3 years natural - whats your length

Well I am currently trying to be more consistent whilst in the 12 in 12 challenge

So this is a very new regi - I am testing and adjusting each month to pinpoint what works

Prepoo x 1 a week: walnut oil ( was using coconut oil but don't think its for me walnut oil just feels better)

wash x 1 a week: co-washing with curls coconut sublime conditioner
(tresemme moisture shampoo dilute I was doing this in jan and hair was feeling too dry)

DC x2 a week: Vatika Virgin Olive oil hair mask -
love this stuff just started using and its making my hair feel good ( i do this with my steamer - I have a chronic dryness problem I swear!)

After Wash Leave in: LOC method
L =S-curl applied to wet hair
O =seal with castor / walnut oil,
C = apply Curls whipped cream


Moisturize x 2-3 a week: S-curl sealed with keracare essential oils applied on dry hair, baggy overnight ( this is making a tremendous difference to my moisture levels - thanks Nonie)

Styles:
Twist out - not really working and need to modify using the suggestions from this thread http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=599103 I really want to stay away from extensions/ weaves

Key focuses:
Edges: daily application of JBCO before bed
Ends x 1 : castor oil seal

The things I am ditching are coconut oil and evoo - both make my hair hard
 
I'll be 3 years (March 29) natural from BC.

My hair is currently APL. I was hoping my hair would be BSL by now, but I had a serious set back, not taking care of my hair properly, etc.

Now I'm on a regime and my hair is thriving.
 
My last relaxer was June 2009 Im currrently at BSL when straightened even though my hair is layered. I have been natural since April 2010. I protective styled through my transition with weaves. I still use weaves to give my hair a break. I have not trimmed very much except to trim off some heat damage. I had my first professional trim just recently in November
 
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Ogoma said:
OP: While comparisons can be encouraging, they can also be as equally as demoralizing. Are you sure you want to do this?
Click to expand...

Nah, Nothing wrong with comparing. She's on a hair board with lots of encouraging women, so I think its a pretty positive thing. She'll be okay.
 
My last relaxer was mid January 2010, and I'm shoulder length now. Does your hair feel healthy, OP? I found my hair grew fastest when it felt very healthy and I took my vitamins.
 
My last relaxer was November 2008.
I BC'd June 2009.
I am a slow grower.

My YouTube Hair Idols (similar textures 4B) are Glamazini, MsTanish1

I love WhoisSugar, AliciaJamesMusic & NappyChronicles style.

I like these YouTubers, but our texture is different so just I drool:
Naptural85, EllePixie, CharzBoss, NaturalJourney, HairCrush,

I watch their hair with the sound on mute, BeautifulBrwnBabydol & AfricanExport.

I have another year to reach my hair idols (if I can retain my length and add 6 inches)
 

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Just to be fair I'll give you the answer using the last time I relaxed my hair. Its probably more accurate since I was starting from scratch.

Well from the time of my last relaxer (Nov 2006) to the 3rd year mark (Nov 2009) I was full BSL.
 
it will be three years for me in april since i bc down to 1 inch of hair. my hair will probably be WL by the time april rolls around because now im mbl and wl and mbl are only an inch or 2 away from each other.

from what ive seen on this forum most 3 year naturals are at or close to wl.
 
chebaby said:
it will be three years for me in april since i bc down to 1 inch of hair. my hair will probably be WL by the time april rolls around because now im mbl and wl and mbl are only an inch or 2 away from each other.

from what ive seen on this forum most 3 year naturals are at or close to wl.
Click to expand...

say whaaa?
I thought the norm was BSL for 3 yrs
 
fairyhairy said:
Well I am currently trying to be more consistent whilst in the 12 in 12 challenge

So this is a very new regi - I am testing and adjusting each month to pinpoint what works

Prepoo x 1 a week: walnut oil ( was using coconut oil but don't think its for me walnut oil just feels better)

wash x 1 a week: co-washing with curls coconut sublime conditioner
(tresemme moisture shampoo dilute I was doing this in jan and hair was feeling too dry)

DC x2 a week: Vatika Virgin Olive oil hair mask -
love this stuff just started using and its making my hair feel good ( i do this with my steamer - I have a chronic dryness problem I swear!)

After Wash Leave in: LOC method
L =S-curl applied to wet hair
O =seal with castor / walnut oil,
C = apply Curls whipped cream


Moisturize x 2-3 a week: S-curl sealed with keracare essential oils applied on dry hair, baggy overnight ( this is making a tremendous difference to my moisture levels - thanks @Nonie)

Styles:
Twist out - not really working and need to modify using the suggestions from this thread http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=599103 I really want to stay away from extensions/ weaves

Key focuses:
Edges: daily application of JBCO before bed
Ends x 1 : castor oil seal

The things I am ditching are coconut oil and evoo - both make my hair hard
Click to expand...

fairyhairy how often are you detangling. that sounds like a lot of manipulation. do u use a comb or brush everytime you wash?
 
