Newbie Support Challenge,Soulie's Team: Relaxed & Fine

[Angel of the North]

Hi Angel,
Glad to hear that your sister and family are doing better. Trims sounds like a great topic to continue with. I just purchased the splitender last week and used it after refusing to let my stylist trim my hair. Last time she did it I went from APL to shoulder in a few minutes. Never again. The splitender was great, it took off about 1/4 inch and left my ends feeling great. I plan on using it 4 times a year after each relaxer since that is the only time I flat-iron my whole head and the hair has to be straight to use it.

I'm gald it worked for you, I'm still unsure. overall it seemed to work well but I think the couple of times I got it stuck through my hair, I cut through my hair about half of the length at the front. I've decided not to do anything before my next retouch in August.

I've got pictures from when I did it in Feb I'll post them as soon as I can

 

[exubah]

I'm still bunning away. I plan on relaxing in May, at which time I hope to be touching MBL. I won't trim for that relaxer but rather the one after. In the main time I will S&D and dust. JBCO has been a really good friend to my NG. I've also fell in love with L'Occitane Aromachologie Shampoo and Repairing Hair Mask.

 

[WaistLengthDreams]

I never got around to taking a picture of my hair on those days, but I do have some pictures of "progress" between January and March of this year. There doesn't seem to be much difference in the two pictures. I did give my self a dusting, but I guess it was actually more of a trim than anything else because the length in the two pictures look the same. I'll be looking into the "Trim" Links that you provided Angel because clearly that's an area that I need some help in. I've never heard of the splitender. I'll have to look into it. Is it a tool or a product?


January 2010

Not much has changed since January 2010, but here goes my update pics...

March 2010:

 

[Angel of the North]

:waytogo: IntheMix, I see that in the second pic you're losing the v shape that was in the first pic, I'd say you have at the very least about 1/4 - 1/2" of growth and that to me is progress so give yourself a pat on the back and keep up what you are doing, it seems to be working. Thank you for your pics, I'm just going to pull my finger out and start posting some for you all, I have lots!!!

I never got around to taking a picture of my hair on those days, but I do have some pictures of "progress" between January and March of this year. There doesn't seem to be much difference in the two pictures. I did give my self a dusting, but I guess it was actually more of a trim than anything else because the length in the two pictures look the same. I'll be looking into the "Trim" Links that you provided Angel because clearly that's an area that I need some help in. I've never heard of the splitender. I'll have to look into it. Is it a tool or a product?


January 2010

Not much has changed since January 2010, but here goes my update pics...

March 2010:

 

[Angel of the North]

Hi Ladies,

I'm giving you my update with pics!!!

I dusted my hair a couple of times late Dec and early Jan taking off in total around 3/4 of an inch - 1 inch.

I invested in a splitender at the beginning of Feb and used it on the 6th.

First I washed my hair and detangled, then blow dried and with a little heat protectant spray ( Beyond the Zone) and worked the splitender through my hair in small sections.

I can only attach 5 pics per post so I'll continue in another post

 

[Angel of the North]

These are the pictures of how my hair looked after I had used the splitender, I then DC'd on dry hair and detangled again with the minimum of hair loss.

I definately think there's something in it, I was looking for splits the other day and found just two (I know there's more), but for me to have such a job trying to find them is a statement in itself, my hair is long enough for me to see the ends even at the back. The shorter bits of my hair could be down to the way my hair was last trimmed (at the salon) or even the little breakage I suffered last year.

I intend to have another go at it next week. I did a retouch on Tuesday and then wasted £30 on a wash & blowdry on the Thursday as it was my birthday and I wanted my hair to look nice without jacking up my ends by using straighteners. It didn't even last the 10 minute walk home!!! Three washes in one week is a little more than I can handle so next weekend on wash day I'll reuse my splitender. I don't think I'll be having a salon trim until August, it would have been a year since the last salon trim, I'm even considering leaving it till December.

I'm around 1-2 inches away from full BSL (depending on the bra) and 5 inches from there will have me at MBL, I think I can get there for December. The way I have been taking care of my ends and the dusting with the splitender should be fine for now without causing me any problems and then I can get a proper trim in December.

 

[Angel of the North]

Here are some threads and reviews on the splitender.

http://www.splitender.com/
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?p=10563574
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=453862
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=219535
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showpost.php?p=10460472&postcount=18
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=5601

 

[Angel of the North]

Can you post the ingredients of the hair mask please Exubah?

I'm still bunning away. I plan on relaxing in May, at which time I hope to be touching MBL. I won't trim for that relaxer but rather the one after. In the main time I will S&D and dust. JBCO has been a really good friend to my NG. I've also fell in love with L'Occitane Aromachologie Shampoo and Repairing Hair Mask.

 

[Angel of the North]

Can I have your votes for the next topic please ladies.

rollersetting
flat ironing
deep conditioning


These are the subjects we have left on our list please feel free to add some more when you post your votes:

hair styles
aids & tools
products and techniques
growth aids
mixing own products
natural oils

 

[exubah]

Can you post the ingredients of the hair mask please Exubah?

I will post when I get back home on Tuesday because I can not find it on the web.

 

[exubah]

I'm all about "Deep Conditioning" as our next topic.

 

[jasminea]

Here are some threads and reviews on the splitender.

http://www.splitender.com/
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?p=10563574
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=453862
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=219535
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showpost.php?p=10460472&postcount=18
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=5601

The worst thing about the splitender is the cost! Other than that I love it!

I have had horrible experience with hair dressers cutting my hair when I just want a trim (not trying to get it even, just trim 1/4 inch!). They do not seem to understand the concept of trim vs a cut to get it even. So after arguing with my stylist at my last relaxer in march, I decided to end completely the conversation on trims with her as I intend to do it myself.

