KT, I just want to say I lovelovelove your hair!!!! Everytime I read one of your post I'm in awe .. I literally stare at your hair for a few minutes! :shock: LOL! It looks exactly like GM mentioned in his book about one length hair having a "mirrored" effect. It's stunning! Just curious, what is your hair care routine like ( i.e. do you brush everyday? shampoo everyday, what vitamins do you take? what shampoo/conditioner do you use?). Sorry for all the questions, but your hair is *exactly* how I wish mine would look ~ only I have black hair!

maximum luv,
Madigan

Hi Madigan!
I'm grinning from ear to ear, not only a message addressed to me personally, but such as nice one too :D

My routine has been changeable over the last couple of years, but it is now pretty much settled. I'll try and include everything I can remember, but ask away if I miss any details you'd like.

My Hair Day
Every morning I get out of my satin sheets and pillow cases, and take down my sleeping scrunchie bun or braid. I detangle with a Ric comb or MP rake, and then brush with either a Kent BBB or an MP BBB - 15 strokes on each side of my centre parting. I then bun or braid for the day. My hair is up most of the time.
With my evening meal I take my vitamins - the rotuine varies because I tend to buy the things that are on sale, but it generally includes:
A complete multi-vitamin/mineral
Hair vit or high strength B-complex
MSM
Silica/mineral complex
EPO or starflower/borage oil
Flaxseed or fish oil

Every night I take my hair out of it's updo, comb it, and then put it up again to sleep.

Washing
I shampoo twice a week. My routine is simple - comb through, soak in warm water, one lather of shampoo to scalp only and rinse suds down length. Conditioner below the ears, and leave on while I wash my body, shave etc. Rinse out thoroughly, finishing with cold water. Squeeze excess water out with hands and then towel, apply leave in, comb through and leave to air dry. Once or twice every month I'll leave the conditioner on for half an hour or longer as a deep treatment.

Trimming
I trim splits obsessively, several times a week. I get my ends trimmed 2 or 3 times a year, sometimes at a GM salon, sometimes at a local, family-run salon, sometimes by a friend and sometimes I do it myself - it depends on how much I want off.

Hair toys
Scrunchies, Fake-arres, hair sticks, hair forks, and those little siliconey-rubbery no-snag bands.

Products
My favourites over the last year or so include:
GM
L'anza Long Hair
AO
Lush
Avalon
If you want to know specific products let me know.
I don't have a preference for a 'type' of product. I don't mind whether it is natural like AO, synthetic like GM, or a mix, like Lush or Avalon. I also don't mind silicones, I find they work well for my hair, but I can also do without them very nicely if I use oils instead (monoi, sweet almond, jojoba, coconut). I like to get a mixture of protein and moisturising conditioners, and tend to alternate between more basic and more conditioning shampoos. I usually use one brand for a month or two exclusively, and then switch. I always use matching S+C and leave in where possible.

Lifestyle
Healthy hair comes from a healthy body!
I have a great diet - I include tons of fruit and veg, lots of good fats (nuts, seeds, avocados, fish), lean protein (fat free dairy, turkey, chicken, beans, soy etc), and lots of whole grains (brown rice, wholewheat pasta, wholemeal bread). I drink lots and lots of water each day.
I also do a lot of exercise - about 90 minutes a day including strength, flexibiltiy and cardio.

And that's about it! I couldn't tell you which bits of that are most important, all I know is how much my hair has improved over the past few years. Just to compare 'before' and 'after', here is my hair in 2000:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/katie.samuelson1/images/kthairpics/kthair1_thumb.jpg

And in 2002:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/katie.samuelson1/images/kthairpics/KTchair.jpg

Excuse me for butting in, But I 100% agree with everything Madigan said. Kt you have inspired me a lot because you are proof that people with fine hair can grow it long and have it look good.

I do have one question. Maybe two LOL.
Do you use any oils on your hair?
Also you said that your hair is always up.
Do you never wear it loose?

Thank you Nitsa, you are too kind :oops:

Now, your questions:

I go through oiling phases. When I am in an oiling phase, I'll oil pretty much every day, using monoi/coconut, sweet almond or jojoba oil. Just a couple of drops on my palms, smoothed over my ponytail and then brushed through. I'll also do overnight heavy treatments before a shampoo day. There's no real reason why I stop doing this for a few months and then start again - just boredom/can't be bothered/fancy a change/using some other kind of leave in. I've just started a new oil phase to coincide with another AO phase, so I think some of it has to do with what products I use. I tend to oil with natural products, and use silicone serums when I am using more synthetic products. I like things to match - not because I feel it is beneficial, just because. It's a quirk LOL!

