So sick of my crap hair. (Pics)

[Littlebees]

I paid to have photos taken of me & my baby so on the morning I washed my hair, spent ages drying it in sections then curled it with ghds.

I've just had the photos back and my hair looks a state! Like I haven't bothered at all.

Where am I going wrong? Why can't I achieve the silky glossy look that my hairdresser can?? Mine looks straggly and unbrushed!! 😒

I agree with others- looks a bit stiff to me, like there’s product build up. I use a clarifying shampoo once a week and it really helps get the shine back.

I personally wouldn’t straighten and then curl- that’s loads of heat, I don’t think it’s necessary tbh if you use the right products.

What’s your hair like naturally?

... I should add here that I’m on a mission to grow my own hair and improve condition, so you’re not alone at looking at pictures and thinking ‘urgh’.

Yes drying it in sections and only recently started doing that and I thought it made a huge difference.
My hair is in good condition, if I let it dry naturally it's really soft (albeit frizzy and limp !)

@ReindeerTails thank you, I only really use shampoo, conditioner, Moroccan hair oil & a heat protection spray.

What should I be using?

I have long thick hair and it goes dry if I use too much heat after a while, I went to my hair dressers and had a trim and something called a wellaplex treatment my hair looked amazing. I found I couldn’t get it to look as good, so I went out and bought a good conditioning mask. It’s called garner hair food and my hair looked so shiny and sleek after I used it. There’s loads of different flavour ones. Also pure coconut oil just get a tub ( vita coco/Lucy bee) melt it and soak your hair in it over night. Wash it out properly in the morning and only use a little conditioner on the ends. Also a good serum, I put in frizz ease serum while my hair is wet and then dry it. My hair looks a lot better.

I've got really long thick hair and can't ever get my hair to look silky when I straighten it, my hairdresser said it's nothing to do with the straightening but the way you dry it! Low heat, in sections, with one of those flat brushes or a round metal brush. Honestly it makes a difference!

I don't think it's as bad as you think OP but it does look like it needs deep conditioning. My hair frizzes like that when it's not fully (as in really 100%) dry before I go on to style it. Looks fab when I'm done but crap 30 mins later. I also think in the photo specifically, it's your parting that looks a bit untidy.

I would invest in a treatment such as Philip Kingsley elasticiser (or ask your hairdresser about longer lasting ones), switch hair oils perhaps, or use a serum such as frizz ease and leave your hair until its 80% dry before you blow dry in sections, using a heat holding brush (ceramic or thermal) in the right shape for what you want- paddle for straight, barrel for volume etc, leave it to settle, then style. Run some hair oil through the ends to set and add shine.

At the end of the day your hairdresser dies this for a living so I wouldn't beat yourself up, i don't think anyone can replicate what their hairdresser does very easily; not without having paid out for keratin treatments or pricey hair tools, time investment etc. Long hair takes ages if you aren't naturally blessed with swishy shiny locks!

Could you bite the bullet and go silicone and SLS free? It’s made my longish, dyed hair much softer and shinier, but it takes a few weeks to adjust. Also try co-washing some of the time; again, it will feel weird at first.

What products are silicone free that are affordable?
I actually only wash & blow dry my hair once a week so you'd think it wouldn't be too bad.

I disagree with others, I think it’s a product issue. Your hair looks fine/thin in the photo because you need to brush the curl out rather than because it’s damaged - curls/waves always look better brushed out, it looks a bit naff if you keep them in the shape left by the curling irons.

Firstly your products need an overhaul. Buy a clarifying shampoo to remove all product build up - this is non negotiable! The reason why your roots looks flat and weighed down and the rest of your hair looks limp is because of product build up, this includes shampoo & conditioner. You seem to need a shampoo and conditioner less heavy than what you currently use. I assure you that 1 wash with a clarifying shampoo will give you some more volume and softness.

Also your colour is contributing to the problem - your roots look bright compared to the rest of your hair.

There are lots of cheapish silicone/SLS free shampoos and conditioners. Dr Organic and Faith in Nature are good, Tresemme have one shampoo. Some products aimed at Afro hair are silicone/SLS free.
Styling products are a bit more pricey, unfortunately. Living Proof is good.

Ive just bought a herbal essence silicone free shampoo from Asda for £1.99.

I think you are overstyling it - drying in sections then curling is a LOT of heat for thin hair. I'd recommend air drying as much as possible and then rough drying the last 30%. Drying in sections can help the style, but it might be too much direct heat on your hair type.

Can I ask what clarifying shampoos you are all using?

Agree with others , too much heat , not enough moisture. You need a good conditioner (something from the Maui moisture range would do) and a styling product for shine like garnier hair food. Also , and I know many might disagree , but try ditching the ghds for a while and try something like a hot brush instead. The revlon one step is bloody good. Let your hair dry 50% before using any heat.

try a clarifying/chelating shampoo (i use bumble and bumble sunday).. i get terrible build up if i don't do this every now and again.

I have hair like yours, OP. My hairdresser can get it so smooth and glossy but I struggle with styling it and as a result it usually looks dry, wiry and generally crap. If it's a hot day it goes wiry, if it rains it goes frizzy and if it's windy it's a combination of wiry and frizzy. My ends always looks crap because I have thin hair. I now wear my hair up most of the time because I just can't do anything with it. I also have a colour build up problem which is making it worse, although I've not box dyed for around 8 months now and I've noticed that the hair on the top of my head, which hasn't got a build up of colour on it, is far less frizzy than the rest of my hair.

I've found that how I dry my hair is really important as opposed to how I use straighteners or curling tongs. Low heat and you need a decent hair brush. I recently stayed at a hotel that had dyson hairdryers in each room and I have to say it did a phenomenal job with my hair. It was exceptionally smooth and in beautiful condition all day. Im now considering saving up to buy my own.

You also need to leave box dyes alone, or if you really can't afford to not use them then make sure you only do your roots each time rather than colour your whole head. Box dyes are awful for colour build up and patchy, dull colour.

I do the curly girl method.
Sometimes I dry straight, when I do it is so much softer and shinier than it ever was.
I haven’t washed my hair since Christmas, I just condition.
I use extracts conditioner from superdrug 99p followed by
Cantu leave in conditioner.
My hair is now in great condition.

Today I used tresemme deep clean shampoo and my hair literally squeaked it was so clean. I blow dried on a low heat and feel my hair is definitely softer but the colour looks shocking. Also I hate the 'straightness' of my hair, still think the texture looks naff.

I think it looks loads better than the first photo! Much glossier. I do recommend co-washing, though, at least half the time, especially if you don’t go SLS- free.
I get soft beach waves using a variety of heatless curling methods - have a look on YouTube, there’s loads. The headband method works best for me.

Yes it looks so much softer now

Looks so much more full and healthy - it isn’t damaged at all! I thought it was just the product build up!

The problem with the colour is that it looks lighter/tinted at the roots but darker through the lengths - which is just a tell-tale sign of home colouring as the hair near your scalp lightens the fastest (so you need to apply the colourant after the lengths).

I'm really trying to avoid costly salons as I'm on maternity leave. If I use the same box dye and just do my roots/top of my head - could it work??

This exact thing happened to me! I love the photos but hate my hair! Mine looks like a dried out 80s mullet in the photos?! Baby looks lovely though.

I think it's a bit to do with the lighting and backdrop photographer/s use but I wish I'd paid for a blow dry or something because I'll be embarrassed to show DC the photos when they are older

Do you mind if I ask where in the country your photos were done?