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SmilingElephant's Hip-Tailbone Challenge 2026

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SmilingElephant said:
Sorry I've been quiet for a few days :look:...I've been really busy relaunching my business :hottub:

Plus, my allergies are acting up and I'm doing what I can from my bed today.
Click to expand...

Same about the allergies. I just knocked back an Allegra then doubled that up with some Flonase nasal spray. Be out here just fighting for our life!
 
JoyBloom said:
Same about the allergies. I just knocked back an Allegra then doubled that up with some Flonase nasal spray. Be out here just fighting for our life!
Click to expand...
That's the premium version of life i joke. Gotta pay for things to work lol both me and my kid wear glasses (he broke them while cleaning) and we get those seasonal allergy things.
 
JoyBloom said:
Welp, it’s officially hydration sprays and hat season in my area. It’s been in the high 80’s, early 90’s all week with no sight of relief. It’s gone be a hot girl summer so protect those tresses!

View attachment 503492

This is the spray I’m testing from Target. Looks promising and has nice ingredients.

View attachment 503494

View attachment 503496

Gonna need all the help I can get in these streets!

View attachment 503498
Click to expand...
Please keep us updated on how it is working for you.
 
Had a gooooood wash day yesterday. I used the Giovanni Tea Tree shampoo & conditioner set in the shower, T-shirt dried for about 20 minutes, then sprayed the hydration spray I posted above and sealed that in with some Carols Daughter oil. Braided the roots and let it air dry overnight.

Wet:
IMG_3559.jpeg


IMG_3558.jpeg


Dry:

IMG_3594.jpeg

IMG_3593.jpeg

I may not make it to hip by challenge end next year, but I’m hoping to be easing on down my back though!

IMG_3477.jpeg
 
So, I've been busy editing and publishing (*ahem* Im pretty sure wunna y'all is a writer, let me know if you would like to get published :look: I have 4 slots open right now for $100 off!)

I figured I'd give y'all a sneak peek of what my hair is doing. I don't know if there's a big difference from my last ponytail shot, but here it is...

IMG_20250506_105621725.jpg

Before:

IMG_20250101_112549633.jpg
 
SmilingElephant said:
So, I've been busy editing and publishing (*ahem* Im pretty sure wunna y'all is a writer, let me know if you would like to get published :look: I have 4 slots open right now for $100 off!)

I figured I'd give y'all a sneak peek of what my hair is doing. I don't know if there's a big difference from my last ponytail shot, but here it is...

View attachment 503822

Before:

View attachment 503824
Click to expand...
I love it! I think it looks slightly fuller that the previous pic. It's difficult to tell on the length, I'd have to see them side by side :biggrin:
 
So I finally did it — I put in the mini braids.
I had actually prepped my hair about three weeks ago to do it, and then I just… didn’t. Lol. I think I needed to mentally prepare for all the braiding. In the end, it wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. I did it over the course of five days. I could have finished sooner, but I don’t have the daily stamina for marathon braiding sessions. I parted and cornrowed my sections on day one, then braided one quadrant each day. Doing it this way kept me from getting too worn out, but by the time I reached the last two rows, I was OVER IT. :lol:

IMG_7455.jpeg
IMG_7466.jpeg

There’s no added hair and no product used during the braiding process. I just lightly moisturized beforehand with water, TGIN leave-in, and avocado oil.

My plan is to keep these in for about two months. That’s the goal, anyway. I really don’t want to redo them anytime soon, but I also don’t want my hair to start locing — so we’ll see how things go.

