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

[mzteaze]

Besides length, what’s everyone’s hair focus for the coming year?

My plan is still in progress BUT:
1) Working hard to fill in my crown. That means taking on a multi prong approach.
a. Daily massages with two oils - pumpkin seed oil & onion/garlic oil
. b. Acupuncture focused at the crown weekly
. c. SLEEP - this has to be priority to get 7+ hours daily
d. Exercise - getting into a routine during this pandemic is a must. Just realized I am 2 months shy of WFH for a year.

2) Evaluating my progress 6 weeks at a time. I keep a hair journal that helps me cycle thru all of my routines.

3) Stick with Ayurvedic treatments as path to improve hair fullness. This should ultimately help me reach a "full APL" length.

 

[mzteaze]

January - Let's Talk - Nutrients!
Feel free to add questions or other comments. This is just a starter...

1. How often do you take in leafy greens?
2. What, if any, link between your nutrition and you hair growth have you noticed?

January Mini-Challenge Options (Choose at least one, please )
- Eat a salad at least Monday-Friday this month, if not daily
- Drink a leafy green based smoothie at least Mon-Friday this month, if not daily
- Eat a large portion of vegetables for at least one meal everyday this month!
- Put 31 days of vitamins in a ziplock back to be sure to take them everyday this month
- Challenge your nutrition in another way and tell us about it

I need to get back to my high protein, low carb breakfasts:
- baby Kale, Tomatoes, cucumbers and raw garlic with a boiled egg & smoked salmon
- seasoned turkey, boiled egg and cooked greens (collards, Kale, Swiss chard or other dark leafy greens)

OR

Dr Schulze superfoods in a smoothie with collagen

 

[apple_natural]

I need to get back to my high protein, low carb breakfasts:
- baby Kale, Tomatoes, cucumbers and raw garlic with a boiled egg & smoked salmon
- seasoned turkey, boiled egg and cooked greens (collards, Kale, Swiss chard or other dark leafy greens)

OR

Dr Schulze superfoods in a smoothie with collagen

Smoothie! smoothie! smoothie! although that salmon breakfast sounds particularly tasty. I'll have to try that too. thank you for posting this! I love savory breakfast. Feel free to post more lol

 

[toaster]

@apple_natural I looooved SoulCycle. It was such a vibe. Dark room, loud music. Loved it. BUT it was expensive as heck and they didn’t have a membership option where the more classes you took, the less it cost. It was pricey.

I’ve taken... 82 peloton rides so far, and price per ride is already cheaper than soulcycle. My husband rides too, so including his riding we’ve saved a lot of money.

My peloton is now my favorite thing, mostly for the convenience. I don’t have to walk/Uber to a studio, I can shower immediately, I don’t even have to do my hair in a presentable way. I have way less excuses to not workout.

 

[feji808]

I knew you were Nigerian when you said "pick and drop" your salad sounds really nice actually not just "for folks who hate salads lolol I love when people only have a light dressing. They seem so grown and healthy.... I guess I'm getting there. I put coconut aminos, sriracha, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds with steamed vegetables in a bowl of mixed greens for a salad... I know this concoction sounds awful but it's good lol Plus I'm trying to get in certain foods so I had to make it work

Your salad sounds quite exotic, trust me I’m not judging I think I might incorporate nuts/seeds too!

‘pick and drop’ was the tell I swear I was trying to find a better name for the style because I thought maybe people might no know what I’m talking about.

 

[feji808]

My plan is still in progress BUT:
1) Working hard to fill in my crown. That means taking on a multi prong approach.
a. Daily massages with two oils - pumpkin seed oil & onion/garlic oil

. b. Acupuncture focused at the crown weekly​

. c. SLEEP - this has to be priority to get 7+ hours daily
d. Exercise - getting into a routine during this pandemic is a must. Just realized I am 2 months shy of WFH for a year.

2) Evaluating my progress 6 weeks at a time. I keep a hair journal that helps me cycle thru all of my routines.

3) Stick with Ayurvedic treatments as path to improve hair fullness. This should ultimately help me reach a "full APL" length.

Wow! You did this yourself????

 

[mzteaze]

Wow! You did this yourself????

I have weekly appointments with a licensed acupuncturist.

 

[keranikki]

@apple_natural
I use a Vitamix and I love it. It's expensive, but a great investment if you also love to cook.
I have never tried red cabbage in a smoothie, but I'm willing to try it. I love beets in a smoothie. My favorite recipe that I conjured up mixes beets, celery, spinach, apple, and ginger. Ginger on everything I love, lol.

