Anybody up for a 2009 Crown and Glory Challenge?

[jerseygurl]

Taking out my braids tomorrow after 4 weeks. I'm not a braid person, I can only take them in small doses. And I do them myself so I don't mind.

My plan is to take out and rock my own hair for a month and put them back in. So it'll be like one month on and one month off.

How's everyone doing?

 

[mamauv2]

I'm still holding on. I have cornrows in now (which I'll keep in for two weeks, take at least a week break, baby my hair and put them back in.). I quit MT because my hair has gotten SO thick so I'm not using any growth aids at all. I'm KISS by using the braid spray and infusium. So far so good.

 

[Casarela]

ORS has a shampoo to remove calcium deposit from hard water and its not expensive you should look into this. Im BREATHING NOW im off braids will be back in few weeks. Hang in there. I will be back because now that Ive tested my hooded dryer ad pampered my hair with good DCs im ready to go back in braids. I think Ill be getting regular kanekalon braids next time not the wavy ones I always get and will get them braided from roots to the tip of the fake hair.

As for the style, do twists with your own hair or try setting your hair in flexi rods.

Hang in there!

Casarela, I am so so so sooo sooooo with you right now. I have had twists in since October 4th with only a 4 day break in December. I am physically ITCHING right now to take them out...but I need a good way to style my hair that won't scare my poor husband. My chest hurts...I want them out so badly!!!

I tell you...being American in Britain in the heart of limescale country is the WORST!!! I love this country and being here has been a blessing in so many ways for me and for my family...but my hair HATES the hard water. This water is not just hard...it's spiky. Crunchy. Doggone near solid. I need some soft, sweet, NC polluted water. lol

I say all this in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour, who would not want me to complain...

Ohhh...hep me Lawd!!!!! I'm taking these twists out this weekend so I can find my hair again...and when I put them back in (within Challenge guidelines) I will do them thicker and rubber band the ends like Robin does. My edges are bumpy and tired. I'm excited about going the whole year, but I really did not give myself enough time to get my hair and scalp ready for the Challenge. I just did not want to miss the start date. I will NOT give up, though!!!

Aggie...thanks for the advice you've given. You've given me hair ideas to make this challenge more palatable for me.

Sorry for venting, everyone. Thanks for bearing with me...



Pray my scrnefff in da Lawd. (I know I'm not the only one with a grandmother or Great Auntie who used to say this..)

cj

 

[justsimply]

Things are still going good here. I'm aiming for 10-12 weeks depending on my work/travel schedule. I think it will be fine though because it's not like I'm just leaving the twists in and not taking care or re-doing them. So I'm thinking somewhere between end of Feb and Mid March I'll take the twists completely out for a few (probably 2 weeks) and then redo.

 

[melodies815]

ORS has a shampoo to remove calcium deposit from hard water and its not expensive you should look into this. Im BREATHING NOW im off braids will be back in few weeks. Hang in there. I will be back because now that Ive tested my hooded dryer ad pampered my hair with good DCs im ready to go back in braids. I think Ill be getting regular kanekalon braids next time not the wavy ones I always get and will get them braided from roots to the tip of the fake hair.

As for the style, do twists with your own hair or try setting your hair in flexi rods.

Hang in there!

.....how twists look on my relaxed ends...

I have not completely decided yet if I am actually transitioning or just waiting a really long time to relax again. Thanks for the ORS recommendation. I will go out to look for some probably in the next month or so. I think hubby will pass out if I buy anything else for my hair this month...

I decided to take my twists down next month so that it will be a full 8 weeks. My anxiety about seeing my hair has passed, thankfully, and I feel patient again. Thanks for the encouragement!

Post pics of your new hair if you have any. I have nothing new yet.

cj

 

[sunshinelady]

Guys, I just took one of my braids down and it is really dry despite spraying it every other day. Should I maybe use oil or baggy?

 

[Aggie]

I relaxed my hair last week and will be getting my braids back in next weekend for my 5 week trip to Nebraska. I don't want that harsh cold weather to strip my hair so it will be braided up for 6 - 8 weeks protection.

 

[Aggie]

Guys, I just took one of my braids down and it is really dry despite spraying it every other day. Should I maybe use oil or baggy?

What I did to keep my braided hair moisturized last time was made a spritzer of WEN Fig cleansing conditioner mixed with some BB Oil Moisturizer, an ounce of glycerin and a little water, shook up vigorously until well blended and sprayed on my hair every other day and then sprayed with braid spray for added sheen. When I was taking my braids down, my hair was still very soft and moisturized. It may have been the glycerin responsible for the softness.

