Luscious Healthy Ends Challenge 2023

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Transparency:
I never installed the braids you guys. I didn't even complete any of the backup plans. Why? Lackadaisicalness got the best of me. What did i do instead? I put in two, two-strand flat twists and connected them in the back. I then used a hair tie to tuck my ends. It's not the cutest style, but it's functional. My sister is coming in 10 days to braid my hair for me. I'm thankful in advance.

That's kinda the reason why I haven't been wearing extensions or braids. 1) I didn't want to do it. 2)I don't trust people in my head. 3)I didn't want to pay anyway. 4)I didn't want to spend the money to buy the hair 5) It was too darn hot lol

I just braid my own hair now because it's already there on my head, I won't run out, but it takes forever and a day anyway so either I still take my time in braiding cause I get tired fast but have to push through, or it's half braided anyway

 

[Chicoro]

Transparency:
I never installed the braids you guys. I didn't even complete any of the backup plans. Why? Lackadaisicalness got the best of me. What did i do instead? I put in two, two-strand flat twists and connected them in the back. I then used a hair tie to tuck my ends. It's not the cutest style, but it's functional. My sister is coming in 10 days to braid my hair for me. I'm thankful in advance.

Transparency: This is true freedom that you have. Being able to choose what you will and will not do, based on your own, free will. I bet you look cute with them twists, too.

There are women who go to bed with makeup on and get up before their husband in the morning so as not to let their man see how they look without makeup. True story.

There are women who are not ALLOWED to have certain hairstyles.

Your transparency and choices indicate to me that you are blessed and free and I love it! The older I get and the longer I live outside the US, the more I realize the incredible power and position and privilege Black American women have.


Your story, as innocuous and mundane as it may seem on the surface, exemplifies this very fact [to me].

Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing the style you decide to choose. I hope you share some pictures with us.

 

[Chicoro]

I did a pre- poo with oil and glycerin and aloe vera last night. I was tired and left my hair in bantus with the pre-poo. I washed and conditioned and styled and protected my hair this morning in one hour from 6:30 am to 7:40 am. I was amazed at how short of time I needed and how well my hair came out. NO sticky, velcro ends. Clay is my bae .

 

[Chicoro]

Now, THIS is how I press my hair and get my hair straight from root to tips/ends:

 

[Chicoro]

Alright, we are headed down the home stretch for Luscious Healthy Ends!

We've got three (3) months remaining and one (1) final quarter. How are you going to be finishing out the year? It's time for one more final push.

 

[Lylddlebit]

Now, THIS is how I press my hair and get my hair straight from root to tips/ends:

That will get it! Have you presssed out our hair this year? I remember you referenece your items around the time you were in the States along with the time you were checking your ends and had signs of thickening up, but I cannot remember if you have pressed this year or ar hiding for a big reveal.

 

[Lylddlebit]

Alright, we are headed down the home stretch for Luscious Healthy Ends!

We've got three (3) months remaining and one (1) final quarter. How are you going to be finishing out the year? It's time for one more final push.

I am hanging in there. I am going to try my Tymo Ring Plus this weekend or next weekend and check these ends. Either weekend will be a good time to check my ends and trim what is needed. I have owned that Tymo since the beginning of the year and it is past due to fully use it. I plan to practice a bun drop video to make sure I **cough cough DH*** can record and help me edit a bun drop video, so the one I make in December will be right for the end of the year. Hopefully by December, I will just make my ends neat and stay on course.

 

[Chicoro]

That will get it! Have you presssed out our hair this year? I remember you referenece your items around the time you were in the States along with the time you were checking your ends and had signs of thickening up, but I cannot remember if you have pressed this year or ar hiding for a big reveal.

No, I have not pressed this year. You are correct in that I brought some items back from the US, which included a small, ceramic oven for irons. I plan to press and trim and bun drop at the end of the year.

I don't want to hear no [HR Puffin] STUFF from nobody if my lil' bun drop is barely there, or is anti-climactic.

 

[Chicoro]

I am hanging in there. I am going to trymy Tymo Ring Plus this weekend or next weekend and check these ends. Either weekend will be a good time to check my ends and trim what is needed. I have owned that Tymo since the beginning of the year and it is past due to fully use it. I plan to practice a bun drop video to make sure I **cough cough DH*** can record and help me edit a bun drop video so it will be right for the end of the year, but I will probably just use that one for practice and save the real one and the reveal for you ladies in December. Hopefully by December, I will just make my ends neat and stay on course.

