Serenity_Peace
Genius never dies!
Ladies, a picture says a thousand words. I was going through some photo albums and came across some pics that I had taken with my father last Christmas. I was immediately struck by how gorgeous my hair was. Upon reflection, I realized that I had not yet embarked on my hair journey. My hair looked so healthy. It was long. My hair looked at APL, perhaps 1/2 inch longer. I was shocked! 
I didn't even realize how long my hair was, much less how healthy it looked. I sat and stared at the pic for about 10 minutes. I was under the dryer after just having washed, deep conditioned for 30 minutes using my heating cap, and rollerset my hair.
I began to wonder: am I doing all this work to my hair for nothing? My hair was already long and healthy this time last year. I used heat. I wore my hair down probably 90% of the time. Last year when I had long and healthy hair, I did not deep condition very often, did not take supplements/vitamins for my hair, did not use or know anything about Dominican products, and did not wear protective styles. And yet, I'm doing all these things right now, and again, my hair is limp, lifeless, and actually looks shorter rather than longer and has less body and life than it did last year when I wasn't putting this much effort into my hair. Even with the scaled down regimen, where I'm only using one product line (AVEDA) and leaving my hair alone by wearing protective styles 5 days a week, my hair is no more healthier or longer than it was last Christmas.
So the question is: is all this work I'm doing to get my hair healthy and long worth it? Sure, there have been some very helpful tips like stretching relaxers, staying away from heat, and wearing protective styles, drinking water and taking a good multi. But I am getting very discouraged because I do not see how incorporating all these hair tips is really helping my hair any more than it did last year when I was already APL.
I guess I'm discouraged and frustrated. I wonder if doing all this hair stuff is for naught.
Anybody else feel me?
I didn't even realize how long my hair was, much less how healthy it looked. I sat and stared at the pic for about 10 minutes. I was under the dryer after just having washed, deep conditioned for 30 minutes using my heating cap, and rollerset my hair.I began to wonder: am I doing all this work to my hair for nothing? My hair was already long and healthy this time last year. I used heat. I wore my hair down probably 90% of the time. Last year when I had long and healthy hair, I did not deep condition very often, did not take supplements/vitamins for my hair, did not use or know anything about Dominican products, and did not wear protective styles. And yet, I'm doing all these things right now, and again, my hair is limp, lifeless, and actually looks shorter rather than longer and has less body and life than it did last year when I wasn't putting this much effort into my hair. Even with the scaled down regimen, where I'm only using one product line (AVEDA) and leaving my hair alone by wearing protective styles 5 days a week, my hair is no more healthier or longer than it was last Christmas.
So the question is: is all this work I'm doing to get my hair healthy and long worth it? Sure, there have been some very helpful tips like stretching relaxers, staying away from heat, and wearing protective styles, drinking water and taking a good multi. But I am getting very discouraged because I do not see how incorporating all these hair tips is really helping my hair any more than it did last year when I was already APL.
I guess I'm discouraged and frustrated. I wonder if doing all this hair stuff is for naught.
Anybody else feel me?
I know what works now and I am sticking to it.
I think when we get caught up in re-vamping our routines, we lose sight of the importance of keeping it simple, basic, and easy wherever possible and start adding in products and steps that complicate the process more than help...We may not have been treating our hair so good before we've all started on our own separate journeys but at least we kept it simple because WE DIDN'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY! 
just so frustated... I understand big time. 
Oh. Thanks! 
maybe you are doing too much. My hair doesn't like being bunned all week. I've tried it a few times and I got nothing but breakage for my trouble. I think it's worth it to spend the time and effort, but ONLY if you're getting the results you want. You might want to consider adding back a favorite no-no. 
