Luscious Healthy Ends Challenge 2023

[GettingKinky]

Aftermath of Clarifying:

I completely removed any buildup I had on my hair and can clearly see my hair. My ends look GREAT! Normally, I have white lent trapped and wrapped around split ends on the ends of my hair, throughout my head. But that is not the case this time around. I have a few knots and splits but I had to seriously hunt and look for them. The one caveat is that my ends are not thick, full and even. I have lots of scraggly hairs at different lengths. Usually, I would have lots of scraggly hair full of splits, knots and lent. I have finally conquered this issue: I have a successfully, working solution for me ends.

Next step: Thickening up the ends of my hair.

Yay!!! Success.

 

[Chicoro]

Yay!!! Success.

Chile, yes! Raggedy ends have been the bane of my entire hair journey for most of my life.

 

[Lylddlebit]

You always have a great purview regarding issues with your hair and seem to be familiar with and prepared for issues that may arise. I feel like this issue is a surprise for me and just popped up. But that's okay! It's time to face it and address it. It's just part of realizing that the more you know, the more you realize what you don't know - in my particular case.

I think you are doing great! Whenever you introduce something new it can come with a new side effective. I think the clay washing and being able to go like a month with damp hair feeling great was a good experience. Now you can identify the tell tale signs before the matting starts and make that your wash point to prevent matting the next time. For example, if you know how many weeks were were able to go this time before you notice matting, maybe washing a few days before you noticed the matting will be good the next time or if you noticed your hair felt great while it was moist but the matting started as it dried maybe keep the areas that matt stretched, moist or lubricated...little stuff like that. I try to track how my hair felt before I noticed an undesirable effect and that really helps to interject prevention just before (not always but when it works it great) .

 

[Lylddlebit]

Aftermath of Clarifying:

I completely removed any buildup I had on my hair and can clearly see my hair. My ends look GREAT! Normally, I have white lent trapped and wrapped around split ends on the ends of my hair, throughout my head. But that is not the case this time around. I have a few knots and splits but I had to seriously hunt and look for them. The one caveat is that my ends are not thick, full and even. I have lots of scraggly hairs at different lengths. Usually, I would have lots of scraggly hair full of splits, knots and lent. I have finally conquered this issue: I have a successfully, working solution for me ends.

Next step: Thickening up the ends of my hair.

Thick ends are on the way!

 

[Chicoro]

Thick ends are on the way!

I lub you!

 

[Chicoro]

I think you are doing great! Whenever you introduce something new it can come with a new side effective. I think the clay washing and being able to go like a month with damp hair feeling great was a good experience. Now you can identify the tell tale signs before the matting starts and make that your wash point to prevent matting the next time. For example, if you know how many weeks were were able to go this time before you notice matting, maybe washing a few days before you noticed the matting will be good the next time or if you noticed your hair felt great while it was moist but the matting started as it dried maybe keep the areas that matt stretched, moist or lubricated...little stuff like that. I try to track how my hair felt before I noticed an undesirable effect and that really helps to interject prevention just before (not always but when it works it great) .

Great suggestions and insights and advice!!!!!

Girl, YES! I let my hair get dry.

Also I can’t keep a scarf on at night. I swear it’s as if attend a hard rock concert EVERY night, in my sleep, and be wildly bouncing my head to the beat.

So, I picked up some cheap black yarn. My hair loves to unravel. I JUST discovered that about my hair about three years ago. I’m going to try threading the back braids, lovingly with some yarn. I’m excited to try!

 

[snoop]

Great suggestions and insights and advice!!!!!

Girl, YES! I let my hair get dry.

Also I can’t keep a scarf on at night. I swear it’s as if attend a hard rock concert EVERY night, in my sleep, and be wildly bouncing my head to the beat.

So, I picked up some cheap black yarn. My hair loves to unravel. I JUST discovered that about my hair about three years ago. I’m going to try threading the back braids, lovingly with some yarn. I’m excited to try!

If you find yarn drying, you can use hair weaving thread. Just fold it over on itself multiple times before threading. The thickness will prevent it from cutting into your hair.


[Media]


This is another way to protect your ends while threading. You can skip to the 3:36 mark
[Media]

 

[Chicoro]

If you find yarn drying, you can use hair weaving thread. Just fold it over on itself multiple times before threading. The thickness will prevent it from cutting into your hair.


[Media]


This is another way to protect your ends while threading. You can skip to the 3:36 mark
[Media]

Look at these hidden gems!!! I’ll be checking these out. Thank you!!!

