2021 Let's Talk! APL - BSL/MBL Challenge

[Alta Angel]

Here are my locs after a fresh retwist. The pic quality sucks, but you get the idea.

 

[Neomorph]

August - Let's Talk Leave-Ins Creams Oils
basically, what do you do after you've washed and deep conditioned?
(random emoticon, but I thought it was cute lol)

1. LOC/LCO/something else

do you do the LOC or LCO or something else?​

do you find there to be a difference between LOC and LCO or any other type of product layering?​

do you refresh your LOC/LCO/other? how long after the first time?​

2. Scalp!

what do you do for your scalp between wash days?​

do you heat up the oil if you oil your scalp?​

how often do you oil your scalp​

have any really good experiences with particular products or methods​

3. Creams, Grease, Sealers

well... Grease: have you tried grease lately? what do you think of the grease comeback? lol​

are you a shea bae?​

do you have to use some other product to seal in the summer vs the winter?​

4. anything else you want to add? you don't have to answer all these, just choose what you want to talk about.

August Mini-Challenges
1. LOC after wash day
2. LCO after wash day
3. hot oil treatment if you don't heat up your oil
4. compare the leave in products in your stash. one after each wash session - gift away the ones you didn't like or use them up by the end of the year if they were just okay
5. compare the sealing products in your stash. one after each wash day and gift away the ones you didn't like or use them up by the end of the year if they were just okay
6. acv rinse your scalp between wash day
7. something else with your between wash-day care routine

1. I used to do a LOG (leave-in, oil, gel) combination in the past, but I've sinced stopped using raw oils and butters in my hair
2. Nowadays I don't put anything on my scalp as I'm starting to wash more frequently, but I used to use sulfur 8 grease on it midweek. It worked well for my scalp issues but it was hard to wash out at times
3. Creams tended to never work on my hair when I tried. Grease was hit or miss on my strands but good on my scalp.
4. Honestly with how well the no raw butters/oils thing is working for me I can't see myself going back to using them in the forseeable future except for the occasional hot oil treatment

My August Challenge will be to do a hot oil treatment at leas once this month!

 

[toaster]

I don’t use raw butters or oils so no LOC method for me.

I also don’t use cream leave ins, I go right in with gel products in my hair after rinsing my conditioner.

I will go through my stash and declutter any products I no longer use.

 

[apple_natural]

August - Let's Talk Leave-Ins Creams Oils
basically, what do you do after you've washed and deep conditioned?
(random emoticon, but I thought it was cute lol)

1. LOC/LCO/something else

do you do the LOC or LCO or something else?​

do you find there to be a difference between LOC and LCO or any other type of product layering?​

do you refresh your LOC/LCO/other? how long after the first time?​

2. Scalp!

what do you do for your scalp between wash days?​

do you heat up the oil if you oil your scalp?​

how often do you oil your scalp​

have any really good experiences with particular products or methods​

3. Creams, Grease, Sealers

well... Grease: have you tried grease lately? what do you think of the grease comeback? lol​

are you a shea bae?​

do you have to use some other product to seal in the summer vs the winter?​

4. anything else you want to add? you don't have to answer all these, just choose what you want to talk about.

August Mini-Challenges
1. LOC after wash day
2. LCO after wash day
3. hot oil treatment if you don't heat up your oil
4. compare the leave in products in your stash. one after each wash session - gift away the ones you didn't like or use them up by the end of the year if they were just okay
5. compare the sealing products in your stash. one after each wash day and gift away the ones you didn't like or use them up by the end of the year if they were just okay
6. acv rinse your scalp between wash day
7. something else with your between wash-day care routine

1. I have always done LCO until now. Last month, July, I finally found a preference and it is definitely LOC. I actually feel a difference with putting on oil before my cream (any sort of cream). I will definitely be keeping it in this order. I didn't think there was a difference before and I was trying to only use shea butter thinking that it should cover it all for most part and I put on oil on the ends just in case. I will be doing the oil before the cream from now on. It feels more moisturized and just balanced
I do this about twice in a week with one being a wash day or just a acv rinse and refresh day.

