APL 2012 Challenge

[Evolving78]

still in a bun. i love Profectiv oil sheen is my first love! i like this stuff better than using plain oil. it is light and heavy enough for me all at the same time. i used this oil back in the early 2000's and just forgot about it when i went natural. it was the best thing since slice bread for my relaxed hair. but it will weight your hair down. it is much heavier than other oil sheens. it doesn't have any alcohol in it.

 

[Fyne]

Aggie Your hair is soo thick and shiny! & You live in the Bahama's!!!! One of my favorite Islands I'm making my appointment for the hair spa today!! LOL x

Yes til APL do us part challenge im onboard!

P.S looks like you have 4 inches until your nape hits APL and ive got 3 inches so where was you going?!

I did a hot oil treatment for 2 hours, shampooed, dc'd for 4 hours (laziness) then applied leavein's and airdried. I'm waiting until my current products run out then I am adopting the CON Argan Oil complete line and Organix for co-washing.

 

[NikkiQ]

I like the sounds of that! Til APL Do We Part ladies

Sent by me from my Android phone.Boom

 

[Fyne]

still in a bun. i love Profectiv oil sheen is my first love! i like this stuff better than using plain oil. it is light and heavy enough for me all at the same time. i used this oil back in the early 2000's and just forgot about it when i went natural. it was the best thing since slice bread for my relaxed hair. but it will weight your hair down. it is much heavier than other oil sheens. it doesn't have any alcohol in it.

I loveeee oil sheens they are light but penetrating I know what you mean. I use them for everything sealing, rollersetting and flatironing days. Right now I'm loving the CON argan oil sheen spray, but I love my oil blends too so I keep my oils light and use the oil sheen as a final mist.

 

[Aggie]

@Aggie Your hair is soo thick and shiny! & You live in the Bahama's!!!! One of my favorite Islands I'm making my appointment for the hair spa today!! LOL x

Yes til APL do us part challenge im onboard!

P.S looks like you have 4 inches until your nape hits APL and ive got 3 inches so where was you going?!

I did a hot oil treatment for 2 hours, shampooed, dc'd for 4 hours (laziness) then applied leavein's and airdried. I'm waiting until my current products run out then I am adopting the CON Argan Oil complete line and Organix for co-washing.

Fyne, thanks for the compliment hun. By the way, I measured the distance between where my nape's hair meets my arm pit and believe it or not, it is actaully 7.5 inches - NO JOKE!

My crazy long upper torso takes so long to reach APL and beyond. I have done this twice already and this is my third time around.

 

[Aggie]

Got AO HSR in my hair. I dc without heat so I've had this in for about an hour now. I will rinse out and airdry it a bit and put it in my braids for the night.

at your siggy pookaloo83 .

 

[newnyer]

Just finished air drying and put my hair up in a bun for work the week. I like the illusion of thickness, bounce and more length when I air dry- wish my hair would cooperate the same way after styling.

 

[NikkiQ]

Wow...the people in my building are asking me why I didn't wear out today instead of the wig. Definetly didn't see that happening.

 

[kupenda]

*AHEM*

Ladies. I am doing my big chop today

BUT! I don't want to leave you guys! You all are awesome. So supportive and open. Can I stay? Even after my chop? I promise to post before and after pictures! I want to be natural so bad! Geez I can't wait! I hope you guy will let me stick around with my baldy

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[faithVA]

*AHEM*

Ladies. I am doing my big chop today

BUT! I don't want to leave you guys! You all are awesome. So supportive and open. Can I stay? Even after my chop? I promise to post before and after pictures! I want to be natural so bad! Geez I can't wait! I hope you guy will let me stick around with my baldy

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

Girl Please! You absolutely can stay. We would hate to see you go.

 

[lamaria211]

kupenda congrats

 

[NikkiQ]

*AHEM*

Ladies. I am doing my big chop today

BUT! I don't want to leave you guys! You all are awesome. So supportive and open. Can I stay? Even after my chop? I promise to post before and after pictures! I want to be natural so bad! Geez I can't wait! I hope you guy will let me stick around with my baldy

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

Til APL do we part, remember? You can stay in here til the cows come home girl!

 

[Aggie]

kupenda, you know we ain't lettin' you go nowhere.

 

[Aggie]

Til APL do we part, remember? You can stay in here til the cows come home girl!

Yeah, what she said^^

 

[Khaiya]

Loooooove how my hair came out after the DC, it was so easy to comb through! Definitely making honey a staple in my reggie.

