Adventures in Hair

My poor hair. It has sure been through a LOT over the years. I developed a little OCD in relation to my hair at a very young age. I would spend HOURS getting my bangs {no, not the cute side swept bangs, the curly puffy ones} just PERFECT before I'd leave the house for school... in kindergarten. I'd obviously throw a fit if they weren't just right. Or how about when I was obsessed with slicking my hair back into a perfectly smooth ponytail, if there was one little bump... crisis mode. My poor mom.

When I found out that you could color your hair the OCD even got worse. No one could EVER do it right (or so I thought). In middle school I took things into my own hands and experimented with box colors. This was not a good idea. I have fond memories of my mom yelling at me and my self-proclaimed {now real life} beauty professional friend Rose, for spilling bleach on the carpet or not cleaning up the hair on the floor from her do-it-yourself haircut in my bedroom... I wish now that my mom yelled at me for how hideous my hair looked. My poor hair, my poor mom.

I also went through a phase of despising my naturally wavy/curly-ish hair, and decided to try an at home leave in straightner (made for African-American hair) {we laugh now}. Well let's just say this led to one of the most traumatic nights of my life. I'll never forget the feeling of my hair literally burning off and falling out of my head in HUGE clumps as I laid over the tub screaming and crying trying to get it out. My dear friend Lauren was by my side trying to be positive telling me it was going to be fine, as her and my mom washed clumps of my hair out. I knew my mom was in panic mode, and trying her best not to let me know she was freaking out. I was convinced I was going to get up from lying over the tub and be bald. My poor hair, my poor mom. Luckily it was only HORRIBLY damaged, and I still had some hair on my head. It however has taken my hair angel Jena and I over 10 years to fix (more on this later).

Like most "love at first sight" stories, my lovely husband has his first image of me burned in his head as "the girl in class who had stripes in her hair"... I went through the extreme contrast phase of bright blonde and dark underneath... then to all dark (horrible), I FINALLY hit rock bottom. It was then, in my freshman year of college that I started to build my relationship with my hair angel, and now dearest friend, Jena.

Jena has been doing my hair since then, and I wouldn't trust anyone else to do it! Best part is she works at Fantastic Sam's so it is SUPER affordable!! {if you're ever in the Blaine, MN area get in with Jena, you'll be hooked!}. She understands my OCD and kindly accepts when I decline her sweet, yet STRONG suggestion that I need a "trim"... and she's also not afraid to let me know I've been neglecting my eyebrows... but that's another story.

My hair angel has the color part under control for me now, unfortunately she can't style it everyday for me. Over the years I've found some AMAZING products that I can't live without.

 

 

 

 

Orbie Texturizing Spray: THE BEST product ever! It helps give my limp, lifeless, thin hair some volume! It can also be used as a dry shampoo. I usually spray on to my dry hair before styling and it helps hold the style for a long time! Best part is it smells AMAZING! Unfortunately not many places in MN sell this product, I either get it online or at POSH salon on Grand Ave in St. Paul.. it isn't cheap, but a little goes a long way.

Alterna Caviar Volume Hairspray: This is the best hairspray! It is so lightweight yet it actually holds a style. It isn't sticky, and leaves your hair touchable! I've seen this line at ULTA, but not the hairspray. Jena gets this for me, I'm sure it can be ordered online as well! {I also use their shampoo and conditioner}

It's a 10 Leave in Conditioner: This was a gift from Jena, they sell it at Fantastic Sam's, it's a leave in conditioner that smells AMAZING and leaves your hair soooo silky smooth!

Big Sexy Hair Powder Play: I'm all about ratting my hair to get some volume, and let me tell you this product is my lifesaver. It holds a good back-combing for DAYS! It's a texturizing powder. I've seen this at many places, ULTA, salons, etc.

I got to see my little hair angel today! Thanks for the AMAZING work, as always!