2. OIL! I just recently started oiling my scalp. where has this been in my regimen? I'm so lazy. I should have been doing this for years and maybe I would have hair. I feel like oil missing from my regimen is the prime reason why I have little hair today. I have not been heating it. I use it at room temperature, but I will try it heated. I end up oiling my scalp every 2-3 days. so at least twice in a week. I recently purchased The Mane Choice Growth Oil from Target because it seemed similar to Wild Growth Oil, but I think it was cheaper and it smells good. I put in an actual rosemary branch with some of a mix my grandmother made. also, I put in some rosemary extract and peppermint oil extract. as I use it, I am refilling with the oil my grandmother makes and adding some extract for interest.

3. I did try grease recently. its fine as long as it doesn't touch my face. I haven't had issues with it. I think that it is great at keeping my ends from drying feeling dry and ratty. they are still knotting because I don't take my twists down with patience and I twist each piece of hair before I twist it around the other section, so I have to be careful when I'm taking it down, but I'm not that careful. the grease does slow down this knotting process I think because I've had more knots before. also, I don't think I have many single strand knots.

August Mini Challenge
7 - OTHER I'm going to oil my scalp every single day with just a little bit of oil in random sections. I hope my face doesn't break out. I wonder if this will even be necessary because often times I feel the oil on my scalp a day or two later, but I am going to try it. After I take a few minutes to rub it in, I put the residual oil on my strands and ends just in case it help with anything. I'll be doing this.

3 - I'm also going to add this because I never take the time to heat up my oil. I'll microwave some water and put my oil bottle in it for a few minutes. it shouldn't be that cumbersome. I should be able to do this at least on wash day

 

[apple_natural]

1. I used to do a LOG (leave-in, oil, gel) combination in the past, but I've sinced stopped using raw oils and butters in my hair
2. Nowadays I don't put anything on my scalp as I'm starting to wash more frequently, but I used to use sulfur 8 grease on it midweek. It worked well for my scalp issues but it was hard to wash out at times
3. Creams tended to never work on my hair when I tried. Grease was hit or miss on my strands but good on my scalp.
4. Honestly with how well the no raw butters/oils thing is working for me I can't see myself going back to using them in the forseeable future except for the occasional hot oil treatment

My August Challenge will be to do a hot oil treatment at leas once this month!

keep the dermatitis at bay! no one has time for itchy scalp in 2021. I'm happy you strike a balance with your oil use

 

[apple_natural]

I went a little extra with the fenugreek last night. I made a fenugreek+spearmint tea. I made a fenugreek+coffee hair spray. I also put fenugreek seeds in my hair oil.... I'm thinking of trying minoxidil on my edges and eyebrows.

 

[HealthyHair2020]

Started to baggy my ends after remoisturizing my twists to see if my ends will get better. Interested to see the results after a couple weeks.

 

[apple_natural]

I finished my fenugreek + spearmint tea. I think I will keep noting my cold teas until its a solid habit. this time. i'll make spearmint +green tea. I need to get more fenugreek seeds.

Successful mini-twist set = no single strand knots
It took aaaalll night (8/11/21) to gently take down my mini-twists. I applied coconut oil on my fingers to take down each one. I did not get one single strand knot with this set of mini-twists. I did get 4-5 small tangles on the ends during the take down. It looks like they were due to a few shed hairs tangling around the ends. I was able to get most of my strands out of each of these tangles and then I cut the last bit. I'm really happy with how well this twist set did. I'm thinking it did so well because I was using Blue Magic, so I'll keep that up.

fenugreek spray
I used my fenugreek+coffee spray. I'll put in rosewater instead of coffee next time. I'm going to use this in place of glycerin for my refresher spray.

henna treatment in process
8/12/21 - Mixed henna, oil, conditioner, water, and some amla for a treatment today. I'll put it on about noon and take it out tonight.