 

[Napp]

I feel like I’m crazy for not trimming for so long but I want to grow past my goal lengths then trim. I know it’s backwards but if I keep trimming I’ll never get past apl

 

[snoop]

I wouldn't call it crazy. Really long stretches between trims seem to work for some people. I hope that you get the results that you want.

 

[Chicoro]

Six Months Assessment of My Hair (Straightened Hair):
Hair pictured below is after trim. It is no longer straight because I put conditioner in it. I plan to treat it with a nice deep condition and protein tonight. None of my straight hair photos came out really good so I didn't post them.



Summary of Wall of Text:

• Ends Routine virtually eliminated splits and knots on my hair.
• Saddened by the loss of four (4) inches of length. Loss of length stopped when I started using clay in Jan/Feb 2023.
• Hair is broken all throughout my head.
• Ends are fuller and thicker and the quality of my hair strands is beautiful.
• Changing to clay in place of shampoo was a good decision, as it eliminated velcro ends.
• Need to add hard protein and deep conditioning with heat back into my routine.
• Need to straighten and trim at least 1x per year.
• Need to wash every 2 weeks instead of 1x per month.
• Feel like my hair constantly 'moves the goal post' because products and processes can suddenly stop working even though I am a natural. But, I do know the 'texture' of my hair changes on a pendulum every 7 years. It grows in a bit coarser then grows in less coarse and then goes back to coarse, during a seven (7) year cycle.
• My current length plateau is from waist length to hip length/behind length.

Details of Wall of Text:

The Bad Hair News:

• I have broken hair everywhere. I've got short sections around my hairline, fuzzy sections of broken hair in the crown and short broken hair in a spot around my nape.
• I have lost about 3 to 4 inches of length since 2020 which is due to it having been broken off. My hair is four (4) inches shorter.
• My hair seems to have not gained a whole bunch of length. It is about one (1) inch passed my waist. Waist length is NOT short. It is shorter than the length it was in 2020.

The Good Hair News:

• The ends of my hair had very few split ends, knots or white lent stuck in my hair. My hair ends process works!!!
• The longer parts of my hair had roughened ends. I trimmed about four (4) inches. The length I cut was scraggly because I could see that the length of my hair had been broken off as mentioned above.
• I had some super long pieces but the bulk of the hair was much shorter than the length of the four (4) inches I cut. Although those ends I cut FELT rough, they were neither split nor knotted.
• A toast to @Lylddlebit for her encouragement. My ends now are fuller and thicker at this length because of my trim.
• I looked at photos of my hair in 2020, which was the last time I straightened. Despite the tangles and setbacks I have had since 2020, my hair is fuller and thicker on the ends with this trim and the care I've been giving it in 2023.
• A toast to @snoop for providing an alternative to shampoo in her Super Clay Mix recipe she gave me. My hair is pillowy soft. The overall QUALITY of my hair is beautiful, despite the breakage. Although Shea Butter transforms and protects hair, commercial shampoo was degrading my hair strands and moving me two steps back.

Analysis of My Hair Situation:

• Changed from Shampoo to Clay (Will Continue This!): The needs of my hair change. For many years I used shampoo and my hair flourished, perhaps inspite of shampoo. The hair on my head right now cannot stand shampoo, even doctored and diluted shampoo with oil and water . Caveat, clarifying every 6 to 8 weeks with shampoo should work out okay for my hair. I believe I have lost length due to my ends having been velcro-ish, roughened and sticking together, in part because of its inability to support shampoo. I had to TEAR my hair apart to unbraid it due to how sticky the hair would get on the ends. Clay changed that. But, I did not change to clay until January/February 2023. I have stopped using Olaplex. I do not think Olaplex was the culprit, but I think started using it AFTER 2020. In 2020, my hair was the longest it had ever been.
• Stopped Hard Protein Treatments (Will Re-Start This!): I can't remember the last time I did an Aphogee 2 Step Treatment. These are necessary for my hair. I think I stopped because of the time it takes to clarify the hair prior to doing the treatment. Also, it is very difficult to find the Aphogee 2 Step Treatment in the beauty shops here in Lyon, France. I will be traveling to the States next week and hope to pick up about 6 bottles of Aphogee 2 Step. I used to do this every 6 to 8 weeks.
• Sealing Ends with Shea Butter and Vaseline and Baggying (Will Continue This!): This process was and is a RESOUNDING success! I literally could count the number of hairs with knots and split ends because I had so few of them.
• Straighten and Trim Hair Minimum 1x Per Year (Will Re-Start This!) : I have to 'check' on my ends at least 1x per year. That means heat straightening the hair and trimming and assessing my hair health. My natural hair hides a lot of problems that I can see clearly on my heat straightened hair. I hate straightening my hair because I CANNOT get my hair silky straight with a comb-less blowdryer and a flat iron. I can get it straight with a stove and a pressing comb but the stove I have shuts off my lights at my new apartment. When I tested the stove last month it worked fine in my new apartment, but when I attempted to use my stove and pressing combs this weekend, the lights went out again. I think I did not turn the stove heat all the way up when I tested it. I have zero skills with the flat iron because of lack of practice, lack of knowing how to use the particular tools I have and because of lack of knowing how to the use the tools on my particular type of hair.
• Wash and Deep Condition Hair Every 2 Weeks Instead of 1x Per Month (Will Re-Start This): I like to deep condition with heat. But, high temperatures aggravate the melasma on my face. My melasma is somewhat under control but I will re-try introducing heat conditioning, in moderation, back into my routine for every wash.

