Luscious Healthy Ends Challenge 2022

i took all my braids out tonight... i twisted each section ...ETA:.. with coconut oil. Then, I put on cholesterol since my hair loves that stuff and I rinsed it all out. I'm not going to shampoo right now. I already shampooed my scalp a couple of days ago. I put on shea butter and oiled my scalp. I put my twists in bantu knots.
 
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@Chicoro you've went through a lot and survived! You inspire me to keep going even if the world throws stuff at you. Congrats on your citizenship!

Baggying only at night has helped me on wash days. My ends are slick and smooth due to the butter I'm using to seal my ends so they don't tangle up at all. I'm all about the phony pony life these days. I might wear a headband wig for special occasions and flat iron only once more time this year in December. Even when I straighten in December I will wear my ponytails, just the straight ones lol
 
Chicoro said:
AHA!!!!!!!!!

Alright ya'll. I think I figured out my issue with my hair breakage and loss of length and thickness.

The major culprit: Stress and lack of self care due to physical exhaustion mostly, and from some positive excitement, too.


  • I fasted, as in zero food and water, for three days, every other day, every week from February to June. (Had to stop doing this.)
  • I worked from March to July, six (6) days per week, Monday through Saturday. That's five (5) months of only 1 day of rest per week.. A co-worker had an emergency and was hospitalized for about 4 weeks. So, I took over some of that person's work. But still...too much.
  • My commute was 2 hours per day, every day, six (6) days per week.
  • In March, I started my apartment search after living in 'student residence' for the last ten (10) years. Money and paper work needed.
  • In early April, there was an issue with my administrative processes in France. I had to scramble to get documents, including an affidavit copy and translate documents into French. I remember reaching out to my favorite translator by email, as usual, and receiving back an AUTOMATED email from her family to all her clients indicating that she had passed away. That really, really bothered me.
  • In late April, a new company recruited me and I went back and forth with them until end of May to early June negotiating and finalizing the position.
  • In mid May, I moved to a new apartment. More money and paperwork and turning off and on services.
  • In mid June, I received the news that I became a French citizen. More money and paperwork for the final steps (passport and ID card)
  • From mid July to mid August I travelled for thirty (30) days straight for the first time ever (positive excitement but still stress) in Sicily, and I did not have my usual hair tools or products. I rinsed my hair during this time but I did not wash and condition it.
  • I have no family in France. Thus, I was managing on my own and with lots of prayer.

So, I can't fault my hair. I did the best that I could during this period of time for the health of my hair and my 'luscious ends'. I am learning to give myself grace. Thus, I grant myself grace.

As I put this in writing, this is absolutely ridiculous in terms of the amount of stress and duress under which I was under. The current state of my hair is a reflection of all this. I had to just push through, though. Thank God I had seven (7) weeks off, before starting my new position in September. That was a tremendous blessing.

The next time you are considering berating yourself for some transgression or for something you may deem a failure, please take a good hard look at what you have been doing for yourself and for others. Appreciate yourself and GET SOME REST.

I've got four (4) months left in the year of 2022. I think that's enough to get my hair back on track and have my hair flourishing and getting me some luscious, healthy ends again by the last week of December 2022.
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Wow! That is a lot. I'm not going to try to comment on all of that because its so much :lol:

Congratulations on becoming a citizen. Cogratulations on your new job. Congratulations on your new apartment. Congratulations on moving to the next phase of life where you have prioritized self-care. Sounds like a wonderful way to end the year.
 
Napp said:
@Chicoro you've went through a lot and survived! You inspire me to keep going even if the world throws stuff at you. Congrats on your citizenship!

Baggying only at night has helped me on wash days. My ends are slick and smooth due to the butter I'm using to seal my ends so they don't tangle up at all. I'm all about the phony pony life these days. I might wear a headband wig for special occasions and flat iron only once more time this year in December. Even when I straighten in December I will wear my ponytails, just the straight ones lol
Click to expand...
@Napp , thank you so much!

Regarding the world throwing stuff at you... in 2022, for me it felt like the world was an eight (8) arm octopus pitching baseballs and breaking speed records.

I would say, if you can, try to get to a point of inner peace. Keep your peace. Don't allow folks to steal your joy. It can be hard to get there and it can be hard to stay there. Like anything, it takes practice.

I'll share a story.


While I was in Sicily, I arrived in one of the last cities prior to flying out. I had 10 days here so I could decompress and relax prior to going back to France. The very first day I got there, this old man blew his horn, pulled up on the curb, rolled down his window and winked at me and WAITED for me to approach the car. If that AIN'T TRYING to SOLICIT somebody, I don't know what is. It happened three more times with other people. I saw that first fool again 6 days later, the following Thursday. He did it again. This was all during the day and I was covered from head to toe with only my face, neck, hands and the instep of my feet showing!

At first, I let this bother me. I was like, "Do these men think I am a prostitute [and because I'm black]?"

I made a decision that I was NOT going to let these people steal my joy and my peace. During that ten days, one of those days was the BEST day I had during my entire trip, during an excursion to an island.

