2025/2026 - Journey to SL/APL/BSL Challenge

[Rocky91]

thank you, ladies! @Napp and @Bette Davis Eyes! I appreciate the encouraging words.

 

[Rocky91]

I think I'm gonna call up the salon and change my weave appointment for next weekend to something else. I'm just not interested in wearing a weave right now or any other protective style.

I'll just get a demi-permanent rinse and maybe a rod set. Both things that I can do myself, but why not get a little pampering? Or if they offer a flat twist style, I would try that. Just nothing to do with a flatiron. No ma'am.

 

[faithVA]

I need to start my hair but sigh!
I think i will do a meditation first. Maybe that will help inspire me.

 

[Napp]

Im starting to feel like my curls will never grow past SL

 

[faithVA]

I did get my wash day done yesterday. Nothing different this wash day. I put my hair in a flat twist pony and tucked my ends under. I will probably reset on Friday and go back to 2 strands. I will alternate depend on how I'm feeling. Overall, two strands are faster to install and they hold up better with my cycling.

But with my hair being short, I'm not crazy about the styles that I can wear with either of them I will focus on the positives. At least I have several stops to switch between to give me some variation. And with some consistency, I will be able to bun towards the end of the summer to give me some other style to switch to.

I think next wash day I will use one of my regular shampoos first as a pre-cleanse and then follow that with the 4C Only products.

Just going to keep it simple for now.

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

Headed into week four of my latest protective style. I think I’ll take it down May 1st and get it re done on the Saturday.

 

[i4ani]

Im starting to feel like my curls will never grow past SL

Have you already ruled out health/dietary reasons? If so, maybe you’re having a breakage problem you haven’t noticed yet?

Unless you were talking about your shrinkage. Then disregard lol.

 

[i4ani]

I got a late start on my wash day about 2 washes ago so I decided to sleep in big plaits with just leave in conditioner on and put my styler on in the morning. When I tell you my hair felt like a juicy cloud… so I decided to give it a day without the styler, and ended up going all the way to wash day without it.

I never had luck with the popular leave ins (the cantu one, the shea moisture one) on their own and assumed my hair type would always require a heavy styler/grease/butter on top in order to stay moisturized, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. It’s been about a week now and my hair is loving this new development.

 

[Napp]

Have you already ruled out health/dietary reasons? If so, maybe you’re having a breakage problem you haven’t noticed yet?

Unless you were talking about your shrinkage. Then disregard lol.

I just looked at an 3 yr old picture of myself and my hair looks the same

 

[faithVA]

I just looked at an 3 yr old picture of myself and my hair looks the same

I know how you feel. Let's try to make this year different. We still have 8 months ahead of us to make it happen.

 

[faithVA]

I planned to cleanse tomorrow, but I worked in the yard. My head was so sweaty and itched so much I had to go head and cleanse today. Sitting under the dryer with the deep conditioner. In a few will hop in the shower and apply the leave-in and styler.

Will eat first then probably put it in flat twist again.

 

[Napp]

I know how you feel. Let's try to make this year different. We still have 8 months ahead of us to make it happen.

I’m stuck in hair purgatory lol

 

[divachyk]

I'm about 5 weeks in with twists and really need to remove, wash and redo. Not this weekend. Maybe next.

 

[divachyk]

I’m stuck in hair purgatory lol

You can do it!!

 

[divachyk]

I planned to cleanse tomorrow, but I worked in the yard. My head was so sweaty and itched so much I had to go head and cleanse today. Sitting under the dryer with the deep conditioner. In a few will hop in the shower and apply the leave-in and styler.

Will eat first then probably put it in flat twist again.

I sweat a lot in my head, even without workout. I use Ouidad post workout mist and like it.

 

[faithVA]

I sweat a lot in my head, even without workout. I use Ouidad post workout mist and like it.

Sounds good. I don't think my head would have been agreeable to just a mist. She was yelling at me big time.

This post reminds me though to go oil my scalp while I'm remembering.

 

[B_Phlyy]

Washed my braids on Sunday after race training. They are holding up well but I probably will take them out in about 2 weeks. Maintenance is just daily leave in spray and a scalp serum.

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

Taking my hair down Friday evening for my five week reset.

