So if you’ve been following, I talked on Sunday about how I’ve found some inspiration in being a beginner (something I typically HATE being) and on Monday I shared my first thing I want to hone in on and learn and yesterday I talked about the second thing I want to work on! Definitely go check out the first two things I’m going to work on. TODAY I’m revealing the final thing I’m going to work on this year!
This one is way less interesting than the other two and I almost felt silly putting it out there that it’s a THING I want to work on….but it’s been something that has been bothering me my whole life and I’m sick of being bad at it.
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So now it’s time to reveal #3, the last and final thing, on my list!!!
Learn How To Do Something With My Hair (That Isn’t Straightening It Or Air Dry)
I seriously am terrible at anything related to my hair. My go-to moves are straightening it with my straightener (which is seriously amazing as I have had it since 2007 and it’s never died and omg I just jinxed myself didn’t I?). OR I get out of the shower and comb it with this wide tooth comb (wide tooth comb is essentially for curly hair…no brush allowed!!) and then let it air dry into my natural curls. Sometimes I will put a little product in it to make the curls better but that’s about it. OR I just put it in a messy bun (and not the kind of messy bun that is stylish and looks perfect and you actually took time to create….an actual messy ass bun that results in lots of tangles the next day).
In college this especially started bothering me that I had zero talent when it came to doing my hair. When we’d all be getting ready all the girls would whip out their curling irons or wands or start doing cool braids and crap and I couldn’t do anything except straighten the crap out of my hair and call it a day.
Me curling my hair is a disaster EVERY TIME. I’m not coordinated enough…seriously I feel like I cannot figure out how to get the motions right. Plus one side might look passable but I can never get the other side to look the same. I burn myself or I spend half the time afraid I’m going to burn myself. It’s a disaster trying to do anything with my hair.
I can’t braid. I can barely put my hair up in a bun. I can’t curl it with any kind of heating device (curling iron, wand, flat iron). I can’t do ANYTHING. I’m so, so, so hair challenged and it pains me because I want to do more with my hair. Plus when my little bald baby finally gets hair I want to be able to do cute stuff with it.
My Plan To Get Started Learning To Do My Hair
I think this goal is honestly the hardest one for me because it doesn’t seem like a super important one to take time to do. It’s easy and rewarding to practice photography because it’s something that really can benefit my blog and also capturing memories of my little family. Learning to cook clearly is something where my family benefits from me being able to cook a meal and we can enjoy (hopefully) the end result. But this one? It’s honestly just for me. It feels pretty indulgent and not important but it’s something I genuinely get frustrated by with my lack of skills and would make ME feel better. And I feel like sometimes we NEED goals like that. It literally only benefits me.
Things I Need To Do:
1. Buy the Beachwaver to help with my endeavor to learn to curl my hair: I’ve been wanting to buy the Beachwaver since Morgan wrote me this huge email detailing why she loved it and why it was revolutionary for her in doing her hair after we had a conversation about how awesome her hair looked and how I’m terrible at doing anything with my hair! And her hair always looks FABULOUS….and she shared her secret with me!! I ALSO want to learn to how to do it with a regular curling iron/wand to but I think, for me, I need to get some confidence first. Although, to be honest, I could probably screw up curling my hair with a curling iron that does it for you. That’s how bad I am. (also I can’t decide on whether I want the S1 or the S.75 — people who use this…can you tell me the difference??)
2. Find Youtube channels/blogs with amazing tutorials: I’m talking hair gurus that strip it down and don’t assume I even know the basics. Like Hair Curling or Braiding for Complete Dummies. I need that level of tutorial. I get frustrated because so often they just assume I GET which way to curl my hair or whatever. I also saw this book from Dry Bar that looks cool but I definitely prefer video for this kind of stuff. I watch ZERO hair or makeup Youtubers anymore so I need recommendations!!
3. Master a hair style by Memorial Day weekend: We have a wedding to go to and instead of booking an appointment for them to do something with my hair or just straightening it I’m going to practice ONE hairstyle that I will do for that wedding.
4. Look into some of these cool hair tools and see if they might help in the process: I stumbled across a couple of things that look like they might be useful in helping me get the hang of it.
Other than that I have NO plan. The other two were easier for me to sort of formulate a plan but this I feel like I’m intimidated by it and don’t know where to start. I definitely would love any and all tips or resources (definitely into watching Youtube tutorials for this!) ANYTHING.
What’s a goal/thing you want to work on that seems indulgent or not important but you really want to do?
P.S. Make this year your best year yet!
Linda says
One of my goals for last year was to learn to style my hair in a way other than a ponytail AND I FAILED. I literally couldn’t manage to spend an hour all year looking at YouTube videos to figure this out. I’ve never been interested enough in hair/makeup to take the time to learn it but I’d actually like to have the knowledge.
