BSL 2023 Challenge

Here is my April update; I wore wigs the first six weeks of the quarter, then my braider moved and I installed mini twists I worn for seven weeks while looking another braider. Although mini-twists take forever to install, I actually have enjoyed wearing them. PXL_20221229_201635432-COLLAGE~2.jpg braider.
 
Great progress, @alanaturelle ! Looking good.

We've had similar PSs, except I've done a little longer in mini twists and now I'm getting ready to sew on a wig for a min. I really need lazy hair right now.

ETA: Looks like you're already at the top of your bra strap. Are you planning to use that bra for your goal marker?
 
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MzSwift said:
Great progress, @alanaturelle ! Looking good.

We've had similar PSs, except I've done a little longer in mini twists and now I'm getting ready to sew on a wig for a min. I really need lazy hair right now.

ETA: Looks like you're already at the top of your bra strap. Are you planning to use that bra for your goal marker?
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Thanks! Yes, I'm planning to use that as my goal marker. On the t-shirt, 6 is the top of the bra and 7 is the bottom.

What's the longest you've kept the mini-twists in for?
 
alanaturelle said:
Thanks! Yes, I'm planning to use that as my goal marker. On the t-shirt, 6 is the top of the bra and 7 is the bottom.

What's the longest you've kept the mini-twists in for?
Click to expand...

Oh really?! It must be the angle of the photo then bc that looks like the top of your bra indentation there right where you are!

I've kept mini twists in 3-4 months by just refreshing them individually, row-by-row, every 3-4 weeks or so. Sometimes I would just do the front half and then do the whole head the next time I refreshed. They're really versatile and a safe way for me to wear daily WNGS or wear my hair "down" when I want to.
 
MzSwift said:
Oh really?! It must be the angle of the photo then bc that looks like the top of your bra indentation there right where you are!

I've kept mini twists in 3-4 months by just refreshing them individually, row-by-row, every 3-4 weeks or so. Sometimes I would just do the front half and then do the whole head the next time I refreshed. They're really versatile and a safe way for me to wear daily WNGS or wear my hair "down" when I want to.
Click to expand...
It's probably the angle, hubby (photographer) is 6'4" and I'm 5'4" .

I'm going to try and co-wash this set next week, and pray that the roots don't mat, lol. If I'm successful, I might keep them for three months.
 
Hello ladies. Apologies that I haven't posted much, but I have an update today!!
So a lot from my initial post has changed. My staple products are all from the the Alodia hair care line. I wore knotless braids for the first part of the year but since taking them out I haven't gone into two-strand twists. Been wearing my hair in 10 braids at home, and braidouts when going out. I'm waiting on a wig to come in the mail to use as a protective style for a while.
Right now, my hair comes to line 11 (BSL is at line 13). I'm hoping that after a professional trim at the end of the month my hair will hit line 10 at the least. Not sure if I will make BSL by December this year since my hair grows slowly. Still I'm happy to see progress.
 

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@Meritamen

Your hair looks great! And healthy!! I don't see you having a problem making it to BSL this year, even with slow growth. :)

You know your body best, BUT... :giggle:

From the angle of the photo, it looks like your bra actually sits around the middle of your back. It looks like your arm is resting at your natural waist. I can't tell where your shoulder blades are in the photo but your hair seems to travel a good distance down your back from your shoulders. Unless you have a long torso, it looks like your hair is really close to resting between your shoulder blades. If that's what's happening in real life (and not just from the photo), then you're probably closer to "BSL" and moving into the middle of your back, your MBL territory.

I am a big-breasted woman and in some bras, this is the case for me - the bra strap sits lower than my shoulder blades and closer to the middle of my back. Even my measuring shirt can sit differently depending on the bra I'm wearing or if I'm a bit more bloated that day. Lol. It's why I stopped using BSL/brastrap to measure length and started using my body parts (Shoulder blades, bottom ribs and navel/belly button).

