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Hip Tbl & Beyond Challenge 2018

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Hey ladies,

Another quick check in. I ended up doing a “soft” press yesterday using low heat just in hopes of making my hair manageable for at least the next 3 weeks hopefully. Looks like a blow out since it’s still humid and my hair began to revert quite a bit.

I did dust my ends a bit. It wasn’t too bad since I did cut last month. Hope everyone is doing well.
C69703B0-6393-47E5-9CF8-EFC9B8CA6997.jpeg
 
So I found a new way to detangle wonderfully. My wash days are every Sunday and it use to be my same ol plaited bun for a week during work and then take it down Sunday again. If my scalp starts killing me in the middle of the week then I MUST cowash. Then I realized I needed to start detangling twice in the week because Sundays started to become messy. Hair everywhere, detangling became a headache and I started losing more hair than I think I should have been. Well, last week I screwed up; didn’t detangle in the middle of the week like I was supposed too. I Mentally prepared myself for a headache this past Sunday. However, I decided to try something different, I pulled out a travel sized bottle I had from July of Tresseme Moisture Rich Conditioner, sectioned my hair, spritzed with water then applied the conditoner. Oh my goodness, my hair detangled so easyyyyy. I lost WAY less hair than usual. I havent used Tressemme in YEARS. I only had that bottle because I saw it in the middle section of Walmart for a dollar and I knew I was traveling and couldnt take my actual products so I bought it as a “just in case.” Looks like Ive got use for it again :)
 
Hip Length finally lol. I decided to do a length check tonight because I was detangling tonight and when I wanted to stretch my arms without completely letting go of my hair I realized my hair was longer than the span of my arm going up, but it wasn’t JUST longer, it was some serious inches longer. I was stretching my arm and really couldnt get my arm to the end lol. Called bae in the room like “can you come take me a length pic” lol.
The pic on the left is the same one I had uploaded in February. The right pic is tonight.

FCB0222F-F32E-4961-9995-23BEC3611CBD.jpeg
 
NaturalShe94 said:
Hip Length finally lol. I decided to do a length check tonight because I was detangling tonight and when I wanted to stretch my arms without completely letting go of my hair I realized my hair was longer than the span of my arm going up, but it wasn’t JUST longer, it was some serious inches longer. I was stretching my arm and really couldnt get my arm to the end lol. Called bae in the room like “can you come take me a length pic” lol.
The pic on the left is the same one I had uploaded in February. The right pic is tonight.

View attachment 436457
Click to expand...

@NaturalShe94 beautiful hair sis! Are you sure that isn't TBL?
 
NaturalShe94 said:
Tail wahhh? :cantlook:
Isn't TBL like right before the booty? Like right there at the very top of..................... the crack? (I'm so sorry, I tried to find the very best way to describe it and couldn't think of a better word)
Click to expand...

Technically it’s a few inches below the beginning of the butt crack. BCL would be butt crack length. For tailbone it’s where the coccyx/whatever you call that thing begins. I just refer to it as the halfway mark betweenness BCL and Classic.

But tbh it looks like you’re way past Hip and more or less at BCL already.
 
PlanetCybertron said:
Technically it’s a few inches below the beginning of the butt crack. BCL would be butt crack length. For tailbone it’s where the coccyx/whatever you call that thing begins. I just refer to it as the halfway mark betweenness BCL and Classic.

But tbh it looks like you’re way past Hip and more or less at BCL already.
Click to expand...

Its about an inch and a half or a little less from my BC. So full HL, grazing BCL?
 
NaturalShe94 said:
Hip Length finally lol. I decided to do a length check tonight because I was detangling tonight and when I wanted to stretch my arms without completely letting go of my hair I realized my hair was longer than the span of my arm going up, but it wasn’t JUST longer, it was some serious inches longer. I was stretching my arm and really couldnt get my arm to the end lol. Called bae in the room like “can you come take me a length pic” lol.
The pic on the left is the same one I had uploaded in February. The right pic is tonight.

View attachment 436457
Click to expand...
What is your hair routine?

I ask because your hair looks great! And while my hair is closing in on that same length, it’s still dry and undefined most days. Your hair looks so hydrated.
 
CurlyWhoCrux said:
What is your hair routine?

I ask because your hair looks great! And while my hair is closing in on that same length, it’s still dry and undefined most days. Your hair looks so hydrated.
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It's a little damp in that pic, but for the most part it does stay hydrated. Your sig says you have Low Po hair. Me too, well kinda. Regardless, I follow a Low Po regimen most of the time.

Sundays: Sulfate Free Wash, Deep Condition under hooded dyer, section hair and moisturize with a leave in, seal with an oil. Brush it all back, plait it, bun it.

Wed: Take my hair down, spritz with water and moisturizer or detangler, detangle, plait back, bun it.

Sat: Do the same thing I did Wednesday but instead of using a moisturizer or detangler, I'll do an oil rinse.

