Hello my lovely Rapunzels!
We are going to get down to business and look at some simple hair styles that I think you all would be able to do in a jiffy. I have pretty much covered the basics, and gone with beautiful, but incredibly easy styles to put up those wonderfully long locks. Lets take a look!
1. This is a crazy simple bun to make, and I only wish I could have a head of long hair in front of me to try this out! But all that is needed to pull this off is to put your hair in a pony tail, take three small sections, and then begin to braid in the rest of your hair going in counter clockwise direction.
2. This is one of the best no-brainers for those days when your hair just doesn't look right! Am I right?
3. This is one of my all time favorite hairstyles to don with medium to long hair. It's an inside out french braid put a little to one side, and the tail end is twisted and tucked into a bun. I used to do this on myself a lot when my hair was long (sadly I didn't have any pictures taken at the time), and I would do it every day if I only had my length back.
4. How could you go wrong with a slanted french braid? It appears that this young lady started from her left side, and then tucked up the ends underneath the braid on her right. Again, I used to do this every day when I only had a few minutes on hand.
5. I have provided links for all of these hairstyles, and most of them have tutorials, so if you want to replicate this beautiful braid, look down at the very bottom of this post.
6. Braiding your hair as if it were a head band is like turning a mini skirt into a modest maxi with spare yardage you happen to have at home, only much easier. It is thrifty, and so stylish.
7. This lovely chignon is one of the most elegant ways to put up your hair for Church, or a special occasion. And so long as you know how to deftly twist you hair, and then hide the pins, you too could pull this off in a matter of a minute. Trust me. I have done it hundreds of times, even with short hair!
8. And lastly we have a decorous pony tail. I never really like pony tails in my hair–it just was too easy and my hair never looked great on the ends (usually got tangled), but this lady has perfected the sleek pony tail. Just pin a loose braid on each side, and tie it back! Looks great, no?
Okay, so now that we have a brain-ful of inspiration for this week, I have a little question for you all: Does any one suffer from dandruff like I do?
*gasp* "Jessica has... dandruff?" Yes, I do, sadly. And I don't know what to do about it. I am hoping that there are a few of you out there who could help me out on this rather annoying dilemma. It seems like recently it has been getting worse, and I have tried different natural shampoos over the past two years, staying away from all of the chemicals. Just recently I resorted to the "no poo method", which means I use baking soda as my cleanser, and an apple cider vinegar/water rinse for conditioner. I love using this method because it is so inexpensive, and the tiny grains of the baking soda really help rub off all of the dead skin on my scalp.
However, my ultimate goal is to lengthen the time between washings. Lets say about every two weeks. What?!? Yep, from what I hear, it is possible! This idea is based upon the fact that until the 1970's when commercial shampoos became the new thing, our grandmothers only needed to clean their hair every two weeks! Our hair has a natural balance of oils that keeps our hair looking lovely. But thanks to the prowess of marketing scams, we are using styling products (chemicals) to replace what our body naturally produces. If you think a while on this, the facts start to add up, and the old way of grooming ourselves really makes more sense. But my problem is, how can I get to that point when my hair ceases to be so yucky by the end of just the first week? Have any of you tried not washing your hair for a week?
I finally broke down and did some research online to see if I could find anything, and I did! This is an article on getting rid of dandruff naturally (I don't like the language much, but it was still very helpful). After reading through it I thought to consult our herbal remedies book. It said consuming more soy will help, but I have taken a soy supplement before and it didn't sit well with me. So after that I just so happened to be on Pinterest and found a pin about celiac disease. I appear to have quite a few of the symptoms and one of them just so happens to be an itchy scalp, prone to dandruff. Are any of you wheat intolerant? Have you noticed a difference in your hair if you have changed your diet?
It must appear to you all that I am on a rampage. Haha! Wouldn't you know, that might be true. But the last possibility (celiac disease) was just as random as my Pinterest feed, and I am not sold on this possibility. So, I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. You know how it is with girls, we need to know!
