What’s in a Hairdo?

So, I got a perm.

About

For years, I had debated dying my hair blonde.  But more and more, I've grown to appreciate it's natural color and highlights.  And then, at some point, I had the controversial idea of doing a perm.  I believe seeing Avery Ovard perming her hair showed me it can still be done without looking like, well... the '80s.  In my life, I've gone back and forth with how I like curls, but honestly, they're so pretty and volumizing!  

I have virgin hair.  I've been growing it out since 8th grade.  I look much better with it long than short, but it was time to spice things up, and I've been dying to for years.

I actually did an Instagram poll to ask whether I should dye my hair or get a perm.

Then came the time to make New-Year's resolutions, and for so many reasons, I realized I need to make decisions for myself and just go for things. 

That's when I officially decided I was going to get a perm, right before my trip to Italy (which got canceled).  That didn't stop me though, I still had it done last Saturday on the 14th of March. 

I made an appointment at Hair Envy in California a  few days before I came home. 

  

Fresh out of the salon.

My Why

Hair says a lot about a person, and cutting it can be very emotional.  You've seen when in movies someone cuts their hair to show a shift in their character.  it’s just hair.

• When I was little, I thought your hair became curly when you're a young adult.  Well, it turns out that doesn't happen naturally to everyone.  Perms were also probably in.  In particular, I remember seeing Emmy Rossum's gorgeous curls in Phantom of the Opera, and the model in a pregnancy book my mom had, as well as my mom's doula's hair, and my mom's best friends (both whose hair is naturally curly) to name a few.  
• Getting over a fear: to make a commitment that’s good but a little scary.  How can I one day commit to something like marriage (a dream I have) if I can't commit to something as insignificant as a year-long (maybe) hairstyle?
• To do something I want without relying on approval.  That was a resolution I made for the year 2020.  So, it was sort of a power move for myself.
• Memento Mori & YOLO.
• To not be so attached to my hair for the previously listed reason.

No matter how it would have turned out, I really gained something more important than a hairstyle.  

But so far, having curls is fun!!

Hair "Routine"

Most days, if I'm not going out or trying to look nice, I don't touch my hair.  No washing, no combing.  I used to wash my hair every other day, and now I could go 3-4 days between washes.  However, my hair is curlier when I at least rinse it.

Today, my sister Kiki helped me go all-out with hair care.  It's her passion- she was telling me all about what products to use for what purpose, what ingredients to avoid, which products of which brands work best, etc.


             

Pictured above are the products I used today.

First, of course, I shampooed with Maui Moisture shampoo.  My hairdresser said not to use conditioner in the first couple weeks (leave-in is okay), but this shampoo alone is hydrating.

After washing my hair, while it's still wet, we applied Not Your Mothers Curl Talk Sculpting Gel.

But to help keep the gel from being crunchy, and to enhance the curls, Kiki used her fancy hair diffuser, as pictured below.  I should definitely get myself one.  Always the scrunch up method!

               

To top it all off, she sprayed some texturizing spray to scrunch up the curls, with a bit of serum mist (a little goes a long way, we only use two squirts!) to give a nice shine.

And here is the finished look.  We tried.  It's become a wild mane to maintain.  I'm so glad to have a beauty guru for a sister to help me out and make it more fun and enjoyable! 

Keeping this up will be more of a hassle than with straight hair, but I have no right to complain.  Respect to all you naturally-curly-hair-heads!

Here's a collage of photos to show off my sisters' masterpiece.

                  
                  

Hanging in the willow tree that I used to always climb.  It fell sideways, but still grew back up in a new way!

Laughing because I spotted four-year-old Ian "sneaking around."