I'm going to put in some of the first posts because it's just easier to show where I started from.

I'd lurked all day at the TLHL and loved it. I no longer felt like hacking all my hair off, just throwing myself on the mercy of these lovely, supportive people. So that's exactly what I did.

April 22, 2004--The first cry for help.

OK, pretend I just woke up from a coma and discovered I have hair longer than when I was in high school, because that's what it feels like. After lurking here I realize I don't know the first thing about long hair care, outside of not using heat and using scrunchies.

I need to cut off some of the length so it looks better, but I don't know how much. Maybe I'd better start with the pictures...
 

Wow! That worked! I'm so amazed! Anyway, all I did here was condition my hair like crazy before I washed it (thanks for that tip!), conditioned after I washed it with a rinse out conditoner. I usually put on a leave in conditioner, but I wanted you guys to see what I'm up against. Then while it was still wet, I fingercombed it then hairpicked it. If I don't, I can't get a comb through it when it's dry. I almost never use a hairdryer, which is a bit of a problem 'cause my hair stays damp forever. Also, I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, so there is never a day without humidity.
 

Here I fingercombed it, hairpicked it and sprayed some oily frizz control stuff on it. This is about as good as it gets, sigh. By the way, the reason I'm laughing here is because I decided I needed better light for these shots, so I moved to our tiny bathroom. To get the pics my very sweet hubby was standing barefoot in a wet bathtub and complaining about how cold it was. He is pretty wonderful! He's even learned to french braid, and he dyes my hair for me. What do you all think the safest dyes are for graying hair?

What I have: Very fine, very slick (most hair toys fall right out) dry dyed hair. Top layer is dry and rather straight but it gets curler as it goes down. I have all these fine whispy baby hair fringes all around my hairline that actually ringlet when wet. Since they are curlyer and shorter than the rest of my hair, they tend to poke through and look messy. I have a cowlick front and back, but at least they line up so I have a natural side part. I've always had full bangs, but I've been letting them grow so I can part them to the sides and maybe angle them. The ends of my hair are sort of crinkly, don't seem to be actual splint ends as much as just damaged and crunchy (although oiling them did seem to improve the crunchiness already). My hair is shorter around my face, which is OK, but right now it has no style what-so-ever. With all these lengths from old haircuts and breakage I've got a bad case of frizzies and scraggly ends.

What I want: Long hair that looks healthy and actually has some style. I want some bangs, and maybe some chin bangs would look nice (to hide my jowls!) I want to be able to wear it up and have it stay there without having to practically glue it in place. Outside of conditioners, I don't have a lot of experience with styling stuff, I hate my hair feeling stiff.

I have some bobby pins, some hairpins, and assorted scrunchy type bands. What is the bit about stocking bands? I have a LOT of old stockings I can cut up. I also have a lot of barrettes that may be doing more damage than good, how can I tell? What do I need to get? Obviously something to make french twists, but what?

How much should I cut off? I'm not going to a salon, I can't afford it, and I don't trust 'em! But I'm pretty good at cutting hair, and my hubby will cut the back if he has good enough directions. I do have proper haircutting sissors and even a razorcutter, as I cut his hair. I found the instructions on V cuts and U cuts (blunt cut didn't look so good when I had one), any input on fringes? I like Goldie Hawn's long layers, I think my hair would do that.

Anyway, sorry about the long post, but hey, I'm trying to get it all in here at once!

WildCatDancer

Well, everyone was super supportive and talked me out of cutting off the 6 inches I was thinking about. Here's some of the suggestions so I don't have to keep referring back to that post...

Try using Creme of Nature shampoo. It's in the Ethnic section at Wal-Mart. It is a very conditioning shampoo. IsoPlus is another one... same section. These are super conditioning shampoos that might help your hair to feel more moiturized and less dry.

Aurbrey Organics GPB conditioner might do wonders in your hair. It's specifically designed for damaged hair. Your hair should love the protein in it. I love this conditioner! 