Tentative routine:
  • Daily moisturize and seal with my herbal/ayurvedic spray and avocado oil. Maybe diluted TGIN or Rusk leave-in a few times a week.
  • Weekly wash and deep condition. Still figuring out the best techniques and products for this.
  • I’d like to incorporate ayurvedic treatments at least every other week. I usually do masks, but with the braids in, I’ll probably switch to teas to avoid particles getting stuck in my hair.
  • After washing and deep conditioning, I’ll spray my hair with Infusium 23 and follow with a soak in diluted leave-in conditioner. Infusium 23 is actually the only product I still remember from the old Crown & Glory method. I’ve searched everywhere for a detailed breakdown of that routine, but haven’t been able to find one. Such a shame.
  • My hair will be in a bun under my satin Slap cap 90% of the time — as usual. Lol.
  • I want to get back to massaging my scalp a few times a week. I did this consistently last year and I believe it helped with growth. But I also think oiling my scalp contributed to the intense itching and recurring folliculitis I dealt with. I cut out scalp oils completely this year and things have been calm. I did buy The Ordinary’s scalp serum and want to try incorporating it. I’m going to wait until my first wash though, just in case it causes irritation.
I really hope this goes well. I can see how this could make long stretches much smoother and support good retention. But I also see the potential for setbacks. Fingers crossed!
 
Theresamonet said:
So I finally did it — I put in the mini braids.
I had actually prepped my hair about three weeks ago to do it, and then I just… didn’t. Lol. I think I needed to mentally prepare for all the braiding. In the end, it wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. I did it over the course of five days. I could have finished sooner, but I don’t have the daily stamina for marathon braiding sessions. I parted and cornrowed my sections on day one, then braided one quadrant each day. Doing it this way kept me from getting too worn out, but by the time I reached the last two rows, I was OVER IT. :lol:

View attachment 503996
View attachment 503998

There’s no added hair and no product used during the braiding process. I just lightly moisturized beforehand with water, TGIN leave-in, and avocado oil.

My plan is to keep these in for about two months. That’s the goal, anyway. I really don’t want to redo them anytime soon, but I also don’t want my hair to start locing — so we’ll see how things go.

Tentative routine:
  • Daily moisturize and seal with my herbal/ayurvedic spray and avocado oil. Maybe diluted TGIN or Rusk leave-in a few times a week.
  • Weekly wash and deep condition. Still figuring out the best techniques and products for this.
  • I’d like to incorporate ayurvedic treatments at least every other week. I usually do masks, but with the braids in, I’ll probably switch to teas to avoid particles getting stuck in my hair.
  • After washing and deep conditioning, I’ll spray my hair with Infusium 23 and follow with a soak in diluted leave-in conditioner. Infusium 23 is actually the only product I still remember from the old Crown & Glory method. I’ve searched everywhere for a detailed breakdown of that routine, but haven’t been able to find one. Such a shame.
  • My hair will be in a bun under my satin Slap cap 90% of the time — as usual. Lol.
  • I want to get back to massaging my scalp a few times a week. I did this consistently last year and I believe it helped with growth. But I also think oiling my scalp contributed to the intense itching and recurring folliculitis I dealt with. I cut out scalp oils completely this year and things have been calm. I did buy The Ordinary’s scalp serum and want to try incorporating it. I’m going to wait until my first wash though, just in case it causes irritation.
I really hope this goes well. I can see how this could make long stretches much smoother and support good retention. But I also see the potential for setbacks. Fingers crossed!
Click to expand...
Your braids are very pretty! I also use Infusium23 (diluted) to keep my hair moisturized and from locing. I use it daily, in the morning, to allow my hair to dry by night fall.
 
Wow!
@Theresamonet those braids looks fantastic! Your neat parts will help you to manage your NG as it grows in. The neat parts make it easier to separate the loose roots, which is where marrying and loccing happens. If you're regularly oiling your scalp or applying things to your hair, it'll be easier to stay on top of that.

Also, I've found that the braids give me so much better access to my scalp than any other style. And in the summer, getting air to the scalp will help a lot.

Yeah, I kept looking for the old C&G regi too and all I remember is using Infusium 23 so I've always kept that in my braid regi. I just KISS, bc I'm a bit lazy, and make a mix in a spray bottle of water, a few squirts of my moisturizing condish, maybe about 10% Infusium and then a capful or so of EVOO or Grapeseed oil. I also like to add lavender EO for scent. I've found that if I do nothing else, I moisten my hair with that spray in the mornings and then bun and go. I also spritz a bit more in the evening before wrapping it up for the night.

Sounds like you've got a great braid plan though! The only thing I could think to maybe add would be applying extra product to your ends or heavy sealing them before bunning a few times a week. Since you're not using extension hair, which usually provides physical protection for our ends.
Judging by the length of your braids, you'll be at WL in no time!!
 