People will try to steal your peace and joy because so often they are unhappy and miserable. But you can't let them do it. I'm just now learning this myself.


*Keep us updated on how your new technique and tweak in process works for you!!!! The one for your hair and the one for maintaining inner peace and joy!
 
faithVA said:
Wow! That is a lot. I'm not going to try to comment on all of that because its so much :lol:

Congratulations on becoming a citizen. Cogratulations on your new job. Congratulations on your new apartment. Congratulations on moving to the next phase of life where you have prioritized self-care. Sounds like a wonderful way to end the year.
Click to expand...

@faithVA thank you for commenting on it all! I appreciate you and your support and encouragement.
 
Chicoro said:
AHA!!!!!!!!!

Alright ya'll. I think I figured out my issue with my hair breakage and loss of length and thickness.

The major culprit: Stress and lack of self care due to physical exhaustion mostly, and from some positive excitement, too.


  • I fasted, as in zero food and water, for three days, every other day, every week from February to June. (Had to stop doing this.)
  • I worked from March to July, six (6) days per week, Monday through Saturday. That's five (5) months of only 1 day of rest per week.. A co-worker had an emergency and was hospitalized for about 4 weeks. So, I took over some of that person's work. But still...too much.
  • My commute was 2 hours per day, every day, six (6) days per week.
  • In March, I started my apartment search after living in 'student residence' for the last ten (10) years. Money and paper work needed.
  • In early April, there was an issue with my administrative processes in France. I had to scramble to get documents, including an affidavit copy and translate documents into French. I remember reaching out to my favorite translator by email, as usual, and receiving back an AUTOMATED email from her family to all her clients indicating that she had passed away. That really, really bothered me.
  • In late April, a new company recruited me and I went back and forth with them until end of May to early June negotiating and finalizing the position.
  • In mid May, I moved to a new apartment. More money and paperwork and turning off and on services.
  • In mid June, I received the news that I became a French citizen. More money and paperwork for the final steps (passport and ID card)
  • From mid July to mid August I travelled for thirty (30) days straight for the first time ever (positive excitement but still stress) in Sicily, and I did not have my usual hair tools or products. I rinsed my hair during this time but I did not wash and condition it.
  • I have no family in France. Thus, I was managing on my own and with lots of prayer.

So, I can't fault my hair. I did the best that I could during this period of time for the health of my hair and my 'luscious ends'. I am learning to give myself grace. Thus, I grant myself grace.

As I put this in writing, this is absolutely ridiculous in terms of the amount of stress and duress under which I was under. The current state of my hair is a reflection of all this. I had to just push through, though. Thank God I had seven (7) weeks off, before starting my new position in September. That was a tremendous blessing.

The next time you are considering berating yourself for some transgression or for something you may deem a failure, please take a good hard look at what you have been doing for yourself and for others. Appreciate yourself and GET SOME REST.

I've got four (4) months left in the year of 2022. I think that's enough to get my hair back on track and have my hair flourishing and getting me some luscious, healthy ends again by the last week of December 2022.
Click to expand...
You truly are a marvel my love. That ending hit me like a hot comb to the ear. I pray nothing but rest and joy for you.
 
I dusted my ends today. I decided to try a different method of dusting my ends. I washed my hair today and after rinsing it, I dusted my ends coil-by-coil. I think that I took off a lot less doing it this way, but I don't think that I needed to take a lot off, anyway. If my ends stay smooth until my next trim at the end of the year, then I might start trimming my hair this way.
 
Figured I would share some hair photos since I am happy with my hair at the moment. I got a trim back in July that was absolutely worth it. My ends still look to be in good shape and curl up nicely. This wasn't the best braidout in the world, I had detangled and put my hair into 8 braids the day before. I'm just happy with how full it is starting to look.
 

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Meritamen said:
So happy to be back in pink knotless braids for the next few months! :gorgeous: Might try blonde or lilac next time. Braids have been my main protective style this year.
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Although you have lots of braids, the size and/or thickness is about that of a pencil. Which is a great size. Your natural hair is beautiful. It looks jet black and cottony and soft. Your hair ends are luscious.
 
Hair Shine Sept 9 2022.jpg
The shine on my braids is from my Shea butter mix. I never put gel on the length of my hair; only on the roots. Thus, this shine is not from a 'shine' product but from the Shea butter mix. My ends are nice and coated with the Shea butter.

I cleaned up my parts. It is getting colder and I want to go back to using heat with my deep conditioner. During the day, I pull my braids into one ponytail and tuck the ends away from the air.

We are in the homestretch of 2022. How are you coming along with your luscious ends?
 
Chicoro said:
View attachment 482831
The shine on my braids is from my Shea butter mix. I never put gel on the length of my hair; only on the roots. Thus, this shine is not from a 'shine' product but from the Shea butter mix. My ends are nice and coated with the Shea butter.

I cleaned up my parts. It is getting colder and I want to go back to using heat with my deep conditioner. During the day, I pull my braids into one ponytail and tuck the ends away from the air.

We are in the homestretch of 2022. How are you coming along with your luscious ends?
Click to expand...
Your hair is soo pretty!
 
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