 

[GGsKin]

At about 12am last night, I decided to hydrate some fenugreek. So today I used SSI Blueberry Cowash, and followed with the hydrated fenugreek as a mask. I left this on for an hr or so before topping with Tropic Hair Feast. Sitting with this for a while. I'm not sure how I'm proceeding yet.

 

[apple_natural]

I have weekly appointments with a licensed acupuncturist.

My cheap self is wondering if you can do the same thing with a microneedle at home. In any case, we are rooting for results however they come

 

[mzteaze]

My cheap self is wondering if you can do the same thing with a microneedle at home. In any case, we are rooting for results however they come

Given the treatment, I'm guessing that it isn't possible as a DIY. It is not just a matter of placing needles in your scalp.

Please check your medical insurance as my policy covers my acupuncture visits.

 

[apple_natural]

Given the treatment, I'm guessing that it isn't possible as a DIY. It is not just a matter of placing needles in your scalp.

Please check your medical insurance as my policy covers my acupuncture visits.

SWEEEEET! that's brilliant!

 

[Neomorph]

January - Let's Talk - Nutrients!
Feel free to add questions or other comments. This is just a starter...

1. How often do you take in leafy greens?
2. What, if any, link between your nutrition and you hair growth have you noticed?

January Mini-Challenge Options (Choose at least one, please )
- Eat a salad at least Monday-Friday this month, if not daily
- Drink a leafy green based smoothie at least Mon-Friday this month, if not daily
- Eat a large portion of vegetables for at least one meal everyday this month!
- Put 31 days of vitamins in a ziplock back to be sure to take them everyday this month
- Challenge your nutrition in another way and tell us about it

1. My leafy green in take is definitely lacking right now! I definitely want to improve that over the coming year by incorporating more salads and wraps in my lunch meals

2. I haven't particularly noticed a link between my nutrition and hair growth as even when I was relaxed (and anemic) my hair always grew (retention however, was another issue).

For my January Mini Challenge
Definitely want to do the vitamin challenge and the vegetable challenge

EDIT: I do take multivitamin daily, and I want to get back on my Bamboo Silica (my favorite brand has been out of stock and I can't use any with biotin or I will break out). I do have some bamboo tea that I will use in place of my Bamboo silica capsules.

 

[Kells]

I'm joining!!

1. What length is your hair at?
-Sides are at bottom of neck length and back is at collarbone, so full SL, I'd say.


2. Is your hair relaxed, texlaxed or natural?
-Natural

3. Would you consider your hair healthy?
-Yes

4. What has been some of the hurdles you have had in your hair growth journey?
-Resisting the urge to cut it.

5. What are you going to do differently this year?
-Not cut it beyond the occasional trimming and focus alot on detox and eating cleaner.

6. What are you going to do with or for your hair when you reach APL or BSL/MBL?
-Once I get to APL, I'm going to continue on to the next goal I suppose.

 

[apple_natural]

I'm joining!!

5. What are you going to do differently this year?
-Not cut it beyond the occasional trimming and focus alot on detox and eating cleaner.

Howdy Howdy! Nice to have you! Your curls are so pretty! What do you want to do to eat cleaner this year?

BTW, I don't think I answered the January questions either actually.

1. I don't get in leafy greens that often lately since I was making them into a simple drink, but I ran out of the apple cider I was using. I just stopped doing it after that. I am starting this back up today
2. I definitely notice a correlation between nutrients and my hair growth. If I am not supplementing iron, I can forget about growing hair. That is a fact. Therefore, I will keep taking iron. Im going to try to use my cast iron this year too. I don't know what I want to make in it yet. I also dont see hair growth much if I am not eating. I tend to skip meals and I don't get as much hair growth as the times I eat regularly.

January Mini Challenge
Drink my green drink daily - I blend like two handfuls of spinach and other greens that I throw in there along with apple cider or orange juice. That's it. Maybe some carrots.

 

[apple_natural]

i put on a henna gloss last night. now on to oiling my scalp, Natty naturals leave in and shea butter and this weeks protective style

 

[Rastafarai]

I'm now unraveling my close to 4-week old braids and I am not done. I am brushing it out to remove sheds before I pre-poo and my hands are dead tired. Here are some photos of my progress to date. I believe I see progress in thickness and length retention, so I'm relatively happy with what I see. I won't blowdry until summer, but after my next wash I think I will try to self-trim:

 

[GGsKin]

Moisturised my hair with SSI Apricot Softening Milk (I think I butchered the name. It's something like that) and put in about 7 braids to refresh my braidout from the 1st. I haven't used this product before but I like how moisturised and juicy my braids and ends look with it.

I gave myself a curly fringe with some tiny perm rods yesterday using the SSI Juicy Shot to moisturise. I'll see how they hold up tomorrow morning, after being squished under my scarf.