What is your favorite hairstyle in this post?
What is your favorite way to pull back your long hair?
Do you have any thoughts on dandruff?
Blessings to you all!
Jessica
The eldest sister & singer
CREDITS // Author: Jessica Boyer; Photography: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8; Graphics: Charlotte Boyer
I did the baking soda/cider vinegar for a while - a year or so back. I think I eventually went back to shampoo because it just took so long to get all of the baking soda out of my hair (it is really thick). Lately, I have been trying to wash my hair less, but it produces oil like crazy and gets greasy in just a couple of days. I read, though, that when we wash our hair too frequently it produces a lot of oil to keep up, so the only way you can deal with this is by easing out of washing it so much. Ya know, maybe add a day in between washings until you're at two weeks. Then, your scalp slows down oil production because it doesn't need so much anymore. So, you just have to deal with greasy hair for a couple weeks or so. :/ Hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteThank you Reyna! I guess it will just take a little time. Its great to know that a lot of girls are on board with this way of grooming now!
DeleteLove,
Jessica
The eldest sister & singer
I've been using soda, too, and then recently became worried when someone linked to this:
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.kanelstrand.com/2014/01/baking-soda-destroyed-my-hair.html
My sister thinks my hair's also becoming destroyed. :P
Now I'm not entirely sure what to do. Thinking of trying eggs or something. (Because the "rye flour" method she suggests is messy! Flour in my hair! Flour in the bath!)
By the way, Nr. 5 links just to Blogger. I noticed because it's the one I like most. :P I wear a simple braid on an everyday basis and like the thought of sprucing it up just a little bit.
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this Hana!!! I have been trying to find out if using baking soda was damaging, but so far my efforts have been useless. This post you linked to was perfectly helpful, and I believe I won't ever be using BS again!
DeleteMany thanks to you dear!
Thankful,
Jessica
The eldest sister & singer
Hi Jessica!
ReplyDeleteI've had some problems with dandruff in the past, and I found that one thing that really helped me was essential oils. I have this book, (which I would HIGHLY recommend if you or anyone you know is looking to learn more about essential oils) called Aromatherapy Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty by Roberta Wilson. I really love it because it's very informative, but at the same time extremely easy to read, and very interesting. She has an essential oil bend for dryish hair that is prone to dandruff.
2 ounces jojoba oil (this is a carrier oil, you could also use olive or coconut)
6 drops tea tree oil
4 drops rosemary oil
3 drops cedarwood oil
3 drops pine oil
Place jojoba oil in a clean container, add essential oils, and blend. Massage some of the mixture into your clean scalp and leave it on for 30 min, or overnight, then shampoo as usual. Repeat treatment several times a week, as needed.
My dandruff was never bad enought that I did this entire procedure. Just added the oils to my shampoo, but it did help! Another oil that I've been told is good for dandruff is Clary Sage. It's also very good for women, as it helps to balance hormones.
I don't know how much you know about essential oils, but I'll just say that you don't have to get them from a really expensive company, (like Young Living or Aura Cacia) to get good oils. My sister is a lisenced aromatherapist, (a person lisenced to work with essential oils), and has done extensive research on this. She has found that the NOW brand of essential oils, (which can be found at pretty much any health food store) are just as good as the Young Living or other similar brands. We've been using them for quite a while, and they are just lovely!
One last thing. :D If you're looking for a good, natural shampoo, let me share with you this recipe that I found, and have been using for quite a while now, and I absolutely LOVE!
1/3 cup Castille Soap (Dr. Bonners - I use the peppermint)
1/4 cup coconut milk (just the unsweetended stuff you get at the store)
1 capsule vitamin E oil (you can leave this out if your hair is really oily)
18-20 drops of essential oils (I use peppermint, lavender, and rosemary)
Mix it together, and use! You don't have to keep in the fridge, but you can if you want. It will last about a month out of the fridge. For conditioner, I just use a little bit of coconut oil on the ends of my hair. (My hair is really long :) I seriously LOVE this recipe! Before I used it, my hair was thin, flat, had not body, and wouldn't hold a curl to save my life! Now, it's gotten thicker, it has more body, and I can braid it, take it out, and it looks like I just got a perm! It's absolutely wonderful.
