2 Inches In 4 Months Challenge - 2016 (session 3 - Sept Through Dec)

[Prettymetty]

I massaged my scalp with sulfur oil last night. I can't tell if my hair is growing just yet. My shrinkage is frustrating. I am going to straighten next month for my Spring trim.

 

[trclemons]

Today was Shampoo Saturday:

• Pre-poo'd overnight with my AVJ spritz & coconut oil.
• I applied HydroQuench Botanical Peppermint Coconut & Honey Pineapple DCs with a scoop of Amla powder and went under my heat cap for a little over 1 hour.
• Shampoo'd with Coco Curls, CW'd my length with Honey's Handmade Cherry Almond Tapioca, reconstructed with Ion & rinsed out 80% of Alikay's Caribbean Coconut Conditioner & ACV rinse.
• LCOB'd with L = Lawrence Ray Concepts Shake 'n Go, C = Treluxe Untie the Knot, O = Queens Curls Safflower on length & Kreyol Essence Peppermint HBCO on edges & B = Hairitage Caramel Frappuccino on scalp & Soultanicals Hair Yum on ends.

 

[ajargon02]

1. Starting pic (required for official challengers)
2. Current Length
3. Regimen
4. What will you do to achieve your goal
5. Anything else you would like to share.

2. Grazing apl in the back. Bcb in the front.
3. Wash and dc weekly. Alternating protein and moisture.
4. Protective styling & keeping up with my viviscal pills.

 

[ajargon02]

Bumping

 

[LdyKamz]

I've started my vitamin regimen and it's not as bad as I thought. First thing in the morning (or right after dinner if I'm rushing in the am) I pour a glass of orange juice and put in a scoop of my super greens powder and drink that down with:

1. Nature's Bounty hair skin and nails vit
2. Alive once daily women's multi vitamin
3.N-Acetyl Cysteine
4. Vitamin D &
5. Omega 3

I've only been doing this for a week so I hope I can keep it up and make it a regular habit.

 

[faithVA]

2. Grazing apl in the back. Bcb in the front.
3. Wash and dc weekly. Alternating protein and moisture.
4. Protective styling & keeping up with my viviscal pills.

Welcome to the challenge

 

[faithVA]

It's amazing what a half inch wi do. I went from struggling, struggling, struggling and man my hair is to short to all of a sudden I can wear a puff and my hair looks fine in a twist out.

I know I'm not experiencing any amazing growth or retention. So it just has to be that 1/2 inch that pushes the hair to the next level. Amazing

 

[Cattypus1]

Congrats! That's awesome!

 

[Dee Raven]

That elasticity treatment really works! My hair is back to it's normal, moisturized self. I didn't think it would do it, and in just one shampoo my hair is back on track. And my curls are popping.

 

[Prettymetty]

I massaged my scalp with sulfur oil today. I really need a good protein treatment soon for my ends.

 

[faithVA]

Congrats! That's awesome!

Thank you. I put it back up while I'm still excited. Otherwise it may start feeling short again.

 

[faithVA]

That elasticity treatment really works! My hair is back to it's normal, moisturized self. I didn't think it would do it, and in just one shampoo my hair is back on track. And my curls are popping.

What chu talkn biut Willis? What shampoo? What elasticity treatment? What? What?

 

[LdyKamz]

Spill @Dee Raven I need to hear about this.

I'm trying to use up all of these oils I have so many so I'm emptying bottles left and right into my conditioners. If I like this I might just buy oils to put in my conditioners regularly.

 

[Dee Raven]

Well, this miracle product is called Ouidad Curl Recovery mask. I got this from Mo Knows hair, I'm posting the video below. Everything you need to know, she will show you. I do exactly as she says (not the styling part) and my hair has done really well with this product. I was almost about to remove it from my rotation because I love the CD Marula line so much, but a couple weeks ago I straightened my hair. When I washed it, I used the Marula line, and my hair was pissed. In the next week I saw a bunch of broken hairs. So I went back to Mo's method and my hair was instantly moisturized, I couldn't believe it. So needless to say, it's still a staple.

RE: the video, I don't use the CD scalp elixir that she mentions but I do use the Superfruit Claryifying Shampoo and the Curl Recovery. I didn't even notice that she used the Ultra Nourishing Oil. I'll have to give that a tree.

 

[trclemons]

Tonight, I put Jakeala's Flax Mallow Conditioner on my braids, sat under the heat cap for 30 minutes, CW'd and rinsed it out and rinsed out 80% of Alikay's Caribbean Coconut Milk & V05 Island Coconut Moisturizing Conditioners.