 

[pookaloo83]

My hair when it air dries always feels a crispy hot mess. I had to undo the braids and wear a hat today. I put my hair in a bun under the hat. My hair usually starts feeling good around day 3 after a wash. I may start lightly blow drying after a wash.

Sent from my iPhone 4s

 

[caltron]

Well it looks like I'm back at the drawing board again. I just got my retouch after a 10 week stretch and was hoping to enough growth to get me over the APL hump. I've been almost APL for several months now.

However, my stylist told me my ends are horrible and she just about all of the growth I had gotten over the ten weeks. I really hated having to lose it, but I know it's for the best in the long run. I'm just happy she kept my length at status quo.

She told me that flat ironing is doing a number on my ends. I also need to start wrapping my hair at night instead of just sleeping on my hair. The good news is that she says my hair is very healthy otherwise, and if I can just keep away from the flatiron that everything will be fine.

Sooooo, I've bitten the bullet and dug up my satin cap and bought some satin rollers to curl my hair overnight. I am really going to miss the look of having flatironed hair and just the knowledge that you can always style your hair instantly. I work out, and I hate that I'm going to have to wear my hair wrapped up when I workout now. It won't be an issue too much because it's usually dark when I go out to run anyway, but still, an adjustment.

Still, I've come to accept that this is the only way I'm going to get long healthy hair, so I'm doing it. These are things that just about all the women with long healthy hair on this board do, so I should have known that I would have to start doing this eventually.

 

[SavannahNatural]

Well it looks like I'm back at the drawing board again. I just got my retouch after a 10 week stretch and was hoping to enough growth to get me over the APL hump. I've been almost APL for several months now.

However, my stylist told me my ends are horrible and she just about all of the growth I had gotten over the ten weeks. I really hated having to lose it, but I know it's for the best in the long run. I'm just happy she kept my length at status quo.

She told me that flat ironing is doing a number on my ends. I also need to start wrapping my hair at night instead of just sleeping on my hair. The good news is that she says my hair is very healthy otherwise, and if I can just keep away from the flatiron that everything will be fine.

Sooooo, I've bitten the bullet and dug up my satin cap and bought some satin rollers to curl my hair overnight. I am really going to miss the look of having flatironed hair and just the knowledge that you can always style your hair instantly. I work out, and I hate that I'm going to have to wear my hair wrapped up when I workout now. It won't be an issue too much because it's usually dark when I go out to run anyway, but still, an adjustment.

Still, I've come to accept that this is the only way I'm going to get long healthy hair, so I'm doing it. These are things that just about all the women with long healthy hair on this board do, so I should have known that I would have to start doing this eventually.

How were you wearing your hair to bed before?

Make sure you're protecting your hair and ends at all cost. You can still wear your hair straight/flat ironed just don't flat iron daily, but weekly or every two weeks if you can! Doing a good moisturizing DC and a good heat protectant should allow you to stretch your flat iron jobs.

Cross wrap your hair to maintain the straight hair and ends but don't brush it heavily to get it to lay down.

I would also wrap my hair during every workout session. If you're a scalp sweater like me this will really help with reversion!

Oh are you natural/relaxed/tex-laxed?

 

[caltron]

How were you wearing your hair to bed before?

Make sure you're protecting your hair and ends at all cost. You can still wear your hair straight/flat ironed just don't flat iron daily, but weekly or every two weeks if you can! Doing a good moisturizing DC and a good heat protectant should allow you to stretch your flat iron jobs.

Cross wrap your hair to maintain the straight hair and ends but don't brush it heavily to get it to lay down.

I would also wrap my hair during every workout session. If you're a scalp sweater like me this will really help with reversion!

Oh are you natural/relaxed/tex-laxed?

I'm relaxed.

I'm embarassed to admit that I did not do anything to my hair before going to bed. I would just put it in a ponytail or sometimes even just crash without even doing that.

I really need to learn how to wrap my hair the right way too. I can wrap well enough to keep the roots and edges straight, but not well enough to really style it. It looks like chicken scratch when I comb it out.

Thanks so much for the tips! I really need all the help I can get when it comes to styling without flatironing.

 

[longhairdreaming]

Hey ladies. I made my first wig! Took forever and the cap is a bit tight erplexed but I'll adjust it later since I don't plan on wearing it anytime soon. I'm just pleased I got it done.

 

[bajandoc86]

NikkiQ girl your siggy had me confused for a second LOL....cause u have your last relaxer as april 23, 2011 and BC as feb 23, 2011. I'm like why am I not following? Then I realised it was sposed to be 2010 for that last relaxer. Just a heads up.

