Guess what …. I passed my test!!
I work in the IT field, and this was a required test for us all to take. I work mostly with boys, and they all thought this would be super easy. Not me! I was so scared I was not going to pass it! Even the night before the test, I really was concerned! It was a lot of memorization, and lets face it – its been a while since I’ve been in school! But I studied really hard. AND to top it off – I got a better score than some of the boys!
The score itself doesn’t really matter – a pass is all you needed, but it still kind of makes me happy inside! It is a certification I can add to my resume, and so I feel really good about it!
Today, I want to talk about hair. My hair specifically. And really how much I am just not liking it right now! I don’t spend a lot of money on my hair. I don’t get it cut very often. The reason is – because I never like it after I get it cut! I guess I can’t find that perfect cut that looks good on me. I got it cut at the end of August, and I still don’t like it!
This is a picture of me right after I got it cut. Of course, I immediately put it in a ponytail, so you can’t really tell anything
But you can see how short it is!
One thing that is important to me is being able to put my hair in a ponytail. I wear it like that about 95% of the time. It is just easy and gets it out of my face! Even at work, most of the time I have my hair in a ponytail! Obviously that message didn’t get across, because it the front is not staying in the ponytail at all. Plus, since my hair is pretty fine, I like to have layers to try and give me more volume. Anyways, bottom line, a month later, I still don’t like my hair.
This was at the airport when we went to visit my parents – of course this is after a 2 hour plane trip and a super early morning – but I’m still not liking my hair.
Anways – recently I ran out of shampoo. I had read about the “no ‘poo” natural method of washing your hair, so I thought I would give it a try! Basically you wash your hair with a baking soda/water mixture, and then use an apple cider vinegar rinse as conditioner. Since I had baking soda and apple cider vinegar, and no shampoo, I decided to give it a try. The basic thought is that shampoo strips your hair and scalp of the natural oils it makes, which in turn makes it produce more oil, which is why people get oily skin and hair when you don’t wash your hair for a day or 2.
So – I took 1 tbsp baking soda, and put in a glass jar. When I was ready to wash my hair in the shower, I filled the jar with water (about 6-8 ounces of water), and put the lid on and shook it well. I poured this over my head, and massaged it into my hair. No lather, like regular shampoo, but it felt good! Rinse it out.
Then, I have a spray bottle I filled about 1/3 of the way with apple cider vinegar, and the rest with water. I just sprayed this on my hair, and massaged it in a little bit. Rinse it out – trust me, you want to rinse so your hair doesn’t smell like vinegar!
I have read that when you start washing your hair this way, it will take a few days for your hair to adjust and get over the “blahs”. You know when your hair has the blahs and just won’t do anything right? Well, I washed my hair like this for over a week, and I just couldn’t get over the blahs! My hair looked terrible. So, I went out and bought some shampoo and I’m back to the old way of doing things. Sigh. I just couldn’t take it anymore!
It’s only been a day since I went back to my shampoo, but I think my hair does feel a little more … like my hair.
Oh well, live and learn, right? Maybe one day it will work for me, but recently I have just felt very blahish, and it was affecting my emotional state as well. I want to feel like I look my best, and I just wasn’t! We all want to feel good, right?
Sometimes I’m jealous of people who don’t have to worry about their hair – how can it look perfect all the time??
Have you ever tried the no ‘poo method of washing your hair? Any suggestions on types of shampoo you like?
Oh Jane I’ve always been envious of those women with “that hair” that always looks consistently beautiful every day. My hair is naturally curly, but not pretty bouncy curls, more like kinky waves. I usually blow it out straight. I did stop using products with sulfate about 6 months ago. I wash my hair once a week with a sulfate free clarifying shampoo. The other days I use two different conditioners only. I also rinse with apple cider vinegar once or twice a week for extra shine. I try not to get my hair wet everyday, but with the marathon training it’s difficult not too. And don’t even get me started about dealing with my grey hair!!
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I don’t think I have any grey hair yet, at least none that I have spotted, but I am sure that will be coming soon! And thanks for the congratulations on my test .. it is such a relief to have that done!
Oh I forgot to congratulate you on passing your test! That must be a relief. Nice job!!
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Thanks for linking to my post! Sorry the no ‘poo method didn’t work for you, but I do want to encourage you that it took my hair almost 6 weeks before I really felt like it adjusted and stopped being greasy and nasty – much more than just one week! So, if you get the urge to try it again, (and I do understand that it’s hard to have gross hair for that long! I did it in the summer when I put my hair in a ponytail every day anyway.) that you might want to give it a chance for a while longer – maybe a month or so.
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Thank you! I do want to try it again when I have more time I can get used to it … I know you had said it took a lot longer for you to adjust … It just wasn’t right for me right now, but hopefully sometime! Thanks so much for stopping by!
A gal after my own heart — ponytails! I finally cut my hair all off (I was getting too old and too gray), but I do miss the ponytail. Anyways, I have used vinegar rinses in the past, but not often. And my scalp/hair tends to be dry, so I don’t know about the baking soda. It just seems easier to use shampoo. And I use something from Costco that comes in a really big container so I have it for years. I guess at some point those things expire, but I wash my hair once a day so I haven’t had to worry yet.
I should look for a big container of shampoo at Costco, I guess I never have! I had a friend in high school who thought all girls should shave their head, so there wouldn’t be so much drama with hair, and at the time I thought ewww! Now, though, I just don’t want to mess with my hair half the time! Although, for the record, I think I would look terrible without hair!