 

[Rocky91]

Okay, I'm getting braids again because I just can't deal with hair while I try to finish up the school year. I have a stack of essays to grade haunting me right now

I blowdried my hair and made a quick comparison.
December 2025 to April 2026. You can see my extremely short-lived blonde moment that I just didn't really like. I didn't really want a full head of highlights, just a splash of color, but I guess I didn't convey that well enough to my stylist. Putting that aside, this is decent retention for me. We'll see how it's looking 8-10 weeks from now when it's time for another trim.

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

After five weeks hair is mostly sheeny and soft.

I’ll have to focus on the back of my head because that’s where most of the frizz is.

 

[faithVA]

Okay, I'm getting braids again because I just can't deal with hair while I try to finish up the school year. I have a stack of essays to grade haunting me right now

I blowdried my hair and made a quick comparison.
December 2025 to April 2026. You can see my extremely short-lived blonde moment that I just didn't really like. I didn't really want a full head of highlights, just a splash of color, but I guess I didn't convey that well enough to my stylist. Putting that aside, this is decent retention for me. We'll see how it's looking 8-10 weeks from now when it's time for another trim.

View attachment 508590

Fabulous. Im glad you are retaining. I can see the progress.

 

[faithVA]

After five weeks hair is mostly sheeny and soft.

I’ll have to focus on the back of my head because that’s where most of the frizz is.

It does have a nice sheen and look so soft. Your definition is wonderful!

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

Back braided up yesterday morning into crochet braids. Another 5 week rotation.

 

[faithVA]

Back braided up yesterday morning into crochet braids. Another 5 week rotation.

Nice!

It is good to have a go to. I can't bring myself to install anything just yet. Maybe in the Fall.

 

[faithVA]

So I think I have found a style that will work for me and get me through the next few months.

One of my biggest challenges has been the short length of the back. The back of my hair is the finest, curliest and the most susceptible to breakage. It has always been my nemesis even when I was relaxed.

When I wear my hair in 2 strands the hair in the back is so fine that it has no weight. Then I sleep on it and I sweat in the back, so the twist back there either separate, or tangle together. And they are too short to pull up into anything.

When I wear my hair in flat twists, to make it look somewhat wearable, I've tried to pull the front twist to the back and then twist them all together and pin them under. I think this is causing breakage in the center of my hair. The left right side of my hair is already noticeably shorter than the left side due to the breakage I experienced when I first starting going back into the office.

But yesterday, I put my hair in 3 flat twist on each side, but I started with the back, so the front twists adapt to its position versus the other way around. I then twisted the two front ones together and pinned them in the center of the back twist. And I pinned the end of the back one underneath. I'm not in love with it but it is wearable if it gets me to the next stage.

Until my back grows out I am limited in my styles. With this style it is faster to install and I think I may be able to cleanse more often.

I'm hoping by the end of the year my twist have more weight and hang time and give me more options. My fingers are crossed that this solves a lot of my issues.

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

The only energy I have at this stage because of work is crochet braids.

After commuting and getting home I can spritz and oil my scalp. If I was at my old job I could wear two cornrow braids and get away with it. I wore a safety hat daily because I had to go out on the production floor at a moments notice.

Now that Im back in an office settings I have hundred of eyes on me daily.

I can’t wait for the day when I can dedicate more time whenever I want. @faithVA

 

[faithVA]

The only energy I have at this stage because of work is crochet braids.

After commuting and getting home I can spritz and oil my scalp. If I was at my old job I could wear two cornrow braids and get away with it. I wore a safety hat daily because I had to go out on the production floor at a moments notice.

Now that Im back in an office settings I have hundred of eyes on me daily.

I can’t wait for the day when I can dedicate more time whenever I want. @faithVA

That makes sense. I can understand that. I'm glad you found something that checks all the boxes.

 

[divachyk]

@faithVA, I can flat twist the right side of my head but I'm not great at the left.

 

[faithVA]

@faithVA, I can flat twist the right side of my head but I'm not great at the left.

Im better with the right as well. But others don't see what we see. Most people can't flat twist at all so they think it looks good.

As you practice it will get better.

 

[B_Phlyy]

Install is still in. I thought I might take them out this weekend but they are holding up. Also, with my work schedule and training intensity increasing, it's probably easier for me to keep this in until the end of the month. I'm still washing every weekend and doing my daily Spritz and Scalp serum.