 

[Chicoro]

I feel like I’m crazy for not trimming for so long but I want to grow past my goal lengths then trim. I know it’s backwards but if I keep trimming I’ll never get past apl

I would caution you regarding this. I think you will be okay, though.

I suggest 'checking in with your hair every 6 to 12 months' by straightening it to LOOK at the ends. If you determine they look okay, then no trim is needed. The difference is I didn't straighten my hair for three years. By the time I got around to 'checking in' on my ends, it was too late.

Checking and deciding to not trim is different than NEVER checking [over a 3 year period ]and not trimming. I trimmed my natural hair during this time period but the best way [for me] to check on my length retention is to heat straighten my hair.

My understanding is that you regularly straighten your hair. Thus, I think you hair could do well with a more infrequent, extended trim, schedule. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

 

[Chicoro]

If you find yarn drying, you can use hair weaving thread. Just fold it over on itself multiple times before threading. The thickness will prevent it from cutting into your hair.


[Media]


This is another way to protect your ends while threading. You can skip to the 3:36 mark
[Media]

I watched these, thank you! I am going to try with the yarn since I already bought it. I am encouraged by your second video, as it relates to dryness. That is because my braids are greased down with Shea butter and vaseline and I wrap the ends and protect them. Thus, if the yarn turns out to be drying, hopefully my processes I already have in place will counteract the dryness. If I start back washing every two weeks, the matting I had may stop and I may not need to employ the yarn to keep the braids separated and unmatted. The possible tweaks to hair routines are innumerable. I'm not stopping until I break through my length plateau.

I probably won't do this until August, which is when I return from the US.

 

[MzSwift]

@Chicoro because you have been so thorough with your hair analysis and making adjustments as needed, I am certain you will get past this plateau!!
I'm curious about the short hairs you have. IIRC, you don't use a brush when you put in your buns, right? I remember a while back there was a discussion about ladies having these sudden halos when they started using a new product that encouraged growth of hairs that they didn't even know were supposed to be there! lol. It was a different product or technique for each lady but the result was the same. For some ladies it was from years of chemical use (not your issue bc you've been natural a long time) and the product rejuvenated damaged hair follicles which started to produce lots of new growth for them. I wonder if the no-poo/clay method is sparking some rejuvenation for you!

And your post is so inspiring! I only straighten at the EOTY and I was contemplating doing something this month, kinda like a mid-year check in. Your post solidified that decision for me. I'm gonna do it AND I'm gonna do the dusting I was thinking of doing. It makes absolute sense to check in midway so that adjustments can be made. I would've been sad to get to the end of the year and not see the hair I have been envisioning. So, thank you for the push!

 

[Chicoro]

@Chicoro because you have been so thorough with your hair analysis and making adjustments as needed, I am certain you will get past this plateau!!
I'm curious about the short hairs you have. IIRC, you don't use a brush when you put in your buns, right?1 I remember a while back there was a discussion about ladies having these sudden halos2 when they started using a new product that encouraged growth of hairs that they didn't even know were supposed to be there! lol. It was a different product or technique for each lady but the result was the same. For some ladies it was from years of chemical use (not your issue bc you've been natural a long time) and the product rejuvenated damaged hair follicles which started to produce lots of new growth for them. I wonder if the no-poo/clay method is sparking some rejuvenation for you!

And your post is so inspiring! I only straighten at the EOTY and I was contemplating doing something this month, kinda like a mid-year check in. Your post solidified that decision for me. I'm gonna do it AND I'm gonna do the dusting I was thinking of doing. It makes absolute sense to check in midway so that adjustments can be made. I would've been sad to get to the end of the year and not see the hair I have been envisioning. So, thank you for the push!