Not every Sunday I deep condition. Most Sundays, I only shampoo and condition. I used to deep condition every Sunday, that was when my hair was dry and undefined like you mentioned yours is. I also shampoo with a sulfate shampoo or clarifying shampoo twice a month. That sulfate free stuff is nice and all until my conditioner stops working. I need CLEAN hair in order for my hair to take in moisture.
I also alternate between moisture rich and protein rich products. Bunning after moisturizing has helped my hair hold moisture tremendously. If my hair doesn't need to be out, I don't wear it out.
 
NaturalShe94 said:
It's a little damp in that pic, but for the most part it does stay hydrated. Your sig says you have Low Po hair. Me too, well kinda. Regardless, I follow a Low Po regimen most of the time.

Sundays: Sulfate Free Wash, Deep Condition under hooded dyer, section hair and moisturize with a leave in, seal with an oil. Brush it all back, plait it, bun it.

Wed: Take my hair down, spritz with water and moisturizer or detangler, detangle, plait back, bun it.

Sat: Do the same thing I did Wednesday but instead of using a moisturizer or detangler, I'll do an oil rinse.

Not every Sunday I deep condition. Most Sundays, I only shampoo and condition. I used to deep condition every Sunday, that was when my hair was dry and undefined like you mentioned yours is. I also shampoo with a sulfate shampoo or clarifying shampoo twice a month. That sulfate free stuff is nice and all until my conditioner stops working. I need CLEAN hair in order for my hair to take in moisture.
I also alternate between moisture rich and protein rich products. Bunning after moisturizing has helped my hair hold moisture tremendously. If my hair doesn't need to be out, I don't wear it out.
Click to expand...


Thanks for replying.

I bun all the time too which is how I think I’ve been able to grow my hair to where it is despite the fact that it’s so dry.

My hair really does better with shampooing. When I shampoo, my hair clumps and I can do a good deal of finger detangling also. When I rinse it out my hair doesn’t feel bad. But by the time I start adding conditioner it just starts to poof up even in the shower. Adding more conditioner seems to only help so much since it just becomes a thing of only so much absorbing but still the definition isn’t there as much as when it was shampooed.

Idk. This week I’m gonna try adding styling products to my hair while in the shower to see if that does anything. Sorry for the tangent.
 
CurlyWhoCrux said:
Thanks for replying.

I bun all the time too which is how I think I’ve been able to grow my hair to where it is despite the fact that it’s so dry.

My hair really does better with shampooing. When I shampoo, my hair clumps and I can do a good deal of finger detangling also. When I rinse it out my hair doesn’t feel bad. But by the time I start adding conditioner it just starts to poof up even in the shower. Adding more conditioner seems to only help so much since it just becomes a thing of only so much absorbing but still the definition isn’t there as much as when it was shampooed.

Idk. This week I’m gonna try adding styling products to my hair while in the shower to see if that does anything. Sorry for the tangent.
Click to expand...

Usually frizz-prone hair, like mine, needs ultra moisturizing. Use really heavy butters and crème for styling and super thick conditioners after shampooing.
After shampooing, my hair is usually defined and super duper silky. But if I were to ever let it dry that way, it would be so fragile. Deep condition under heat weekly or bi-weekly. To be honest that was a true game changer for me as far as moisture goes. Ever since DCing under heat became a routine, my hair pretty much holds moisture like never before.
 
So after an unwanted trim, some months back, I’m back to 85cm, which is 33.4, nearly 33.5 inches.

For whatever reason my hair doesn’t seem to be getting longer, although if I had to take an educated guess, I’m probably doing that “watching paint dry” thing, and it probably is getting longer since my last length photo looked like it was progressing, and have decided to revise my regimen a bit in order to a) further keep my hands and utensils away from my hair, b) distract myself, and c) Protect my hair even more since I’ve been sleeping without any type of bonnet on for about 3 weeks now, and my satin pillow case is worn out and causing snagging. Pretty sure it’s all the above mentioned issues.

Today was wash day, and one particular part of my towards my ear on the right side, I separated 4 different areas that had SSKs. 4. Ffffffffffffffour. I got it down to two lone hair that refused to come out, so I cut them. I really didn’t want to deal with that any longer. I had been sitting there for at least 40 mins.

So I think I’ll have more luck with this regimen:

1. Full wash day on whatever day I choose. Detangle in shower with wide tooth comb
2. Air dry
3. Three plaits to keep hair neat and together
4. Stretch washing to once a week


I’ve managed to fix my scalp issue, with the help of just asking a dermatologist. Something I should’ve womaned up and done months ago. Shampoo for sensitive scalp. Problem solved. So the stretching washes shouldn’t be a problem. I think I’m causing very slow amounts of breakage at a rate that’s very close to my growth rate, but not enough to overshadow my growth rate, and I’m more or less just stagnating.