I hope you understand what I'm saying. Not questioning you, bc you know your body best. Just wanna make sure you give yourself credit. :blush2:
 
MzSwift said:
@Meritamen

Your hair looks great! And healthy!! I don't see you having a problem making it to BSL this year, even with slow growth. :)

You know your body best, BUT... :giggle:

From the angle of the photo, it looks like your bra actually sits around the middle of your back. It looks like your arm is resting at your natural waist. I can't tell where your shoulder blades are in the photo but your hair seems to travel a good distance down your back from your shoulders. Unless you have a long torso, it looks like your hair is really close to resting between your shoulder blades. If that's what's happening in real life (and not just from the photo), then you're probably closer to "BSL" and moving into the middle of your back, your MBL territory.

I am a big-breasted woman and in some bras, this is the case for me - the bra strap sits lower than my shoulder blades and closer to the middle of my back. Even my measuring shirt can sit differently depending on the bra I'm wearing or if I'm a bit more bloated that day. Lol. It's why I stopped using BSL/brastrap to measure length and started using my body parts (Shoulder blades, bottom ribs and navel/belly button).

I hope you understand what I'm saying. Not questioning you, bc you know your body best. Just wanna make sure you give yourself credit. :blush2:
Click to expand...
No offence taken. This is going to sound weird but I don't really know where MBL or my waist are. Like I look at hair length photos of myself and everything seems distorted. I also have big boobs so my bra sits lower than my shoulder blades. I'm just going by line 13 for BSL since that is somewhat consistent.
I appreciate the input because I can't really tell myself. A year ago another lady had to tell me that I had already hit APL for me to realize it. lol
 
Meritamen said:
No offence taken. This is going to sound weird but I don't really know where MBL or my waist are. Like I look at hair length photos of myself and everything seems distorted. I also have big boobs so my bra sits lower than my shoulder blades. I'm just going by line 13 for BSL since that is somewhat consistent.
I appreciate the input because I can't really tell myself. A year ago another lady had to tell me that I had already hit APL for me to realize it. lol
Click to expand...

If Line 13 is your goal, then that's the goal! lol

To me, a technical way to determine MBL would be to measure from your shoulder to your hip bone and divide that in half. But I don't have the time to do that!! :lachen: So that's why I use body parts. Also bc my weight fluctuates so my shirt sits differently on my body. And my bras too, can change the way the shirt lays. But my body parts stay the same. So shoulder blades are "BSL". Once I hit BSL, I start encroaching on the middle of my back, which, to me, is the largest range. I count anything between shoulder blades and WL as MBL. lol. I use my ribs at that point to help me keep track bc MBL land is so vast. And then some ladies have a part of their torso that naturally narrows, even if it's a little, and that would be the natural waist or WL. But some ladies don't have a natural waist so I like to use my belly button/navel to help me determine WL. I've also seen ladies use their elbows as a measuring mark for WL.

What I explained is my own personal way of keeping myself motivated bc sometimes it's discouraging when my hair doesn't seem to be moving further down the shirt. That's when I learned that my shirt was sitting differently on my body. For posting to the board though, I use the shirt to show progress - bc I don't want to be bare backed online to show my progress. Lol
 
MzSwift said:
Oh really?! It must be the angle of the photo then bc that looks like the top of your bra indentation there right where you are!

I've kept mini twists in 3-4 months by just refreshing them individually, row-by-row, every 3-4 weeks or so. Sometimes I would just do the front half and then do the whole head the next time I refreshed. They're really versatile and a safe way for me to wear daily WNGS or wear my hair "down" when I want to.
Click to expand...
I followed your lead and kept my previous mini-twists in for 3 months and OMG, I'm now hooked to 3-month mini twists, .

I'll make another post showing my progress but my hair is definitely filling in and retaining length. This is probably the most length I've ever grown.
 
alanaturelle said:
I followed your lead and kept my previous mini-twists in for 3 months and OMG, I'm now hooked to 3-month mini twists, .

I'll make another post showing my progress but my hair is definitely filling in and retaining length. This is probably the most length I've ever grown.
Click to expand...

Congratulations!! That's fantastic to hear! Another win for KISS. :cool2:
Warning, they will make you hair lazy. Lol

I can't wait to see your pix! :)
 
ItsMeLilLucky said:
@MzSwift That's how I ended up back in the braids :lol: It's the easiest thing to do for two textures.
Click to expand...