If you are having problems keeping clips in you may want to try a ficcare.
http://classiclength.home.mchsi.com/ficcare/ Also the Morocco Method site sells high quality henna that you can put over dyed hair. But PLEASE STRAND TEST regardless of what a company says.
http://classiclength.home.mchsi.com/ficcare/
Nitsa

I first went out and bought myself some jojoba oil and started oiling my hair. It was the first thing I did that I noticed making a difference. I would put on pretty heavy application of jojoba oil on the nights before I washed and in between washings, I’d add a tiny bit to the ends. It made my hair MUCH more pliable and less strawlike. It particularly helped when I put it on when my hair was damp, after washing it, because it seemed to help hold the moisture in my hair. Can you wear buns? I CAN, but don’t really like to since I think they do NOTHING for my looks, but around the house wearing a damp bun seems to really help my hair too. If you like buns, they are great for helping keep moisture in the ends of your hair. And, it gets your hair up and away from your face so you can see all that cat hair you're cleaning off your couches!

The next thing I did was buy some good products. You don’t have to spend big bucks to get good stuff for your hair. Fox mentioned a shampoo that is great (and quite inexpensive) and you can find other things at Walmart or Target or such places. My favorite shampoo and conditioner right now are made my Neutrogena called Triple Moisture, I think. They come in a gold colored tube and cost around $3.50 each for the shampoo and conditioner. You might have to experiment to find out what works for your hair though. Steer clear of industrial-strength shampoos though. You really don’t need them – especially on your length and with colored hair. And, I agree with Fox about doing a CWC. That means Conditioner Wash Condition. I’m sure there is an article in our library about it. Martine came up with this when trying to figure out how to best take care of longer hair. So, you would wet your hair, put conditioner on your length (below ears), then shampoo your scalp. Unless you have an awful lot of styling stuff in your hair or have done a very heavy oil treatment, you really shouldn’t have to wash your length everytime when you shampoo. I rarely do anymore. After washing your scalp, rinse it all out and then condition the length again. (Thus the condition/wash/condition).

As far as hair toys go, geez – there are so many and it depends on what you want to do. For French twists, some people use combs specifically made for them. Others use a special kind of plastic “pin” that doesn’t damage the hair (I have a pack and would be glad to send them to you). Others use the famous ficcare clip (quite expensive and these days hard to come by if you order directly from them – I’ve been waiting for my order for over a month now!). You probably want to toss your standard “bobby pins” if they’re anything like the ones I used to use. Those little tips come off and get caught in your hair, plus the design is just NOT good. The only barrettes I use now don’t have the spring mechanism most barrettes have these days. I used to use them all the time, but they break my hair off. If you run your fingers over the parts that actually hold your hair (even on the French made ones that are supposed to be better) – they’re actually very sharp. Some hair can take it, but my fine hair can’t, so I use barrettes that have the little knob that you push the metal part over, if that makes any sense. They’re hot as easy to find and aren’t as easy to use, but I much prefer them.

I have used Robert Craig, it had its pros and cons for me. It is a gentle permanent color, but in the end I think I like the Color Spa or Natural Instincts semi permanet color the best.
I have used henna too and I really enjoyed it. I liked mixing up the stuff and making my own recipes, but it didn't hold to the gray hair long enough. I do think it is best for red or auburn hair colors.

The first thing I would do is trim about 2-3 inches off the longest length then give your hair a deep condtioning treatment. Fox gave some good suggestions and maybe even a nice hot oil treatment. I make up my own oil treatment. There are so many wonderful oils out there. I use emu oil, almond oil mixed with a few drops of lavendar and rosemary essential oil.
The GPB condtioner from Aubry Organics is good or Mega TeK by Eqyss. I wet my hair first or wash it with warm water then really cake the conditioner to it. Wrap it in a hot towel or use a heat cap. Leave it at least an hour or overnight. Sometimes i will condtion mine, put it in a bun and leave over night. I don't do it very often now about once every month or two, but in the beginning when I first started I condtioned more often.