 

[sunshinelady]

What I did to keep my braided hair moisturized last time was made a spritzer of WEN Fig cleansing conditioner mixed with some BB Oil Moisturizer, an ounce of glycerin and a little water, shook up vigorously until well blended and sprayed on my hair every other day and then sprayed with braid spray for added sheen. When I was taking my braids down, my hair was still very soft and moisturized. It may have been the glycerin responsible for the softness.

Are you rinsing daily as well?

 

[Aggie]

Are you rinsing daily as well?

Oh no, I can't afford to wet my hair that much with a braid extension I expect to last 6-8 weeks. I always do extension braids and can't afford them to slip too much. I only wash my hair once a week when wearing these braids and no more. By moisturizing every other day, this makes it possible to wash only once a week without too much build-up. I use diluted WEN tea tree cleansing conditioner to wash my braids with.

 

[melodies815]

Guys, I just took one of my braids down and it is really dry despite spraying it every other day. Should I maybe use oil or baggy?

Just saw this ^

I know I am probably not doing it like a lot of other women here, so I will put myself in time out for the team...

I don't spray every day at all and never have. I do, however, braid each individual braid with shea butter. Then, after each wash, I put more on my scalp. It keeps my hair soooo moist, and my scalp is healthy. (I do MT as well.) I take individual braids throughout the month ( a few at a time. I use to redo my entire head once a month, but the individual braid method "seems" to take less time) and they are always super moist. I get no shedding. Maybe that might help?

Sorry if I am adding too much to the other advice you've gotten, and hope this is helpful to you.

Sincerely,
Christi

 

[Aggie]

Just saw this ^

I know I am probably not doing it like a lot of other women here, so I will put myself in time out for the team...

I don't spray every day at all and never have. I do, however, braid each individual braid with shea butter. Then, after each wash, I put more on my scalp. It keeps my hair soooo moist, and my scalp is healthy. (I di MT as well.) I take individual braids throughout the month ( a few at a time. I use to redo my entire head once a month, but the individual braid method "seems" to take less time) and they are always super moist. I get no shedding. Maybe that might help?

Sorry if I am adding too much to the other advice you've gotten, and hope this is helpful to you.

Sincerely,
Christi

I like braiding with the shea butter idea. I have some that I use on my skin and will be adding it to my next extension braid up next week. I know this will make my braids feel really good, but I still have to moisturize my hair throughout the 2 months I keep them in. It makes taking down the braids a breeze for me too.

 

[jerseygurl]

Hey Ladies, took out my braids, washed, did a protein treatment and DC'd with GVP Conditoning Balm. The shed hair is actually less than I thought I'd see. Whoo hoo.

And the best part? My hair is growing!!! I didn't straighten yet but I saw a few strands inching towards BSB.

 

[Jessica Rabbit]

I am not sure if I joined this or not, but I am in. I teamed up with Vanity1 on our own c&g challenge leading up to my wedding. I have goals to meet!

Just wanted to add that I am spraying my hair everyday. In the past with braids and weaves, if I don't stay on top of it my hair will get so dry it seems crunchy. I don't want to have to go thru a long rehab period post c&g where I am trying to infuse moisture again.

 

[Vanity1]

^^^^^

I am just checking in for an update.
I am still in my twists. I am trying to hang in there until March 6, that will make exactly 3 months. They still look good! I don't wash often but I do run hot towels over them and clean my scalp with astringent. When I did wash them for the first time last week, I think it cleaned the residue from the cons and spray I use. They are still tight and I have only had one to come out so far, and that came from like the back.

I feel my roots and I think that I am conditioning pretty good, my roots are not dry at all. Hopefully my ends will be the same once I do my reveal in March.

 

[melodies815]

Checking in: Except for about 3-4 days in late December before starting this challenge, I have been in twists since Oct. 4th. Since I redo individual twists so frequently, my hair feels great and has not gotten tangled or dry...but I go back and forth with wanting to take it down.

I just figured out in the 2009 Bootcamp on a post I made there that my REAL issue with taking down is that I HAVE to get a relaxer if I am not transitioning...and even though I have been doing my own relaxer for...ummm...I guess around 3 years with only one trip to the salon when we came back to the US Christmas 2007, I am terrified to do it now.

I'm really afraid to self relax and lose the progress I have gained thus far. That's the blessing and challenge of LHCF. I have learned so much that I am freaking myself over here!!!!

It's been 5 more weeks since I put them in...so I think I will just make myself take down now, relax in a couple of weeks and get a breather and then put them back in when it's time for my next relaxer. If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to help me. I don't want to break any rules....

cj

 

[sunshinelady]

Guys, I am at the point where I need to take mine out for my rest month, but I don't want to take them out. It took so much work to re-do them. Do I have to take them out? If I leave them in for another month?

