Luscious Healthy Ends Challenge 2025

[MzSwift]

Day 3 sprouts, full to the top. Like I said, this is only 3 little disposable plastic spoon fulls of seeds!



I took about half and spread them out onto a cloth napkin to dry overnight.



This is last night vs this morning.



@newgrowth15 , I don't remember if you told us, how dry do they need to be before putting in the oil? Do they have to ALL be skinny/stringy looking or is drying them out overnight good enough to add to the oil?

Shoot, I might just get like @Chicoro and just use them to make an oil just as they are.

 

[GettingKinky]

So for the past month I’ve been sleeping with my hair in a loose bun instead of my hair completely loose under my silk liner buff. It’s been working for reducing my tangles, BUT my hair never dries.

I’m worried that having my hair wet all the time may cause problems down the line. I need to figure out a way to let my hair dry, but still sleep with it an a way that reduces tangles.

 

[keranikki]

So for the past month I’ve been sleeping with my hair in a loose bun instead of my hair completely loose under my silk liner buff. It’s been working for reducing my tangles, BUT my hair never dries.

I’m worried that having my hair wet all the time may cause problems down the line. I need to figure out a way to let my hair dry, but still sleep with it an a way that reduces tangles.

Could dividing your hair into two loose buns help with drying or maybe one loose braid?

 

[keranikki]

@GettingKinky How much length were you able to achieve wearing WNGS? Is Jello Shot the game changer in achieving a hard cast that will protect your ends between washes?

I’m asking because I think I’m going to do WNGS until my hair is long enough to bun. I thought I was going to follow your lead and bun also, but I have already snapped a few of my hairs trying to style my hair into a bun. I’ve watched you have great gains with WNGS and would love some pointers, if and when you have the time. Thank you in advance!

Sidenote: having fine and soft hair really limits what you can do with your hair and what you can use in your hair. I feel like I’m limited to WNGS and blowouts. Anything else either doesn’t look good on me or causes damage in the long run.

 

[GettingKinky]

@GettingKinky How much length were you able to achieve wearing WNGS? Is Jello Shot the game changer in achieving a hard cast that will protect your ends between washes?

I’m asking because I think I’m going to do WNGS until my hair is long enough to bun. I thought I was going to follow your lead and bun also, but I have already snapped a few of my hairs trying to style my hair into a bun. I’ve watched you have great gains with WNGS and would love some pointers, if and when you have the time. Thank you in advance!

Sidenote: having fine and soft hair really limits what you can do with your hair and what you can use in your hair. I feel like I’m limited to WNGS and blowouts. Anything else either doesn’t look good on me or causes damage in the long run.

My hair was already APL to BSL when I started wearing wash n gos exclusively. But my hair was damaged when I started. It took me about 3 years to grow out all the damage and again have ~APL hair but all healthy. I think if I were really patients and made sure to keep the amount I have trimmed to a minimum I could eventually get to my goal length wearing them, but I think I will get there faster with my current bunning routine. (Although I do worry that it’s stretching out my curls)

I love the combination of UFD + jello shot. It gives me good hold, but not super crunchy/stiff hold. I think if maybe I used less water I could get a much firmer hold with those products.

My hair doesn’t tangle a lot when I do wash n gos but I would keep the same set for 7 days and by the end the hold was reduced so I got more tangles than I do bunning. Maybe if I redid my wash n gos 2x a week I would get fewer tangles.

I am always happy to give wash n go pointers. Let me know what questions you have.

 

[MzSwift]

So for the past month I’ve been sleeping with my hair in a loose bun instead of my hair completely loose under my silk liner buff. It’s been working for reducing my tangles, BUT my hair never dries.

I’m worried that having my hair wet all the time may cause problems down the line. I need to figure out a way to let my hair dry, but still sleep with it an a way that reduces tangles.

Is there any time from when you get home until you go to sleep that you could just let your hair down to dry?
When I was natural, I wet my hair daily in my morning shower and my hair was BRAIDED. The times that it wasn't dry when I got home, I just tied a satin scarf over it with the back flap out to allow air in. That protected me from HIH and also allowed my braids to dry before my evening M&S and tie down session.

Tied like this:

 

[MzSwift]

Sidenote: having fine and soft hair really limits what you can do with your hair and what you can use in your hair. I feel like I’m limited to WNGS and blowouts. Anything else either doesn’t look good on me or causes damage in the long run.
[/QUOTE]

I recall Black American women of the 60's and 70's growing our natural hair long and healthy with weekly or biweekly wash and blow outs or press and curls. I think you can absolutely see retention by doing a wash, DC and blowout weekly/biweekly and then doing buns, French rolls, French braids or any other style that protects your ends on blown out/straight hair during the week. So long as you keep it low-to-no manipulation. I've even seen ladies on here retain by doing wash-n-set styles. Shoot the set styles of the 90's are still cute too.

One of my favorite styles when my hair is straight is to do a French braid going up the center back of my head (from nape to crown) into a high bun. I did that with 4-5 inches of hair (bc that used to be LONG hair for me, lol). You've got way more hair than I had so you have so many other styling options.

