Step one: hair cut (Before and After)
I posted recently about self improvement.
I started getting my aches and pains in check with the chiropractor.
Exercise--uh, not yet. But I do start a swim class at the end of the month.
New room as more pleasant environment--getting there also. That one has been way too slow a process.
So now comes appearance.
I have spent the last couple of years really working on the inside.
Emptying the baggage, as it were.
Now I'm really quite content, but I have this interior that doesn't match the exterior.
I've gained weight, I just haven't really cared anymore.
Granted, it has been a really tight year on funds (things like facials, pedicures, massages, etc, are a luxury) but still.
So that has to change.
It is more than time.
Step one--get my hair cut.
I hadn't cut my hair in ten months, and even then he didn't really do much.
I was fearing that I was starting to look like one of those "older" ladies--the granola ones with long scraggly hair and too many greys that sort of frizz around the head.
Eewww.
It's more than time I paid attention to how I feel and how I look and how I present myself to the world.
This time I chose an honest to goodness stylist--it was a treat to myself.
Before picture (you'll have to click on the images if you want to enlarge--Flickr isn't wanting to size these to fit)
My hair is longer than it appears here, in that it's hanging over the chair.
Those ends reached almost to my waist.
That's my natural color, but with too many greys for my liking.
I LIKE my natural color, and I hate to mess with it chemically, especially since it's such a tough shade to get right, but my hair has gotten more ashy as I've gotten older, and looks horrendous with grey.
People with black hair who get grey might look more interesting.
My hair with grey...not so much.
No one else seemed to notice the grey, but I sure did.
I usually just let it air dry, so that's natural wave.
First trim, to get the ragged ends off
Already a huge improvement.
I'm not a fan of rounded styles, and that's kind-of what I had before (you know, where the hair is kind-of a U-shape, and the middle back in longest).
After!
Shorter and darker than the picture may indicate.
Remember, here it's blow-dried and flat ironed.
He cut at least six inches off, perhaps more (it sure feels like more--that part takes some getting used to).
So no more twisting and tying it into a knot--it's not long enough for that anymore.
But that's okay. Really.
He matched the natural color underneath at my neck, then called it my "natural color kicked up a notch".
It's super shiny and feels really soft and healthy now. He also colored my brows a shade darker. The front has some layers around my face.
He initially planned to do long layers all around, then decided to take it slow and just do the front for now.
Gain my trust, as it were, since this is the first time he has cut my hair.
Today I'm going to experiment with letting it air dry and see how that looks.
I don't usually blow dry every day--just too time consuming.
My friends said I looked ten years younger.
My mom greeted me with, "I thought you were going to get your hair cut".
Uh, HELLO!
Then she said it looked more like eight inches were cut off, but she didn't like the straight style.
Sigh...
Initially I had planned to donate my hair to cancer patients, but you have to give a bigger chunk--like 12 inches.
I just couldn't get myself to go that short.
Hair length has become both a part of my identity and somewhat of a shield.
The stylist actually said he cut 12 inches off, but I think he may have been joking.
It's possible though.
Maybe I should have mentioned I wanted to donate.
Too late now.
It really is a huge step in the right direction though.
I don't know why I waited so long.
I started getting my aches and pains in check with the chiropractor.
Exercise--uh, not yet. But I do start a swim class at the end of the month.
New room as more pleasant environment--getting there also. That one has been way too slow a process.
So now comes appearance.
I have spent the last couple of years really working on the inside.
Emptying the baggage, as it were.
Now I'm really quite content, but I have this interior that doesn't match the exterior.
I've gained weight, I just haven't really cared anymore.
Granted, it has been a really tight year on funds (things like facials, pedicures, massages, etc, are a luxury) but still.
So that has to change.
It is more than time.
Step one--get my hair cut.
I hadn't cut my hair in ten months, and even then he didn't really do much.
I was fearing that I was starting to look like one of those "older" ladies--the granola ones with long scraggly hair and too many greys that sort of frizz around the head.
Eewww.
It's more than time I paid attention to how I feel and how I look and how I present myself to the world.
This time I chose an honest to goodness stylist--it was a treat to myself.
