hair

[KnottedYet]

I have a fried with curly thick hair who doesn't use shampoo either. Her hair is GORGEOUS. She just rinses it, and once a week does a sugar-scrub with plain sugar.

Bad Juju - I feel your pain. I have thin baby-fine hair, which is gray on each temple and in my forelock. Unfortunately, if I leave it I end up looking like I have mange (as my hair-cutter-chickie said) because the fine white hair is invisible. Henna is what I use. Haven't used henna in a couple months now, just wanna see if I still look mangy.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

When I was a girl I had very light blonde long hair. Then as a young woman it urned a mousey dishwater ash blonde. With my light skin, I looked very pale and dull with this color scheme. So when I hit 30 or so I started coloring my hair red and cut it very short. Everyone loved it, and it looked pretty natural with my light skin and freckles. I felt good with it, and kept it short and red for 20 years.
But then I began to get more and more silver threads... as you know, red fades very quickly in the sun and I had to keep coloring often. The silver threads kept wanting to fade to pink! Not good. I hit 50 and realized that I was starting to look more "mature" and it become more odd looking to have dark hair with my older face. I don't want to be one of those old ladies on the street with shocking dark dyed hair!! The softer face with the harsh shocking hair color looks bad.
So, over a few years, I switched to more golden lighter shades of red, then to just golden warm blonde. The lighter I went the more natural I looked and I liked that. I started biking and walking and went out in the sun more and my hair looked nice as it faded. Finally I saw last year that I had about 30% silver mixed with my natural ash blonde, and the silver was very pretty the way it sparkled amongst my "dishwater blonde" hair. The silver gave me pretty highlights and real depth for the first time.
So about 9 months ago, I totally stopped coloring for good, still have very short hair, and I just love all my silver highlights. Now I'm slowly and happily gliding into my natural silver look. I'm finally "free" and it's great! My friends and DH all love it.
I have "finally" come to terms with aging gracefully, especially now that I have lost 25 pounds of flab and have a new biking body!

[missymaya]

My mother used to dye her hair years ago and one day my sis and I convinced her just to leave it be. Now, at 54, she has beautiful silver and black hair. I myself, have found grey (I'll be 24 in July) and refuse to do anything to hide it. Since my mother and I have pratically the same hair type (thick,black, and curly), why prevent the inevitable; just embrace it!
I joined the short hair club 3 years ago (I cut about 20 inches off!) and have never gone back since. Long hair is great but can be a real pain sometimes. Also, I would like to think that I have the confidence to not rely on my hair too much for my beauty (but yes, I am vein enough to make sure it looks good ). Don't be intimidated by societal stereotypes of women with short hair; they are just that, stereotypes. If a man doesn't like me because my hair is too short, then too bad for him and any other person who doesn't like me b/c of what I look like!
As for dreds, if you can pull it off and pull it off right, then go for it! It is just hair and if you don't like it, you can start over again!

[Kitsune06]

I have a fried with curly thick hair who doesn't use shampoo either. Her hair is GORGEOUS. She just rinses it, and once a week does a sugar-scrub with plain sugar.

Bad Juju - I feel your pain. I have thin baby-fine hair, which is gray on each temple and in my forelock. Unfortunately, if I leave it I end up looking like I have mange (as my hair-cutter-chickie said) because the fine white hair is invisible. Henna is what I use. Haven't used henna in a couple months now, just wanna see if I still look mangy.

Your hair's pretty, Knot- I like it. The henna complements it quite well.

[logdiva32]

I have done it all. Now I have plain shoulder length hair. In college I had dreads, not sure how white people with thin hair do it. But only 2 ways to go with black thick hair. Either the true rasta way, wash, beeswax and no comb for years. Or separate, twist, tease, and bond with bees wax all in an alternating fashion. And these are only removable by cutting. I dyed my dreads light red and they were gorgeous.
I cut all my hair off into a caeser style crop cut. The German guys all loved it. They would come up to me and ask, what country are you from and were surprised when I said US. They thought I was african. So they left, LOL. They love african women, despise american, haha. Now, due to my Military Career as an Officer if your boss doesn't like it, he'll just tell you to cut it and that is it, so I just stay nuetral for now.
But I will not let my hair, dress, or career define my womenhood.... So do what pleases you. If you are a true and real person, a proven producer in your field, people will make a wise choice when interacting with you. Think on it, meditate a bit, and go with your spirit.