Hair up vs. down. When I say it is always up, I mean always up in normal life - working, exercising, cooking, sleeping, slobbing in front of the TV, gardening, DIY and so on. However, whenever I go out socially, to the pub, a party, club, out to dinner etc - any time when I make an effort with my appearance, my hair is usually at least half down, and often completely down. Basically my hair is like my smart shoes, makeup and favourite clothes - it comes out to play when it will be seen, when I want to look special. I'd love to wear it loose more often, but it just cannot take that wear and tear, it tangles so easily, particularly outside, it only needs the faintest breeze to knot it up. In practice, I'd guess I wear it down 2 or 3 evenings a week.

Hy KT ,
I think I have to join the conversation !
I have to say thank you for all the inspiration you gave me the last 2 years !!!
First I was on the LHL site when I decided to grow my fine hair long.
I wondered if it would look good if it gets longer ( it was just about my ears) and asked many question how I could make my hair thicker...
I remember you answerd me and destroyed my worries about ugly , limp looking fine hair .
And I saw your photos and I thought " WOW ! If her hair is as fine as mine, perhaps my hair would look good , too, if it gets longer.."
It was a great kind of support to me and you was very important on my hair growing story ....now my hair is about BS and I just love it !
THANK YOU VERY MUCH , KT !!!!! :D

It's great to hear from you Selvina - I remember you well from LHL. And BS length?! WOW! You've done some great growing over the past couple of years, I'm glad it's working out for you 8)

Now *you* can be the inspiration for the next generation of fine-haired growers :)

Butting in as well! :D I just want to chime in that I think your hair is utterly fabulous, KT, and now is as good a time as any to tell you!! :mrgreen:

but Wow it is amazing the transformation your hair went through and it's great you have the pictures to prove it. I think many times when we tell ppl our hair has improved bcz of x-y or z reason they don't really appreciate how dramatic that improvement really is.

Hi KT, I"m with Pixna....now is a good time to tell you how great your hair looks. It's stunning. And your avatar is so cool.

KT, I would also like to say how beautiful your hair is. It looks like a waterfall of silk; really!

May I ask about the brushing segment of your routine? Do you brush from scalp to ends or just over the scalp? I am an on-and-off brusher, and currently I'm off because my fine wavy/curly length just doesn't seem to be able to take it. I'm wondering if I should try brushing just the scalp area. It's such a romantic thing to do, and it feels so nice, too!

Allow me to toss my tuppence in here too!

WOW! What a difference, hopefully when my hair hair hets to your length in a year or three, I will have learned enough that mine will look as pretty as yours?

Than ks for your knowledge, ins[iration, intelligence and lovliness! :D

Rob Dehlinger

11/24.25/48/120???? :)

http://link.freepichosting.com/image.cgi/22674/0.jpg

You know, you guys are just too much, thank you all :oops:

Do you brush from scalp to ends or just over the scalp?

I brush from the roots all the way to the ends in one smooth, verrrrrrrrry slooooooooow stroke, pressing down quite hard on the scalp (feels so good!) and then releasing the pressure to skim the oils through the rest of my hair.

KT, my hair isn't straight - but like yours, it's very fine. Your hair is simply gorgeous, and you're one of the people I think of to get myself inspired when I get frustrated with my hair.

Are you blushing some more? LOL

Jumping in too...

KT your hair truly is incredibly beautiful.
Silky, shiny, soft, healthy & at a very lovely long length.

I heard "on the grapevine" (ahem) that there are a bunch of cool new b/w photos of KT and her awesome locks....
:D

Chris

:shock:

enquiring minds wanna know.

ah, um, well, at this stage just on KT's computer and mine...
8)

Hi KT, I"m with Pixna....now is a good time to tell you how great your hair looks. It's stunning. And your avatar is so cool.


Yep, what Carolyn said!

And KT, you have been one of my inspirations, too! My hair is wavy, but I keep thinking if SHE can do it, I can too (then I mumble, "I hope"!) hahaha ;)

Thanks for helping keep us motivated, KT! :)

You are beautiful (inside, and out . . . including hair! ) :)

I'm sorry, but I had to butt in too...

KT, the 2002 picture in your above post is truly gorgeous! Your other pictures are beautiful as well of course, but that pic in particular showcases the shine and health of your hair so well. I'd die for half of that shine and smoothness! 8)

KT...Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!! I'm going to print out your most excellent and informative reply and add it to my "Operation HAIR" folder! ~ Does anyone else keep one of these?! You are definatley an inspiration...SIGH... in all photos your hair looks glorious!!!

p.s. I saw your name online last week and I want to PM you to "thank you" personally, but I had trouble signing in.... :(