Keeping Myself Motivated

I was looking through some old hair photos from when I first started growing my hair and using healthy hair care practices and found something a bit surprising. 

I found this photo of my hair in a Figure 8 Updo. My hair at the time slightly shorter than it is now. Yet since my hair has so much less taper and is now thicker, I can't yet do a Figure 8 as nice as this one looks.

I can do a "sort-of Figure 8" right now, but the top part of the 8 really isn't there. It's not nearly polished enough to wear out and about.

So I am pleased that while I haven't yet achieved great lengths, I have definitely improved the quality and thickness of my hair.

I do wonder just when I'll be able to do a Figure 8 Bun or an Infinity Bun again that I feel good about posting. It could be months yet. Having never had hair with ends this thick at this length before, it's all new territory for me. Figure 8s are among my very favourite updos, so I am eager.

In the meantime, looking forward to be able to properly do this style again is just another one of those things that keeps me going.

In other news, I decided that right now just wasn't the time to grow out the wider and deeper part of my bangs. I cut them again until I can come up with a good strategy to grow them out.  If you recall, I don't want to grow out all of my bangs--I am completely and totally a bangs person--but I think they may be just too wide and deep. I can live with it for now.

Still not feeling quite up to par, but I do plan on feeling better tomorrow. I can plan that, can't I?  :D

Til then, my friends. Love to all.

Embellish Your Updo: Accent Braids

Sometimes when you have long hair, and like to wear it up to protect it, to keep cool, or for style, certain updos can seem to look too severe from the front.

An easy way to soften your look is to embellish your updo around the hairline near the face. There are a few different methods that I use, but I'm going to start with a very simple one. In these photos, I am wearing accent braids.

I took a small section of hair from right beside my face and I made a small braid on each side. I then incorporated them into the cinnamon bun hairstyle (instructions for the cinnamon bun in this video). The accent braids add a little bit of interest to a very simple style, and they also create a pleasing lift beside the face.  Occasionally we like to have the tight-bunned mean lady look, but sometimes it's nice to look a little softer. Sometimes I use one accent braid on each side, and other times I may use 2 or more.  Sometimes I like a thicker braid, and other times just a thin one as pictured. As always, the photos may be clicked to see the full-size version.

I hope that all of my American friends are having a great 4th of July weekend, and for everyone else, I wish you a happy weekend too.

Love to all.  'Til tomorrow.

Video Hairstyle How-To: Wrapped Hairstick Bun Updo

This style works for hair shorter than mine and hair much longer than mine. If your hair is longer, you may need a longer hair stick, and also you will make more wraps around the bun, before completely inserting the hair stick.

It's a versatile hairstyle.  You can leave the ends sticking out as I did, or you can pin them neatly into place.

I hope you like it.

Hairstyle: Faux Coiled Braid--First Attempt

Today I tried this hairstyle for the first time.  I call it a "faux" coiled braid because it's actually 3 separate braids, one coiled around the other.  I'm surprised at how big it looks, even at my current length.

This is a surprisingly easy style to do.  It simply requires making 3 single braids, one under the other.  Then I coiled the top braid and pinned into place.  After that I coiled the braid immediately underneath it around the first coil.  The bottom braid was then coiled and pinned around that.

Since this was my first attempt, it's not as neat as I'd like, but I want to post a photo anyway. 

I'm fairly pleased at how this turned out and how easy it is.

I'll post a tutorial with photos in a future entry.

Hair Style: Boho Nape Knot

Today I'm showing a photo of a boho-style nape knot. 


I lace-braided each side of the hair, and then combined the sides with the rest of my hair.


Then I made a loose braid.  After that, I rolled up the braid and pinned it into a chignon, or low bun.  


This is a quick and easy hairstyle, provided that you can lace-braid.  I originally learned how to do this braid from the book Beautiful Braids.  When the braid is done in the manner of this styles, it's also known as the Face-Framing braid.  Lace braiding is similar to French braiding.  The only difference is that instead of adding hair to both the inner and outer strands of the French braid, you just gather new pieces of hair from the side closest to the face. These pieces are added to the outer strands of the braid.


I'll be adding this to my Updo Gallery on my website when I get some better photos.  Or maybe it should go in the Braids Gallery.  I'm not sure.


I hope you like this casual updo.  It's a great look for summer, and very comfortable.

