What the hell can I do with my hair?

[SelfieNameChange]

Please excuse the terrible selfie, stern and lighting - don’t think I’ve ever taken a selfie before on purpose 😂 Have NC so it’s not linked to my other posts but hello if you know me!

Just paid out for a haircut earlier this week and yet again I hate it. No matter what I think of when I go in, I leave with the same haircut. I’ve had a very stressful year and suddenly look very old and feel like this haircut makes me look even older.

Please tell me what would suit me, o wise ones? I’ve just washed it and dried it, I hate it and will now wear my hair up until my next hair cut when the cycle will start again.

My hair is quite wavy if left to dry naturally. Would love something I don’t have to do much to, but not sure that’s possible with my hair. I want something more interesting than the same boring layers.

Hey op, I think it looks lush. I hate layers but now I'm considering to get layers myself as it gives better volume and I have the same length of hair. I think it looks lovely. I don't think your hair makes you look old at all and it makes you look very modern and just lovely. I like the hair colour too and please don't go lighter, that however would make you look old!

How about going quite a lot shorter, but still soft, like this? I have a similar face shape to you OP and recently got my long hair chopped into a style similar to the pic.

You’re all very kind, thank you!

That looks very cool @GeidiPrimes but I’m definitely not brave enough for that yet! I guess I keep it longer because I think if I hate it at least I can wear it up, but then I just wear it up all the time.

@Username642243 I bet your hair looks better than you think, I always think my hair looks really thin (and it does if I just leave it to dry) but I found some Tigi volumising stuff that works really well on my hair. It’s quite strange to hear people say my hair looks thick as I always think of it as thin.

I try to look at cuts for face shapes but I can’t ever figure out what shape my face is - I had it analysed when I went to the optician by their thingie and it said it was inverse triangle but I don’t think that’s right.

Have a look at Christie tiegan new cut
Her layers gave definition and it is coloured to work with the style
Although it is being likened to the ‘racehel’ I think it is an up to date version
Will see if I can post a pic

@GeidiPrimes that cut looks great on her and a young hipster but I suspect would end up looking like a mop on the rest of us

Christie tiegan new cut

I'm no young hipster mymadworld, am nearly 50

I'd kill for your hair too!
To have some natural curl is such an asset - mine is dead straight.
And it's nice and thick - mine isn't and is getting thinner.
To be able to wear it up and down is such a bonus. I can't as it doesn't suit me.
I think ComnanderBurnham's suggestions are good.
Otherwise I am going to go against the grain here and say don't get a fringe if you wear glasses a lot.
Anything much shorter or with a fringe will be more work too!
So I'd say enjoy it as it is!

I think this looks maybe like a more up to date version of what I have and shorter obviously so might be a good first step - her face is more oval than mine though so maybe it wouldn’t work

@Spittingchestnuts

I'd kill for your hair too! To have some natural curl is such an asset - mine is dead straight. And it's nice and thick - mine isn't and is getting thinner. To be able to wear it up and down is such a bonus. I can't as it doesn't suit me. I think ComnanderBurnham's suggestions are good. Otherwise I am going to go against the grain here and say don't get a fringe if you wear glasses a lot. Anything much shorter or with a fringe will be more work too! So I'd say enjoy it as it is!

I think we just want what we don’t have. I used to have totally straight hair and wanted wavy, now it’s getting wavier it’s annoying as the waves are random and and look crap unless I spend ages doing my hair (and still don’t look great but that’s probably because I don’t know what I’m doing!)... we can’t win, can we?!

Some bronde highlights around the front?
Don’t go for a fringe - awful to maintain and grow out.

I think we just want what we don’t have. Probably true Selfienamechange

You look great though! I'm older than you and I'd absolutely hate to think you go about your daily life thinking you don't look good. You absolutely do! Enjoy it!

And I don't claim to be any great expert but in practical terms it's so helpful to be able to wear your hair up and down.

@Spittingchestnuts

I think we just want what we don’t have. Probably true Selfienamechange

You look great though! I'm older than you and I'd absolutely hate to think you go about your daily life thinking you don't look good. You absolutely do! Enjoy it!

And I don't claim to be any great expert but in practical terms it's so helpful to be able to wear your hair up and down.

That’s very lovely of you to say. I definitely do go through life disliking the way I look and always have done since I was a teenager - of course now I look back at old photos and think what was I moaning about, and will probably do the same in 10 years about photos of now (although maybe not - still carrying a lot of baby weight, although that should probably be called preschooler weight now). Determined to sort myself out next year - lose weight, fun hair, taking better care of myself and hopefully learning some self acceptance! I’m 38 and think I look much older now but have had a very stressful few years which are starting to take their toll.

But I’m sure fun hair will help 😂

I think your hair looks fine (as in normal). It looks healthy, decent thickness, good condition etc. But the cut is a bit lacklustre.

Please get a blunt, one length lob (long-bob)! Still very trendy.

Also I think your hair would really benefit from a keratin treatment - in fact this would make more of a difference than a new cut

It costs around £150 (at Toni and guy in London - you can shop around in your area) but lasts a few months. Essentially it’s a moisturising treatment that will sleek (not straighten) your hair out, leaving it glossy and shiny. It will also dry much faster and generally be easier to style.

My friend is also a dark brunette like you, her keratin treatments make her hair look almost reflective! Definitely takes her to another level, her hair is as glossy as Kim’s in the photo I posted

One more thing, your hair does look a bit thin at the ends but that could be the cut. Going blunt will get your hair looking thick from root to tip again.

Also your hair seems to be dry because it may be naturally porous, so perhaps you aren’t using products suited for your hair. Don’t buy conditioning treatments for straight hair, go straight for the more intensive stuff like Aveda damage recovery (travel size £9!)

Yes, I definitely think that’s a good idea. I bet that would make a massive difference. I always thought it would straighten it though. That’s the think with brown hair - when it’s shiny it looks great but when it’s dull it’s very obvious. I think something like that and maybe a bit of colour would help a lot.

Yes! Please go for it! You don’t need colour IMO.

There’s 2 similar treatments:

• Keratin smoothing which sleeks your hair but doesn’t straighten it, just subdues frizz. I mentioned it earlier as it would be great for you. The attached is a realistic result.

• Brazilian hair straightening which is basically a straight perm. More potent than the former, but runs the risk of damage.

It could just be the bad lighting, but it looks a boring and unflattering colour. I think a golden blonde, slightly longer length without all the layers would look miles better. And straightened a bit to look shinier. You remind me a bit of Victoria Derbyshire - so like she has her hair here (but perhaps a bit longer).

Oo I like these. The hair style definitely suits your face shape but I would have some lighter hair lights or low lights. Would bring out your complexion and eyes.

Be very wary of being bored of the colour and getting an all over dye job. Highlights/balayage etc are dealable with to grow out. But all over colour = roots = massive maintenance or having to grow out a badger stripe of some kind.

I did the colour thing at a similar age as you and then ended up with far to frequent trips to the salon to maintain it..

I think the style in the picture you posted would look fantastic on you. The model looks remarkably similar to you.

Perhaps just go for that cut and have a semi permanent colour gloss put on your hair to richen up the colour initially. Then decide if you want to change colour.

I completely agree with @JulietMadeChutney says.

(Unsolicited but I also think that lip colour in the picture would really suit you)

I think your hair looks lovely.

Funnily enough I’ve been looking at different styles/colours for my hair, which is quite like yours at the moment. I suit a shoulder length bob and also need to lift my natural dark brown. These are the styles I’m looking at (the longer style more for the colouring)