Grow It Long 2025 Challenge!

[faithVA]

@GettingKinky Glad you brought up your issue with the Spin Pin bc now I falling in love with bantu knots I'm switching from "wet bunning" to "wet bantu knots" with Bobby Pins

I like bantu knots. Look forward to doing some bantu knot outs in the future.

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

I think for me, mine are:

1. Drink a lot of water, I can average 2 litres on a bad day
2. Daily mulitvitamin
3. Definitely need to up my fitness, I have a bit of belly pudge that's developing

I don't want to change the rest of my regimen up too much. My hair definitely grows faster with washing more, but I don't want the daily manipulation as it causes me breakage

I missed this comment earlier

Glad your going to add some healthy tips for the challenge

Yes! Water seems to excelerate growth

Surprisingly for me co washing frequently prevents having to detangle. I don't know how long this will be since my hair is short

Washing/Co washing in sections also helps. You can wait to see how my hair does at 6 months. If it's thriving, maybe you'll want to join me in frequent co washes

 

[yaya24]

Happy Monday!

I'm getting my new set of cornrows tomorrow.

Today I'll protein treat (no heat 45/min- 1 hr), shampoo and DC (with steam).

Followed by rev-air and a quick blowdry with comb attachment.

I'll do large chunky flat twists to keep my hair stretched for tomorrow's morning appointment.

 

[snoop]

@GettingKinky Glad you brought up your issue with the Spin Pin bc now I falling in love with bantu knots I'm switching from "wet bunning" to "wet bantu knots" with Bobby Pins

I like bantu knoting with a spin pin, myself. I find that there is too much tension in a bobby pin and if you ever get one with damaged ends, they just rip through the hair. With the spin pin, I can make a loose bun and one pin and my whole bun stays. Maybe, two if I can't get things right. With bobby pins, I've got to use way too many since they can't hold enough hair.

I tried something like these a LONG time ago:



I only just threw them away because the ends were too pointy. I got them, initially, because I'm not convinced that bobby pins are the best option for regular use.

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

I like bantu knoting with a spin pin, myself. I find that there is too much tension in a bobby pin and if you ever get one with damaged ends, they just rip through the hair. With the spin pin, I can make a loose bun and one pin and my whole bun stays. Maybe, two if I can't get things right. With bobby pins, I've got to use way too many since they can't hold enough hair.

I tried something like these a LONG time ago:

View attachment 501891

I only just threw them away because the ends were too pointy. I got them, initially, because I'm not convinced that bobby pins are the best option for regular use.

For me the Bobby Pins work perfect! I don't experience any tension. I was experiencing some tension with wet bunning, that's why I'm glad I made the switch

I like these Bobby Pins because the tips are very thick and glide effortlessly off and on the hair. I do make sure I open the pin when taking them off. When my hair gets longer, not sure if they'll be able to hold the hair anymore. For short hair they work great!

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

@snoop When are you starting biweekly post for the challenge?

 

[MzSwift]

I wish, length retention has been my biggest struggle, especially when try to break the SL/APL plateau

As someone who has had short (less than 4") of hair my whole life up to 30 years old, I feel your pain! I would try to grow my hair but ended up just cutting it and keeping it short bc I couldn't seem to get past NL.

Try hiding your hair when you reach SL (if you're not already). Commit to a HYH regi for 6 months or one year and see what happens. I believe that will help you get over your hump. Even without growth aids or regular DCing. No HIH at home. Ends fully protected. Strands not exposed to mechanical or environmental damage. For me, when I don't see my hair for a long time, it's easier to see the progress and be encouraged by it.

Once I came to the hair boards and saw ladies reaching crazy lengths with buns, wigs and weaves, I knew I had to try just putting my hair away. Once I had about 3" of hair, I started my own HYH regi. I alternated between extension twists or braids during the cold season and cornrows under pixie wigs / headwraps and minibraids (no extensions) during warmer months when I could water rinse my hair daily. My ultimate hair goal at the time was APL and I was hoping to reach that in two years. About a year after I started, I went to pull my hair down while refreshing my cornrows and saw that I was BSB! I had skipped APL!! Ever since then, I've hit WL 3 different times after backsliding. lol

 

[yaya24]

I'm not following directions on this Komaza Protein bottle Lolll, but I LOVE the way it melted into my hair.

My Komaza application today (1st time ever using it):
▪︎Sprits each section with water to lightly dampen
▪︎Add about a nickel sized amount in each section and worked it in
▪︎Detangle each section with a seamless comb
▪︎Twisted each section

Decided I'll just let this sit while I do some work from home, and let it absorb and dry into my hair strands for a few hours before shampooing.