Sat under the dryer on low for 45 minutes and LCOB'd with L = Lawrence Ray Concepts Shake 'n Go, C = Carefree Curls Gold, O = Queen Curls Safflower on length, NJoy's Sulfur on scalp & Kreyol Essence Peppermint HBCO on edges, B = Kyra's Shea Medley Strength & Emollient Butter Cream on ends.

 

[Cattypus1]

Well, this miracle product is called Ouidad Curl Recovery mask. I got this from Mo Knows hair, I'm posting the video below. Everything you need to know, she will show you. I do exactly as she says (not the styling part) and my hair has done really well with this product. I was almost about to remove it from my rotation because I love the CD Marula line so much, but a couple weeks ago I straightened my hair. When I washed it, I used the Marula line, and my hair was pissed. In the next week I saw a bunch of broken hairs. So I went back to Mo's method and my hair was instantly moisturized, I couldn't believe it. So needless to say, it's still a staple.

RE: the video, I don't use the CD scalp elixir that she mentions but I do use the Superfruit Claryifying Shampoo and the Curl Recovery. I didn't even notice that she used the Ultra Nourishing Oil. I'll have to give that a tree.

I love Ouidad products. They are staples. I'm out of the Superfruit but I have the Nourishing Oil shampoo and the Curl Recovery mask. They are definitely in the rotation.

 

[Prettymetty]

I'm finally going to lighten a section of hair so I can measure growth from the roots. So excited about this!

 

[Cattypus1]

My hair is growing and I can see the difference in the length but I'm jacking up my ends while detangling. I'm going to have to trim my progress and I don't think I'll reach my length goals without help. That said, I getting the Chi treatment this evening. Thanks for listening (reading). Wish me luck.

 

[LdyKamz]

My vitamins might actually be working. I went to bed the same time I always do and woke up this morning earlier than usual and felt so completely refreshed. Let's hope my hair will react to them as well.

 

[faithVA]

My hair is growing and I can see the difference in the length but I'm jacking up my ends while detangling. I'm going to have to trim my progress and I don't think I'll reach my length goals without help. That said, I getting the Chi treatment this evening. Thanks for listening (reading). Wish me luck.

How did your Chi treatment go?

 

[faithVA]

I can wash in 4 sections. That's progress. Now I need to put in some 2 strand twist to see what progress I've made in that area. I don't remember when I wore them last year. It's been a while.

 

[ajargon02]

My hair is growing and I can see the difference in the length but I'm jacking up my ends while detangling. I'm going to have to trim my progress and I don't think I'll reach my length goals without help. That said, I getting the Chi treatment this evening. Thanks for listening (reading). Wish me luck.

Are you finger detangling? If so are you rushing through it? If not, are you willing to consider it?

I only finger detangle. I use the harp method, and I seem to get all the shed hair and have very little breakage. I was doing something like it before but this kinda helps you SEE what I am talking about.

Skip to 55 seconds in and you will see what i mean.


I hope that helps you moving forward. I hope it gets better for you and your hair!

 

[Cattypus1]

Are you finger detangling? If so are you rushing through it? If not, are you willing to consider it?

I only finger detangle. I use the harp method, and I seem to get all the shed hair and have very little breakage. I was doing something like it before but this kinda helps you SEE what I am talking about.

Skip to 55 seconds in and you will see what i mean.


I hope that helps you moving forward. I hope it gets better for you and your hair!

I do finger detangle but it doesn't seem to help. My hair is fine but very dense. I am about 2/3 4b and 1/3 4a. I finger detangle on dry hair and also while I'm rinsing. I detangle while I've still got my condish on but if I don't twist it up before I rinse then I've wasted that detangling session.

 

[ajargon02]

I hope to have retained at least a half inch by april. It just seems like I am not retaining at all, but then again, I look at my hair all the time and may not notice. That's the beauty of pics. I know after my big chop last January, I was at neck length in the back and the middle of my cheek in the front. I have been natural a long time, but had SEVERE breakage from over moisturized hair and rough handling. I had to chop from grasing bml to nl. It sucked. But, now I am almost apl and I hope to be grazing bsl, by my birthday in December. Just knowing I retained that much hair in a year gives me hope.

 

[Cattypus1]

How did your Chi treatment go?