I only have a pic of that style in extensions tho:



Google to the rescue!


If you have to wear a cap for work-

French braid with the tail tucked under:



Two braids back into a bun:

 

[MzSwift]

Forgot to update...

I went ahead and made the oil.



Used EVOO and Sweet Almond oil.

 

[GettingKinky]

@keranikki @MzSwift

Last night I tried 2 side buns while I slept. That allowed the middle of my head to dry out but the length was still wet.

I guess I will need to take my bun down when I get home from work and let it dry for a few hours before bed.

 

[MzSwift]

@keranikki @MzSwift

Last night I tried 2 side buns while I slept. That allowed the middle of my head to dry out but the length was still wet.

I guess I will need to take my bun down when I get home from work and let it dry for a few hours before bed.

Wow, as a side sleeper, there's NO WAY I could sleep in side buns! Lol

Could you do two braided or twisted pigtails instead? Your hair would be able to dry in the braids/twists a lot better.

 

[GettingKinky]

Wow, as a side sleeper, there's NO WAY I could sleep in side buns! Lol

Could you do two braided or twisted pigtails instead? Your hair would be able to dry in the braids/twists a lot better.

My sleeping buns are loose and squishy so they didn’t bother me. I sleep on my stomach but I still turn my head to the side so they have to be comfortable.

Twists are a good idea. I just have to figure out how to secure then ends without causing breakage. I’ve been trying to avoid hair elastics/bands. I have silk scrunchies, maybe if I wrap them enough times they will stay in place.

 

[snoop]

My sleeping buns are loose and squishy so they didn’t bother me. I sleep on my stomach but I still turn my head to the side so they have to be comfortable.

Twists are a good idea. I just have to figure out how to secure then ends without causing breakage. I’ve been trying to avoid hair elastics/bands. I have silk scrunchies, maybe if I wrap them enough times they will stay in place.

What about spiral elastics. I find them to have less tension in them than regular hair elastics.

 

[keranikki]

@GettingKinky and @MzSwift

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

So this is my plan for the next two quarters:

I will rotate WNGS and blowouts based on my microtrim schedule. I’m currently rocking a WNG using UFD and Jello Shot (old stash). I’m due a trim next week, so I will give myself a blowout and rock that for 1-2 weeks before switching back to WNGS. I’m hoping the micro trims will keep my ends lucious between these two styles.

 

[Chicoro]

@GettingKinky and @MzSwift

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

So this is my plan for the next two quarters:

I will rotate WNGS and blowouts based on my microtrim schedule. I’m currently rocking a WNG using UFD and Jello Shot (old stash). I’m due a trim next week, so I will give myself a blowout and rock that for 1-2 weeks before switching back to WNGS. I’m hoping the micro trims will keep my ends lucious between these two styles.

You don't have to hope. Your micro-trims ARE the Hope of Glory. Because those micro-trims sure made my hair glorious. I took a leap of faith and took the chance on doing FIVE (5) in 2024: in January, March, June, September and December. I have NEVER EVER DONE 5 micro-trims in one year.

I am trim (was) trim adverse and afraid.

But I TRUST you. And when I saw your GORGEOUS, phenomenal, end-of-year, results, I was SOLD. So I am here putting in my 8 cents to encourage you to go for it. You don't have to hope. That is because you showed us the proof in the pudding the first time.

Looking forwarding to seeing how beautifully your hair turns out.

 

[Chicoro]

I'm growing, cultivating and building hair ropes. My hair ropes were built using Shea butter and the fenugreek oil @newgrowth15 introduced to me. I posted these in another thread initially.

1. Shea butter transformed the look and thickness of my hair.
2. The fenugreek oil imparted a softness that helped to also arrest the breakage that the hardness and coarseness were imposing upon my hair.
3. The balls at the end of braids allow me to immobilize my ends so as to not have matting or tangling. I no longer have to shred my ends to get my hair loosened when I braid and unbraid my hair.

As a result, I continue to get further and farther removed from that 12 Year Break Cycle that I escaped from in 2024.

 

[Chicoro]

Forgot to update...

I went ahead and made the oil.

View attachment 501136

Used EVOO and Sweet Almond oil.

This looks like the golden, elixir of Life. And as result you'll get something lovely!

 

[Chicoro]

Day 3 sprouts, full to the top. Like I said, this is only 3 little disposable plastic spoon fulls of seeds!

View attachment 501116

I took about half and spread them out onto a cloth napkin to dry overnight.

View attachment 501118

This is last night vs this morning.

View attachment 501120 View attachment 501122

@newgrowth15 , I don't remember if you told us, how dry do they need to be before putting in the oil? Do they have to ALL be skinny/stringy looking or is drying them out overnight good enough to add to the oil?

Shoot, I might just get like @Chicoro and just use them to make an oil just as they are.

Look at all those sprouts teeming with life and the light of a vital life source. Three little spoons can create such a boon!