1I do use a brush to smooth back my hair at the very top or surface of the hair. But I don't use a brush for the other parts that are fuzzy 'and broken'. And most of the times I use a toothbrush to smooth the front edges.

2 OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!! You may be right! Shea butter and the clay could be responsible for this halo effect. I have using Shea butter since December 2016 so it just may be the NO-Poo/Clay Method. Where is that Resident Genius, @snoop, when you need her? I NEVER would have thought of this 'halo' effect of new growth if you had not mentioned it. In fact, I've never even heard of such a phenomen on hair. The reason why your hypothesis is plausible to me is because INSPITE of all the 'breakage' I think I am seeing that the bulk of my hair is thick, full, fluffy and beautiful when straightened. I would think my hair would have looked thinner with all these points of breakage. This makes SOOOOOOOOOOOO much sense!!!!! I've NEVER noticed 'so much breakage' and short hairs before and I've been observing my hair diligently for a LONG time. Yet, my hair is just as thick and as full as EVER! Oooo, thank you, Girl @MzSwift! I think some of the breakage could also be from wearing the same protective style, too but again, never have I see so many short hairs EVERYWHERE on my head before. Also, I had two hamster size hair balls this year, too, and ' still my hair rises' and is still thick after heat straightening, as it was in 2020.

The above picture is my avatar. The hair in this photo is just passed my bra-strap. In spite of the breakage, my current length is 2x longer than this. I need to appreciate and be grateful for where I am and for what I have.

@MzSwift , I am so glad that my post has proven helpful and inspirational to you! A mid year check- in may be good. We and our hair are organic. Organic stuff can be unpredictable. Thus, checking in more frequently can be a blessing in the long run. Keep us posted. I hope you take a photo and let us see when you straighten.

My zest and enthusiasm to do a bun drop at the end of the year has been tamped down a bit. Perhaps with this new knowledge and these tweaks the passion for a bun drop in December 2023 may return.

Let me stop! I'm not going to let this setback #3 put a damper on my anticpated December 2023 bun drop. Nope, ant ah. I got six (6) months left in the year. We gone work with what we got.

Thank you again Baby, @MzSwift ! Alright 'Mz. Mind Like a Steel Trap Never Forget Nothing MzSwift'. You have been officially dubbed, "L'il Steel Trap"!

 

[Chicoro]

Anybody else experienced the 'halo effect' of new growth mentioned by @MzSwift ?

 

[Napp]

I would caution you regarding this. I think you will be okay, though.

I suggest 'checking in with your hair every 6 to 12 months' by straightening it to LOOK at the ends. If you determine they look okay, then no trim is needed. The difference is I didn't straighten my hair for three years. By the time I got around to 'checking in' on my ends, it was too late.

Checking and deciding to not trim is different than NEVER checking [over a 3 year period ]and not trimming. I trimmed my natural hair during this time period but the best way [for me] to check on my length retention is to heat straighten my hair.

My understanding is that you regularly straighten your hair. Thus, I think you hair could do well with a more infrequent, extended trim, schedule. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

I am going to try and straighten my hair again to look at the ends. I think i need to cut my hair honestly because I had alot of breakage for the last few months trying to solidify an everyday style. I'm going back to work in the office but nothing is working right now. i cant bun any more because with everything I tried i still have a frizz halo by the end of the day even with my hard holding gels so ive been wearing a wash and go which i hate because its so short looking and shrinks up in this humid weather. Not feeling my hair right now.

 

[Chicoro]

I am going to try and straighten my hair again to look at the ends. I think i need to cut my hair honestly because I had alot of breakage for the last few months trying to solidify an everyday style. I'm going back to work in the office but nothing is working right now. i cant bun any more because with everything I tried i still have a frizz halo by the end of the day even with my hard holding gels so ive been wearing a wash and go which i hate because its so short looking and shrinks up in this humid weather. Not feeling my hair right now.

I understand. I'm struggling, too, Girl. Hang in there.

 

[Lylddlebit]

I feel like I’m crazy for not trimming for so long but I want to grow past my goal lengths then trim. I know it’s backwards but if I keep trimming I’ll never get past apl

It isn't backwards. I do this sometimes. One thing you will want to keep in mind is counteracting whatever it is in your regimen that causes you to need to trim enough to undermine the retention you are after. If you do that, you will only need to shape up your ends when you get to your goal. However, if there is a hair issue that makes you need to trim so often and you don't address that, the that hindrance will be waiting for you at the goal line and you may not be able to enough the milestone the way you want to.

