Slightly Unhinged » Hair

A new me

Courtnay — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:24:36 +0000

After spending all summer whining about how my long hair was making me miserable in the heat, I finally got tired of talking and took action. First, I changed the color from light brown with blonde highlights to auburn, then I had my hairdresser cut about eight inches off the length and give me a new style. Throughout my youth, I had always lamented the fact that my hair was too coarse and curly to wear long (each attempt to grow it out left me with something that resembled a blonde afro) so it wasn’t until I was in my late 20′s/early 30′s that my hair settled down enough that long hair was even a possibility. While I was thrilled with the novelty of my long hair at first, I eventually grew tired of all the extra work involved in maintaining it and I ended up spending the last couple years just wearing it in a ponytail almost every day. Now that I’ve had the experience of having long hair, I’m very pleased to go back to a more manageable style. I feel like a new woman!

My new hairdo

Posted in Personal Tagged: Hair

Recommended Haircare: Nexxus

Courtnay — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 03:03:50 +0000

I have difficult hair (thick and wavy with a tendency towards dryness and frizziness) and over the years I’ve tried just about every product line on the market in an attempt to find something that makes my more normal and manageable. I’m also completely unwilling to spend much time styling my hair so I need products that make my hair look good with minimal effort on my part. Recently, I’ve been fortunate enough to find a few products that meet my requirements perfectly.

Humectress Luxe Ultimate Moisturizing Leave-In Spray

My favorite of these finds is Humectress Luxe Ultimate Moisturizing Leave-In Spray by Nexxus. I’m normally not a fan of leave-in conditioners, which usually leave my hair feeling too weighed-down, but this product is very light and does a great job of providing extra moisture while also cutting down on frizz. The bottle’s well-designed spray nozzle releases the product in a fine, even mist so it’s easy to keep from applying too much but my favorite thing about it is the lovely scent: sweet and vaguely tropical but not overwhelming. On days that I wash and condition my hair, adding a little Humectress Luxe after towel-drying makes my hair softer and easier to comb through. On days that I don’t wash and condition, a few sprays of Humectress Luxe makes my hair more shiny and manageable.

Gorgeous Curls Curl Enhancing Foam Styler

Speaking of washing and conditioning, I highly recommend two other Nexxus products: Therappe Luxury Moisturizing Shampoo and Humectress Ultimate Moisturizing Conditioner. Luxurious is the best way to describe both of these products, which are thick, rich, sweetly scented and always leave my hair feeling smooth and silky. They keep my dry hair soft and moisturized, even after abuse like coloring and blow drying. On the rare occasions that I do style my hair, Gorgeous Curls Curl Enhancing Foam Styler does an excellent job of creating soft curls and cutting down on frizziness without being sticky or weighing my hair down. Applying just a little of the Gorgeous Curls foam to towel-dried hair and then blow-drying with a diffuser leaves me with soft, loose curls that last all day, even in the punishing heat of an Arizona summer.

If you have hair that is curly or dry, I’d definitely recommend giving the Nexxus line a try. Ulta.com carries a range of Nexxus products at competitive prices and as an added bonus, they offer free shipping on orders over $50 and free samples with every order. At the moment, they are also offering a coupon for 20% off any one item – I’ve provided a link to the coupon below for your convenience:

Posted in Beauty Tagged: Beauty, Hair, product recommendations, reviews

What I learned today

Courtnay — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 02:04:21 +0000


How to Make a Ballet Bun
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Making a strong, durable ballet bun is very easy, but it may take a little practice if you're unfamiliar with it. Go over these steps and try making a bun at home before you use it for class or a performance.


Steps

Brush hair and make it so that there are no tangles.
Pull back into a ponytail using a comb to remove the bumps. If necessary, spray the hair with a cheap, quick-drying hairspray. You have already used a comb to remove the lumps, so now use hairspray to smooth with your hand all of those wisps up and into the bun.
Put an extra rubber band around your ponytail, just for extra security. It is important to have a strong foundation for your bun so it doesn't fall down.
Separate your ponytail in half.
Take one half and twist the whole strand together, tightly.
Tightly wind the strand of hair around the ponytail holder, as if curling around it, not over it. You should probably use heavy-duty hairpins such as Scunci Bobby Pins to hold up your hair. They are about $2.00 for 18. Most people find that an actual hair pin versus a bobby pin can hold their hair better. You will want to get the thicker kind, especially if you have thick or curly hair, because the thin ones are easily bent out of shape.
Securely fasten the hair. You can do this by putting a bobby pin in like your bun like it was a clock. 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock. If the first half of your bun feels a little shaky, put more bobby pins in where desired.
Repeat these same steps for the second half of your ponytail.
For extra security, cover your bun with a hair net that matches your hair color. (Hint: If you have blonde hair, don't use the gray hair net because then your bun looks purple. If you're a brunette, don't use the blonde hair net because then you have a lighter bun than the rest of your hair and that gives you the air of being unprofessional and/or colorblind.)
If there are any wispies, or frizzies, lightly spray with hairspray, all over.


Video

Tips

If your hair is long, don't use standard sized bobby pins. This won't hold your hair up.
The location of the ponytail will determine the position of the bun. A bun looks good when it is just below the crown of the head. There it looks elegant and gives you a better line.
Make sure these bobby pins match your hair color. It will look odd if you have dark hair with light pins.


Things You'll Need

Heavy duty bobby pins or hairpins that match your hair
Hair net that matches your hair color
Regular bobby pins that match your hair color
Hair spray
Ponytail holders
Hairbrush
A mirror or some sort of reflective device


Related wikiHows

How to Make a Messy Bun
How to Make a Donut Bun
How to Make a Hair Roll
How to Perfect a Pirouette
How to Tell if You Are Ready to Go on Pointe

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Ballet Bun. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Posted in Personal Tagged: Education, Hair