Science is proving emu oil to be a modern miracle for the relief of pain and inflammation of injured tissues and joints. Studies and research are ongoing.
Modern research has documented that emu oil possesses numerous beneficial qualities. Laboratory experiments and analysis of emu oil both in Australia and in the U.S have confirmed that emu oil has the ability to reduce inflammation of the joints.

Emu oil contains high levels of linolenic acid… a substance known to temporarily eash joint paint, and oleic acid… a sunstance which has a local anti-inflammatory effect on dermal tissues. When emu oil was tested, it proved to be very hypo-allergenic and to have an extremely high purity level.

Anti-Aging Effect

Emu oil is unsurpassed for its moisturizing properties. Studies found that dry aging skin increased in thickness by 2-3 times when treated with emu oil. Age spots and wrinkles diminished noticeably.

Arthritis

Emu oil comforts stiff muscles and joints, and reduces the inflammation and swelling of arthritic joints. When used regularly, it acts much like an analgesic without any negative side effects.

Burns

Emu oil has been found to be very effective on burns of all types including sunburn, 1st and 2nd degree burns, and radiation burns. It alleviates pain and dramatically reduces scarring and blistering.

Chronic Injuries Massage

Muscle strains, sprains, inhured ligaments and even heel spurs that are experienced by athletes and other sports enthusiasts are responding well to treatment with emu oil resulting in 50% faster healing. Many professional sports teams are now using emu oil in their training rooms.

Psoriasis & Eczema

Emu oil acts like a therapeutic balm by moisturizing the skin and reducing the itching, redness, and scaling associated with many stubborn skin conditions.

Hair Care

Emu oil acts as a fortifying agent for limp dry hair, helps to eliminate split ends and restores natural healthy shine to the hair. In some cases, there have even been reports of new hair growth.

How to Use Emu Oil

Place the bottle under hot running water for a few seconds until oil becomes quite liquid. This warm, thin oil will penetrate the skin more easily and bring faster results.

A few drops of oil is all it takes to massage into the effected area. The skin should not feel oily when you are finished. If it does, you have used too much.

Emu oil has no odor and will not stain your clothes. Apply several times a day or as needed.


Here is another link:

http://www.natural-hair.com/treatments_emuoil.html

I have been using it on my Dads fragile skin and it has made a big difference. It is the main oil I use besides a little lavendar and rosemary.

And then...

Yippie! My hair is greasy! this is a GOOD thing! r/o

April 23 2004, 3:28 AM

You all are so incredible! My hair has improved literally overnight! All I had in the way of really oily stuff was the old VO5 in the tube, so I smeared a lot of that on my hair, braided it and went to bed. I've done that before and it had all sunk in by morning, so the CSC really worked! I kinda rinsed it out so I could go to town, but it's still a bit gummy. My hair looks good though I hate that gummy feel. Fox--You have helped me so much already, but the t-shirt idea is brilliant! I don't worry about DH hacking too much off, he wants it long, but anybody else, I'm wearing that t-shirt! I'm going to pass this along to my other long-haired friends! AND I'm going to try this out the next time someone wants me to cut their hair. Nitsa--Thanks, and I'm going to check out the Morroco site. I bought a Fakkare today, and I already love it! Avrilon--You are my hero! Yes, my hair was curly as a kid, and it's very wavy when wet. It gets straighter as it drys. After I took the braid out when it was oiled it was super wavy, and even after I rinsed out the oil it was pretty wavy. I'm not crazy about buns on me either, my hair is so fine they are really wimpy. Look NOTHING like the ones I see here. I probably will only do them to make my hair curly, unless my hair starts looking thick, right now I believe anything can happen! I usually only wash my hair when my scalp starts getting itchy, anywhere to a week to a week and a half. About the time my hair starts looking good! The rest of the time I just rinse and condition. A few months ago I found out about just washing the roots, and that helped some. I only leave full dye on the grow-out, so that's maybe a month or more. Also, depending on how the grow out looks, oddly enough sometimes it comes in fairly red and I can go longer. I'm going to have to research the alternative hair colors. I did use henna sometimes when I was younger, if my hair bleached out in the sun. Yeah, the whole too fine and slick to hold hair toys but it tangles like crazy at the ends. I have no idea why, but even when my hair was perfectly healthy I had trouble keeping toys in it. Yes I would LOVE to try the plastic pins. How do I email you my address? Skeeter: Where would I find those hair color products? Emu oil? Do I have to go squeeze my friend's emu? Cause I gotta tell you, those sucker are fast! No really, emu oil is really easy to find here. I'll try your recipe when I can get the ingredients. They certainly work on your hair, it's lovely! Your color is fabulous! And I love the chickens on your mantle. Betty: Thanks! I notice Goldies haircut still looks good on her, and she's (gasp) older than I am and finally shows it a little. Wish I knew how to shape it that way. Leia: Yep, you guys have convinced me, I'm going to take baby steps! Thanks! WildCatDancer