Anyways, sorry for such a long comment. :D But i hope this helps! Also, I just wanted to say that you girls do a fantastic job on your blog. I love it! I come from a homeschooled, Christian family with three sisters, just like you girls. I'm the youngest in my family, (17). My sisters and I have quite an age gap; my oldest is 33, and my other sister is 29, my family used to sing together all the time. I don't get to see my sisters much anymore, but I still love to sing! I suppose that's one reason why i love your blog so much........it reminds me of singing with my sisters. I so wish I could meet you girls! You all have such hearts for the Lord.
Anyways, just keep doing what you're doing! You have no idea how many people are blessed by it!
Joanna
Hello Joanna!
DeleteYou are such a dear to leave such an informative comment!!! I cant tell you how thankful I am for all that you shared, and truly you have made me excited all over again to keep moving forward with using natural products and to not resort to the chemicals! Yay!
What a blessing to have a sisters who is an a licensed aromatherapist! And yes, we do know a little bit about using essential oils. Just in this past year we have been experimenting with them more and more, and we really like them. We have been using a kind from this place located out in the Northwest (where we are originally from) called Mountain Rose Herbs. They are fairly priced, and we know they are trustworthy because they explain the importance of unadulterated essential oils for health, and even explain the process of how they are made. I am intrigued about the NOW brand though. Thanks for telling us about this! :)
Funniest thing: Brigi was looking up different natural shampoo recipes a while ago, and found the very recipe you wrote down in the comment! I think we all were pretty set on using the baking soda/vinegar method, and so even though we got the Dr. Bronners castile soap, we have yet to open it. I think we will be making up a batch pretty shortly. But more importantly it is your own experience in using this shampoo that I find to be of the most value. I am stoked to know how well it works, and cant wait to use it.
Joanna, it tickles us pink to know that we are indeed being a blessing to many. This is our ministry, and our mission is to be an encouragement to those who are so kind as to read what we put up here on BFS. And it is our prayer that we edify you all, but more importantly, bring honor and glory to our Heavenly Father, who gives us perfect gifts by His grace and mercy. We are confident that He will lead us wherever He wants us to go, and give us the strength to live pleasing lives before Him. Truly, it is the work of His hands and not our own that bring you all so much joy. Bless the Lord!
So thankful, and filled with peace in the Lord,
Jessica
The eldest sister & singer
P.S. I will look up that book you mentioned! Thanks again! :)
DeleteOh, I'm so glad I'm not the only one! Through the summer my dandruff had mostly gone away, but now that it's fall it's come back in full force (it got really awful through last winter and spring). I'm afraid it's the stress of schoolwork, even though I have not been nearly as stressed out this school year as I was last year--so maybe it's the weather?? I don't know! But I'm in search of help. I have an almost all-natural shampoo and conditioner, I use coconut oil once a month as a deep conditioner, and I don't understand why I'm having this problem :( I guess I'll just have to do more research.
ReplyDeletedance a real
Wow, I love all the hairstyles!!! My favorite is number four!
ReplyDeleteI have dandruff too, although I'm not quite sure why. I have celiac disease and I've been eating gluten-free since I was about 7, but I still get an itchy scalp and dandruff. I wonder if its caused by some kind of vitamin deficiency or something...
I've also been trying to spread the wash time to two weeks, because I read about how during the 50's they only washed their hair every two weeks. I fought through a whole week without washing it, just putting up my hair when it was really greasy. Then, instead of washing it exactly a week from the day that I washed it, I went an extra day without washing it (so, 8 days instead of 7) and each week I wait an extra day, until I'll (hopefully) hit 2 weeks!