Your plan to get to a milestone before trimming can work great. If you don'y have any hair issues and only trim often to keep your hair even, then this plan will work fantastically for you. However, if you have any hair hurdles: fragile hair, dryness, split ends, breakage shedding, matting, etc, make sure you incorporate addressing the hurdle as inch towards the goal line. Your plan will work fine as long as you address what is causing your current trims to not yield the retention you are looking for. It is usually something adjacent to the trim itself.

 

[Lylddlebit]

Six Months Assessment of My Hair (Straightened Hair):
Hair pictured below is after trim. It is no longer straight because I put conditioner in it. I plan to treat it with a nice deep condition and protein tonight. None of my straight hair photos came out really good so I didn't post them.



Summary of Wall of Text:

• Ends Routine virtually eliminated splits and knots on my hair.
• Saddened by the loss of four (4) inches of length. Loss of length stopped when I started using clay in Jan/Feb 2023.
• Hair is broken all throughout my head.
• Ends are fuller and thicker and the quality of my hair strands is beautiful.
• Changing to clay in place of shampoo was a good decision, as it eliminated velcro ends.
• Need to add hard protein and deep conditioning with heat back into my routine.
• Need to straighten and trim at least 1x per year.
• Need to wash every 2 weeks instead of 1x per month.
• Feel like my hair constantly 'moves the goal post' because products and processes can suddenly stop working even though I am a natural. But, I do know the 'texture' of my hair changes on a pendulum every 7 years. It grows in a bit coarser then grows in less coarse and then goes back to coarse, during a seven (7) year cycle.
• My current length plateau is from waist length to hip length/behind length.

Details of Wall of Text:

The Bad Hair News:

• I have broken hair everywhere. I've got short sections around my hairline, fuzzy sections of broken hair in the crown and short broken hair in a spot around my nape.
• I have lost about 3 to 4 inches of length since 2020 which is due to it having been broken off. My hair is four (4) inches shorter.
• My hair seems to have not gained a whole bunch of length. It is about one (1) inch passed my waist. Waist length is NOT short. It is shorter than the length it was in 2020.

The Good Hair News:

• The ends of my hair had very few split ends, knots or white lent stuck in my hair. My hair ends process works!!!
• The longer parts of my hair had roughened ends. I trimmed about four (4) inches. The length I cut was scraggly because I could see that the length of my hair had been broken off as mentioned above.
• I had some super long pieces but the bulk of the hair was much shorter than the length of the four (4) inches I cut. Although those ends I cut FELT rough, they were neither split nor knotted.
• A toast to @Lylddlebit for her encouragement. My ends now are fuller and thicker at this length because of my trim.
• I looked at photos of my hair in 2020, which was the last time I straightened. Despite the tangles and setbacks I have had since 2020, my hair is fuller and thicker on the ends with this trim and the care I've been giving it in 2023.
• A toast to @snoop for providing an alternative to shampoo in her Super Clay Mix recipe she gave me. My hair is pillowy soft. The overall QUALITY of my hair is beautiful, despite the breakage. Although Shea Butter transforms and protects hair, commercial shampoo was degrading my hair strands and moving me two steps back.

Analysis of My Hair Situation:

• Changed from Shampoo to Clay (Will Continue This!): The needs of my hair change. For many years I used shampoo and my hair flourished, perhaps inspite of shampoo. The hair on my head right now cannot stand shampoo, even doctored and diluted shampoo with oil and water . Caveat, clarifying every 6 to 8 weeks with shampoo should work out okay for my hair. I believe I have lost length due to my ends having been velcro-ish, roughened and sticking together, in part because of its inability to support shampoo. I had to TEAR my hair apart to unbraid it due to how sticky the hair would get on the ends. Clay changed that. But, I did not change to clay until January/February 2023. I have stopped using Olaplex. I do not think Olaplex was the culprit, but I think started using it AFTER 2020. In 2020, my hair was the longest it had ever been.
• Stopped Hard Protein Treatments (Will Re-Start This!): I can't remember the last time I did an Aphogee 2 Step Treatment. These are necessary for my hair. I think I stopped because of the time it takes to clarify the hair prior to doing the treatment. Also, it is very difficult to find the Aphogee 2 Step Treatment in the beauty shops here in Lyon, France. I will be traveling to the States next week and hope to pick up about 6 bottles of Aphogee 2 Step. I used to do this every 6 to 8 weeks.
• Sealing Ends with Shea Butter and Vaseline and Baggying (Will Continue This!): This process was and is a RESOUNDING success! I literally could count the number of hairs with knots and split ends because I had so few of them.
• Straighten and Trim Hair Minimum 1x Per Year (Will Re-Start This!) : I have to 'check' on my ends at least 1x per year. That means heat straightening the hair and trimming and assessing my hair health. My natural hair hides a lot of problems that I can see clearly on my heat straightened hair. I hate straightening my hair because I CANNOT get my hair silky straight with a comb-less blowdryer and a flat iron. I can get it straight with a stove and a pressing comb but the stove I have shuts off my lights at my new apartment. When I tested the stove last month it worked fine in my new apartment, but when I attempted to use my stove and pressing combs this weekend, the lights went out again. I think I did not turn the stove heat all the way up when I tested it. I have zero skills with the flat iron because of lack of practice, lack of knowing how to use the particular tools I have and because of lack of knowing how to the use the tools on my particular type of hair.
• Wash and Deep Condition Hair Every 2 Weeks Instead of 1x Per Month (Will Re-Start This): I like to deep condition with heat. But, high temperatures aggravate the melasma on my face. My melasma is somewhat under control but I will re-try introducing heat conditioning, in moderation, back into my routine for every wash.

