Advice on my hair journey (don’t judge)
First photo from 2024 is a highlighted level 5 that I had for a few years and I loved it. I wish I kept it at a highlighted brunette because it was natural on me, roots grew in just fine, and my hair was long.
Then dyed it a level 3/4 almost jet black in fall/winter 2024 which I love on me UNTIL my naturally level 7 hair comes in and I have blonde looking roots growing in dark hair every 2 weeks. It’s more maintenance than having lighter hair for me to be dark brunette although I love dark hair on me. It just doesn’t work for long-term as well also I get bored easily with a solid black or solid brown.
So I highlighted it again for a while trying to lift it back up so I could have a brighter brunette like I had previously. Once I was probably a level 5 again with highlights as you can see in the next photos, then I decided to full send and go blonde. I used to be bleach blonde as a teenager and in my early adulthood so I figured no big deal. Also im naturally lighter anyway so I asked for a blonde balayage situation but the issue was that my hair was already not the healthiest from going black-highlights again. So in spring of 2025 I went somewhere and they got me full bleached at a level 7/8 leaving some of my lighter brown pieces in my hair and left my roots darkened (I previously darkened them) lol
Well my bangs broke off a lot even though the stylist did a great job. My hair was definitely compromised and I had fried bangs for months. I also hated that my underneath was still brown. So my bleach greed caused me to bleach at home underneath TWICE like an idiot with 20vol. I got it lighter underneath but the damage was horrible. There’s a Vegas photo of me wearing a pink cowboy hat and you can see the thin bleached hair where my front pieces were see through…
My hair slowly overtime was breaking off and it was so uneven so I gave myself the BIGGEST chop ever winter of 2025. The short hair photo was when I had to CHOP CHOP CHOP away all the uneven dead hair. Then my hair was up to my collarbone like the shortest hair I’ve had in years. It felt and looked a million times better though.
Now I’m in a hair health journey and recording everything in photos. I took another picture May of 2026 and I can see a length difference how ever my hair still seems thin. Just to be clear yes I realize it’s darker again. I’ve cut off most of my level 8 blonde, toned it darker, and my natural is a light brown anyway so it’s gonna grow in darker than a level 8. I’m a natural dark level 7. I’m gonna keep my hair dark for good because I love the way I look with brunette hair anyway but I’ll never ever go back black or blonde. I’m somebody that will have to stick in the middle to keep it heathy, avoid getting bored, and have low maintenance. I’m gonna stay around level 5-7 for the rest of my life because I want my hair to grow long. I get married this fall and I want more thickness and length by then but also in general. I gave myself a light split end dusting tonight because I see split ends even in the new photo I took but it is growing…
Seeing my hair right now in the last photo, what should I do about preventing breakage and growing it out faster?
Btw, I wash my hair once or twice a week with a clarifying shampoo by L’Oréal or sometimes a blue shampoo by matrix to tone the previous highlights. Then follow up with it’s a 10 mask and leave on for 5-10 minutes and rinse. Then I always use cool water to rinse and a soft towel to semi dry. Then I use olaplex bonding oil and blow dry my hair. Sometimes I’ll do oiling days once a week if I can where I use castor oil+coconut oil and rinse out after 24hrs. I use heat only twice a week if that because I’m a bartender and I need to look good at work. I use clip in hair extensions to make my hair look thicker at work for only 6hrs when I work then take out when I’m home. Most days I’m in a silk scrunchie and a low pony or low bun.
Anyway, there’s some history, photos, and my routine! Help me out!!!