Growing Your Hair Long (2)
August 28th 2006 11:32
Let’s say you are growing your hair long and start with a shag cut or a short bob with some layers, the longest of which are at the nape of your neck. It will take three to four years at least before your hair is waist length. That’s a long time, and the biggest hurdle people face in growing their hair is running out of patience with the in-between stages. If this is a problem for you and you always regret not carrying through later, consider the following points.
If you are in your late twenties or thirties, and have been thinking about growing your hair, go long while you can still make the most of it. For most people, once you get past a certain age, long hair, especially worn loose, only accentuates the effects of gravity and aging.
You are less likely to lose patience with the growing process if your hair still looks good along the way. For this reason, you should still try go to the hairdressers every few months or so. Each time you go you should think about the best way to get your hair re-shaped or re-styled for its new length.
For example, if you are growing out a sharp bob, at some point you will need to reverse the shape so that the front sections are no longer than the back and you may also need to have layers added if your hair is thick, so that it is easier to style through the mid-lengths. A shag cut is the easiest to grow out if you have thick hair as the layers help keep the hair manageable as it grows past the shoulders, but it will still need trimming and re-shaping to some extent to suit the length.
If you have fine hair cut in a pixie style or shag then you may want to gradually grow out the top layers, moving toward a blunt cut to prevent the style looking too ‘ratty’ at the ends. At first this will be a frustrating process, but remember that it’s the shortest layers you need to grow out to get your hair long, not just the length from the nape of your neck down your back. Very fine top layering can always be put in later, once your hair has grown to an even length, in order to give shape to your style.
The longer your hair gets, the easier it is to disguise a bad hair day with clips, clasps, or by tying your hair up. There are so many cute little butterfly clips in different sizes these days that even when your hair isn’t long enough for a ponytail, you can still do an ‘up-do’.
Don’t forget that you will need to gradually adjust any products you use as your hair grows. For instance, the wax which gave shape to your short style will be too heavy once your hair gets much past your jawline. Serums are good for styling dry or frizzy mid-length hair, while mousses may be better for fine or oily hair. Light shine sprays which don’t weight the hair down are perfect for when your hair is finally swishing down your back in a glossy mane. Which it will be – if you just have patience!!
If you are in your late twenties or thirties, and have been thinking about growing your hair, go long while you can still make the most of it. For most people, once you get past a certain age, long hair, especially worn loose, only accentuates the effects of gravity and aging.
You are less likely to lose patience with the growing process if your hair still looks good along the way. For this reason, you should still try go to the hairdressers every few months or so. Each time you go you should think about the best way to get your hair re-shaped or re-styled for its new length.
For example, if you are growing out a sharp bob, at some point you will need to reverse the shape so that the front sections are no longer than the back and you may also need to have layers added if your hair is thick, so that it is easier to style through the mid-lengths. A shag cut is the easiest to grow out if you have thick hair as the layers help keep the hair manageable as it grows past the shoulders, but it will still need trimming and re-shaping to some extent to suit the length.
If you have fine hair cut in a pixie style or shag then you may want to gradually grow out the top layers, moving toward a blunt cut to prevent the style looking too ‘ratty’ at the ends. At first this will be a frustrating process, but remember that it’s the shortest layers you need to grow out to get your hair long, not just the length from the nape of your neck down your back. Very fine top layering can always be put in later, once your hair has grown to an even length, in order to give shape to your style.
The longer your hair gets, the easier it is to disguise a bad hair day with clips, clasps, or by tying your hair up. There are so many cute little butterfly clips in different sizes these days that even when your hair isn’t long enough for a ponytail, you can still do an ‘up-do’.
Don’t forget that you will need to gradually adjust any products you use as your hair grows. For instance, the wax which gave shape to your short style will be too heavy once your hair gets much past your jawline. Serums are good for styling dry or frizzy mid-length hair, while mousses may be better for fine or oily hair. Light shine sprays which don’t weight the hair down are perfect for when your hair is finally swishing down your back in a glossy mane. Which it will be – if you just have patience!!
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Comment by Home Natural Remedies
Comment by Anonymous
Will you idiots never learn! A woman will look her age no matter the length of her hair. Even on the contrary, the longer the hair, the younger and more youthful a woman will look. Jeez, there is such a bias against woman over a certain age and long hair!
What you are doing is giving into that societal pressure that long hair should be for young girls or young women and that when a woman gets to "a certain age" she should just chop it all off.
Give me a break!!!
Comment by Journeywoman
Great Hair Style Tips
The Mama Sutra
I Dream of Hollywood
Fashion Peach
Comment by Shelly
baby, long hair, work at home, family entertainment
Don't fall into the trap of getting it trimmed every 6 weeks, it really doesn't need to be trimmed quite that often. A couple times a year max. Unless your hair is extremely dry at the ends and your efforts to try and get moisture into it have not helped the condition. Two times a year in fact. The salon has us trained that we "must" go in and have our hair cut every 6-8 weeks to grow it out healthy. Ha! How are you going to grow it out if you are always cutting it?
It's great to read at least one blog suggesting that it's great to keep long hair after 20.