Thanks for the great post and sorry for the really long comment!
Hmm... That is very interesting about your still having dandruff even though you don't consume gluten. How did you find out that you had the celiac disease? Were there major symptoms that screamed out something was wrong?
DeleteYes, we girls have been studying the 40's and 50's for so long that we too have relized they didn't sell many hair care products like they do now, and that got us to wondering. We eventually looked it up, and that is what set us three on this path to lengthening the time between washings. Charlotte has been very stubborn and kept it up, but I have not, and that doesn't help. I am determined though, to get to that point before the year is out.
Thanks for your thought Nuala!
Much love,
Jessica
The eldest sister & singer
Yes, I had pretty bad symptoms! I was vomiting or trying to vomit a lot, especially after I ate specific foods. I also would wake up crying because I had really bad pains in my legs. Needless to say, my parents realized that something was wrong and took me to allergy specialists.
DeleteI too haven't been all that strict about lengthening the time in between washes, mostly because I traveled a lot this summer, but I'm trying to get back into it again. Good luck to you and your sisters with it!
Nuala
Lovely hair styles! I tried salt for a while and then baking soda, but after a while they stopped working for me. Then I tried deep-conditioning with coconut oil once and switched shampoos to L'Oreal Paris (Silicone free); haven't had problems since.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I have had traditional dandruff, but I've most definitely have dealt with flaky, itchy, and scab issues on my scalp. I've also gotten this flaky skin around my eyebrows this past year. I know how you feel! When I eliminated dairy from my diet when I was younger it seed to help, although now that I'm older that doesn't seem to help. I've found that taking multi-vitamins daily along with cod liver oil (It sounds scary, but it's full of many healthful vitamins and minerals. The kind I get is this on: http://www.vitacost.com/carlson-norwegian-cod-liver-oil-lemon. It can be found in most health food stores and all over online). My naturopath suggested it for the flaky skin. The flaky skin went almost completely away when I was taking it regularly (life's been so busy I keep fogeting to take it... ooops!). Many skin issues can be caused by gluten too.
ReplyDeleteOh how I'd love to go even a week without washing my hair! I have very oily hair that gets greasy really fast, so it's been a struggle getting myself to go just every other day like I'm doing now. Caring for my hair naturally has helped, but I still can't go more than a day between washing, especially when hormones are all crazy. I think slowly adding more days between washings and giving your hair time for it to adjust the amount of oil it produces would be the best way. Not exactly fun, but I think that's what it takes to get there. I've heard shampoo bars are good to use as shampoo, and I've wanted to give some a try. I wonder if that would help at all.
Great ideas Sereina! I really appreciate learning about what everyone else likes to do and what products they find helpful. I will ask my Mom about the cod liver oil and see what she thinks. Funny that you get the flaky skin in around your eyebrows, because Brigi gets that too in the Wintertime. Actually all three of us get really dry skin in the Winter, and for that we love to slather on some coconut oil (although not on our faces), and hydrate our skin as much as possible.
DeleteThanks so much for your comment, dear!
Much love,
Jessica
The eldest sister & singer
I get dandruff really bad no matter what shampoo I use. Baking soda and vinegar doesn't work for me (I tried it!) So I'm really interested to see how you go with this and am also reading everyone else's comments eagerly!! Hope you find something that works for you, Jessica. :) I love the hairstyles by the way!
