Conditioning rant

You know you're desperate when you start watering down your conditioner... As in, putting water into the bottle, swishing it around frantically and hoping you'll be able to brush through your hair later. 

Welcome to my world. I fly on Thursday for Rock N Roll New Orleans... I've never been more excited to stay at a hotel! ha

Sometimes I'm a little snotty about what kind of conditioner I use, but that girl is gone.
 I know I could cut my hair and make my life easy, but I did that once as a kid and balled for days. No ponytails, no braids, no nothing. Not to mention I looked like a freak...Then you actually have to do it everyday!

 Maybe that's why all the royalty wore wigs back in the day...
(actually it was because head lice was so prevalent and so they just shaved their heads and threw on wigs)
 but didn't all the pioneer ladies have really long hair? How did they do it without conditioner...? How did they do it period?

My mom used to call it cream rinse... 

but according to my research, that's different from "conditioner"... it's more of a detangler. I guess that's my biggest hurdle...

If I could have any conditioner in the world... it would be Frederic Fekkai's. I was fortunate enough a few years ago to get my hair done at his salon before the Oscars and I gotta tell ya... the stuff is amazing.

 A good friend of mine used to always splurge on Redken All Soft

and you know what... it really does make your hair all soft.

But back here in reality... I'd just be happy with even an average conditioner. The packets my dad sent me are great for the shampoo half... but the conditioner is pretty much worthless. It's some "clarifying" kind, it says... but all I know is that my hair isn't "all soft" and it definitely isn't easy to brush through. I know Pantene gets a bad rap for "coating" your hair but the stuff works wonders for me. Too bad I haven't seen any of that in months...

According to my research conditioner can be credited either to Ed Pinaud back at the worlds Fair in 1900... or Sir Darren Emilford as recently as 1980! Either way I should just be glad I wasn't born before then and shut my mouth I suppose.

Oh and just for kicks... take a look at these
Pretty sure Ali Larter is in this one... Teen Spirit commercial

And this one is just comical - Salon Selectives escapee commercial

Conditioner will definitely be my first purchase... and I might even treat myself to a little Frederic Fekkai :) 

Bobby pins, the multi-tool

I wouldn't say I'm an anxious person per say... but there are a few things that make me a little nervous. 

Getting my hair done for an event at a salon... may be #1 on my list. 

I love people playing with my hair. It might be the most calming and therapeutic act you can do for me - given I don't plan on actually keeping my hair that way. 

I've seen so many girls arrive at Prom with an "updo" that is plastered to their heads and wanted to cry for them. Unfortunately I have also been on the receiving end of that hairdo. I paid the woman for her time and promptly ran home, washed it out and started over. 

And so for the rest of my life, I have insisted on doing my own hair. Yes, this has resulted in screaming matches with my loving mother who tries to step in and "help". I've also spent entire evenings upset with myself and my not so skilled attempts at hairstyling but... I never wasted money on it, and there was only one person to blame. But I have gotten better... not great, but better. 

Well, every once in a while I think it's important to give various things a second chance. Tomatoes on sandwiches for example... skinny jeans... and sometimes they work out, and sometimes they don't....

Well this weekend I was in a wedding. Against my usual rumblings, I agreed to let someone do my hair. It's best to keep brides happy... so I went along with the program. 

A few days before the big day I was reminded of my "hair appointment". The wave of dread came crashing over me and I immediately tried to subtly find a way out. My attempts were futile and the "appointment" was written in ink. 

I met the young lady and laid it all out...pre-empting the questions I was sure would surface...

 - I didn't find myself at salons very often, 

- I had no interest in switching my part to the other direction (why do they always ask you that??) 

- I apologized that I often wielded the scissors myself - (therefore the busted looking "bangs" were no longer the elephant in the room )

- yes, I "brighten" my naturally dishwater blonde hair with the... God Forbidden "Sun In" 

-and no matter how many times I've been told that it leaves a residue on your hair... Pantene was my go to. (until this year of course... in which case any shampoo droplet I can find will do) 

Thankfully, she was very kind, and helpful... she actually trimmed up those "bangs" I cut out of annoyance one day and managed to do my hair in a fashion that did not require shellacking it to my head.

I'm the farthest to the left. 

My faith has now been semi-restored... but the even better revelation was when I started taking them out before I went to bed that night. Although under my breath there may have been some rumblings as the removal seemed never ending - there was a silver lining...

A nice little bonus to a cute 'do... 36 bobby pins to add to my dwindling stock!

I admit, I google/wikipedia just about everything. Did you know

Recently, due to their (Bobby pins) cheapness, strength and durability, hair grips have been applied for a variety of different uses. In Africa, Bobby pins are systematically used to repair inoperative sandals.^{[citation needed]} The tactic, simple yet refined into an elegant trade, has been incorporated by both nationals and expatriates living alongside each other throughout all regions of the continent.^{[citation needed]}

And that's not all! More websites have informed me they can be used as:
-book marks
-lock picks
-screw drivers
-a painting tool for your fingernails (if you like polka dots)
the list goes on and on...

http://gloriouscliche.wordpress.com/2008/02/22/the-almighty-bobby-pin/

It seems I've been gifted with more than just a sweet hair do, some free bobby pins, and now... even more ideas for how to use these clever little things! ha Who woulda thunk it :)

ever wondered why they call them bobby pins...? Me too.

Almost everything you've ever wanted to know about Bobby Pins