I think it's also important to note that not everyone has booty-length hair overnight and that's okay too. Everyone on this forum is obsessed with length, so much so, that those without it don't post pics often. Threads with bald to hip length in 3.5 secs are the ones that get views and kudos around here.

In reality the average growth rate is an average. Really 1/2 or so people can get way more than that and the other 1/2 can get much less. The under 0.5" a monthers have special support groups and whatnot but truth is, it's just as normal as any other growth rate.

Everyday on here we see 1/2" a month is supposed to happen, but it's not. It's an average of 100's of cases. Some get more, plenty get less.

As long as your hair is not breaking, there isn't really much to worry about.

I started this thread as a testament to how individual each persons journey is...

It's easy to forget that the it's mostly the ones above the curve who post often. If you go on other forums, it's easer to see that everyone is at different stages in hair growth. I think this site in particular caters towards longer-haired members... but just take it one day at a time and know that you will get there eventually. :yep:
 
longfroinghair said:
say whaaa?
I thought the norm was BSL for 3 yrs
Click to expand...
really? ok maybe im mistaken. i always thought it was wl.
then again it could be because im short. bsl, mbl and wl are really close together. especially the last two.

isnt there a looooooong thread about someone's speacial moisture reggi and her hair was wl after 3 years so people are now following her reggi?
 
Ogoma said:
OP: While comparisons can be encouraging, they can also be as equally as demoralizing. Are you sure you want to do this?
Click to expand...

This. I'm coming up on 2 years post BC in March, and about 3 or 4 posts into the thread, I started to regret coming in here. :look:
 
What I found helped me the most was to read old threads. There is a lot of information on this board and I was a member for months before I even needed to post because everything I needed was already here. I'm glad I joined when I did because cowashing and bunning was popular back then, and I haven't stopped since.

I think people come here to find the answers, and I just wanted to say that they are here. Approach hair growth like you would anything else:research, test, find what works, and most importantly, keep going. 2008 feels like forever ago and there were times that I got discouraged but I continued on and I feel like the hair on my head is a testament to hard work and determination.

Good luck!
 
likle bump - want to know more, am researching the ladies who have responded - i know not everyone wants to post and repost their regime 207 times
 
It depends on your hair OP. I've been natural a little over 5 years. Had my last relaxer almost 6 years ago and I'm nearing BSL. But the first year I cut a lot. The second year I got highlights which caused me some damage. So I pretty much started over. All the dyed hair had to be cut off.

My hair should be much longer than it is now but it's not. Too many setbacks because my hair is fine and prone to breakage. I'd say I have about 3 years of solid growth now. But that progress only came after learning what my hair likes and doesn't like. My hair can't stand up to a lot of manipulation. It does better when it's left alone. For many people that first year is full of experimentation which may or may not hinder progress. :yep:

ETA: Another thing, there werent as many resources for natural hair 6 years ago as there are now. It was a lot of trial and error. I remember coming across nappturality back in 2003 when I first decided to transition. That was the only site I recalled seeing back then. The transitioning process was aborted several times because I had no idea what to do with the 2 textures.

I found this board in 2005 when I was relaxing maybe twice a year. This board encouraged me to go natural. I finally chopped my hair off during a 6 month relaxer stretch in 2006. There weren't many TWAs walking around in my area so again I had no idea what to do. I wore a weave for 9 months until I got the courage to wear it out.
 
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glamazon386 still experimenting lol

funny enough the first year didn't do anything really because it was short co-washed and I just let it be, maybe teased it out when going out
 
fairyhairy said:
when I wash - wednesdays finger detangle
saturdays comb wide tooth/ denman detangle

I am trying to make a solid regime this year - so any suggestions would be good too
Click to expand...

fairyhairy

ForumRunner_20120210_103907.jpg

If you check my siggy there is a link to my progress from before I chopped and went natural (back to relaxed now). It is very very low manipulation. How you wear it on a daily basis makes a diff too. This style is my everyday. Its boring as hell but its getting me where I need to be. I cant do buns it jacks up my ends.
 
bronzebomb said:
My last relaxer was November 2008.
I watch their hair with the sound on mute, BeautifulBrwnBabydol & AfricanExport.

)
Click to expand...

:lachen:I do the same--sometimes!!!!


Op--My case is similar to yours. I've had some setbacks over the last yr.-especially. But since I'm natural for the rest of my life, I'm not going to stress too much abt it.
 
My last relaxer was May 2009 and I have had three 1 inch trims in the past two years. My hair in back is BSL (almost 14 inches) and my hair at the temples is just past 12 inches. My hair grows .5 inches a month, rain or shine.
 
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