Part One:

 Armed a list of your suggestions and a DH with a checkbook, we ventured forth into the exciting world of hair products. First stop, Sally's Beauty Supply. The gentleman was just setting up a sale table as we walked in the door. The first thing on the table was a big bottle of Creme of Nature shampoo! There was only one, so we bagged it and quickly moved on, into the depths of the store. It was overpowering at first, but lead by our faithful sherpa guide, we were soon at the hair repair section. There she proceeded to load us up with small and inexpensive packages of ION products. First, because I take a lot of meds, she said to use ION crystal clarifying treatment before I dye, to get the toxins out of my hair. Next ION color defense right after I dye. Then ION effective care therapy treatment for a couple of times a week at first. She said to be careful not to overcondition. Did I do good? Are these the right products? Then I found a shower comb with very fine ridges, I think I saw one like it on someone here's board. Won't take much to sand those ridges off. Then I HAD to buy a hair toy, I got a pony tail holder that has an oval with sequins on it, basic black. With bag in hand, we thanked our sherpa profusely and ventured on.

Part 2

April 23 2004, 5:24 AM

Next we braved the wilds of the mall. Bravely we attacked and subdued the health food store (well, the clerk was so subdued she was practically comatose!) where we found 4oz of pure JoJoba Oil. The stuff at Sally's was mostly water. Due to our cunning and skill (I called ahead) the oil was on sale, so we reached the main mall again barely scathed. Unfortunately (HA!) there was a Claire's on the way, and we were sucked into it's swirling vortex! I purchased a Fakkare. It's plastic, the metal ones looked really cute, but would have been like sending my hair to the guillotine. The clerk pointed out that they were having a buy one, get another half off, so I bought a pair of hair sticks. I love them, but they fall out of my hair in thirty seconds flat so I never bought any. Out in the car I whipped my hair back and stuck the Fakkare in. No mirror. DH said he definately preferred it to a bun. It stayed in for hours. I'm wearing the hairpics now, and so far they haven't fallen out, but then I'm just sitting here typing! We had to go to BiMart to pick up some stuff, so while DH was shopping, I found those polybands from scunci that are supposed to be ouchless. We'll see.   part 3 April 23 2004, 5:34 AM  Finally arriving home exhausted but happy (BOY! Was I happy!) and having devoured the delicious steak dinner DH cooked (Yes, he does the cooking too) I asked him to cut my hair. "Just a little bit" I told him "Just enough to get the scragglies off." Well my hair went from 27 inches to 24.5, and it was so thin at the bottom there was hardly any hair on the floor. Sooo, remember my hair is still a little goopy from oil residue, and I had it clamped up so it hangs funny, but what do you guys think? I feel like the before and after shots on those cheap ads! (Except I didn't airbrush the after ad) I love you all, thanks for the tips and even more for the encouragement. I can hardly wait to see what my hair will do once it gets the right stuff on it!