NINA FARINA

The race post are taking a time out. I am dealing with some rather heavy cases at work, emotionally heavy and difficult cases, and so my race experiences are taking a back seat.

Instead you will get a random post about my hair cut.

My hair cut is not as much of a change as Mireille, who is single-handedly bringing sexy back, but it is a change. I cut about four or five inches off of my hair. It is still long but, but...

First, I don't get why I can't ever bring myself to tell the people who cut my hair that I do not shampoo my hair. Okay, I shampoo about once every four months (literally), if I feel like I have a harsh chemical build up in my hair (generally from swimming), but I don't like shampoing my hair. I don't like the chemicals and I HATE what it does to my hair. It makes it all frizzy and fly away and dries it out. I do clean my hair. I mix a cheap conditioner with the juice of a lemon and I cleanse my scalp/roots about once a week. I condition my hair every three days. *

I'm a grown woman and I can't tell my stylist not to shampoo my hair. That aside-- the fact that she has to use a fine tooth comb to cut it breaks up my curls. At the end of a hair cut I have no clue what my hair really looks like. Three days later when I wash it my way, then I know.

I think the woman I go to does great hair, I never thought I would say that about a non-curly haired girl, but she gets it. I just wish I found someone who really KNEW how to cut curly hair, that would detangle my hair and cut it dry and when I left the shop I would know what my hair cut looks like. I seriously doubt there is a salon like that here.

Here is the second issue--I cut my hair and I don't like half the reason why I cut it. I was sick of the tangles and feeling like I was sleeping with a sweater on but, the other half of the equation has to do with appearance.

I feel like I don't get taken as seriously as I want to be taken because I look too young. A few weeks ago I put my hair in some ponytails and dyed the ends to match the roots (really really dark brown). I cut my hair shorter because I think the combination makes me look older. And, I hate that, I hate that I feel I had to cut my hair to be taken more seriously.

I don't even know how seriously I want to be taken. I don't cover my ankle tattoo at work. My "old hair" definitely fits my crunchy hippie poet vibe. It had a lot of old energy trapped in it but most of that energy was really really good. Maybe I cut off the bad shit that happened.

In three days I'll see if I really like it--if I don't, I grow it out.

* Here is the link to the book that convinced me to stop shampooing.
And here is a website where giving up shampoo is talked about.
Generally, curly girls should just walk away from shampoo. Fast.
My hair started growing so much faster when I stopped shampooing, and it feels so much softer.
P.S. I disagree with motown girl's assertion that you should shampoo if you use lots of chemicals. I bleached and colored my hair and no shampoo still helped it tons