My hair is still short (for now) but I totally 2nd what @MzSwift ♡♡ said- HYH (while caring for it) works every single time for me too!

Adding these pics below with the protein soaked in just to mark 3.10.25 length.

 

[snoop]

I guess these are my starting pictures.



I'm not sure how long my hair ha grown in the last month because I kept forgetting to take pictures of my roots when I first installed. I think that by the time I'm ready to take my hair down, my roots at the front of my hair should be as long as my thumb knuckle.

My hair is already looking not picture friendly, but 'tis the nature of the beast. In two weeks, I'll have had my twists in for 2 months. I'm not sure if I'm going to last until June with these twists, y'all.

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

@GettingKinky I bought another bottle of conditioner from Real Roots brand at Sprouts. I don't want to have to purchase hair products for awhile after this. Hopefully it lasts until the end of summer

I like this one because it has Rose Mary, Peppermint, Tee Tree, Aloe, and Jojoba

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

I guess these are my starting pictures.

View attachment 501911 View attachment 501913

I'm not sure how long my hair ha grown in the last month because I kept forgetting to take pictures of my roots when I first installed. I think that by the time I'm ready to take my hair down, my roots at the front of my hair should be as long as my thumb knuckle.

My hair is already looking not picture friendly, but 'tis the nature of the beast. In two weeks, I'll have had my twists in for 2 months. I'm not sure if I'm going to last until June with these twists, y'all.

@Snoop you had me worried for a sec, so glad to see your 75 day challenge start photos. Cheers to healthy growth

 

[snoop]

I'm due for a micro-trim on Thursday.

 

[snoop]

I realized that I forgot to take a picture of my crown. I blurred everything out because I really need to wash my hair. My scalp is uber dry and so I'll exfoliate tomorrow as well. Ugh. (I love you all, but not enough to show you my hair in detail like this. Hence the blurry photo.) I never got dry scalp when I moisturized regularly and this neglecting my hair is going great for my retention, but not so great for the moisture at my scalp. If I can't get my act together in two weeks, these twists will definitely come out.

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

I realized that I forgot to take a picture of my crown. I blurred everything out because I really need to wash my hair. My scalp is uber dry and so I'll exfoliate tomorrow as well. Ugh. (I love you all, but not enough to show you my hair in detail like this. Hence the blurry photo.) I never got dry scalp when I moisturized regularly and this neglecting my hair is going great for my retention, but not so great for the moisture at my scalp. If I can't get my act together in two weeks, these twists will definitely come out.


View attachment 501921

You don't have to explain yourself to us! Show what you want, no explanation needed. Glad you're participating

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

I realized that I forgot to take a picture of my crown. I blurred everything out because I really need to wash my hair. My scalp is uber dry and so I'll exfoliate tomorrow as well. Ugh. (I love you all, but not enough to show you my hair in detail like this. Hence the blurry photo.) I never got dry scalp when I moisturized regularly and this neglecting my hair is going great for my retention, but not so great for the moisture at my scalp. If I can't get my act together in two weeks, these twists will definitely come out.


View attachment 501921

Do you ever use Aloe Spray (Aloe Vera Juice)? That may help keep your hair and scalp moisturized

 

[VarieYvette]

Nice that you're a fast grower What do you think is causing your issues with retention?

Retention for me has been a problem because of:

1. Heat. My hair gets easily damaged by heat. So much that my hair length remained stagnant in 2024 because I got my hair blowdried monthly to get knotless braids
2. Protective styles like knotless braids make me neglect my hair, so it gets weak
3. Hard water. We have hard water, but recently installed a water softening system so hopefully this helps
4. Laziness. I get so lazy I neglect my hair
5. Letting my hair shrink. This causes knots that are a nightmare to detangle, and I get impatient

But since @Chicoro put me onto shea butter, the knotting is minimal, and only happens when I do not use a butter. This time around, I should get a good amount of retention

 

[snoop]

Do you ever use Aloe Spray (Aloe Vera Juice)? That may help keep your hair and scalp moisturized

Generally speaking, I avoid aloe in my products. It makes my hair feel hard. I do, however use fresh aloe in my masks since it doesn't harden my strands and has a lot of beneficial properties.

If I actually moisturize my hair like I'm supposed to, then my scalp is fine. I can actually moisturize my hair once per week if I wash it on time (every 7 days). It's just my scalp that doesn't like it. I think massaging during this time makes it worse (i.e. flaky). It doesn't get itchy either.