Before picture (you'll have to click on the images if you want to enlarge--Flickr isn't wanting to size these to fit)
My hair is longer than it appears here, in that it's hanging over the chair.
Those ends reached almost to my waist.
That's my natural color, but with too many greys for my liking.
I LIKE my natural color, and I hate to mess with it chemically, especially since it's such a tough shade to get right, but my hair has gotten more ashy as I've gotten older, and looks horrendous with grey.
People with black hair who get grey might look more interesting.
My hair with grey...not so much.
No one else seemed to notice the grey, but I sure did.
I usually just let it air dry, so that's natural wave.
First trim, to get the ragged ends off
Already a huge improvement.
I'm not a fan of rounded styles, and that's kind-of what I had before (you know, where the hair is kind-of a U-shape, and the middle back in longest).
After!
Shorter and darker than the picture may indicate.
Remember, here it's blow-dried and flat ironed.
He cut at least six inches off, perhaps more (it sure feels like more--that part takes some getting used to).
So no more twisting and tying it into a knot--it's not long enough for that anymore.
But that's okay. Really.
He matched the natural color underneath at my neck, then called it my "natural color kicked up a notch".
It's super shiny and feels really soft and healthy now. He also colored my brows a shade darker. The front has some layers around my face.
He initially planned to do long layers all around, then decided to take it slow and just do the front for now.
Gain my trust, as it were, since this is the first time he has cut my hair.
Today I'm going to experiment with letting it air dry and see how that looks.
I don't usually blow dry every day--just too time consuming.
My friends said I looked ten years younger.
My mom greeted me with, "I thought you were going to get your hair cut".
Uh, HELLO!
Then she said it looked more like eight inches were cut off, but she didn't like the straight style.
Sigh...
Initially I had planned to donate my hair to cancer patients, but you have to give a bigger chunk--like 12 inches.
I just couldn't get myself to go that short.
Hair length has become both a part of my identity and somewhat of a shield.
The stylist actually said he cut 12 inches off, but I think he may have been joking.
It's possible though.
Maybe I should have mentioned I wanted to donate.
Too late now.
It really is a huge step in the right direction though.
I don't know why I waited so long.
Labels: personal improvement
9 Comments:
Barb, your hair looks great!!! Good for you for being brave. It's nice to hear you are pampering yourself and taking good care of yourself inside and out. You deserve to feel and look your best! God bless you. :)
Your hair looks fabulous!! Mine used to be really really long, too (thigh-length) and one day I cut off 22 inches! Yikes, eh? It was a big shock for a little while, but totally worth it (my hair is really thick, and was starting to thin out on top from the weight of it all)
Wow - looks fabulous! I wish I could find a hair stylist who just took control. I always end up with the one who relies on me to come up ideas.
Good for you! Looks so sleek and healthy!!
it looks fantastic! yeah, it's easy to "forget" to take care of ourselves. I'm guilty of doing that too, never wear makeup, don't get my hair done, don't dress too nicely...and it takes its toll on the morale after a while. I often dream of getting one of them shows put me through some sort of magical makeover. like that's gonna happen!
kudos to you for getting things done.
I really love the way it ended up... and bravo on doing things for yourself! There are some big ticket items (like haircuts) that are best left to experts, but other things you can do for yourself at home too... mani/pedis while watching a chick flick, make and use your own bath salts, etc., but it sure is fun to spoil yourself every once in a while.
Well done for getting it done. I hope it gives your confidence a real lift. Hubby still cuts mine. I think I may turn into worse than the women you spoke of- I'm the sort who plaits it away a lot and then can't remember if I brushed it that day or the day or so before. ...I know one step away from being a bag lady. LOL
Hey Barb, your hair looks fabulous! I also had mine cut recently, and am still coming to terms with it. I like to put it up in a pony tail but I'm being told by most people that at 60, I should not be doing that any more...Duh. Well, too bad because that's the way I like it, so I'm back to growing it again! That's the good thing about hair, isn't it. You can cut it and it will grow again. You can color it and then go back to the original when it grows out. Glad we have hair instead of fur or feathers, lol!
It looks fabulous and the color is stupendous. I may be right behind you at the cutting station.
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