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica - thanks for all the neat hair ideas! As for natural hair care, this is a blog I love: http://almostexactlyblog.wordpress.com/index/ She has done no poo', low 'poo, (I think we need better names for that!), and water only washing, and has so many helpful tips. I linked to the index, so you can find what you want. I did the baking soda/vinegar washing for a while, and I seemed to do fine...but, after a while I started noticing a LOT of breakage, leading me to cut off about 6 inches of hair... I don't know for sure whether it was the baking soda, or gut issues (I have colitis). I was going to link to the "Baking soda destroyed my hair" post, but it appears somebody already did! I next tried "water only washing", but we have very hard water here, and it didn't really work out for me. I would like to try it again someday, maybe using filtered water. It makes sense to me, since I don't think the women "in the old days" probably used a whole lot in their hair. Right now I am using a natural soap, and an apple cider vinegar rinse. I ordered a bar soap for hair off of Amazon, and I used that until it ran out, and now I use a regular natural soap, that is just saponified olive oil, and I use a vinegar rinse. I also rinse my whole head with drinking water, because when I don't, my hair gets "gunky" from the hard water.
ReplyDeleteI would like to be able to go longer between washes, but people don't seem to appreciate my greasy hair haha! I will have to learn to do better updos, so that I can go longer. Keep us updated on your hair situation! Sorry for the long comment...
Dandruff. I have had the stuff my entire life. It ebbs and flows, but I never took much interest in what caused that. Except that it does seem to be worse when I'm not sweating all over it like I do in the summer time.
ReplyDeleteI generally wash my hair every two to three days; I use either J.R.Liggets shampoo bar (the 'old-fashioned' stuff like my grandparents grew up using) or baking soda. Most of the time with the soap I rinse with vinegar because my hair gets tacky with it. I always rinse with vinegar when I use baking soda. (By the way, I rinse whatever "washing" product out of my hair first.) I have heard negative things about the baking soda, but never noticed it on myself, though my sister did on herself. However, I when I was working on my Granddaddy's ranch two summers ago, I was really only washing my hair about once a week--but I rinsed the day's sweat and dirt out every evening. I don't recall that my dandruff was much of an issue then. (I think whatever is in the water in different places can make a difference as well.)
I have had pretty good success with baking soda and vinegar myself. I wash my hair twice a week now, out of necessity, but I actually like the texture of my hair better now. I need to try the BS again, since I left off a couple years ago...
ReplyDeleteOh, and also there are a few other styles I can do quickly:
ReplyDeleteI like to do a teeny braid near from the front of my hair on one or both sides of my head. Sometimes I like to do a small braid, then pull it back into a braid or flipped ponytail.
Also, I do a flipped ponytail with the 'tail' braided.
After I shower my hair looks weird for a couple days if I wear it down, so I braid it until bedtime, then take it out so it's a little bit wavy, and that helps.
Cheerio!
-Rachel M.
My dandruff got bad again. I wondered if it is because of the season change, but we have been eating bread more (I usually did not really eat much wheat simply because I did not like what we had), particularly white homemade bread; after reading these comments I wonder if that has anything to do with it. I tried putting tea tree oil into my shampoo, but I think I am going to have to try some of these longer treatment methods. I don't want to try two weeks between shampooing; I did manage to stretch my washings to twice a week (about 3.5 day spaces), but I have shortened that because of the dandruff. This post and all the helpful comments are quite timely for me.
ReplyDeleteHey Jessica! I love these hairstyles. I was beginning to wonder if any of the hair parlor posts would apply to my hair (it was about shoulder length) and then...gasp...I just bobbed it myself a few nights ago, so now I don't fall in between the "short hair" and "Rapunzel" category anymore! Thanks for writing the hair parlor posts. I came back to this post after reading your most recent one, the [Your] Favorite Comments.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on trying out no-poo! I just embarked on it on September 4, except I went water-only and I heard that baking soda and ACV is an awfully big Ph whiplash for the scalp, and since my hair is thin I didn't want to risk anything. (that's just me though -- I've heard so many success stories using those as cleansers!)
It's doing really well so far! I thought you might be interested to hear that the water-only method, for me, has cleared up my dandruff. I'm not really sure why; maybe it's the natural oils having the chance to sort of remoisturize my scalp without any intervention whatsoever . But I love water-only, and my hair, almost two months in, is quite manageable and feels stronger.
Keep up the wonderful blog!