 

[sunshinelady]

Just saw this ^

I know I am probably not doing it like a lot of other women here, so I will put myself in time out for the team...

I don't spray every day at all and never have. I do, however, braid each individual braid with shea butter. Then, after each wash, I put more on my scalp. It keeps my hair soooo moist, and my scalp is healthy. (I do MT as well.) I take individual braids throughout the month ( a few at a time. I use to redo my entire head once a month, but the individual braid method "seems" to take less time) and they are always super moist. I get no shedding. Maybe that might help?

Sorry if I am adding too much to the other advice you've gotten, and hope this is helpful to you.

Sincerely,
Christi

I am going to try the shea butter thing next time. My ends are crispy.

 

[Vanity1]

Guys, I am at the point where I need to take mine out for my rest month, but I don't want to take them out. It took so much work to re-do them. Do I have to take them out? If I leave them in for another month?

Do they look bad? Why do you want to take them down?

Oh yeah I meant to ask. For ladies that are taking them down and leaving your hair out for a month, are we going to do a picture comparison of length?

 

[sunshinelady]

Do they look bad? Why do you want to take them down?

Oh yeah I meant to ask. For ladies that are taking them down and leaving your hair out for a month, are we going to do a picture comparison of length?

I got mine done in the beginning of December. I have slowly re-done most of them over the last 2 months because they weren't done well. They don't look great, but I feel like I put too much work in to take them down now. I almost feel like just redoing them as needed for the whole challenge instead of letting my hair rest. The regimen says that you should take them down every 2 months and let your hair rest for a month while DC frequently. I shouldn't have braid fatigue this early.

I wasn't planning to do interim picture comparisons, but feel free to do so.

 

[Naturelle]

^^co-signing with shea butter...when I was taking them down and applying shea butter then braiding back up adn jsut sprtizing everyday....hair felt like buttah baby

 

[Vanity1]

I got mine done in the beginning of December. I have slowly re-done most of them over the last 2 months because they weren't done well. They don't look great, but I feel like I put too much work in to take them down now. I almost feel like just redoing them as needed for the whole challenge instead of letting my hair rest. The regimen says that you should take them down every 2 months and let your hair rest for a month while DC frequently. I shouldn't have braid fatigue this early.

I wasn't planning to do interim picture comparisons, but feel free to do so.

I understand. I think you should try to make it to at least the end of the month. Thats what I am doing. I love the braids, cause I don't have to do anything. I decided to keep them in as long as possible because of the low maintenance and it was an arm and a leg to get them done. But I think it was worth it, the lady did an excellent job.

 

[Lanea87]

I am not in braids at the moment. I will be relaxing in 2 weeks and have to do my Aphogee 2-step next week to get my hair ready for my relaxer. I am wishing all you ladies luck, I will be back after my relaxer to get my braids in.

 

[melodies815]

Update: I took down twists last night (Feb 7th.) and did a braidout. My hair feels really good...using Sylver2's regimen...

Our break is for a month right?

How is everyone doing?

cj

 

[sunshinelady]

Update: I took down twists last night (Feb 7th.) and did a braidout. My hair feels really good...using Sylver2's regimen...

Our break is for a month right?

How is everyone doing?

cj

The regimen says 2 months on, 2 months off. I am doing two-ish months in and one month out.

 

[SouthernStunner]

I am doing two-ish months in and 2-3 weeks out. I cant stay out longer then that. I havent had a relaxer in about 5 months and I have neck lenght hair so cant bun. I will rock some wigs though and D/C under them bad boys.

Is that bad? I mean the 2-3 weeks out. It will be more like 2 weeks out.

 

[jerseygurl]

I am doing two-ish months in and 2-3 weeks out. I cant stay out longer then that. I havent had a relaxer in about 5 months and I have neck lenght hair so cant bun. I will rock some wigs though and D/C under them bad boys.

Is that bad? I mean the 2-3 weeks out. It will be more like 2 weeks out.

I'm doing one month in braids and one month off.

 

[Lanea87]

I will be doing 2 months plus on for sho and the rest out depending on how my hair is acting....

 

[SouthernStunner]

I'm doing one month in braids and one month off.

I cant do the one month in and one month out. Girl I gotta get my moneies worth. 125.00 a month, my DH would kill me. I do get my edges "freshend up" every 2 weeks. I have about 4 weeks left. Maybe I will try to stay out for about 3 weeks but that is my limit.

 

[Aggie]

For me 2 months on braids/sew-ins/wigs and one month off is better for me. The way I see it, 2 weeks before a relaxer and 2 weeks after a relaxer would account for my 1 month off. This time is set aside for lots and lots of deep conditioning which my hair absolutely loves.