Moneysaving hair help desperately needed!

CompBunny

Hi everyone,

My hair sucks. Its ginger and goes a nasty dull nothing shade in winter. Its very fine and thin (old medication caused some hair loss), and looks awful. Its really getting me down!

It hasn't been cut for about 2 years:eek:, I suffer from depression and anxiety and the idea of going to a hairdressers is scarier than the idea of going base jumping!

Has anyone got any cheap ideas of things I could do to breathe some life into my hair? Any help is greatly appreciated. Could I cut some of the ends off myself or something perhaps?

Thanks! I'm sure theres someone on here who can help!:T

xxx

Happylittlecomper

I really wouldn't recommend cutting your own hair because when I worked in a salon I saw lots of D.I.Y haircutting gone wrong. I suggest that maybe you get a group of mates and going for a pamper day together and get your hair done somewhere. Then you will not be on your own and they could possibly help relax you. Brunette hair colours usually inject life into your hair and you could get a do it yourself kit but I can't really say what colour you should pick because I haven't met you.

xx

hot.chick

could u get a mobile hairdresser to come to you?

A cut and bit of colour would make u feel like a new woman

CompBunny

Thanks for the tip Unfortunately getting my hair cut at a salon or by a mobile hair dresser really isn't a viable option for me at the moment

I like the idea of using a dye though, I like being ginger but could always try a new colour if it gives a bit more life! What did women who had experienced hairloss usually do at your salon?

Thanks so much for replying!

sofababe

If u can get to a branch of Boots or Superdrug, or a supermarket sometimes, you can pick up a packet of hair colour that's fairly close to your own colour but will just give it a bit of life, and shine. That way there's no drastic change but your hair will look better and you'll feel tons better (hopefully) just by spending a fiver or so. Maybe u could get a friend round and u could do each other's hair, make a fun day out of it

BitterAndTwisted

Please stop calling yourself ginger! You're not: your hair-colour is red and very possibly Titian.

As Sofababe said you could choose a colourant very close to you natural colour which should give it a subtle boost and some shine to cheer you up. Or of course some natural henna which will also do the same and maybe cheaper.

Queen_of_NO_MATTER_WHAT

CompBunny wrote: »

Thanks for the tip Unfortunately getting my hair cut at a salon or by a mobile hair dresser really isn't a viable option for me at the moment :(I

if cost is an issue you could look up a local college, I find the trainees are always very very careful and all their work gets checked and double checked by a tutor. The best cut and colours I've had have been by trainees.

ali-t

Watch out if you go darker if you have thin hair or any hair loss, when your red roots come in it will exaggerate this as the lighter red contrasts with the darker colour.

I have red hair and had it dyed darker years ago. A few weeks later I was back in the hairdressers panicking as I thought I had bald patches. Others had noticed it too and mentioned it but the hairdresser told me the lighter red roots against the darker hair was what made it look like this and I wasn't going bald.

missbishi

have you ever thought about cutting your own hair? This thread has some tips : )

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/214229

starson79

I too suffered hair loss - at 16yrs. Yeah that REALLY helped me out being at school, then college, then Uni - with that nasty problem.
I still got it. I've been through all sorts of temp "solutions" like hair dye, spray-on scalp dye (messy - but good for a temp solution). I used to tie my hair back EVERY DAY - and comb every last strand into place (hairspray!). I spent ALL day every day worrying about which direction the wind was blowing from - and if it was going to rain (both would ruin my attempt to hide the problem).

Anyway, I tried wearing extensions, hair-pieces and wigs for a while. Are they cheap? Well, no - but I tell you. From all those years I spent NOT going to the hairdressers (coz there was no point), I must have saved myself a tonne of money. Money of course which I didn't have at the time.

What I did was (after trying normal hair extensions which didn't cover the problem completely) - I tried on a wig and it was a great disguise! The wigs I tried were from Elysee Star. I soon found that I could order them online. Try taking a look. I did this for about 3 years - I saved a fortune. I think the wig cost about £30 every time - and I only bought one every 6 months. (The hair dried out after some time). You can buy extension shampoo and conditioner - but to be honest I remember using fabric conditioner in the end (!) which worked just as well.

Or perhaps use those big swishy ponytails you get that just clip-on.

The only thing was, at the end of the day I still had to remove the wig (and I still felt awkward doing activities wearing it). So in the end I went the whole hog and got a hair solution system put on at Hair Solved (Manchester).

It's basically hair extensions that are weaved into a mesh, and your own hair is pulled through the mesh to attach the whole thing to your head. I go back every 6/7 weeks to have it tightened.

To be honest - the whole thing costs a bloody fortune. Although since having the hair done I've become much more confident and I think this resulted in my climbing the ladder at work - in order to afford this bloody hair. But it's the best thing I've done for myself. I am so HAPPY now. I don't worry about my hair EVER. I wish I didn't have to pay for a medical condition that isn't my fault - but I found out that I COULD do something for myself - so I said, screw the doctors (yes that's another story - I went through all sorts of useless lotions and potions). I sorted the problem out for myself.

So, what does this mean for you? You have hair - ok it sounds like it's perhaps limp / lifeless?
There are loads of conditioning treatments you can buy relatively cheaply from shops. I thoroughly recommend a head massage - perhaps you can get one done every few weeks for cheap at the local college hair salon. Head masssages are the best.

Are there any of those colour-enhancing shampoos you could get?
There is stuff that is meant to enhance shine and deepen colour isn't there. I bought one of those round shampoo bars from Lush a while ago which I thought left my hair feeling really soft and lovely - it was the yellow one - called Godiva I think.

And funnily enough - eggs. I got a B12 deficiency in the last couple of years. I stated eating like an egg day for a while (mmm I love boiled eggs with runny yolk!) and at the same time I noticed my hair was growing a lot quicker than usual.

Ermm.. I'll stop for now. I hope you work something out. Oh yes, anxiety and depression - well I got all all that - yes probably mainly due to my hair problem. I think some people are just of that nature. More anxious that others. I really really think doing something different to what you would usually do is great stress relief.
I went to a kick-boxing class a few weeks ago. First time ever. Ok I went on my own - so you do need that confidence to initially go - but I just though Oh Sod It. I'll see how it goes. And it was great! Never thought I would do something like that - and I felt great after.

Good Luck
So perhaps

starson79

Oh! My natural hair colour is dark auburn by the way!
YEAH GINGER.....!!!!! Have some of that all you bloody ginger-haters!
Whatever!