Everyday Beauty – Gray Hair And Mastering That Damn Curling Iron!

1 Comment
everyday beauty, weight loss hair makeover, curling iron

For weeks I’ve been curling iron challenged. Thanks to Jenny, my hair stylist, I’m closer to mastering the perfect curl.

It’s been six weeks since my weight loss hair makeover and right on cue my gray hairs started sprouting. Now I’m notorious for letting the gray take over before breaking down and buying a box of color. Not anymore.

It was time to head back to the salon to visit my new favorite stylist Jenny.

Besides touching up my roots, I wanted Jenny to do another tutorial on the curling iron for me. I’ve tried to use it, but I always end up with a clamp dent near the ends. I got so frustrated that I started using my hot rollers again.

Burning Washing That Gray Out
My highlights and my ends still look awesome so no need for foil or a haircut this time out. Just a root touch up today.

Normally when I dye my hair I don’t wash it the day before. I want some oil build up to protect my scalp from the inevitable burning sensation. Well after yesterday’s workout and run, my hair was too funky not to wash.

So I braced myself. But as Jenny applied the dye, nothing happened. In fact, if felt quite cool.

I don’t know what hair dye product the salon uses, but it’s awesome! My scalp didn’t feel like it was on fire.

That’s it! No more box dye for me!

Prepping My Hair
After my shampoo, it was time to start styling. Jenny applied a heat protectant followed by a stronghold mousse to my wet hair. One to protect my hair from the heat of the iron and the other to define the curls and fight frizz.

And of course, I don’t have either in my home. Guess I’m going shopping this weekend.

Curling Iron Tutorial
dot curlWith my hair dried, Jenny handed me the curling iron and asked me to show her my mad skills!

I picked up a 2 inch section of hair, ran it through the curling iron first. I then clamped it about an inch from the end and rolled up until my hair was completely around the barrel. I released the clamp after about 10 seconds and…a near perfect curl.

Crap. It’s like taking your car in for repairs and you can’t reproduce the problem for the mechanic.

Hmmmm…me thinks the hair prep is a reason for great curls.

However, Jenny did notice a few problems with my technique.

I tend to hold the curling iron at an angle. Instead I need to keep it vertical (parallel to my face) with the clamp facing forward. Also I turned the iron in towards my face. Oops! I need to curl away from my face.

Jenny also recommends spraying my hair with a light-hold hairspray before using the iron. It’ll help hold the curls while doing my hair (I have a lot of hair!).

I carefully watched as she curled rest of my hair. When she got to the last piece to curl, she handed the iron over for me to do the honors.

I did everything right, including curling away from my face.

Whew!

Time to send those hot rollers packing.

Related articles

50 Shades of Gray…Hair

Leave a comment
The Skunk Streak is back! Time to wash it right out of my hair!

The Skunk Streak is back! Time to wash it right out of my hair!

I’m using the day to pamper myself a bit. This morning shopping. In a few minutes, dying my hair.

I’m horrible at touching up my roots every 6-8 weeks. I usually let it go for 12 weeks and the result is the same – a skunk streak right on top. I don’t know why, but this is the only spot on my head that gets gray hair. Normally I can hide it by switching which side my part is on. But by the 8 week mark, no hair style can hide the silver streak.

I knew it was time to dye my hair when this morning a cashier at Target asked me what salon I go to for that “awesome white spot.” I told her my salon’s called Mid 40s.

I’ve seen a few articles about celebrities adding gray highlights, claiming gray is the new black (easy to say when you are in your 20s). That’s the reason my cashier was so impressed with my hair color. It’s the in thing.

Wow, a sign of my aging is now a fad.

For me, Everyday Beauty means not following fads!

So I promptly went across the street and picked up three boxes of ColorSilk. My hair is dark brown. I decided to try Light Golden Brown.  I’m not expecting my hair to be anything but dark brown. However, it might turn the gray into really nice highlights.

At some point I think I’ll try going lighter. Not blonde. A real light brown. But I’ll go to a salon when I get up the nerve.

Lately I’ve taken to air drying my hair. My hair is medium length and is very thick – hence the 3 boxes of dye. Letting it dry naturally brings out my natural wave and curls. And right now, I like that. Otherwise, it takes about 90 minutes to dry and style this big ol’ mess of hair I have on top my head.

Simplicity. Works for me.