It went really well. My ends were jacked in some places like I thought and she had to take about 3/4-1 inch off, so I pretty much lost my progress. I can't wet my hair until Thursday so I won't know if I'm satisfied with the treatment until then. I'm hoping for easier detangling and styling. I probably won't straighten regularly because I love my curls. Right now it looks and acts like I just got a relaxer.

 

[trclemons]

For CoWash Saturday, I:

• Pre-poo'd overnight with my AVJ mix and Spectrum coconut oil on the ends.
• I applied Shea Moisture Manuka DC and went under my heat cap for a little over 1 hour.
• Used CC Natural's scalp scrub, CW'd my length with Jakeala Flax Mallow, reconstructed with Ion & rinsed out 80% of Oyin Honey Hemp Conditioner.
• LCOB'd with L = Jakeala Pineapple Protein Spray, C = Treluxe Untie the Knot & Hawaiian Silky, O = Queens Curls Safflower & Macadamia Healing on length & Kreyol Essence Lemon HBCO on edges & B = Hairitage Hydration Caramel Frappuccino on scalp & Zipporah Beauty Sweet Orange Shea Cocoa Moist on ends.

 

[ajargon02]

I do finger detangle but it doesn't seem to help. My hair is fine but very dense. I am about 2/3 4b and 1/3 4a. I finger detangle on dry hair and also while I'm rinsing. I detangle while I've still got my condish on but if I don't twist it up before I rinse then I've wasted that detangling session.

I completely understand. I DON'T detangle on dry hair. For me and my fine strands that =breakage. I pre-poo with cheapie conditioner mixed with Vatican coconut oil, mixed with grapeseed, almond and caster oils. I mix that till all the oils are incorperated. The oil with the conditioner makes the shed hairs slide right out when I use the harp method while detangling. I then twisting up each section and sit under a cap and soft hood dryer for 20-30 minutes.
I wash in the twists, focusing at first on my scalp with moisturizing shampoo, then work the shampoo down the length and rinse while still in twists. For dc'ng, I untwist each section and apply a moisturising or protein conditioner (I alternate weekly) in a downward motion, then twisting it back up, then under the dryer with a cap, or steamer without a cap.
I rinse well, still in twists, dry with my microfiber towel and then start my leave-in and seal process b4 I rollerset to stretch my hair b4 twisting.

As long as I am gentle with the harp detangling process and take my time, my hair gets throughly detangled and I only have to do it once a week. It does take me about an hour or so to detangle though. It's worth it for me and is helping me to retain as much as possible. We'll see if I meet my goal of full apl by december.

 

[Cattypus1]

I completely understand. I DON'T detangle on dry hair. For me and my fine strands that =breakage. I pre-poo with cheapie conditioner mixed with Vatican coconut oil, mixed with grapeseed, almond and caster oils. I mix that till all the oils are incorperated. The oil with the conditioner makes the shed hairs slide right out when I use the harp method while detangling. I then twisting up each section and sit under a cap and soft hood dryer for 20-30 minutes.
I wash in the twists, focusing at first on my scalp with moisturizing shampoo, then work the shampoo down the length and rinse while still in twists. For dc'ng, I untwist each section and apply a moisturising or protein conditioner (I alternate weekly) in a downward motion, then twisting it back up, then under the dryer with a cap, or steamer without a cap.
I rinse well, still in twists, dry with my microfiber towel and then start my leave-in and seal process b4 I rollerset to stretch my hair b4 twisting.

As long as I am gentle with the harp detangling process and take my time, my hair gets throughly detangled and I only have to do it once a week. It does take me about an hour or so to detangle though. It's worth it for me and is helping me to retain as much as possible. We'll see if I meet my goal of full apl by december.

You roller set before twisting? I know I will still need to detangle and I'm hoping Chi will make it less stressful on both my hair and my brain. Thursday will tell.

 

[mzteaze]

Do protein shakes make you fat? I've just started and I do not want to bulk up and I definitely don't want to have to exercise like a mad woman to stay small. Should I continue with these or not. I've only just started and I can't see a difference in my hair yet so before I get too attached to this, should I bother with this and risk looking like the hulk?

It depends on what you put in the shakes and your overall diet. I've never had a problem, but if you are eating more calories than you need plus drinking a protein shake, that could be an issue.

 

[ajargon02]

You roller set before twisting? I know I will still need to detangle and I'm hoping Chi will make it less stressful on both my hair and my brain. Thursday will tell.

I do rollerset before twisting. I keep my hair stretched at all times and bc of it, I believe that I have less ssk