Translation: Your hair is thicker, much more supple, and healthier than it has ever been. I am telling you: thick MBL hair can feel more lush than thin/medium TBL hair. It's already evening out. So you can take thickness with you towards the upcoming inches! It is normal to notice the splits reducing and the thickness increasing before you see length...but length isn't far behind those WONDERFUL indicators of the heath of your hair!

 

[Chicoro]

Translation: Your hair is thicker, much more supple, and healthier that it has ever been. I am telling you thick MBL. hair can feel more lush than thin/medium TBL hair. It's already evening out. So you can take thickness with you on towards the upcoming inches! It is normal to notice the splits reducing and the thickness increased before you see length...but length isn't far behind those WONDERFUL indicators of the heath of your hair!

From @Lylddlebit 's mouth to God's ears.

 

[Lylddlebit]

I am going to try and straighten my hair again to look at the ends. I think i need to cut my hair honestly because I had alot of breakage for the last few months trying to solidify an everyday style. I'm going back to work in the office but nothing is working right now. i cant bun any more because with everything I tried i still have a frizz halo by the end of the day even with my hard holding gels so ive been wearing a wash and go which i hate because its so short looking and shrinks up in this humid weather. Not feeling my hair right now.

Do you know what is causing your breakage? If not, do you recognize when you see it: wash phase, detangle phase, product application, during certain styles more than others...random broken hair when you aren't messing with it? It will be important to find the culprit of your breakage in anticipation of stretching trims so that stretching your trims won't be in vain. Might be as simple as less manipulation or more intricate like your protein moisture balance.

 

[MzSwift]

It seems like when our hair is growing, it goes through this awkward stage. It's really evident when we see locs go through the awkward stage as they are forming and maturing. I used to always hear/see ladies in the hair community say "thickness before length" when someone was feeling down. And it definitely rings true! Like @Lylddlebit said upthread, we see that thickness occur before the lengthening happens! But when you're going through it, it's hard to feel good about the awkward look of your hair sometimes. But it's worth it to keep doing the good stuff bc on the other side, our hair reaps the benefits!

@Chicoro Do you still ascribe to the lead hairs theory? I thought you were on to something with that one! I have areas that "lead" and then the rest of my hair catches up to it. I was happy to see you express the same sentiment. I don't mind fairy tail ends. I don't find that they cause me any problems. They're happy and healthy ends. So I prefer to dust my ends as opposed to trimming them straight/symmetrical and cutting off progress unnecessarily. I rarely wear my hair out and if I do, there are ways to curl and style it that hide/minimize any differences.

 

[Chicoro]

It seems like when our hair is growing, it goes through this awkward stage. It's really evident when we see locs go through the awkward stage as they are forming and maturing. I used to always hear/see ladies in the hair community say "thickness before length" when someone was feeling down. And it definitely rings true! Like @Lylddlebit said upthread, we see that thickness occur before the lengthening happens! But when you're going through it, it's hard to feel good about the awkward look of your hair sometimes. But it's worth it to keep doing the good stuff bc on the other side, our hair reaps the benefits!