Oooooo, I am soooo looking forward to that bun drop video!

 

[Chicoro]

This weekend, I plan to do an Aphogee Two Step hardcore protein treatment. I've tried to be consistent and wash my hair weekly. I've missed a couple of times. I didn't roll my ends up of my braid and my hair got tangled a bit on the ends. I will make sure to keep my ends rolled and anchored with a coated rubberband. I've been consistent with keeping my head covered at night, and as a result because my hair is kept in place, I use less product such as my Scurl and gel.

 

[MzSwift]

I don't want to hear no [HR Puffin] View attachment 491435 STUFF from nobody if my lil' bun drop is barely there, or is anti-climactic.

Uh ma'am...
Come here, lemme talk to you...

Ain't NO WAY, your end of the year bun drop gone be "lil" or "anti-climatic" BY ANYONE'S STANDARD!!!

 

[Chicoro]

Uh ma'am...
Come here, lemme talk to you...

Ain't NO WAY, your end of the year bun drop gone be "lil" or "anti-climatic" BY ANYONE'S STANDARD!!!

Who, me?????

 

[Chicoro]

@MzSwift ,

I appreciate the vote of confidence!


I dunno about my hair, though. I be thinking my hair is doing GRRRRREEEEEEEAT and then when I blow it out and TRY to flat iron it, I got two strands of growth and the rest of my head is full of breakage and fuzz.

I know so much about hair, yet, I'm the 'Set-Back Queen'.


But we gone do this Bun Drop thing, December 2023.

 

[MzSwift]

@MzSwift ,

I appreciate the vote of confidence!


I dunno about my hair, though. I be thinking my hair is doing GRRRRREEEEEEEAT and then when I blow it out and TRY to flat iron it, I got two strands of growth and the rest of my head is full of breakage and fuzz.

I know so much about hair, yet, I'm the 'Set-Back Queen'.


But we gone do this Bun Drop thing, December 2023.

Nope, sorry sis, we're not claiming that THIS year! You've been kicking butt focusing on your ends and reducing frizz overall. All of your updates have been encouraging and trending towards you having a GREAT reveal! So I'm claiming that for you

 

[Chicoro]

Nope, sorry sis, we're not claiming that THIS year! You've been kicking butt focusing on your ends and reducing frizz overall. All of your updates have been encouraging and trending towards you having a GREAT reveal! So I'm claiming that for you

 

[Lylddlebit]

Oooooo, I am soooo looking forward to that bun drop video!

I am looking forward to yours. Hiding your hair while caring for it has many benefits.
You've been doing the "Double Dutch rock" with your hair. Those who played Double Dutch as kids, know what am talking about. That rock to time the right opening, before you jump on in there. I am not finding a cute Double Dutch gif of a little girl around 7 years old about to jump in, but this video gives you an idea.



Velcro ends, finding clay washes, thinking your hair was thin before noticing it was thicker, and getting your pressing tools together have been your pre-jump-in rock, that the girls do when they are getting ready to jump their butts off, once they get in the ropes lol. You can always tell who can play some mean Double Dutch by how they rock right before they jump in. You can tell someone who is getting their hair in order by how they prepare before they let it out. You got it.

 

[Chicoro]

I am looking forward to yours. Hiding your hair while caring for it has many benefits.
You've been doing the Double Dutch rock with your hair. Those who played Double Dutch as kids, know what am talking about. That rock to time the right opening before you jump on in there (I am not finding a cute Double Dutch gif of a little girl around 7 years old about to jump in) but this video gives you an idea.



Velcro ends, finding clay washes, thinking your hair was thin before noticing it was thicker, and getting your pressings tool together have been your pre-jump-in rock that the girls do when they are getting ready to jump their butts off once they get in the ropes lol. You can always tell who can play some mean Double Dutch by how they rock right before they jump in. You can tell someone who is getting their hair in order by how they prepare before they let it out. You got it.

I LOVE THIS! What a wonderful analogy! Thank you!

 

[Chicoro]

@Lylddlebit
By the way, I used to love to do a cartwheel into the double dutch ropes, on parking lot asphalt. The only thing stopping me right now from doing it today is I can't find anyone who can turn the ropes correctly.

We all know rope turning is KEY and critically important in double dutching!