 

[yaya24]

Aloe vera acts like a protein in my hair too (makes it stiff).

I love reading about how things work really well for some and others not so much.

 

[yaya24]

The Komaza protein sat in my hair pretty much all day and overnight. My hair did not suffer .. lol

I shampooed it out after my morning walk, and now I'm sitting under my steamer with this NaturelleGrow protein-free conditioner.

It's so nice. I was impressed as soon as I put tje NG on my hair.

 

[snoop]

The Komaza protein sat in my hair pretty much all day and overnight. My hair did not suffer .. lol

I shampooed it out after my morning walk, and now I'm sitting under my steamer with this NaturelleGrow protein-free conditioner.

It's so nice. I was impressed as soon as I put tje NG on my hair.

I loved that protein when I used to use it. Their shampoo and conditioner were also my favourite. After they stopped selling products for a few years, I decided never again to be dependant on a brand for my hair care and switched "fully" to DIY (the only commercial product in my line up is a scalp exfoliator.) Also, shipping to Canada was a lot, so I'm not sure that I could have sustained it. I might splurge and buy some stuff from them in the future.

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

Retention for me has been a problem because of:

1. Heat. My hair gets easily damaged by heat. So much that my hair length remained stagnant in 2024 because I got my hair blowdried monthly to get knotless braids
2. Protective styles like knotless braids make me neglect my hair, so it gets weak
3. Hard water. We have hard water, but recently installed a water softening system so hopefully this helps
4. Laziness. I get so lazy I neglect my hair
5. Letting my hair shrink. This causes knots that are a nightmare to detangle, and I get impatient

But since @Chicoro put me onto shea butter, the knotting is minimal, and only happens when I do not use a butter. This time around, I should get a good amount of retention

1. Heat. My hair gets easily damaged by heat. So much that my hair length remained stagnant in 2024 because I got my hair blowdried monthly to get knotless braids
Sorry to hear that, since I love Knotless Braids too!
Was it the heat or the manipulation (combing through the hair) of blow drying? Did the stylist blow dry or did you blow dry yourself? Traditional blow drying with a comb attachment or paddle brush really depends on technique (detangling, leave ins, handling of combs/paddle brush, etc) to prevent damage to your ends
2. Protective styles like knotless braids make me neglect my hair, so it gets weak
Maybe reserve Knotless Braids for Holidays and wear them for 3 to 4 weeks Max
3. Hard water. We have hard water, but recently installed a water softening system so hopefully this helps
Malibu C has the best shampoo for removing hardwater. Makes your hair feel so soft! They are on the pricey side, but its worth it! Here's the link to their shampoo I have used (https://malibuc.com/products/hard-water-wellness-shampoo?variant=31714228731967)
4. Laziness. I get so lazy I neglect my hair
Lets stay connected to stay motivated to reach our goals
5. Letting my hair shrink. This causes knots that are a nightmare to detangle, and I get impatient. But since @Chicoro put me onto shea butter, the knotting is minimal, and only happens when I do not use a butter
Interesting about the butter, glad it's working for you! I don't use butter, how are you using it?
Other people I've heard that had issues with knots, their solution was keeping their hair "stretched". You can braid/twist your hair after washing and let it air dry stretched or you can use whatever preferred method to "stretch" your hair to reduce knots. I think I saw earlier that you are "threading" your hair which is better than braiding/twists for stretching the hair. Do you have issues even when you "thread" your hair? I might have "thread" wrong but that's all I can think to call it right now

 

[yaya24]

I loved that protein when I used to use it. Their shampoo and conditioner were also my favourite. After they stopped selling products for a few years, I decided never again to be dependant on a brand for my hair care and switched "fully" to DIY (the only commercial product in my line up is a scalp exfoliator.) Also, shipping to Canada was a lot, so I'm not sure that I could have sustained it. I might splurge and buy some stuff from them in the future.

I was so impressed with the Komaza protein & I just went to their site to order another bottle and they are out of stock on almost everything...if not everything. No Bueno.

What is your DIY protein mix?

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

Generally speaking, I avoid aloe in my products. It makes my hair feel hard. I do, however use fresh aloe in my masks since it doesn't harden my strands and has a lot of beneficial properties.

If I actually moisturize my hair like I'm supposed to, then my scalp is fine. I can actually moisturize my hair once per week if I wash it on time (every 7 days). It's just my scalp that doesn't like it. I think massaging during this time makes it worse (i.e. flaky). It doesn't get itchy either.