@Chicoro Do you still ascribe to the lead hairs theory? I thought you were on to something with that one! I have areas that "lead" and then the rest of my hair catches up to it. I was happy to see you express the same sentiment. I don't mind fairy tail ends. I don't find that they cause me any problems. They're happy and healthy ends. So I prefer to dust my ends as opposed to trimming them straight/symmetrical and cutting off progress unnecessarily. I rarely wear my hair out and if I do, there are ways to curl and style it that hide/minimize any differences.

Yes, I absolutely continue to subscribe to my theory of lead hairs! I think it is a fact.

Hair is organic and does not grow all at once at the same time and length as if it were a weft of hair.

For me, after straightening this time around, I could clearly see the loss of length. The incredible thing is the health of my ends in that there were few knots and splits. My hair is always teaching me and teasing me to look deeper into the reason 'why'. Oftentimes, what I initially deem as a setback turns into a tremendous lesson of learning which catapults me forward in some area of hair knowledge, down the road.

I would liken my hair journey to that of a corporate journey in that sometimes one has to make a lateral move in order to position oneself to move up to the next level. Sometimes you may even take a position that looks like a step back. But perhaps there is some experience or knowledge in those 'lesser' positions that you need and that will serve you well in the future, specifically when you move UP the corporate ladder.

I appreciate how both you @MzSwift and @Lylddlebit provide insights into my situation and others. I just KNEW I had gained length and was surprisingly taken aback when I realized it was just the opposite.

BUT, my hair ends are SUPERB and I have never been able to say that before. That is due in part to switching from shampoo to clay washes. It is also because of being conscious about the care of my ends and babying them with Shea butter, Vaseline and fiercely protecting them.

With each iteration of this hair journey I am reminded time and time again that hair is not rocket science, it is far more complex.

 

[Napp]

Do you know what is causing your breakage? If not, do you recognize when you see it: wash phase, detangle phase, product application, during certain styles more than others...random broken hair when you aren't messing with it? It will be important to find the culprit of your breakage in anticipation of stretching trims so that stretching your trims won't be in vain. Might be as simple as less manipulation or more intricate like your protein moisture balance.

Transitioning. my hair is breaking at the line of demarcation and at this point i don't know how to stop it. I am very gentle but i still have a huge ball of hair each time i wash. I also have alot of breakage in the front of my hair from too much slick backs.

 

[Chicoro]

Transitioning. my hair is breaking at the line of demarcation and at this point i don't know how to stop it. I am very gentle but i still have a huge ball of hair each time i wash. I also have alot of breakage in the front of my hair from too much slick backs.

It's good when you have a very clear idea of what the issue is. That's half the battle.

 

[Lylddlebit]

Transitioning. my hair is breaking at the line of demarcation and at this point i don't know how to stop it. I am very gentle but i still have a huge ball of hair each time i wash. I also have alot of breakage in the front of my hair from too much slick backs.

Ah I see. I transitioned forever ago...and on accident. I do remember braids grew my hair out well, without a lot of breakage, before I cut my relaxed ends off and landed at shoulder length. I do recommend low manipulation as you grow your hair out. Your natural hair needs more moisture and your relaxed ends need more protein/reconstruction. You could try the "damaged"capillary schedule from the line of demarcation down ends down and the "healthy" capillary schedule from the roots to the line of demarcation each wash day, but that may feel complicated. I recommend low manipulation styles that can be kept in for 1-4 weeks so you can maintain your hair while growing it out.

 

[Chicoro]

I'm musing and thinking so forgive the repetition. Please skip my post if repetition bothers you.

Okay, I figured out my length loss issue: Shampoo.

Shampoo gave me sticky, velcro ends. I had to literally tear my hair apart due to the hair being bound as if the ends had been glued together at the ends. The hair saving clay mix @snoop gave me put me on track and STOPPED the velcro ends dead in their tracks.

I think the majority of the length loss happened prior to 2023, prior to the switch to clay from commercial shampoo. Even Shea butter could not overcome the damaging effects of commercial shampoo on my hair. I say that because I've been using Shea since December 2016 with good results. Although I've changed the brand of Shea butter, it still is the same basic ingredient.

I've been using baby wash in France on my hair for years. So either they changed the formula or an ingredient or ingredients in the product or my hair changed. It doesn't matter because I've left shampoo for life.

Clay changed my hair because I don't have to do an oil bath to 'calm down' the fuzz after a clay cleansing wash. I was starting to have to use an oil bath after every shampoo to calm down the trauma on my hair, in the form of hardness and frizz and lifted cuticles throughout my head. I am still amazed by the fact that almost ANY gel can slick my hair down after cleansing with clay. This is due to the gentle, non-tramautizing cleansing of clay that I now use.