 

[Fyne]

Aggie Say wha??? *Goes and checks pics again* how tall are you?

Well either way til APL and beyond do us part! What's your game plan for the year?

 

[Evolving78]

i was able to use chopsticks for my bun today! just waiting to get my shower filter. i gotta send this steamer back. it failed on me. it doesn't stay up (the head part).

 

[SavannahNatural]

I'm relaxed.

I'm embarassed to admit that I did not do anything to my hair before going to bed. I would just put it in a ponytail or sometimes even just crash without even doing that.

I really need to learn how to wrap my hair the right way too. I can wrap well enough to keep the roots and edges straight, but not well enough to really style it. It looks like chicken scratch when I comb it out.

Thanks so much for the tips! I really need all the help I can get when it comes to styling without flatironing.

Alrighty... I feel you on the crashing part I used to do the same thing when I was relaxed and even once or twice while being natural. One thing I do now is if I find myself tired and maybe just plan on taking a nap I'll cover my pillow with my scarf or go ahead and throw my satin bonnet on just to give my hair a barrier between it and the moisture draining cotton.

I'm a bit of a tough love type so bare with me... It's all in love (hair love). Why pay for the bonnet if you're not going to use it??

There's a few videos online about wrapping hair either the traditional wrap or the cross wrap (may be called something else). I'm on my iPad so I'll come back and post links. If you're wearing your hair straight with a little bend either way of wrapping your hair up will assist in keeping the curl, if not then use larger sponge/satin rollers to give your hair body, wrap with a scarf for stability and then cover with a bonnet. I know it's easier said than done, but if you're serious about your journey and making APL then taking a few extra moments to care for your hair is soooooo worth it. The fact that the rest of your hair is doing well means you do care, but you have to protect your ends for retention! A light moisturizer/oil is good as well and won't weigh your hair down making your curl/volume non-existent.

Keep posting here, let us know what you're doing and how it's going and don't wait for your stylist/beautician to tell you how your hair is doing!

HTH

 

[SavannahNatural]

Okay... now my issue! I wanna bun! I must bun! I havta bun! My natural hair unstretched is a beast to bun. My flax seed gel on dry stretched hair was a partial win, partial fail. It did not hold up through my workout, but bless it's funny textured heart it tried, but the curls snapped back. So, I really don't want to go and buy ecostyler so any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated... (standing by)

 

[Aggie]

@Aggie Say wha??? *Goes and checks pics again* how tall are you?

Well either way til APL and beyond do us part! What's your game plan for the year?

that's right and thanks hun! 7.5" to go. My game plan is to get another trim next month to remove all of the ssks that were left behind. I saw some this morning as I was removing my rollers. They seem easier to spot while my hair is straight. My hair is already short, so I don't feel bad about having to take this needed action now.

I'm making an effort to NOT flat iron it again until my ends are totally healthy and free of ssks and splits. Rollersetting with large rollers will be the way to get it straightened now and prepared for the trim next month (April 12th).

I don't think I will be wearing it curly at all until the trim. I intend to rollerset with every wash for now. Now after the trim, I will still rollerset it first to get it to stretch a bit, then keep it braided down under wigs. This will keep the ssks at bay for a while.

Doing this once a week is going to be quite a chore, but I need to do everything I can to save my ends. My poor babies, they need my attention like they've never needed it before. This is a critical stage for them and I don't feel it will get easier until I reach APL and beyond. I need to stick to my guns and just do it!

I give myself 1 year to see some good progress. I should at least be full shoulder length even with all these trims.

 

[NikkiQ]

@NikkiQ girl your siggy had me confused for a second LOL....cause u have your last relaxer as april 23, 2011 and BC as feb 23, 2011. I'm like why am I not following? Then I realised it was sposed to be 2010 for that last relaxer. Just a heads up.

Oh snap! My bad

 

[SimJam]

yep so I measured my hair after 3 months and there is no progress ... thats not even possible because my grey hair surely grew and I thought I had my breakage under control


oh well we'll see for the next 3 months

APL

 

[faithVA]

yep so I measured my hair after 3 months and there is no progress ... thats not even possible because my grey hair surely grew and I thought I had my breakage under control


oh well we'll see for the next 3 months

APL

I feel you. The way my grey grows in you would think I would have hair down my back I had to create a shirt with 1/2 inch marks on it to prove to myself it was growing/retaining. Even when I look at the shirt though I just feel

So hang in there SimJam. I am right there with you.

 

[pookaloo83]

I don't feel like my hair grew either.

Sent from my iPhone 4s