Just... WTF do I do with my hair?! 😫

[BarnetTroubles]

Hi,

So my hair, thanks to iron deficiency, has been thinning over the years, plus takes forever to grow! Still reasonably thick though. I have a 3 year old balayage, which I occasionally get toned, but it's far too dry to get refreshed, I think 🤔 My natural hair is dark/very dark brown with increasing grey. Length wise, is about bra length. Reluctant to get more than a trim, as shorter hair just doesn't suit me. Can only really have it in a centre parting - side looks hideous on me! Saying that, I'm always moving it off my face...sort of to the side 🤔 but not an actual parting iyswim. Also, my hair is quite flat at the roots and hair line is slightly receding 😔 I don't have a huge forehead, but it's certainly looking larger now, so have considered curtain bangs to hide that a bit, but my last hairdresser said fringes are a no no if you're thinner on top, which I am, as it just wouldn't sit right.

Anyway, evidently I'm stuck in a hair rut and could really do with some advice. Shall I get rid of my balayage and just go back to my original hair colour? I tend to have my roots coloured with a gloss, rather than a full on permanent, as it's a bit more gentle and more natural looking. Definitely not ready to embrace the grey! Or shall I risk going lighter with various treatments etc to limit the damage?

I desperately need a new hairdresser! One who really gets colour. Any hairdresser recommendations would really be appreciated!

To add, I'm late 30's, with pale (ish) skin, so a bit concerned about going all over dark again. I do kind of miss it though.

Any advice?

ManyTIA

Place marking so that when I get back from work I can post photos of hairstyles I think would work.

@AbsentinSpring oooo looking forward to those 🙂 Thank you!

You might find my thread helpful.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/4637488-limp-lifeless-hair?reply=120180689

i used to have bra strap length hair but had to accept it wasn't thick enough to be that long. In terms of what suits, it doesn't impact on the style that much to have it past your shoulders.

how has your balyage lasted three years?!

would a clip in fringe help?

i think dark hair and fair skin looks nice btw.

@NoteorNot45 yes, I was actually just going to comment on your thread!

Ah, well it's all thanks to my iron deficiency. It grows soooo slowly! Good for getting roots done, bad for condition. I'm not actually sure it's not longer than 3 years 😬 I have considered a clip in fringe, just to see if it would suit me, but then my own hair would look different, so not sure how helpful it would be.

Just giving this a bump 🙂

😔

@AbsentinSpring waiting for your ideas.... 😊😁

I know you said you don’t suit shorter hair but I think you should look for some kind of lob (if that’s what they’re called, or an inverted lob maybe?) as the longer hair will be weighing it down. Something shorter and maybe layered like Jennifer Aniston’s famous Rachel cut or this kind of thing Link can be styled to give the appearance of fuller hair. I don’t think wispy fringes are in at the moment, more of a thick blunt 70s fringe. Unless you just wanted to wear a clip on fringe in general?
If your hair is healthy enough no reason why you shouldn’t keep doing balayage, or if you’re worried about going too dark you could do a shade or two lighter all-over.

🙂

Bear with me! Work are making me do extra hours. The bastards!

@marshmallowhearts I think I will have to bite the bullet a bit and have more than a trim. It needs a good few inches off really, which wouldn't be far off a long bob anyway. The last time I had shoulder length hair was when I was 6...and I hated it 😬

@AbsentinSpring but don't they realise you have some random stranger on a beauty forum to get back to?! Honestly! 😉

Right ...

I would lose the balayage. Find a hairdresser who is interested in colouring who will give you a lighter base colour and then use foils to give you subtle highlights in 3 colours (see Jennifer Anniston). This will swell the shaft of the hair to make it look thicker.

Get it cut to shoulder length, it'll look healthier and I'd bet it suits your face.

The following photos are intended to show you fringe options. I disagree with your hairdresser.

Without seeing any pictures of you now it’s very hard to comment.. but

Your new hairdresser would need to cut your fringe in from further back.

It's difficult to judge as I don't know how thin your hair is. Mine is really thinning and I can't have a fringe - I literally don't have enough hair for a fringe and I have a big forehead. 😫I would listen to your hairdresser. Mind you all those photos are for people with a lot of hair imho.

Mind you all those photos are for people with a lot of hair imho

I chose those photos as examples of women with fine hair. )With the exception of ONJ and I'm not sure how she got in there 😀) They use colour, cut and styling to make a fuller looking fringe.

I have naturally very dark hair and am greying. My hair is similar to yours though not as long and is receding at the front.

I got mine coloured and cut like these, also got a fringe cut in. The fringe hides the receding line quite well and as I have to wear my hair up for work it means I'm not pulling the front into a pony tail and putting more stress on it.

Sorry for the delay!

@AbsentinSpring thanks for all that. I was tempted to go all over lighter and found one hairdresser who suggested that straight away, but then was persuaded by my more regular/hairdresser that it would be too high maintenance and would obviously need bleaching all over and my hair is quite damaged. Why do you think my hairdresser said that about a fringe? Every time I move my hair to create a sort of frame round my face, it looks so much more flattering, but I guess it's all about where it would sit naturally.

@Lastminpanic thanks. I really like all those colours.

@Incrediblebuttrue I don't have really thin hair overall, it's just the bit at the top of my head that's thinner. You can't see my scalp or anything, but I guess a fringe could sit awkwardly if not done exactly right.

@Girlintheframe can I ask what kind of fringe you had cut in? Would you mind posting a pic? Obviously not including the rest of your face 🙂

I have a middle parting. I can't seem to post a picture.
I just googled shaggy middle parting and it came up on Pinterest. I will try later but for some reason can't access my photos

Like this

https://www.google.com/search?q=centre+parting+brown+mid+length+shaggy&rlz=1CDGOYIenGB920GB920&hl=en-US&prmd=isvn&sxsrf=ALiCzsaG2EeiCzOXjOnsAoljSuRdGy3s2A:1664189805225&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiOnbeRprL6AhX9gg0HHe5IAVgQAUoAXoECAIQAQ&biw=414&bih=716&dpr=2#imgrc=dLtyRKyGf57U5M

@Girlintheframe I can't view that link for some reason 🤔



Nope ☹️

Hope it works this time! This is the style I showed the hair dresser. Mine isint as blonde

If you're in cheshire, I know the best colourist.

@Girlintheframe ah, yes - got it! It's really nice, but I don't think choppy hairstyles work with my hair texture, which is wavy/curly/frizzy. I think lots of layers like that would just release more curls and bounce up.