 

[Mapleoats]

Ever since I took out my crochet/faux locs my hair has been behaving immaculately. Easy to detangle, elongated, curl definition, super soft and moisturized. I don’t know what the locs did to my hair but I need to get another set installed soon because my hair clearly loved it.

Edit:
Did a trim on blown out hair yesterday and booked to get another faux loc install for labour day weekend and will keep those in for 6-8 weeks.
Won’t be trimming again until I silk press my hair in December.
i think I’m well on my way to meeting my goals for this year. Quick comparison pic March vs August

 

[Mapleoats]

August - Let's Talk Leave-Ins Creams Oils
basically, what do you do after you've washed and deep conditioned?
(random emoticon, but I thought it was cute lol)

1. LOC/LCO/something else

do you do the LOC or LCO or something else?​

do you find there to be a difference between LOC and LCO or any other type of product layering?​

do you refresh your LOC/LCO/other? how long after the first time?​

2. Scalp!

what do you do for your scalp between wash days?​

do you heat up the oil if you oil your scalp?​

how often do you oil your scalp​

have any really good experiences with particular products or methods​

3. Creams, Grease, Sealers

well... Grease: have you tried grease lately? what do you think of the grease comeback? lol​

are you a shea bae?​

do you have to use some other product to seal in the summer vs the winter?​

4. anything else you want to add? you don't have to answer all these, just choose what you want to talk about.

August Mini-Challenges
1. LOC after wash day
2. LCO after wash day
3. hot oil treatment if you don't heat up your oil
4. compare the leave in products in your stash. one after each wash session - gift away the ones you didn't like or use them up by the end of the year if they were just okay
5. compare the sealing products in your stash. one after each wash day and gift away the ones you didn't like or use them up by the end of the year if they were just okay
6. acv rinse your scalp between wash day
7. something else with your between wash-day care routine

I used to follow LCO but I don’t really any more. I just use what works for me, and don’t really subscribe to any method. I rarely use oils in my hair unless I’m prepooing. In the winter time I do use Shea butter though.
I LOVE ACV for my scalp though. I’ve been using it for years and it always does me right.

 

[apple_natural]

I ended up putting on my henna gloss treatment last night and washed it out this morning. My hair felt really nicely before I put it on and it still feels great. I am happy with it. I rinsed it out again with just water and oiled my scalp. I'm ready to retwist.

 

[apple_natural]

I blow dried my hair last night. I wanted to straighten it, but I only straightened the back. I ended up clipping my ends while it was still fuzzy. It's okay. My hair looks full, which is encouraging.

 

[JJamiah]

1. What length is your hair at?
I am growing out an undercut, so part of my hair is at BSL and the other part is a full collar bone.

2. Is your hair relaxed, texlaxed or natural?
I am natural.

3. Would you consider your hair healthy?
Yes, I consider my hair healthy.

4. What has been some of the hurdles you have had in your hair growth journey?
My disease causes hair loss.

5. What are you going to do differently this year?
Less manipulation.

6. What are you going to do with or for your hair when you reach APL or BSL/MBL?
Nothing special but continue to take care of my hair.

I will post pictures at another time.

What a year it's been. Covid has taken over 50% of my hair off my head. I did cut it back to shoulder length and I'm under a weave. I was at the bottom of my bra strap for my non shaved side and armpit for the other side pre covid April. I'm going to be on the grow again working on getting my volume back in the years to come.

 

[HealthyHair2020]

Bagging my hair after moisturizing it >>>>
I have not been moisturizing my hair more than once a week lately.

I am getting tired of the twists and buns though. Think I'm gonna straighten it this week but idk how my ends will look and in this heat? I might just do a twist out instead.

 

[GGsKin]

On Saturday, I washed my hair. I used a mix of brahmi, hydrated fenugreek, hibiscus, rose, neem, kaolin clay, pink clay and my DIY onion skin tonic, to condition and cleanse (lightly). Followed with a quick in-shower DC, with SSI Papaya Super Hydrate Hair Mask.