Right!! Sis, I'm literally starting row 2 right now! :laugh:
They are my crutch for stretching my relaxers 5-8 months at a time. I can wear my hair "down" everyday if I want to without worrying about detangling or overmanipulation. M&S my ends at night and bun them up and I'm good to go!
I love that I can still wash, DC, use all of my Ayurvedic mixes or anything else short of relaxing in them.
 
I was trying to upload from my phone last night but the pictures were too big and my phone was acting stupid and I couldn't resize, lol...

Anyhoo, here are my progress pictures. I've been making the twists smaller and smaller and not sure if this is what's making my head fuller or it might also be a combination of that and leaving my hair alone.

@MzSwift , I will try to not become hair lazy, but it might be hard, lol!!!! And I've really been enjoying this KISS method, :)
 

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Meritamen said:
Hello ladies. Apologies that I haven't posted much, but I have an update today!!
So a lot from my initial post has changed. My staple products are all from the the Alodia hair care line. I wore knotless braids for the first part of the year but since taking them out I haven't gone into two-strand twists. Been wearing my hair in 10 braids at home, and braidouts when going out. I'm waiting on a wig to come in the mail to use as a protective style for a while.
Right now, my hair comes to line 11 (BSL is at line 13). I'm hoping that after a professional trim at the end of the month my hair will hit line 10 at the least. Not sure if I will make BSL by December this year since my hair grows slowly. Still I'm happy to see progress.
Click to expand...
It feels to me that you are already at BSL, no?
 
Starting hair length: APL
Goal month: December
Relaxed/Natural/Texlaxed/Transitioning?: Natural mop too :)
What is your regimen?: I cowash daily and shampoo and deep condition every week
Staple products? Novex Movie Star line and Shea Moisture and Skala 3 n 1 conditioners, EcoStyler gel
Are you doing anything in particular to grow your hair to BSL?: Wash n gos and curly buns, puffs. My hair thrives with water.
Any plans for when you reach BSL?: Not really
Starting pic:
 
SmilingElephant said:
Starting hair length: APL
Goal month: December
Relaxed/Natural/Texlaxed/Transitioning?: Natural mop too :)
What is your regimen?: I cowash daily and shampoo and deep condition every week
Staple products? Novex Movie Star line and Shea Moisture and Skala 3 n 1 conditioners, EcoStyler gel
Are you doing anything in particular to grow your hair to BSL?: Wash n gos and curly buns, puffs. My hair thrives with water.
Any plans for when you reach BSL?: Not really
Starting pic:
Click to expand...
Aye lady, where's the picture?:duck::curtain::lol:
 
I'd like to join!! I had a heat setback and cut from BSL back to around APL. I'm hoping to be back at BSL by the end of the year.

Starting hair length: APL
Goal month: end of December
Relaxed/Natural/Texlaxed/Transitioning? Natural, kind of transitioning from heat damage
What is your regimen? Wash every 5-10 days, Olaplex 0+3 once a month, DC every other week, flatiron 1x a month
Staple products? Olaplex, Lottabody, Bondbar 8, the Doux
Are you doing anything in particular to grow your hair to BSL? I'm trying to take collagen and biotin everyday, as well as using Wild Growth Oil twice a week
Any plans for when you reach BSL? Just to head to WL
Starting pic:
1000001455.jpg
 
SmilingElephant said:
Do y'all know I can't figure out how to post a pic on here from my phone? Why haven't they fixed that yet!? I tried to post one and it said "Oops we had a problem" or something like that...so I just said to hell with it!
Click to expand...
Did you resize your photos before you tried attaching them? I have to resize mine to make them much smaller and then I can post from my phone with no problem.
Hope that helps
 
This is my September update. Taking down the mini-twists was not fun at all, lol. I completely underestimated how long it was going to take, just the take-down took me two days (with doing other things) - I meant to install a new set the same weekend but the take-down zapped my energy, lol. So now I have cornrows installed and wearing a wig until hopefully mid-December.

I'm already thinking about 2024 and my goal is to go back to mini-twists but will not schedule both the take-down and the install for the same weekend; it's a mistake that I don't want to repeat, lol.

Overall, I'm extremely happy about my progress - mini-twists have been the way to go for me for length retention.
 

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