Hey y'all! :wave:

Not much to talk about (regarding hair). I washed it today. I used my Garnier clarifying shampoo...did a double cleanse. Then, I deep conditioned and detangled with the 10 en 1 conditioner...I love the tropical, mango scent of that stuff :lick: And I let that sit as I showered and rinsed it out and just put in the Movie Star leave in.

Nothing special :look:

I can say that my hair is starting to feel long to me. I might do my length check toward the end of the month instead of June (I got a lot going on). Im just gonna pull on it and not blow-dry and flatiron...I don't wanna use heat :look:
 
Theresamonet said:
@MzSwift @keranikki
I haven’t used Infusium 23 in so long. I thought I remembered it being a protein leave in. I just checked my bottle and there is no protein. :scratchchin: I guess I could use it in my daily routine as well. I can mix it with my hair tea.
Click to expand...

See now, I had to go look at my bottle too. Lol
I'm seeing B-vitamins and a list of amino acids. I'd say it's likely a mild protein. My hair loves amino acids so that's probably why it responds well.

Like you, I've treated it as a protein leave in based on what I learned on LHCF.
When I need a protein boost, I just add it to my hair care for that style. And I always use it for my cornrows and braid extensions. I also always use it when I flat iron. It's usually the only leave in I use under my heat protectant. For me, it's great for heat styling!

Also, I'm only talking about the Infusium 23 ORIGINAL formula. The first bottle I bought when I joined the forums was some type of moisture formula. I had no idea that they made different formulas!
 
MzSwift said:
See now, I had to go look at my bottle too. Lol
I'm seeing B-vitamins and a list of amino acids. I'd say it's likely a mild protein. My hair loves amino acids so that's probably why it responds well.

Like you, I've treated it as a protein leave in based on what I learned on LHCF.
When I need a protein boost, I just add it to my hair care for that style. And I always use it for my cornrows and braid extensions. I also always use it when I flat iron. It's usually the only leave in I use under my heat protectant. For me, it's great for heat styling!

Also, I'm only talking about the Infusium 23 ORIGINAL formula. The first bottle I bought when I joined the forums was some type of moisture formula. I had no idea that they made different formulas!
Click to expand...

Yes, it has a nice mix of amino acids, which is great, since my hair responds positively to them, and I don’t have to monitor their use like I would even a mild protein. I could have sworn this product used to contain actual hydrolyzed protein. I remember back in the 90s, my mom’s hairdresser used it on her relaxed hair specifically because relaxed hair needs protein.

I’m also referring to the original Infusium 23 formula, but now I’m wondering if this is actually the original original version. Maybe it’s been reformulated at some point. It’s nice that I can use this more frequently, but honestly, I was looking forward to a weekly protein boost. Now I’m not sure how I’ll get that over the next couple of months. I would have done a protein treatment before putting in the braids, but I deliberately held off, thinking this leave-in would give me that consistent protein dose.

I just remembered I still have a bottle of Xcel-21/Surge to use up, and that one does have hydrolyzed keratin and vegetable protein, so that might fill the gap.
 
Switched to updos. Chile, I’m just rolling and tucking at this point.

IMG_4052.jpeg



Still rocking hats…even in pajamas while working in the garden. Looking like a boy or whatever and ION even care at this point cause God, why is it so hot already?!


IMG_4078.jpeg


Technically, it’s not even summer yet.

IMG_4120.gif
 
SmilingElephant said:
I think I hit the MBL/WL plateau :ohwell:

PURGATORY :shocked:
Click to expand...
Ehhhh, I don’t know man. In your February pic, your hair was straightened versus curly. I don’t think you are getting a full assessment doing a pull test on curly hair. Also, I can’t tell if your hair is in a thickening phase due to the two different textures. All I’m saying is don’t place yourself in purgatory.
 
I didn't get as much growth as I expected around this time...but I have to factor in that I've been under a ton of stress for the past few months which probably slowed my growth down.

I'm gonna go back to putting grease on my ends along with doing my best to minimize my stress.

I'm so disappointed :sad:
 
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