Milia

I actually got to ask Paula Begoun a question! She has a call-in radio show that airs on Thursdays. Unfortunately, it wasn't even a challenge for her, I could tell by her tone (not that she was rude or anything -- she was very cool and informative). I wanted to know about these peculiar whiteheads on my forehead and temples that aren't like other whiteheads because they never dry up or go away. Ends up they're Milia and they require extraction. This means I need to find a good dermatologist or a dermatologically-trained esthetician. Good times. I still haven't found a dermatologist here who I trust to do my annual body map!

Hair dilemma: wash every day?

So my stylist asked me to try something: spend one day blow-drying and straightening my hair really, really well, then see if it lasts through the night so I don't have to wash it the next day. I'm kind of eh about it right now -- unless I use product I still have to style my hair the next morning. I don't like to put  product in my hair because the smell distracts me while I'm sleeping, and the idea of extra stuff getting on my pillowcase skeeves me out. Not to mention having to use the word "product" in its singular form when it feels grammatically correct to use the plural.

The second day has, so far, resulted in limp, semi-oily hair. But it's been so nice not having to wait for my hair to dry. So yesterday I blew my hair out really well, hoping that the heat would dry my hair out enough that the oil wouldn't be too bad today. So far, so good. I'll give the experiment another week or so.

How often do you wash your hair?

Haircut!

It's been 5 months, but I finally got my hair cut! It was desperately needed. I'd put it off because I wanted to avoid the pre-Christmas scheduling hassle and gifting awkwardness (I know, I'm such a Scrooge). But it's finally done and I'm very pleased.

Does anyone else find getting their hair cut to be a source of anxiety? I used to be very good about bringing a photo of something I liked, but this time I spent some time thinking about what I wanted: no bangs, hair long enough to put in a ponytail, and limited layers. Stylists are always surprised that I don't blow out my hair every morning. I swear, it turns my hair into cotton candy! I leave the bathroom looking sleek and stylish, but in a few short hours (maybe even only 20 minutes) I have blow-away, wispy hair that looks like a failed attempt at a 1970s Farrah Fawcett 'do.

So here's my dilemma: on one hand I'm doing this Pretty-Mom Project as a way to break out of my rut. It's not easy. I backslide a lot. On the other hand, while I love a lot of different hairstyles, I really prefer the way my hair looks after I've gone over it with a curling iron. My current and previous stylists were convinced that I had curly hair and were willing to sell me all sorts of products (and I only caved once) and gave me tons of advice on how to augment my curl. Maybe they're right, but my hair does not turn into lovely ringlets. It just looks messy. So am I being honest with myself or just settling into my rut?