Me after attempting to flip into the ropes:

 

[Chicoro]

I took a bus into the next town over. It 's bigger than my little village. I was shopping for kitchen gadgets. The store is kind of like Dollar Store and Family Dollar and Target combined. I came across this 500 ml container of a Shea butter hair masque. The scent is so soft, subtle and lovely. I paid about 5.00 dollars for it. I will use it today after I do my Aphogee 2 Step. I'll probably mix it with a Queen Helene.

It's thick and luscious. The first five (5) ingredients are:

• Water
• Cetyl alchol
• Glycerine
• Shea butter
• Centrimonium chloride

 

[Chicoro]

In the same, larger town to where I took the bus, was another store. I was surprised to se K-18 available in France!



This is the storefront and the name of the chain of stores in which it was being advertised:



It's a beauty supply along the lines of Sally's Beauty Supply. I did not go in though. Perhaps on another trip.

 

[keranikki]

Transparency:
I never installed the braids you guys. I didn't even complete any of the backup plans. Why? Lackadaisicalness got the best of me. What did i do instead? I put in two, two-strand flat twists and connected them in the back. I then used a hair tie to tuck my ends. It's not the cutest style, but it's functional. My sister is coming in 10 days to braid my hair for me. I'm thankful in advance.

Update:
My sister caught Covid, so no braids were installed. She is doing okay.
I washed, blowdried, and lightly straightened my hair to see what the ends really looked like. For the most part my ends were okay and just needed a little trim (1/4”), but my crown needed almost an inch cut off. My mistake was thinking I could keep a blunt cut as I let my layers grow out. I wasn’t regularly micro trimming the crown. I have learned my lesson. My total head will be micro-trimmed, regardless of growth phase. My hair is just too fine to not stay on top of my micro-trimming schedule.
Overall, my hair is growing well. To increase my length retention, I’m currently wearing 11 cornrows under a wig. I don’t have any pictures of the wig, but below is a picture of my hair after I trimmed it.

 

[ckisland]

I couldn't take my extremely heat damaged ends anymore, so I cut from APL to neck/SL. This setback has been something else SMH. I was BSL earlier this year and now I'm back here! I'm taking it all in stride. This is just a little detour on the journey.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I couldn't take my extremely heat damaged ends anymore, so I cut from APL to neck/SL. This setback has been something else SMH. I was BSL earlier this year and now I'm back here! I'm taking it all in stride. This is just a little detour on the journey.

Well at least you ripped the bandaid off even if it hurt. You'll be back to BSL before you know it. *hugs*

 

[ckisland]

Well at least you ripped the bandaid off even if it hurt. You'll be back to BSL before you know it. *hugs*

Thanks!!
On a positive note, but ends look fantastic! And my hair looks full again. I cut it into a bob myself and I think that it came out pretty cute!

 

[ckisland]

Pics!

 

[Lylddlebit]

Pics!

View attachment 491517View attachment 491519View attachment 491521

It looks great!

 

[ckisland]

It looks great!

Thank you!!!!

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

@ckisland Okay bobbb!

 

[ckisland]

@ckisland Okay bobbb!

I'm feelin' it!!! I haven't had a bob since high school.

 

[Lylddlebit]

I pressed my hair today. I found a few split ends and cut them out. I found more SSKs than I expected and cut those out. Tomorrow I am going to even everything up. Today I did a preliminary search and destroy while sectioning, stretching, and straightening. Tomorrow I will finish the job.

Cutting this setback off gradually can make it seem like my hair is stagnant. I know it isn't, but I have to look at my prorgess pictures to remind myself. Every time I cut, the most length is coming off the back and the sides. I still cut the front and middle but as it inches downward, it's thickening my ends for uniformity and it is the longest parts of the back and sides that have to go as I chop off the thin parts.

I decided to post a front comparison picture of my ends from the front. I see length in the front and thickening in the back. Onward to December!

***I apologize for the lack of photo quality on today's picture. My SD card is not reading on my computer so I took the photo on my iPad.

After tomorrow's cut the ends pulled to the front will be more blunt, but most of the length that you see in the photo will remain. Tomorrow's cut is just for shape. My splits and knots were cut out today.

The photo labeled "EndsFront" is from December 2022. The Photo labeled "End Pulled to Front..." is from today. When I do the bun drop this coming December, I am expecting my length for the back to be similar to my start photo this year, but with thicker ends. We shall see.