Help! How do I get my hair back to how I love? **pics included**

[HowDoIhelp321]

First picture is how I loved my hair. I hadn't had it cut in years, I just used to trim the ends when I could be arsed and let it dry naturally.

Then it got too long and when I trimmed it, it never went back to this. A year of hating my hair and I decided to get it cut and balayage and ended up with this.

How do I get it back to how it was?

Please note, it isn't the colour the fudged it up, it was already fudged to begin with. The original photo is about 2 years old. That 'style' had grown out for sometime and no amount of trimming the ends would make it go back. It happened by accident and I don't know how to get back there!

I can't see much difference , what don't you like about it ?

You can't see a difference? 😮

The second one is a thick horrible fluffy mess with waves at the top and gawd knows at the bottom.

The first one is straight at the top and goes down to nice waves.

Should probably add that just after the first pic I got pregnant and had a baby.

Perhaps I should blame him?

It looks like the ends need thinning out and you need a good oil on the ends to tame the frizz. Rub some between your palms when your hair is towel dried and focus on pulling it down the mid lengths and ends of your hair.

I use a bit of oil in my hair once I’ve washed it, stops the fluff and makes it shiny and sleek, also decent blow drier. Get a good cut and conditioning treatment ask a hairdresser to advise you how you can maintain at home.

I've been using gallons of oil and it hasn't helped.
Perhaps some are better than others?
I was using a L'Oréal one...

There’s not a lot in it op. It’s the sort of thing that only you would notice.

Pregnancy can mess your hair up. My friend saw a nutritionist for this and had his results, but it took Asgard.

I had a cut a conditioning treatment 2 weeks ago. This is the result 😭

If I blow dry it I lose my natural wave which I love in the first ooc

There's loads of difference between the bottom sections of the hair.
They aren't even remotely the same, that's my problem.

I physically feel like I have a bouffant. Is that the right word?!

Honestly can't see a difference tbh

Maybe try some Elasticizer?

I can’t even notice much difference! But I really like the 2nd picture, I would love hair like that. Mines just flat and straight.

I'm really sorry if this is the wrong thing to say, but it's my honest opinion and I was hoping it might make you feel better:

It looks a lot better in the second (I'd happily have that hair, except blonde doesn't suit me); it looks a bit thin and slightly greasy in the first.

Not sure how old your baby is but postpartum hair takes a lot of recovery after the stress of pregnancy! Mine took a good couple of years before it even started to recover and now it's not at all the same texture as before ,it feels dry at the ends and oily on top regardless of what I put on it...

It sounds like you need some product in the ends, pregnancy can make your hair dry as it doesn't fall out at the same rate. Mine took a couple of years to go back to normal. You might benefit from a keratin treatment. If I were you I'd see a hairdresser you trust (who won't try to sell you everything under the sun). If you're in the Stockport area I can recommend an excellent one.

Can’t see a difference 🤦🏽‍♀️

I don't care what you liiiiike

The second picture is the worst.

I will google elasticizer I've never heard of this.

I really like the second picture. Sorry!

Have you looked into curly girl method?
If you want to maximise your wave and cut down on frizz, it’s the way forward.

I'm Brighton and don't trust any hairdressers. I've never in my life come out of a hairdresser and actually liked what they have done.

Pregnancy ruined the texture of my hair, I used to have natural, bouncy soft ringlets and didn't have to do anything special to achieve it. 3 years post birth and it is coarse, frizzy and just has a slight wave in most of it. Nothing I've tried has got it back to how it was, a very expensive curly hair specialist got it looking better but I have been unable to recreate it even with all the same products. Yours doesn't look too different, but dyeing can dry it out so maybe go back to your natural colour?

I also think the second photo of hair looks better! The first photo looks as if it has a lot of product on the hair weighing it down.

It does look a lot lighter at the ends though, so although you say it's not the colour it does look as if it's been bleached a lot at the ends.

Yes I have tried the curly girl method, it didn't seem to make much difference.

I think pregnancy is to blame bu the sounds of it!

I think it looks better in the second photo too, it looks quite lank in the first photo. Your hair is nice.

I think they both look great. You have lovely hair and I love your colour