR LIKE THAT.
I like your hair and if it's any consolation, in all your photos, it does look pretty and effortless. Although I can understand that it might just appear like that to others. My hair is fine/thin and wavy (also not the effortless beach waves kind). It dries quickly after a shower, but it can get frizzy and I do have to style it to look okay-ish. I can often hide how thin it is (a little blow drying goes a long way) but if you could grab my ponytail/bun, trust me, you'd be crying with me.
Both my parents have fine hair and my dad is bald, so I guess I should be thankful that I am a girl and not a boy and at least shouldn't have to expect to go completely bald in the future. LOL
I think I will answer your questions in my own blog post (I need fodder and get back into the swing of writing!). 😉
Elisabeth
I know, right? Isn’t that the dream scenario?
Can’t wait to read your answers to these questions on your blog!
ccr in MA
What an interesting topic! So many people want what they don’t have, what a surprise. To answer your questions:
Do you like your hair? I’m neutral on it. It’s fine. I mostly don’t care as long as it behaves itself. I have a rule with the grey hairs that if they fall into place with the rest of my hair, they can stay, but the ones that sproing out like alien antennae get plucked. Not having that!
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? Short. As a teenager, driving a convertible, I told my stylist I wanted “convertible hair,” meaning that I could drive with the top down on the highway and not have any go in my eyes. I like the idea of long hair, but you always have to do something with it then. With short hair, I can’t “do” anything to it, so the decision is made.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? Slightly wavy, but it’s changing with menopause so who knows how I’ll answer that a year or five from now.
Do you colour your hair? No, never have. I have more and more grey hairs, but am not coming in grey yet. One of my close friends started going grey before we hit 40, I think, and she was so bitter that I did not.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? Dark brown.
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? As I said, having no options works for me! After I wash it (every day, thank you, it still gets oily otherwise), I comb through it, part and comb it down, and I’m done. Wash and wear hair. It ain’t pretty but it’s easy.
Do you have thick or thin hair? Very thin.
Favourite hair product or accessory? I don’t actually use anything: no need for elastics or anything to hold it up, and I don’t blow it dry or use any “product” in it.
Elisabeth
Convertible hair – love it!
Also, I’m still chuckling over “alien antennae”…
Diane
Do you like your hair? I think my hair is okay. Since having kids, I’ve started losing it by the handfuls in the shower. But there is still a lot of it, so I try not to get too despondent about it.
Do you have short, medium, or long hair? Well now it’s medium, but I prefer it super short, with bangs. I love having bangs. I haven’t gotten it cut in a year, so it’s currently longer than I like. Funny story- growing up my grandfather didn’t like girls to have ling hair. He lived in Taiwan and where it was hot ans there were always fans running and he had known people who had gotten their hair caught in fans. So the first time I got my hair cut super short after having waist length hair, her was delighted and told all my other female cousins to be more like me.
Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? Straight straight stereotypical Asian hair
Do you colour your hair? No. The idea of the maintenance makes me tired.
What colour is your hair (natural and/or dyed)? Dark with lots of grey coming in. (Also another thing that happened after I had kids)
Do you prefer to wear your hair: down, half-up, ponytail, bun…or other? I prefer not to have to do anything with my hair. I don’t like having my hair down, though. I know that it’s time to get a hair cut when I have to put it in a pony tail/bun all the time.
Do you have thick or thin hair? I think it’s medium…
Favourite hair product or accessory? I like tiny claw clips the best for myself. For my daughters my favorite hair tie are the plastic spiral ones.
Elisabeth
I love the look of bangs but it absolutely does not work with my hair type. Sigh.
Yikes – getting hair caught in anything sounds awful. My mom has long hair and it once caught on fire when she leaned back against a countertop with a lit candle. I still remember the panic and my brother putting out the fire IN OUR MOTHER’S HAIR. So I guess long hair can be really dangerous!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
This was so fun to read. Your post and all the comments.
I think I do it like San and steal the questions and answer them on the blog. I feel like need some fun posts and not only goals and check- ins.
I love your hair. It looks so great. I an agree with Stephany… we are always wishing for something we don’t have.