Lastly, I've used vaseline and now Shea butter on my ends. Shea butter drastically reduced my split ends and knots on the ends of my hair. This time around, when I straightend my hair I had to LOOK FAR and WIDE for split hairs and knots. I think I found 10 splits and knots combined, in total on my ends, in my ENTIRE head of hair. Absolutely amazing and unheard of for my head of hair.

I am going to straighten atleast 1x per year to check the health of my ends and verify the length. I may even do it 2x per year. Waiting three (3) years to straighten my hair and do a check and a trim was a mistake for my hair. I knew this, but did not do it. So, I messed around and found out. The hard way.

Lesson learned. Blessings earned!

To commerate this post #808:

 

[Lylddlebit]

@Chicoro: He is very Fabio-ish (lol), but if that isn't a distraction, he provides a clear explanation of why baby shampoos/washes can be bad for adult hair…(whispers: just in case you get a future urge to use shampoo). I betcha it was the shampoo type, not shampoo itself making the negative impact, but since clay is making strides, keep on struttin'! LOL. I love that that are so many options to reach our goals!



I noticed baby shampoos were not the way to go for my little girl. She is school-aged now and, as she has gotten older, I started using more of my hair care items on her. I started using my oils on her first, then conditioner and stylers. Consistent use of my shampoos came last.

I received a TON of baby lotion, baby shampoo, and baby wash during my baby showers that I am still trying to use up. Anyway, this spring, I started using my shampoos on her hair consistently and her hair has been feeling great. Recently, I found a hidden batch of more baby shampoo/wash and washed her hair with it two washes ago. Sure enough, that dryness that I haven't experienced in months and her hair attracting buildup/ debris to clump, in a bad way, returned instantly. I didn't initially identify the baby shampoo as the culprit. However, her hair doing great for months, noticing an instant change when I went back to baby shampoo for one wash then it was "back in effect" when I reverted back to my shampoo the next wash, made it clear that the baby shampoo was causing a negative impact (even when it felt moisturized after applying deep conditioner and leave-ins). I preferred baby shampoos because "tear-free" is embedded, but they don't provide the proper wash day foundation. So, no more baby shampoo. I am able to use those baby shampoos/washes as body wash and on my makeup brushes without ill effects. That is how I will use them up.

 

[Chicoro]

@Chicoro: He is very Fabio-ish (lol), but if that isn't a distraction, he provides a clear explanation of why baby shampoos/washes can be bad for adult hair…(whispers: just in case you get a future urge to use shampoo). I betcha it was the shampoo type, not shampoo itself making the negative impact, but since clay is making strides, keep on struttin'! LOL. I love that that are so many options to reach our goals!



I noticed baby shampoos were not the way to go for my little girl. She is school-aged now and, as she has gotten older, I started using more of my hair care items on her. I started using my oils on her first, then conditioner and stylers. Consistent use of my shampoos came last.

I received a TON of baby lotion, baby shampoo, and baby wash during my baby showers that I am still trying to use up. Anyway, this spring, I started using my shampoos on her hair consistently and her hair has been feeling great. Recently, I found a hidden batch of more baby shampoo/wash and washed her hair with it two washes ago. Sure enough, that dryness that I haven't experienced in months and her hair attracting buildup/ debris to clump, in a bad way, returned instantly. I didn't initially identify the baby shampoo as the culprit. However, her hair doing great for months, noticing an instant change when I went back to baby shampoo for one wash then it was "back in effect" when I reverted back to my shampoo the next wash, made it clear that the baby shampoo was causing a negative impact (even when it felt moisturized after applying deep conditioner and leave-ins). I preferred baby shampoos because "tear-tree" is embedded, but they don't provide the proper wash day foundation. So, no more baby shampoo. I am able to use those baby shampoos/washes as body wash and on my makeup brushes without ill effects. That is how I will use them up.

Absolutely fascinating! Baby Shampoos have a pH around 7 but adult hair and skin require a different pH. Interesting! I did not know this about babies' skin. I do know that baby shampoos do not have formaldehyde components which most non-baby shampoos do have. Sadly for me, most shampoos tear up my hair. I used a clarifying shampoo from Le Petites Marseilles and a creamy one from L'Oreal for my last wash. Also, I used a baby wash/body wash for my hair.

Everybody needs to watch Fabio's video! He is talking about isoelectric points, acidity, pH and alkalinity and he has receipts from studies that he shares. Thanks to YOU for sharing this video. I may have to check out some of his other videos. Also, thank you for sharing your daughter's story to further highlight that baby shampoo causes adverse effects on non-baby hair.