I have really fine/limp/blah hair, too. First, make sure you have enough water pressure! This makes a HUGE difference for my hair–if you have an adjustable showerhead, set it to “one solid jet of power” when rinsing out your shampoo. The gentle sprinkle/rain setting I use for the rest of me leaves my hair extra-limp.
I only wash my hair once a week–but after day three, I put cornstarch in it (aka: the insanely cheap and easy version of dry shampoo). This makes it look lively again, adds thickness/body, and makes my updos super-manageable (I’m a ponytail gal, too). Anyway, those two tricks work well for me. I still don’t have that easy effortless hair you talk about, but it helps with the limp blahs.
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Interesting – thanks for sharing! I wonder if the cornstarch thickens it or something? Never heard of that, but I may have to try it!
Well, it absorbs the oil (like dry shampoo), so I’m guessing it stays attached to hair strands (lightly) and does add thick/volume. Definitely give it a try on some slightly greasy hair, the worst that can happen is the need for a shower and shampoo anyway
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Bobby teases me all of the time because every single time I get a haircut, I spend the next week trimming it a little here and a little there trying to get me a cut I can live with! I only cut my hair about every 3 months and I wear it long. You would think any hairdresser could cut it right! UGH! So I definitely know how you feel! I few years ago I started washing my hair every other day and that has helped tremendously! Sometimes, I even go 4 days. I use the Aveeno Rosemary Mint shampoo and it is really gentle and provide some body. I love it! Thanks for sharing the failure of no poo shampoo.
I certainly won’t be trying it!
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Congratulations on passing your test! You should be very proud of yourself.
I actually have been trying to learn how to work my hair (after 24 years). It used to be really straight but has developed weird kinks. Blah!
I know, why can’t hair be easy!!
Congrats on the test! I know what you mean about feeling good about your score, even though you just needed to pass…I would feel the same way about beating some of the boys!
I’ve never tried the no ‘poo method, but I’ve considered it. I got excited when I started reading your re-cap cuz I thought you were going to say how great it worked! lol. I just don’t see how it could work well enough… My hair is super annoying. Not curly, not straight, kind of frizzy but also thin. Cowlicks. Ugh. I am so low maintenance, I just hate blow drying (note….my hair in non-humid california is way less unruly), but sometimes I have to at least do the front (I figure it doesn’t matter if the back looks bad because I can’t see it!).
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See even your hair likes Cali!
I think if I stuck with it for longer, maybe I could see some results, but I just couldn’t take it any longer! Plus having to actually get up and go to work everyday, I want to feel like I at least look decent! Maybe if I worked from home or something I could deal with it a little longer … maybe someday!
Congrats on your test (from the only girl in IT at my work)! When I was on maternity leave with my youngest I did a little test with my hair. Lot of people were telling my shampoo and washing daily did more harm than good and that you needed the natural oils. After a week of no hair washing, I realized it was true. My hair was so much better the longer I just rinsed it with water only. Have not been able to stick to it, these days I love Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo with Peppermint. Wakes me up and cleans my hair.
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Yay for girls in IT! Yeah, I think if I stayed home, I might be able to deal with it a little longer … but not having to get up and go to work everyday. I have to look for that shampoo when we get a Trader Joe’s – they say there are going to build one, who hoo!
LOL, Sammy’s hair is pretty perfect. Darn our perfect pups!
I’ve heard of this and the blogger’s journey I read said that she had better results when she mixed up a big batch of that soda stuff and let it sit b/c the longer it sat, the better her hair results after washing with it. Here’s her story: http://asonomagarden.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/tips-for-going-no-shampoo-a-16-month-update/ As for your hair style, I think you should try either going really short or longer, like shoulder length. I think your face seems like a short style would look good on you, but I think a shoulder length style with some layers would be fabulous, especially with a bit of fringe (some bangs). Your forehead is long enough that they would look good on you. I really have wanted bangs but my hair stylists always talk me out of it b/c it would crowd my face and make it look even fatter b/c my forehead isn’t very big. Take advantage of it and cut some fringe-I think it would look so good on you!
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Oh my gosh, thanks for the ideas! Short is better on me – just cause my hair is naturally curly too, and when it gets longer (even shoulder length) it just kinda hangs there. I do have tons of layers now — I think it helps my hair look more full… I always think about doing bangs, but I’m always scared I won’t like them! But, I will try them next time, thanks so much!
I’m glad you tried the no ‘poo and told us about it. I hadn’t heard of this before. I have heard of corn starch to dry out oil on hair that needs washing. I haven’t tried that…but want to. I try to only wash my hair every 3 days. Sometimes I squeeze one more day (but I usually regret that 4th day). I heard once that washing your hair every day makes your hair need washing every day. I guess the hair produces more oil if washed everyday. I let my hair dry semi naturally. I try it by using heat in the car and pointing the air vents to my hair while I drive to work. Save me time…and seems to keep my hair from getting damaged from hair drying.
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It is a cycle! Wash your hair everyday, overproduces oil, makes you need to wash it everyday. I’ll have to try the car vent thing for drying my hair!
Have you tried shampoo bars? My husband and I have been using them for a year and love them! Make them yourself and then you know what is in them. I use a vinegar/water rinse afterwards and no conditioner. I have long straight hair and my neighbor has very curly dry hair. Works for both of us.
I actually do make a shampoo bar for my husband, but I don’t know why I have never used it! I have read that if you aren’t quite ready to switch to no poo, a shampoo bar is a good way to go. I will have to give that a try! Thank you!