Wierd mid-life indulgences

[Jolt]

I don't own a blow dryer, curling iron -- any of that stuff. Never have. I just got back from a trip to the east coast and the overhead bins were full. They were making people check their carry on at the gate - one woman was frantically rummaging through her luggage and pulled out a straightener, a blow dryer and a curling iron and hand carried them on the plane rather than having them in her checked luggage. A bit too attached to them I think.

I don't own any of that stuff either...no interest in any hair style that is high maintenance enough to require it. Agree on longer hair often being easier to deal with than shorter styles...no need to get it cut every 4-6 weeks and doesn't require as much styling. Really short hair can be nice as far as being easy to wash and go, but the frequent cuts are a pain. I had mine really short for years during junior high to college, but finally grew it out after getting tired of being mistaken for a teenage boy! Decided I'd rather grow the hair out than feel like I had to wear makeup or dress super girly all the time since a lot of that stuff is just not practical. Now thinking about getting it cut to shoulder length (it's about mid back now).

[shootingstar]

There is a reality that some of us a) just look / feel crappy without some minor hair appliance touch-ups on hair. b) some of us just are not suited to super short cuts/cannot afford very frequent short haircuts. c) some of us look lousy in long hair (for minimal care).


I did used to cycle-tour with...a curling iron. Now my hair is cut quite short..meaning my full ear lobes show that I no longer use one. I know I look nicer in slightly longer hair but just can't be bothered. So I have sacrificed looking "prettier" by forgoing make-up and hair appliances.

I do secretly hope a hotel or friend has a hair blower when I'm on the cycling trip road, when my short hair grows long enough that it flops straight down. I actually try to time it for a longer vacation trip somewhere, that my hair is short enough that I don't need any hair appliance.

Let's not talk about me using hair wax, gels to "lift" my hair. Did you know black gelled hair can attract..dust/pollen? (And I refuse to be a blonde Asian.)

[OakLeaf]

Heh. Yeah, that could've been me when my hair was chin length. If I didn't style it, it looked absolutely. freakin. HORRIBLE. It took me 25 minutes every single day, and if I was going to see another human being during that day, I really could not pass on it. If she was on vacation, well, yeah, that's kind of excessive, she could've bought new appliances at her destination if they got lost in transit - but if she was traveling on business, then I can totally see her being sure of her appliances rather than risk having to find a store (which might require renting a car she hadn't planned on) and shopping when she should be preparing for her presentation or whatever.

That's why I'm so disinclined to lose the wash-and-go style I've had since the early 90s. Because I have been in the other place, and it was an ENORMOUS PITA.

[Crankin]

Well, hair products and a flat iron have changed my life. My hair was ultra short (wash, wax, go) for 10 years, on and off. Any time I tried to grow it, even a little it was hell. And, I felt like it was really mannish looking. Now, the top is longer, and I no longer look like an alien because one swish of almond oil and an application of semi-wax smooths my hair. If I have time, I let it air dry and then run the flat iron through the longer part. That takes me 5 minutes. If I really need to get ready in a hurry, I towel dry it, put the products in, then use the hair blower, then the flat iron. Yes, that takes me about 10 minutes, but so worth it to me. I have never been to a hotel that didn't have a hair blower. I also bought a travel sized flat iron, that I took on my trip to Italy. It could fit in my purse.
So, my hair is no longer wash and wear, but it's manageable and looks great. Before I started using these products (the oil is bought at CVS, but the wax is expensive, but worth every penny), even a flat iron didn't help me. I can actually get up in the AM and not have to totally have to wet and redo my hair.

[Irulan]

I'm a wash-n- go girl myself, but I don't judge people on what they feel they need is important to look/feel OK. I can't always relate but not relating is different from judgements;