Even the basics elude me. My hair is naturally curly, but very fine, so finding basic styling info on YouTube is a challenge because all the curly-haired women have this thick luxurious hair and use heavy styling products that would weigh my hair down. In warm weather I just let my hair air dry curly; in the winter I blow-dry it out straight(ish) and it generally looks like crap. I know it’s possible to blow-dry it curly if you use a diffuser but it takes forever and in the past when I tried it, it never came out that well anyhow. (And I’ll admit the last time I tried I was probably a teenager still.)
Kristin (SuperSpaceChick) says
I just used my Beachwaver for the first time this past weekend! I really like it and it made doing my hair sooooooo much easier than other curling irons I’ve tried! I did burn my face at one point lol but that was my own fault for getting too comfortable once I started the other side of my hair >.< But I love how it came out and I'll definitely be curling it much more often!
Laura @BlueEyeBooks says
I used to be the exact same way when it came to braiding my hair (and also curling it but I still am horrible at curling my hair so I don’t count that as a win!) but I found this YouTube channel called Cute Girls Hairstyles and it literally changed my life. They have everything from how to do a Dutch vs. French braid (or even a simple braid) to how to do a zipper braid updo so I’d definitely recommend checking them out! Personally, I find that their tutorials from 2-7 years ago are the best (yeah, they’ve been around a long time!). Best of luck on your goals, Jamie!
Laura @BlueEyeBooks
Rachel @ Never Enough Novels says
I’m in the same boat with a complete lack of hair knowledge. I can straighten my hair with a straightener (certainly not with a blowdryer and brush alone, though, like some magicians can). The rest of the time it’s up in a bun, which I’ve sort of perfected since it happens 98% of the time. However, I just had an existential life crisis yesterday as a result of a King of Queens episode we just watched…The wife wears her hair in a bun and all the guys hate it. Apparently it’s the equivalent of a scary, old librarian. What!?? So now I’m rethinking all my life choices haha. (This’ll probably last for a day) Can’t wait to hear how it goes with the Beachwaver!
Mia@miathereader.com says
I am in the same boat! I’ve come to a point in my life when I just want to look like a grown-up, for crying out loud, but I still want long hair. Bought a L’ange curling wand and so far I’m pretty terrible at it but I’m committed! 😆
Alexandra says
Even though this is a goal for you right now, it kinda is also for Future Riley too, which you did mention in your post. That might be something to hold in mind when you’re trying and re-trying and re-trying to master hairstyles – the thought that someday you’ll be able to do this for Riley when she starts preschool/school 🙂 Would your nieces let you practice on them in the meantime?
I had really long hair growing up – as in, almost long enough to sit on – so my Mum would braid it for me every day before school. When I got it cut at 15 or so, I took over, and my hair has pretty much lived in basic plaits and ponytails ever since (thankfully, I don’t go to many events where I have to look dressy), but I do really want to learn how to braid it for myself. Just so I know I CAN, if I wanted to. I watched a few Youtube videos last year (the first time, my (highly self-confident) husband saw me sitting in front of the laptop with my hairbrush trying to get it right, and said, “That’s not that hard”. I invited him to try, and after two attempts he gave up and took back his original comment). I can’t remember the Youtuber, but I’m pretty sure I searched “plaits for beginners” and tried a few out that came up with that. Hairstyles are definitely the kind of thing – like pretty much any skill ever – that you have to keep on trying at, and I know I didn’t invest enough time in it last year to really get it. But this June I’m having my first baby, so maybe that would be a nice thing to commit to learning between now and then, as a thing for me, Alexandra-the-person, as opposed to Alexandra-who-is-wife-and-mummy. 🙂
Miriam says
No tips, but let me know what you find out because all I know how to do is blow dry my hair or put it in a ponytail (or a messy bun that it falls out of within an hour). I can braid, but my hair is super thin so it looks not great.
Lea says
Curly haired gal here too…my best advice is a really good hair cut. I’ve struggled with my curls for 36 years and my go to for the last decade has been a (sometimes horrible) messy bun. Two years ago I go the best hair cut, it’s a short style with a side part I never thought I would try and it literally changed my life and I love my hair now. Curly hair is so hard. Good luck with your goals!
Beverly says
There is a blog called Hair Romance. Her hair looks seriously great. I’ve looked at it a few times and the tutorials look pretty clear and easy. I haven’t tried them because I keep my hair fairly short.
Christine says
I could NEVER figure out how to curl my hair with a curling iron (I always got those weird kinks in it) but I got a wand a few years ago and it’s been life changing! My hair dries kiiiind of wavy-ish but not enough on its own, so I usually let it air dry and then if I’m feeling fancy, I curl it in four sections – one under and one top on each side. I hairspray each section before I curl (swear by Loreal Elnett spray) and hairspray it after I curl, and it stays really well and looks way fancier than just straightening it! Good luck!
Erica Robyn says
Oh I need to make this same goal! I can’t wait to see your results!
Daisy says
OMG, SAME! I just can’t do anything besides put a clip in it or sortof bun either.. the mister is also actually better at doing Julia’s hair than I am.. I’ve been trying a bit lately, but it just doesn’t seem to want to look like the tutorials I’ve found