This is the first part of a two part post. In this post I’ll cover all the FAQs on care, coloring, length, etc. In the second post I’ll cover all the products and tools I use!

Hands down the thing I get asked most about is my hair. Even before I started a blog I got so many questions about my hair online, in person, etc. How do I care for it? How do I get it so long? What are my hair secrets? So today I’m answering all of the most frequently asked questions about my hair!

Hair FAQ

Have you always had long hair?

Yes! I cut it shoulder length when I was 18 but before and after that I’ve always had long hair. When I cut it off I HATED it and swore I would never cut it short again.

Do you have extensions?

Nope, this is my real hair! I have nothing against extensions and would be open to getting them I’ve just never felt the need. I do think they can be a great option to add some length or volume to your hair!

What is your natural hair color?

I’m a brunette! I’ve been adding some blonde to my hair over the last few years and I love how it looks! But what you see at my roots is my natural color, plus some greys (thanks dad!).

Who does your hair?

Very, very few hands have touched this hair. I’m sort of crazy/obsessive about who I let color and/or cut my hair. Since I’ve always had long hair, it’s always been a big part of “my look”. So I’ve always been a bit nervous about who I let do it. For most of my adult life only one hair stylist has done my hair. Chelsea at Hair Tenders in Lake Elsinore, California (socal babes this is for you!) is my girl! My hair always looks perfect when she does it! For a long time, I would only get my hair done when I flew home to California to visit my family.

Only in this last year or so I’ve started regularly seeing a hair stylist here in Portland. Bree at Fate Beauty Society has been a dream! She makes all my hair dreams come true and I don’t have to fly to socal. (She is the one who did my hair in the photo at the top of this post.)

What do you look for in a hair stylist?

The most important thing you want from a hair stylist is someone who is going to tell you the truth and walk you through everything. When I show Chelsea or Bree a photo of what I like, they talk me through how it will look like on me. They always bring up things I don’t think about like maintenance, fading, etc. You want someone who isn’t just going to say “okay!” but will really help you find the best look for you!

How do you afford to get your hair done so often?

I don’t! I actually only get my hair done 2-3 times a year, max. My stylists know I like styles that will grow out well so they always help me achieve that. And then I use a purple shampoo to help fight brassiness in-between appointments.

And the number one question I get asked: How do you get your hair so long?

Oh how I wish I had some secret sauce answer for you! But I really just think it’s genetics. Ladies in my family are able to grow very very long hair. The photo below is my mom and her twin sister. They used to have hair so long they could sit on it! My sister too!

The truth is my hair just keeps growing and it grows quickly and not because of anything I purposely do. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t grow out your hair too! Getting regular trims can actually help your hair grow out (crazy I know!). Talk to your hair stylist, they can recommend some tips for helping grow your hair. Your doctor can be a good resource too. Once when I was losing hair like crazy I just need to take some vitamin B. But most importantly, whatever length your hair is, it’s still beautiful!

You can read part two of this post next Friday!