My little hair journey so far...

melissa-bee

Well-Known Member
Relaxed to natural.
Well there's not much to see but I thought I would show my progress especially as I unintentionally took a year's progress natural shot which will be at the end.
But I'm going to show you from the beginning.

The first time I relaxed my hair I was around 18/19 (2005/2006)
I don't have any pics of my virgin relaxer but the next few pics show my hair when it was at its healthiest relaxed state.

Feb 2007:
August2007.jpg


September 2007:
September2007.jpg

ETA: Forgot to mention my hair was dyed in the above pic. I used a reddish colour by Soft Sheen and Carson. You may be able to see the colour starting about 5 inches from my roots.

May 2008:
May2008.jpg


June2008.jpg


Now you know how the story goes. My hair started breaking off and I didn't even recognise it. All I remember is looking in the at photos and at my shadow thinking "why does my hair look like this?" "Where did my hair go." I was not trimming it at all. And my friend's would look at me like "what happened to your hair it used to be long" * whilst pointing at the end of my neck* :look:

April 2009:
April2009.jpg


April20092.jpg


My hair was looking green cos of the quality of my camera phone.

I can't be bothered to work out the dates of when I decided to transition but I had been thinking about it for a while because I couldn't trust the person to relax my hair to relax my hair anymore. I tried to self relax twice and I failed both times...lol, the only part that was done properly was my front.

June 2010, transitioning pic
June2010.jpg

I was about 6-9 months post relaxer in the above pic. Probably had about 3 inches new growth.

I BC'd November 2010
I took pics but deleted them because they looked a hot mess, I had scab hair and there was still relaxed hair in some places.

Here is a pic I took about 3 month later whilst doing an oil rinse :nono:
Feb 2011 (3 months after BC):
IMG_1526.jpg

SMH

I always braid my hair to stretch after washing but won't wear the braidouts, just tie it in to a bun
Feb 2011:
Febuary2011.jpg

Feb2011.jpg


Now, I unintentionally took 1 years progress photos and I'm so happy I did because I thought my hair looked the same as last year but it now it looks so much thicker and has more hang. Again, I do not wear these braidouts out, it's just to stretch after washing.

Feb 2012:
Feb2012ag.jpg

Febuary2012.jpg

Feb2012-1.jpg

Feb2012.jpg


Can someone tell me what program to use to do side by side comparison?

I wanted to join the APL 2012 challenge so I tried to take some length check shots, but due to this skinny mirror I can't see where my pits are.

Feb 2012:
Feb2012lc.jpg

Feb2012lck.jpg


I am a very slow grower. My hair grows 4 inches a year. It's nothing to do with retention because I measured my hair one year in to my transition and my new growth was 4 inches and it still had relaxed ends so I get sad about that. I've made progress in a year so at least that's something.

My final goal is Belly Button length, in other words Waist length. But I'd be very pleased at Below Shoulder Blade.


Thanks for viewing!
 
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Wow, your hair just started FLOURISHING when you started going natural! The thickness and health in that 6-9 mo post transitioning pic compared to the relaxed pics is incredible. Congrats on your progress!
 
Nice to see your journey melissa! You've made some good progress over the year!! I think I'm at about the same length as you now so might have to call you for hairstyle tips!
 
Very good progress. Your hair retention in a year is amazing. Can you please share your regimen? Do you protective style?

TIA
 
Nice to see your journey melissa! You've made some good progress over the year!! I think I'm at about the same length as you now so might have to call you for hairstyle tips!

Haha, all I do it bun at the moment after stretching overnight.
I want to try experimenting with real braidouts but need a good something to hold it with. I'm gonna try flaxseed gel to start off with.

brittle_hair
 
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Very good progress. Your hair retention in a year is amazing. Can you please share your regimen? Do you protective style?

TIA

Thank you.

I've spent some time finding out what works for me and some natural products but right now I...

Wash and condition about every 7-10 days.
I don't really have a staple shampoo but I've been using Lush Jumping Juniper for the last few months.
I've been using henna for the last few months (inconsistently) but when it's finished I'm not going to repurchase.
My staple conditioner is Aubrey Organics GPB and HSR.
My leave-in after conditioning is unrefined shea butter.
My moisturiser is unrefined shea butter on damp hair (I normally do this once or twice between washes)
Otherwise I'll just use hempseed oil to add moisture.

I don't do weaves, braids or extensions.

The only protective style I do is bunning, with my own hair.

I might start doing twists when they hang beyond my shoulders, but that might not be until another 2 years.

eta: Forgot to say, sometimes I will replace my wash and condition with just a co-wash with Herbal Essences depending on how my hair is feeling.

Lurkee
 
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I love your natural hair, and thanks for sharing a part of your hair journey with us! You are doing an awesome job!!:grin:
 
Forgot to say, sometimes I will replace my wash and condition with just a co-wash with Herbal Essences depending on how my hair is feeling.
 
Yes, how do you achieve that definition on your braid-outs on your natural hair? Tutorial please :)

HoneyA

After washing and conditioning I apply unrefined shea butter to damp hair and braid it up for the night in about 8-10 braids.
It wouldn't stay like that if I was to leave it, it would shrink and poof up throughout the day; which is why I am going to start experimenting with flaxseed gel to help maintain it.

ETA: I still need to figure out away to braid it so I don't end up with a massive part down the middle.
 
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HoneyA

After washing and conditioning I apply unrefined shea butter to damp hair and braid it up for the night in about 8-10 braids.
It wouldn't stay like that if I was to leave it, it would shrink and poof up throughout the day; which is why I am going to start experimenting with flaxseed gel to help maintain it.

ETA: I still need to figure out away to braid it so I don't end up with a massive part down the middle.

Thanks for that! I need to get some shea butter.

To avoid the part right down the middle, part up to the point you want the part to end, take a bunch of hair after the part (I usually just finger part out a square) and braid it as you normally would. Continue your braiding as usual. So that where you would normally have a part down the middle you should have 2 braids (or however many you want) instead. You should still have about 8 or 10 braids. When you undo the braids, there is no part down the middle and it's very easy to blend.
 
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:yay: I mentioned that your hair was thicker and you brushed me off. I'm glad you can actually see it for yourself now.
 
Thanks for that! I need to get some shea butter.

To avoid the part right down the middle, part up to the point you want the part to end, take a bunch of hair after the part (I usually just finger part out a square) and braid it as you normally would. Continue your braiding as usual. So that where you would normally have a part down the middle you should have 2 braids (or however many you want) instead. You should still have about 8 or 10 braids. When you undo the braids, there is no part down the middle and it's very easy to blend.

Thanks. It's common sense really,lol.
I'll be doing that when I start wearing my braidouts out.
 
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