So while this isn’t really a challenge considering I’ve always just had my hair in a bun for years, I think I’m going to back to keeping my hair completely protected with a satin wrap cap, and going back to my beanies/snoods. I remember seeing my best years worth of retention doing that.
 
Added Shea Butter to my weekly regimen. I use it from time to time but not routinely. However, I’ve started to add it to my wash day routine after applying moisturizer for the sake of my ends and retaining them. Also to keep my curls clumped together. This journey to TBL will require some serious length retention at this point being that the temperature has seriously dropped in my area now.
 
So last week I celebrated 7 years natural! :drunk:

So, feeling all good about things, I decided to do an official length check and I realized that I've experienced my first setback and it's big! So not only did I not gain any length over the year, but I've also lost an inch!!! I've been feeling butt hurt since yesterday. It makes sense now, why whenever I'd do an impromtu check it didn't feel like I was gaining anything -- but it's so hard to tell when you only grow 4 inches per year.

I'd been slacking on taking care of my hair -- not moisturizing daily because my hair holds so much moisture better; wearing my twists down and on my shoulder; stretching out wash days. Man. You live an you learn.

I'm even more sad because this year's growth would have taken me really close to TBL (I for whatever reason thought that it would take me another 3 years from waist length.)

So, time to re-focused and grow, grow, grow!
 
snoop said:
So last week I celebrated 7 years natural! :drunk:

So, feeling all good about things, I decided to do an official length check and I realized that I've experienced my first setback and it's big! So not only did I not gain any length over the year, but I've also lost an inch!!! I've been feeling butt hurt since yesterday. It makes sense now, why whenever I'd do an impromtu check it didn't feel like I was gaining anything -- but it's so hard to tell when you only grow 4 inches per year.

I'd been slacking on taking care of my hair -- not moisturizing daily because my hair holds so much moisture better; wearing my twists down and on my shoulder; stretching out wash days. Man. You live an you learn.

I'm even more sad because this year's growth would have taken me really close to TBL (I for whatever reason thought that it would take me another 3 years from waist length.)

So, time to re-focused and grow, grow, grow!
Click to expand...

I've been in your shoes a few times! I slacked so bad, I had to chop it right back off last year in the middle of my journey!
Time to get on track again lol :orders: You've got this!
 
Attacked breakage once and for all with my absolute last secret weapon.... Aphogee 2-step. I didnt wanna go in with such a hard protein treatment being that my hair is mostly bunned like all day/everyday so I didnt think I would need it. But, I def went for it this past Sunday and put breakage to an end! I did, however have to load layers and layers AND LAYERS of conditioner after I washed out the 2-step because my hair was eating up the conditioner so fast. Like ma was THIRSTY lol.... But after that, hadn’t seen any breakage whatsoever :toocool:
 
MzSwift said:
@snoop

:bighug:

You can do it!!
I've definitely been there before and it is really discouraging. Especially when we know better. :(
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Chicoro said:
@snoop one more year to tailbone length is still a better deal than 3 more years to tailbone length!
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NaturalShe94 said:
I've been in your shoes a few times! I slacked so bad, I had to chop it right back off last year in the middle of my journey!
Time to get on track again lol :orders: You've got this!
Click to expand...

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! It means a lot!!! :grouphug:


I'll just drop my progress picture here...
 

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NaturalShe94 said:
Attacked breakage once and for all with my absolute last secret weapon.... Aphogee 2-step.
Click to expand...

I’m gonna have to get back on that. The breakage I’ve been seeing hasn’t been eating up my length but I have SO many flyaways around my canopy, where it’s been showing itself.

**********************
On a different note for my post, For Winter, and however long I feel after that, I’ve gone back to complete coverage.

Like so:
via Imgflip Meme Generator

My scarf lays flat enough to where my work hat covers it. That’s all I care about lol. I’ve gone back to my Bantu knots for about the last 3 weeks, so I’ll keep doing them through the end of this year.

I’ve also been venturing into Flaxseed gel territory. I really like it, and it’s been a while since I made any. Goes well with the Ceramide treatment I have so I’ve been mixing them together and applying it on dry or damp hair and leaving it alone for a week, and then washing and repeating. So far I’m content.

Measured one last time before I completely forget about my hair for the winter, and I’m at 33.5 inches so almost back to where I was.

Other than that, I’ve just been focusing on my acne lately. The stress at work from dealing with these irritating people has broken my face out even more. Gosh people are irritating lol
 
Preparing myself to lose some inches this weekend. I decided to trim myself last night while my hair was curly. I usually do a pretty good job, but I just kept seeing split ends and I kept trimming and I think I trimmed like a half an inch on one side and a quarter of an inch on the other, then I just kept trimming everywhere. I eventually got fed up and just brushed all my hair in a bun. Going to the salon this weekend for wash n set, blow out and a trim. Preparing not to be heart broken if I end up back at WL.
 
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