As usual, I styled in a wash and go, using Curly. Magic and Jell-o Shot. Diffused for 1 hr.

 

[apple_natural]

On Saturday, I washed my hair. I used a mix of brahmi, hydrated fenugreek, hibiscus, rose, neem, kaolin clay, pink clay and my DIY onion skin tonic, to condition and cleanse (lightly). Followed with a quick in-shower DC, with SSI Papaya Super Hydrate Hair Mask.

As usual, I styled in a wash and go, using Curly. Magic and Jell-o Shot. Diffused for 1 hr.

Do you use the onion skin instead of the rest of it or do you use the whole thing? Do you boil it in water and spritz it on? Is it mixed with these clays?

Hope you dont mind all my questions Thanks for sharing!

 

[apple_natural]

It's September! It feels so late in the year, but it's really only a bit after half of it, so you can still make some goals if you haven't yet!

* September * Let's Talk : Wash n Go's!

1. Do you wear your hair in a "wash n go"? How do you modify, if you do? Best products?
2. Worst products?
3. If applicable, Why do you not wear your hair in a wash-n-go?
4. What do you like about your natural texture?
5. What do you enjoy most about being a natural or not being a natural?

September Mini Challenge
- Wear a wash-n-go!
- Don't wear a wash-n-go! lol
- Throw out or give away all the products you hate/don't use to use that you haven't yet given away yet!

 

[GGsKin]

Do you use the onion skin instead of the rest of it or do you use the whole thing? Do you boil it in water and spritz it on? Is it mixed with these clays?

Hope you dont mind all my questions Thanks for sharing!

Hi @apple_natural how are you? No, I don't mind at all. For this tonic yes, only the brown or red outer skin of the onion is used. I filled a glass mason jar with the onion skins I poured boiling water over the top and left to steep. There are other goodies on the ingredients on the list (honey, vodka etc) but I used a recipe from Roots4u45 from her YT: onion skins (as much as you can fill), 2 cups of boiling distilled water, steep overnight. She calls this an onion skin rinse and you can use this as is or for the tonic, continue and add; 1tbs nettle, 1tbs honey, 1tbs oil (whichever works for you), and half cup of vodka, leave to brew for 1 week. Mine stays in the fridge now, but this should last 12months.

I also made the rose infused vodka she uses in the tonic, (I added hibiscus to mine). I've used the tonic to massage my scalp, and as spray liquid moisturiser. The powders did jam my nozzle, but you could always filter them out. Because I rarely add anything to my hair or scalp between washes, I figured I'd get more use if I added the tonic to my Ayurvedic mixes.

ETA: after posting the link, I saw that that particular video is no longer available. So I added the ingredients from her video.

 

[apple_natural]

September answers:
I don't wear wash n go's because it just screams single strand knots to me. The closest I get is a braid out and I still pin my hair up.

I love my natural texture although the back is a different pattern from the rest when wet. I think it does eventually shrink to about the same look. I love seeing small curls on the ends and at the roots. When my hair is unhealthy, I lose the curls at the end and the roots get a matted, tangly dry feel instead of a moisturized curl feeling. I like to twist my hair onto itself or in 2-strand twists and then pin it up. This keeps the hair pretty loose so it doesn't bother the texture and I think it suits my face.

The best thing about being natural is seeing how the real texture of my hair suits me so well. It is also very malleable. I can get it to shape very easily using flexirods or rollers. It straightens pretty well too, so I love having the options.

September mini challenge: using up products that I have. I don't think I have any that I just don't use at all, but some I have I only use when I'm straightening my hair. The other natural ones, I need to actually use up so that they aren't there for too long, so I'll be working on using them up.
**

in other news...
* note to self * prepoo with coconut oil and wash with neutralizing shampoo when coming back from straight to natural. This is the easiest way to get the heat protectant off otherwise I'm wasting my time deep conditioning because my hair was still dry after two deep conditions. I ended up breaking so much hair since it was so brittle when it dried. I washed it with neutralizing shampoo and things were right again. It was much softer after just oil and shea butter.
A bentonite clay/acv wash may also work idk, but I have neutralizing shampoo and that was easy and worked.