 

[Chicoro]

I took the train and went to Lyon, France yesterday to buy some hair care products and skin products for myself. I have not had any Scurl for about 2 months. I got four (4) giant bottles so I don't have the need to go back to Lyon for anything for about six (6) months.

I picked up :

1. four bottles of Scurl (from Beauty Supply)
2. 1 liter of Vegetable Glycerine (AromaZone)
3. four small bottles of pathenol (B5) (AromaZone)
4. one small bottle of keratin protect (AromaZone)
5. 1 bag of red clay (iron oxide) which physically blocks light (I use for my sun cream on my skin to stop melasma on my face. )(AromaZone)

 

[Chicoro]

If you have concerns or conflicts or confusions related to your hair and your hair ends, please bring them to this thread. Do not feel uncomfortable if when you post, there is not an immediate solution that you can use.

Problem solving is a PROCESS. Processes take time. That translates as several posts and several responses. It may take 20 posts JUST to identify the real issue. And that is okay.

Never forget that as you work through a problem, other people can and are using the information to resolve their issues, too.

I see there are several challenges that are being worked through in this thread. What I especially like about it is that the END to END process, from introduction of the problem, to modifications and corrections, to solving the issue IS ALL being documented in a systematic way, in one place.

It's beneficial for the original poster and it is beneficial for all who are exposed to the information.

So, don't hesitate to post about a concern or problem you are having. I can guarantee someone else is having a similar issue.

I can also guarantee that these beautiful, intelligent, intuitive and analytical black women will support you and help you move forward to a solution.

 

[Chicoro]

It's time for me to get back to my own hair concoctions and elixirs ...

I will see ya'll later.

 

[Chicoro]

​

Never too late to celebrate ourselves or an incoming month!

​

 

[GettingKinky]

@Chicoro I could look at pictures of your braids all day. How many braids in total do you have?
In addition to being juicy they also look very flexible. Whenever I braid my hair the braids are always stiff.

 

[GettingKinky]

double post.

 

[Chicoro]

@Chicoro I could look at pictures of your braids all day. How many braids in total do you have?
In addition to being juicy they also look very flexible. Whenever I braid my hair the braids are always stiff.

I have eight (8) braids in total. There are four (4) big ones in the back and four (4) small ones in the front.

I soak my hair with a water mixture, then I oil my scalp, then I coat the braids with petroleum jelly at night and cover, leaving hair in Bantus. When I rebraid, I uncover hair that is super moist, take out Bantus, braid up and grease up the last half of my braid with pure Shea butter. Roll the ends up and off my shoulders and put it into those little fists/balls secured with coated rubber bands.

 

[GettingKinky]

I washed my hair yesterday and wore it in 2 side buns all day. At night the buns were still soaking wet so I took them down and did 2 big twists and secured the ends with satin scrunchies and covered my hair with my silk lined buff. This morning my hair is about 80% dry. I think that’s dry enough that I won’t worry about it staying to wet.

Now I just need to see if sleeping this way keeps my hair as tangle free as sleeping in a single bun.

 

[GettingKinky]

I have eight (8) braids in total. There are four (4) big ones in the back and four (4) small ones in the front.

I soak my hair with a water mixture, then I oil my scalp, then I coat the braids with petroleum jelly at night and cover, leaving hair in Bantus. When I rebraid, I uncover hair that is super moist, take out Bantus, braid up and grease up the last half of my braid with pure Shea butter. Roll the ends up and off my shoulders and put it into those little fists/balls secured with coated rubber bands.

You have so much hair. If I put my hair in 8 braids they would each be so scrawny.

 

[Chicoro]

You have so much hair. If I put my hair in 8 braids they would each be so scrawny.

The four in the front are very tiny!

 

[faithVA]

Reset my hair Saturday. Glad to get it done early. It was mostly a repeat of last week.

I forgot to do my bond treatment and deep conditioner. Will try again this weekend.

1. In the morning I massaged my scalp with the Hollywood Hair oil.
2. After working out, added conditioner and took out my twist.
3. Let the water run on my hair and parting my hair with my fingers and used my fingers to start to pull my curls apart.
4. Used a wide tooth comb to prep my hair for shampoo
5. Shampooed twice with Prose.
6. Put my hair into 4 sections to prepare for conditioner.
7. Added conditioner and put on a plastic cap while doing a few things
8. Detangled with a shampoo brush and rinsed each section
9. Added the leave-in while in the shower and put my hair into 5 bantu knots.
10. Had my measuring spoon this time and added 1 to 2 tsp of gel to each bantu knot
11. Put in my regular twist


During the Week
1. Massage my scalp with Hollywood Hair Oil daily. I think this oil is helping reduce inflammation in my scalp. Its too early to tell.
2. Sprayed the bottom half of my twist with Camille Rose spray at least twice.

 

[Chicoro]

@MzSwift ,

You mentioned that you use the fenugreek sprouting and rinse water for your hair. Do you use it as a leave-in or do you wash it out?

 

[Chicoro]

Has anyone reached their desired length and now want to only focus on thickening and cultivating their ends?


I'm still trying to get more length, myself.