 

[keranikki]

I've have been incorporating greens into lunch and dinner. I also enjoy a daily green smoothie. 'Tis all.

 

[GGsKin]

Moisturised my hair with SSI Apricot Softening Milk (I think I butchered the name. It's something like that) and put in about 7 braids to refresh my braidout from the 1st. I haven't used this product before but I like how moisturised and juicy my braids and ends look with it.

I gave myself a curly fringe with some tiny perm rods yesterday using the SSI Juicy Shot to moisturise. I'll see how they hold up tomorrow morning, after being squished under my scarf.

They held up ok. Enough for me not to be paranoid and restyle the front this morning. A couple of the ends got stretched out so I will be changing it up this evening. Braid out has good definition and after separating.

 

[Mapleoats]

I have my hair in some twists and I’m feeling very hair lazy this week. Mostly wearing a buff or a scarf in doors. Outta sight outta mind.
im doing a pescatarian challenge for January and making sure to get my salads and veggies in.

 

[mzteaze]

Eating my cucumber, tomato & garlic with 2 boiled eggs and 2 oz smoked salmon.

Exercised for 30 minutes yesterday (HIIT). It finality dawned on me that I can workout at lunch since I'm WFH.

 

[BonBon88]

Eating my cucumber, tomato & garlic with 2 boiled eggs and 2 oz smoked salmon.

Exercised for 30 minutes yesterday (HIIT). It finality dawned on me that I can workout at lunch since I'm WFH.

Omg that sounds delicious! I was going to wait till later to have lunch but now I'm hungry (I'm WFH as well).

 

[TLC1020]

Good luck ladies..........
I'm hoping to be there next year

 

[Mapleoats]

I’ve finally figured out how to make chunky twists (8-12) work for me.

i have to dry them twisted and pinned to my head so that they stay smoothe as they dry, and reteint them every other day to every day to avoid matting/frizzing. But I don’t necessarily add any product or even water to retwist. Literally just unravel and twist again, smoothing the fly aways back into the twist. I can do this in under 10 mins and it doesn’t cause any breakage.
This is actually a much quicker process overall than my usual 15-20 twists which I got tired of doing weekly.

I’m excited to see how this twist out turns out. I’ve never had a successful chunky twist out before.

 

[BlackRinse]

1. What length is your hair at?
My hair is currently BSL
2. Is your hair relaxed, texlaxed or natural?
My hair is natural
3. Would you consider your hair healthy?
Yes
4. What has been some of the nice you have had in your hair growth journey?
Getting stuck at APL/BSL
5. What are you going to do differently this year?
Drink a minimum of 3L of water daily w/ MSM
Have a structured hair regimen / wash schedule (ideally every 3 weeks).
Search & Destroy Method with every wash & blow out/flat iron
Drink Bamboo Leaf Tea daily
Essentially I will be staying on top of supplementation
I may try to oil my hair less, maybe only on SUN & WED
6. What are you going to do with or for your hair when you reach APL or BSL/MBL?
My goal is to reach MBL I am not sure what I will do.

 

[naturalagain2]

Did a quick wash last night. First time doing my wash and go in the shower in a long time. Now that my hair is well hydrated I could not tell the difference my hair separated into coils the same as when I do the process out of the shower. This may be my method from now on because I can get water/product everywhere and not be too concerned.

Cowashed my hair last night with Coconut Cowash Cleansing Conditioner then followed up with Camille Rose Nerolie (Citrus) Blossom Cleansing Milk.
Leave in was my usual as of late, Soultanicals Knot Sauce Coil Detangler & Soultanicals Can't Believe Its Knot Butta
and Styled with Aunt Jackie Ice Curls Curling Jelly

 

[apple_natural]

Omg that sounds delicious! I was going to wait till later to have lunch but now I'm hungry (I'm WFH as well).

It sure does!

Eating my cucumber, tomato & garlic with 2 boiled eggs and 2 oz smoked salmon.

Exercised for 30 minutes yesterday (HIIT). It finality dawned on me that I can workout at lunch since I'm WFH.

Back with another one I see! I like how you eat simply but it sounds really good.

 

[apple_natural]

I slept without a cap for the past two nights... why. idk. It's, of course, very dry. I'm going to get the juice to mix in my green drink right now and deep condition with heat when I get back.

 

[apple_natural]

I have my hair in some twists and I’m feeling very hair lazy this week. Mostly wearing a buff or a scarf in doors. Outta sight outta mind.
im doing a pescatarian challenge for January and making sure to get my salads and veggies in.

Love this! I love how youre not making it a headache with a full conversion goal right now. Just for January. Inspiring!