thwarted

[cellio]

Today is Lag b'Omer, which (goofy as it may sound) is a traditional day for haircuts. [1] I've been meaning to get a few inches of split ends trimmed off anyway, and I remembered seeing what's probably a suitable provider of said service a few blocks from where I work. So I wandered over there, only to find them closed

Comments

[ealdthryth]

Trimming off a few inches should help with the split ends. I had long hair for a good part of my life. The periodic trims did the trick for me. Also, sometimes I would put conditioner on the ends after shampooing. I never put in on the top because it seems to make my hair greasy.

Hair

[victoriapringle]

Regular trims will a)get rid of split ends and b)encourage your hair to grow longer/faster.
Shampoo only your scalp, the shampoo will clean the rest of your hair when you wash it out.
Condition only the length of your hair, never near the scalp.
Don't vigorously towel dry your hair and don't brush it when it's wet to cut down on split ends.
I have lots of advice on hair :) and it is all from experience. My hair is currently about 1 inch from being sat on, it already reaches the seat.

Re: Hair

[cellio]

Thanks for the advice. I currently shampoo only the scalp; I figure the rest of it will take care of itself in the process of rinsing the shampoo out. I don't use conditioner. I did have a bottle of some spray stuff that you apply after washing (while combing it out) that was supposed to help with damaged hair; I don't know if it did or not, but the bottle ran out and I haven't seen anything like it in the store. (I got this from the last person I got a trim from.) That was probably some sort of conditioning stuff; I plan to ask about it when I find someone to give me a trim.

I towel-dry my hair enough to keep it from dripping, and mostly toward the scalp. Then I comb it. It finishes drying on its own in about 45 minutes. (I don't like blow-dryers.)

[geekosaur]

You can buy most of that stuff at pretty much any hair salon (including SuperCuts etc.). Also, the larger Giant Eagles have started carrying quite a bit of it as well.

[mamadeb]

The hair-cutting thing, like the music thing, is very custom-driven. Last week, on my way home from Pakua,we were talking about this, since both of the other women keep their hair short and were overdue for haircuts. One has the custom of only getting one's hair cut on L'ag B'omer, the other just waited until it was over, so her appointment was a couple days later. The first suggested that the second call her rabbi and ask if that was appropriate

[cellio]

Thanks for the information!

The first suggested that the second call her rabbi and ask if that was appropriate.

The second was waiting until after Lag b'Omer, or until after Shavuot? If the former, I suppose the first was questioning the status of days 34 through 49, as some people say "ok from Lag b'Omer onward" and others say "not ok except on Lag b'Omer specifically". Is that what was going on here?

I think they're brilliant. Because, you see, it means they can get gigs on Shabbat for bar mitzvahs - so long as their harmonies can be done without microphones.

I agree that they're brilliant, but this makes me twitch anyway. My problem is this: technically they are not violating halacha (assuming they walk to the gig, don't use microphones or instruments, get paid before or after but not then, etc), but in reality, they're pursuing employment on Shabbat. How is this permissible? Is it possible to interpret so much at the tree level that one misses the forest? Or are there only trees, and I'm wrong to look for a forest

[mamadeb]

Yeah, that was confusing. Let me rephrase

[revlainiep]

I like my hair long too, but I recently found a hairdresser who really knows what he is doing. He did take off 7 inches, but that was to give it the style it needs to grow long again properly.

I love my new hair. It looks great no matter what I do with it, takes 5 pounds off, and requires minimal effort.

The difference is that I went to a real salon instead of a $12 chop-shop. Yep, I pay $50 for my hair now, but honestly, it is worth every penny.

hair

[indigodove]

I got about 4 inches off in February, and it's come back pretty fast, and healthier. But, my stylist was specifically cutting off the last of my wedding highlights (close to 2 years for them to grow out).

My advice is to get someone nice who is willing to trim in small doses more frequently -- this is what I did. Oh, and please do use conditioner -- it really does help! :-)

Omer...

[goljerp]

You forgot about the bonfires on Lag B'Omer! Those are fun!

The Omer period is kinda wierd, because there are lots of conflicting customs related to it. I've heard of people doing "non-typical" omer stuff on the various holidays that fall during it -- Rosh Chodesh, Israeli Independence day, Pesach Sheni, and Yom Yerushalayim. Also some people are more relaxed after Lag B'Omer. But, like anything, there are some people who are most happy following the strictest possible interpretation of things.