 

[apple_natural]

Hi @apple_natural how are you? No, I don't mind at all. For this tonic yes, only the brown or red outer skin of the onion is used. I filled a glass mason jar with the onion skins I poured boiling water over the top and left to steep. There are other goodies on the ingredients on the list (honey, vodka etc) but I used a recipe from Roots4u45 from her YT: onion skins (as much as you can fill), 2 cups of boiling distilled water, steep overnight. She calls this an onion skin rinse and you can use this as is or for the tonic, continue and add; 1tbs nettle, 1tbs honey, 1tbs oil (whichever works for you), and half cup of vodka, leave to brew for 1 week. Mine stays in the fridge now, but this should last 12months.

I also made the rose infused vodka she uses in the tonic, (I added hibiscus to mine). I've used the tonic to massage my scalp, and as spray liquid moisturiser. The powders did jam my nozzle, but you could always filter them out. Because I rarely add anything to my hair or scalp between washes, I figured I'd get more use if I added the tonic to my Ayurvedic mixes.

ETA: after posting the link, I saw that that particular video is no longer available. So I added the ingredients from her video.

Oh thanks for this! i'm doing well. how are you? that was a kind question lol. Vodka is interesting. I haven't heard of it. I'll look into it

 

[GGsKin]

Oh thanks for this! i'm doing well. how are you? that was a kind question lol. Vodka is interesting. I haven't heard of it. I'll look into it

@apple_natural I am doing well thanks. Started a new job today

Yes, the vodka is her preservative. She has many videos up on YT but this one seems not to be there anymore. I saved it many moons ago, so fortunately I could still view it.

 

[apple_natural]

@apple_natural I am doing well thanks. Started a new job today

Yes, the vodka is her preservative. She has many videos up on YT but this one seems not to be there anymore. I saved it many moons ago, so fortunately I could still view it.

I start a new job on monday! Congratulations to you! Are you working remotely or going to the place?

Thanks for telling me about that being a preservative. I haven't looked it up, yet, but it is higher on the priority list since I think I may be able to use that

 

[GGsKin]

I start a new job on monday! Congratulations to you! Are you working remotely or going to the place?

Thanks for telling me about that being a preservative. I haven't looked it up, yet, but it is higher on the priority list since I think I may be able to use that

Congratulations on your new job! Mostly I'll be working remotely. Today and tomorrow WFH. Since I'm new, I'm expected to go in the office a couple of days a week initially, to get familiar with the running of things.

Will you be working remotely?

 

[apple_natural]

Congratulations on your new job! Mostly I'll be working remotely. Today and tomorrow WFH. Since I'm new, I'm expected to go in the office a couple of days a week initially, to get familiar with the running of things.

Will you be working remotely?

Yep! I was told that the first few days would be in the office as well, but another person says that has changed and no one is in the office. Even orientation is via Zoom.

 

[Neomorph]

It's September! It feels so late in the year, but it's really only a bit after half of it, so you can still make some goals if you haven't yet!

* September * Let's Talk : Wash n Go's!

1. Do you wear your hair in a "wash n go"? How do you modify, if you do? Best products?
2. Worst products?
3. If applicable, Why do you not wear your hair in a wash-n-go?
4. What do you like about your natural texture?
5. What do you enjoy most about being a natural or not being a natural?

September Mini Challenge
- Wear a wash-n-go!
- Don't wear a wash-n-go! lol
- Throw out or give away all the products you hate/don't use to use that you haven't yet given away yet!