Hairstyle How-To: Flipped Braid

This is another extremely quick and easy hairstyle.  It's so simple that it almost doesn't need instructions. It's also a great "convertible" style, as you can choose to begin your day with a simple 3 strand braid, and if you want to comfortably get the hair off of your neck, you can do this styles in the blink of an eye, provided that you have a hair clip, hair slide or a large barrette.  Here are the extremely simple instructions:

1. Make a single regular braid at the back of the head.

2. Flip braid up.

3. Tuck the braid's tassel under the braid.

4. Hold in place with the hair accessory of your choice.  I chose to use a Ficcare Ficcarissimo in the Eggplant colour.  The Ficcarissimo will hold that braid in place all day.

So that's it!  If you can make a braid and you have even a simple hair accessory, you can do this style in seconds.  This is a favourite for warm days that become hot days and it has a simple but classic look to it.

If you have some layers and bits stick out of the braid, don't give it a second thought.  This is one of those styles that doesn't need to look perfect.

Thanks to everyone for your kind comments yesterday regarding my instructions on how to trim your own bangs or fringe.  They're much appreciated.

Styling Longer Hair Without Causing Damage

When I decided that I wanted to grow my hair long, I knew that I had to stop using blowdriers, curling irons and hot rollers, if I expected my fine hair to be able to grow without damage.

This was a real challenge for me, as I am all thumbs, and not the least bit good with my hands.  I started trying to learn how to create styles that would not only look interesting, but also protect my hair and not require heat appliances.

The first style I learned was the French Twist.  I had often seen this style, but I didn't think I'd ever be able to do it myself.  But after reading a few tutorials, I was able to do it using just one little pic or comb to hold it up.  I then learned some other styles that worked with my length, such as the Gibson Tuck and a Tucked 3-Strand Braid.  All of these hairstyles can be found in the Updo Gallery of my website.

I had a book that taught me some elementary braids and updos.  I recommend it to anyone, no matter how much you think you may lack talent in styling hair.  It is Hair: A Book of Braiding and Styles by Anne Akers Johnson.  The styles you can learn in this book are the foundations for most more difficult styles that you may want to learn down the line.

As I said in an earlier post, until I was 45, I didn't even know how to use a hair stick.  I always thought that a bun held by a single hair stick was just a trick in the movies before I learned how to do one myself.  How happy was I to discover that it actually could be done!

As I became more and more interested in just what I could do with my hair, I began trying to learn more difficult braids.  I was able to do a French braid, but not much more.  My next project was to learn how to do a Four Strand Box Braid.  It took days for me to get the fingering down and to develop the muscle memory to successfully make this braid.

It took me even longer to learn a Five Strand Braid, but with patience and practice, I did learn how to do it, even a French Five Strand braid.  I think my happiest achievement was learning how to do a Crown Braid.  Again, all of these and more can be found on the Braids Gallery on my website.  All of the photos there can be clicked for larger images.

I've learned a lot since developing a knack for styling my own hair, including what hair accessories work best with each style, and that patience pays off.

In the coming days and weeks, I plan to give some tutorials on how to do some of the various styles I've learned, as well as discussing my favourite hair accessories, and what makes them superior to others.

I'm not the best stylist in the world, but I've been able to do things with my hair that I never thought I'd be able to do.

If I, who am not a dexterous person, can do it, so can you!  I'll leave you with a photo of the first style I learned, the French Twist. It is held in place with only a France Luxe Chignon Pic in the colour "South Sea".

Hairstyle: Rope Braid Half-Up

Today I'm wearing a rope braid half-up. The rope braid is one of the easiest braids to make, but one of the most eye-catching. People always notice a rope braid and often are fascinated by it.

I first learned how to do a rope braid with written instructions, and I found it easy to do. I'll give some quick instructions.

Part hair you would for any half-updo. Divide that hair into two equal strands. Take the strand on the right and twist it in a clockwise direction or, in other words, to the right. Cross it over top of the left strand. You will be crossing the hair over to the left, or counter-clockwise. Now the original left strand in your new right strand. Twist this strand to the right and cross it over to the left. Repeat until the braid is done.

So in brief:

Twist to the right.
Cross over to the left.
Twist to the right.
Cross over to the left.

Keep it going until you have run out of hair to twist, tie off the end of the braid with a hair friendly tie or elastic, and you're done. Prepare to be asked about your braid.

Rope braids are also a base for a beautiful bun, which I'll post another time.

In the meantime, you can take a look at this and some of the hairstyles I've done in the past at my website, http://www.frannyslonghairstyles.com/