Interesting! My hair absolutely loves aloe!

This really shows that everyone's hair is different and you have to try things for yourself to know what will and will not work

Have you tried using Sheabutter or a Sheabutter mix. I don't use it outside of a DC, @VarieYvette recently mentioned her hair is now thriving once she started using it

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

Generally speaking, I avoid aloe in my products. It makes my hair feel hard. I do, however use fresh aloe in my masks since it doesn't harden my strands and has a lot of beneficial properties.

If I actually moisturize my hair like I'm supposed to, then my scalp is fine. I can actually moisturize my hair once per week if I wash it on time (every 7 days). It's just my scalp that doesn't like it. I think massaging during this time makes it worse (i.e. flaky). It doesn't get itchy either.

I just saw that you use "fresh aloe"

Maybe you should experiment again to see if it is the quality of aloe or what it's mixed with? Coconut oil is used in combination with aloe in many products

The only aloe I used is Organic +99% fresh pressed aloe that keeps some of the enzyme activity

 

[GGsKin]

I loved that protein when I used to use it. Their shampoo and conditioner were also my favourite. After they stopped selling products for a few years, I decided never again to be dependant on a brand for my hair care and switched "fully" to DIY (the only commercial product in my line up is a scalp exfoliator.) Also, shipping to Canada was a lot, so I'm not sure that I could have sustained it. I might splurge and buy some stuff from them in the future.

A third for aloe- especially the bitter juice- making my hair feel hard. I can use fresh aloe to DC fine, but I haven’t created a DIY hair product for ages. I was also a fan of NG, before hiatus. A lot of my faves stopped shipping to the UK a few years ago- NG, Annabelle’s Perfect Blends (APB), She Scent It, so I had to make do with what was readily available.

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

I was so impressed with the Komaza protein & I just went to their site to order another bottle and they are out of stock on almost everything...if not everything. No Bueno.

What is your DIY protein mix?

EASIEST
Avocado Mayo
Greek Yogurt (Optional)
Honey (Optional 1TSP - 1TBSP)

FAVS
Henna (every 4 to 6 weeks) - Do 2 Step or 1 Step Indigo if you don't like red toned hair. 2 Step Indigo will make your hair the darkest
Cassia + Growth Herbs (As often as needed)

 

[yaya24]

@GGsKin
NG does it too (takes breaks from selling product)??

Awwe no.

Here I am. I decided 2025 and beyond to only use a simplified list of product and try to only stick to small Black owned women businesses.

Another 1st time rave from today- Amika Wizard detangler/ heat protector

 

[yaya24]

EASIEST
Avocado Mayo
Greek Yogurt (Optional)
Honey (Optional 1TSP - 1TBSP)

FAVS
Henna (every 4 to 6 weeks) - Do 2 Step or 1 Step Indigo if you don't like red toned hair. 2 Step Indigo will make your hair the darkest
Cassia + Growth Herbs (As often as needed)

Avocado mayo and honey sound good.
Thank you!!

I'm never dealing with Indian powders again.I used to be all into it.. not at this stage. I've decided no messy powders/ clays.

 

[snoop]

I was so impressed with the Komaza protein & I just went to their site to order another bottle and they are out of stock on almost everything...if not everything. No Bueno.

What is your DIY protein mix?

So, right now -- and I'm not sure if I'm doing it right or if I'm just wasting products -- I just add hydrolyzed proteins straight into my ayurvedic clay masks. Depending on what I feel inspired to use, I'll add a combination or none of the following:

- hydrolyzed jojoba, quinoa, lupine, rice, baobab or bamboo liquid extract.

In terms of what will make the cut each time

- amino acids (methionine, cystine, cysteine), hydrolyzed keratin, silk amino acid (SAA)

Sometimes, I will add a tsp of ACV to the mix, because I read somewhere that proteins should be in an acidic base, but I also use goat's milk powder which seems to drop the pH of the clay. It might be a redundant step.


@yaya24 ETA I would just add the above to a store bought conditioner. I don't know if you recognize any of those hydrolyzed proteins, but I snatched them from the Komaza ingredient list.

 

[25InchesStarting'25]

Avocado mayo and honey sound good.
Thank you!!

I'm never dealing with Indian powders again.I used to be all into it.. not at this stage. I've decided no messy powders/ clays.

My pleasure!

I totally understand hating the mess with powders

I have developed a science to keeping my space and hands clean bc of my love for the healthy results. If you ever revisit them in the future you can ask questions