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· August 8, 2007 1:33 AM by
Colleen Shirazi
· August 8, 2007 11:45 AM by
cmm
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Posted by Dain, Wednesday, August 08, 2007 12:11 AM (Eastern)
All told, I am not an expert on hair. I don't do much with mine: I cut it myself, I don't color or perm or straighten it, I don't blowdry, I don't style, I haven't changed my hairstyle in years, I don't own a hairbrush, I rarely wear it down, even. Really pathetic, for a beauty junkie. It's good hair, so I leave it alone. That's pretty much my hair philosophy: bucketloads of conditioner, and, leave it alone. It's not the sort of hair that styles well anyway.
The trick to minimalist hair is learning to be content with its nature. It's one thing to seek endlessly for a perfect red lipstick, but I find it tedious to wrangle it into submission. It doesn't surprise me that there are women who'll spend $300 for a haircut and two hours every day styling it (I am having nightmares of Texas bouffants, at this point), but I find that there's a sort of zen-like simplicity in tending to it as it naturally exists.
I treat my hair as if it's very expensive, delicate clothing. Just as textiles deteriorate, so does hair (it's all dead stuff). Just as you might launder expensive delicates and fine cashmere with the utmost care, I try to treat my hair as gently as I can. I use a very, very gentle shampoo, PHYTO Phytonectar, which is so nourishing you can leave it in for a couple minutes for extra conditioning, and tons of conditioner. I'm frustrated with finding a cheap conditioner that's rich enough (my problem with expensive conditioners is that I use too much too quickly); Feria makes a good one, but I don't have access to a Sally's, and an olive oil treatment is effective but too messy for everyday. I shampoo as usual, then apply conditioner to the ends and let it soak in the hot shower for a bit. I don't detangle, because hair is really weak when wet (if you must, use a wide tooth comb, and work your way bit by bit from the ends to the roots—Mason Pearson makes a worthy detangling comb). That's pretty much it. When my hair is damp, I leave a bit of hair oil at the ends to protect them from further damage and add a wee bit of definition.
I'm going to try using a lighter weight conditioner as shampoo AND conditioner. I don't really know the exact name of this method (Carol explained it a long time ago), but while it seems counterintuitive to use conditioner to cleanse, it actually makes a lot of sense for long, dry hair. Just as one with dry skin might use a cleansing milk instead of a foaming gel, so might one use a conditioner to cleanse. After all, a conditioner rinses off, and it's got a oil-water base rather than a detergent base, just like a cleansing milk. It strikes me as the gentlest way to cleanse your hair. I wonder if one can use two conditioners for this purpose: a lighter one to cleanse, and a richer, more emollient one (like Nature's Gate Herbal Hair Conditioner, which is misleadingly watery; it's the heaviest conditioner I've tried, in spite of how creamy more recent formulations may feel) at the ends. I dunno, will need to play with this strategy more. I'm tired of looking for conditioners that invariably fail, and I dislike silicones, which are everywhere.
When it comes to haircuts, I cut my own hair. I have sideswept bangs, which are fairly easy to maintain with monthly trims (I make vertical cuts, that's pretty much it, at bang length my hair is pin straight so it's simple), and about once a year my hair gets too heavy for me to carry (I have a rather lot of hair) and I lop it all off. When my hair gets long, it has a slight wave to it, so if I cut my hair using graduated cuts rather than blunt cuts, it grows very satisfactorily into a naturally tousled mane. It looks a lot better than the fake Gisele hair you'd get from a salon, because the hair grows into it rather than cut to resemble like it grew that way. I've had the same haircut for years. It will probably remain for the forseeable future. It flatters, works with my hair's natural texture, and it's supremely easy (and cheap) to maintain.
I have dyed my hair for a long time. I finally came to the conclusion that my natural black, which thankfully does not require highlights, is really the most elegant shade of all. It's also quite rare in nature. Black is hard to replicate with dyes. As a result, my hair has been healthier for it. That said, however, I think many people benefit from some color enhancement, though not all. A richer color, or subtle well-placed highlights, can go a long way in enhancing your look, but take care not to deviate too far from your natural hair color; it's the rare person who can pull it off.
Now, to styling. The easiest way to keep your products to a minimum, and your routine simple, is to work with, not against, your hair's natural texture. It will also reduce the damage done to your hair, and healthy hair is much more attractive than the best style (maintenance over treatment, again). I advise avoiding blowdryers and heat styling, though that may draw screams of rage from devoted votresses to hair rituals. Use a cool setting, if you must (it also enhances shine). With straight hair, I find that a hair cream applied to the ends to tame flyaways is all I ever need, though I usually don't even bother. With wavy hair, scrunch a lightweight gel like Dove Define and Shine while the hair is still damp, for sexy, tousled hair. Curly hair should avoid blowdryers at all costs—I have no idea what kind of curl enhancer is good. I also have no idea what to do with fine, flat hair, perhaps mousse. As for African hair, personally, I like it natural, and find overprocessing disappointingly fake. For special occasions, I use a big hair clip for a basic French twist.
Overall, minimalist hair depends on making it as pretty AND healthy as possible, so you've got to find the minimum of damaging techniques that make your hair look good easily and naturally. Just as good skin obviates the need for foundation, the quality of hair dictates how much you need to style it.
PRODUCT COUNT: Hopefully, one, a good conditioner that works as both shampoo and conditioner and even perhaps as a leave-in.
Labels: beauty notes, dove, hair, minimalism, nature's gate, phyto
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August 8, 2007 1:33 AM,
That is entirely weird...this thing ate my comment. Oh well.
I was going to recommend this site:
http://www.naturallycurly.com
It's great for curly hair, obviously, but they also detail the "conditioner only" hair cleansing method Carol mentioned. It might well work for you, since your hair is long and dry.
Plus there are product recs all over the place...stuff developed specifically for curly hair, which also tends to be dry (since the curl keeps scalp oil from travelling the length of the hair).
I have that flat thin annoying hair myself, it's a waste of time trying to boost it up with mousse, blowdrying etc.
I've had much better luck with my biotin supplement. My hair is longer than it's been in years...before taking the supplement, I would have had to cut it by now, otherwise it would have been way stringy. As it is, it actually looks okay past my shoulders now. :)
Aside from that, less is more for hair on the thin flat annoying side. More products=more weight on hair. I wash my hair every day (it's a must, I don't care what anyone says, I tried washing less frequently back in the 1970's and it never worked for me). But a mild natural shampoo works better than an astringent one. I condition only on the ends of my hair (whatever falls below my ears).
A nice quote from the Sweetpeacurli site...it came to mind as I was reading your post:
As Jessica McGuinty (creator of jessicurl) says, "Treat your hair with at LEAST the same respect as you treat your fine silk shirt."
August 8, 2007 11:45 AM,
the long hair forums are THE place to go to learn how to care for long (and I do mean loooooong) hair.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/
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