1. Wash and Goes used to be my staple style for the first few years of my natural hair journey but now that I'm being more intentional about my hair growth I've stopped doing them nearly entirely. If I do a wash and go it's a stretched one. I take my extra large satin scrunchies I got from Pattern Beauty and stretch my hair in 4 sections. The best products for a wash and go for me are a light botanical leave in and a sticky gel

Giovanni Direct and Garnier Fructis Pure Clean were a good combo for me when I was a broke college student
Kinky Curly Knot Today and Kinky Curly Curling Custard are my go to combo for wash and goes now (and pretty much any non-heat styling)


2. Worst products are any hair cream or butter. I need a gel. Also for me any ECO Styler Gel just made my hair feel like straw after a few uses

3. Like I said in question one I'm being more intentional about actually growing my hair. With the level of shrinkage I get that's a recipe for disaster especially now as my hair in starting to approach BSB/BSL Length. And it can be hard to maintain a good look for it in it's stretch state. Like I might get one day (2 if the NC humidity is playing nice) out of it now where it actually frames my face well.

4. I love the nice little coils I have in my hair texture and how springy it is.

5. My favorite thing about being a natural is that I'm no longer tied to hair salons. I did not enjoy going to the hair salon every 2 weeks as a child with with every 6-8 weeks squirming in the chair as the relaxer singed my scalp (made worse because of my scalp issues). My scalp issues are all but taken care of now that I can wash my hair more frequently and have good products and my hair is longer than it ever was with a relaxer in it

For september's mini challenge I'll get rid of/use the two products in my current stash I don't care for. Maybe if the weather acts right I'll go for a streteched wash and go

 

[GGsKin]

Apple's interest in the Onion Skin tonic, kind of revived my intent to use it to massage my scalp. I had an old 30ml dropper bottle that had some remnants of flowers of sulphur oil I'd made, so I added the tonic to this container using a syringe and shook up the bottle. For a couple of days I've been using the dropper to add directly to my scalp, and massing it in. Feels good.

Almost forgot how good that feels..I just had to stop to give myself a head massage.

 

[Theresamonet]

Quick progress update!

Dec. 2020 (flat ironed and trimmed)

Sept. 2021 (blown out and trimmed)


I’ve had about 1.5inches worth of trims between the two pics. I’m not really happy with my progress. I feel like my growth rate used to be faster. But I’ve been told my expectations for my hair are too high/unrealistic.

3 months until Dec 2021. I don’t know if I’m going to reach my goal of APL. I’m looking to try a growth aid for the rest of the year. I would appreciate any suggestions/recommendations.

 

[Mapleoats]

Quick progress update!

Dec. 2020 (flat ironed and trimmed)
View attachment 475551
Sept. 2021 (blown out and trimmed)
View attachment 475553

I’ve had about 1.5inches worth of trims between the two pics. I’m not really happy with my progress. I feel like my growth rate used to be faster. But I’ve been told my expectations for my hair are too high/unrealistic.

3 months until Dec 2021. I don’t know if I’m going to reach my goal of APL. I’m looking to try a growth aid for the rest of the year. I would appreciate any suggestions/recommendations.

Gorgeous hair @Theresamonet!! What products do you use for your blowouts? I was using light weight spray leave ins for mine but then realized I got better results with heavier creams that would weigh down and smooth my hair a bit better.

 

[Theresamonet]

Gorgeous hair @Theresamonet!! What products do you use for your blowouts? I was using light weight spray leave ins for mine but then realized I got better results with heavier creams that would weigh down and smooth my hair a bit better.

Thank you! @Mapleoats

I’m still trying to find my best blow out products. I don’t necessarily need them to be super lightweight, because I don’t blow my hair out to actually wear it out like that or to flat iron. I’m more concerned with it being moisturized and smooth. Lately I’ve been using:

Olaplex #6 leave-in + Olaplex #7 serum

Or

Aveda Smooth Infusion style prep smoother + Aveda Smooth Infusion naturally straight styling cream

Or

Kerastase Nectar Thermique blow dry primer

 

[Neomorph]

So I've completed part of my September Challenge which is getting rid of the products I don't want to use anymore. I checked the frizz forecast on Naturally Curly and this weekend I will do a wash and go!

But next weekend is definitely a trimming/length check weekend.