I did a lot of looking into the splitender and watched some ladies on youtube use it. Finally got it in March and used it on the lunar schedule . Don't know why but lunar cutting was a big topic that week on LHCF! LOL So anyway, I could see that it dusted all my ends about 1/8-1/4 inch as it said. I only passs it through 2 times as each pass takes off about 1/8 inch. My hair used to get tangled bad on the ends and that ended after the splitender.

It is a great tool, but can only be used on straight hair, so you will have to blow-dry or flat-iron depending on how curly your hair is. I use it the week I relax which is the only time I flat-iron (4 time per year). Next time I may run it through my hair the recommended 3 passes since summer is when I have the most growth and can stand a more significant dusting without losing length.

Hope this helps anyone thinking of buying it!

 

[jasminea]

Can I have your votes for the next topic please ladies.

rollersetting
flat ironing
deep conditioning


These are the subjects we have left on our list please feel free to add some more when you post your votes:

hair styles
aids & tools
products and techniques
growth aids
mixing own products
natural oils

Deep conditioning would be great!

 

[WaistLengthDreams]

Thanks for the information on the splitender, Jasminea and Angel. I'd never heard if it before but it definitely looks like something that will help with not going overboard on the trims.

Also, thanks for the pep talk, Angel. I definitely needed it. You made some good points.



Next topic: I vote for Deep Conditioning!

 

[grow]

i agree with the deep conditioning choice!

by the way, ladies, i'm going to perm in 2-3 weeks.

i know and have read the threads on self perming and doing a protein treatment a week before.

MY QUESTION IS:from the products you've tried and KNOW work, which would be best a week before:

DUDLEY'S DRC 28 OR AO GPB?

i really need your help on this one ladies, because BOTH products are new additions to my reggie so i don't know if the Dudley's might be too strong or the AO GPB too weak.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME MAKE THIS IMPORTANT DECISION! !

 

[WaistLengthDreams]

I haven't tried either of those products grow, but I have heard good things about both. So you won't be making a bad choice no matter which one you choose. (I think Dudley's is stronger but that's just a gut feeling).

I'll be 12 weeks post on Monday and I was hoping to be able to make it to the last week in May, but I feel stuck. My styling is not where I want it to be with all this NG. I cowashed this evening and flat-twisted my hair for tomorrow. This style never lasts more than two days (and the second day is always iffy). Any suggestions of what I could do stylistically with my hair to make it to the end of my stretch?

TIA!

 

[grow]

thanks, IntheMix08!

just the idea of using a heavy protein a week before relaxing makes me wince, but the ladies say it works, so....

as for the styling, i totally get what you mean.
i'm going on 15 weeks post and cannot stand the ng.
what i'm doing is wet bunning and it's working.
it's also keeping me from putting my hands in my hair all the time, so i'm actually enjoying "the freedom" from having to "style", then worry about keeping that same "style" througout the day.

 

[WaistLengthDreams]

^^^You are so right, grow! I probably need to give it up and continue bunning my hair up. I was bunning for a while but then I got bored with the same do every day. but I guess if I'm going to stretch to the end of May that's what it's going to have to be....

FYI: this weekend, I'll be doing a protein treatment with my regular wash routine and a roller set (I've been air drying for the last week or two). Hopefully, I'll get my NG in order with that.

How is everyone else doing?

 

[WaistLengthDreams]

Ladies, I made it to 16 weeks. I'm so proud of myself. Those last couple of weeks were really tough. I was only airdrying my hair and doing buns, twistouts and braidouts. Also, I was cowashing my hair like every 4 days in those last two weeks. I relaxed my hair and did a black rinse. Now, I'm under the dryer with my rollers and I'll be updating my fotki some time today with the results.

 

[grow]

Ladies, I made it to 16 weeks. I'm so proud of myself. Those last couple of weeks were really tough. I was only airdrying my hair and doing buns, twistouts and braidouts. Also, I was cowashing my hair like every 4 days in those last two weeks. I relaxed my hair and did a black rinse. Now, I'm under the dryer with my rollers and I'll be updating my fotki some time today with the results.

good for you, IntheMix08!

i stretched a long time too, so i know how difficult that was to do!
the cowashing surely helped alot because of the water softening the ng.
it must be great to have your hair straight AND black!
good going!

 

[exubah]

Ladies, I made it to 16 weeks. I'm so proud of myself. Those last couple of weeks were really tough. I was only airdrying my hair and doing buns, twistouts and braidouts. Also, I was cowashing my hair like every 4 days in those last two weeks. I relaxed my hair and did a black rinse. Now, I'm under the dryer with my rollers and I'll be updating my fotki some time today with the results.

I can't wait to see the results!!! I tried to stretch to about 14 weeks but I had to cut it short due to some unexpected deaths in the family. I posted photos in the MBL 2010 and the Castor Oil Challenge threads.

 

[WaistLengthDreams]

exubah, I saw your update pics in the MBL 2010 thread. Your hair is long.

Here is my update:

More pics in fotki.

 

[grow]

i haven't been on the boards alot lately, but steadily working my program and here's the progress report from around jan. when i started to yesterday when i took this pic.


hhg ladies!

 

[Aspire]

i haven't been on the boards alot lately, but steadily working my program and here's the progress report from around jan. when i started to yesterday when i took this pic.


hhg ladies!

Very nice progress Grow. Congrats!!!

 

[grow]

THANK YOU, ASPIRE!

i'm working it and definitely think the ayurveda has boosted my progress alot!
certainly this thread and this site is directly part of this progress because i have never had hair this long in my entire life!
i will remain eternally grateful to all of you ladies!

 

[WaistLengthDreams]

THANK YOU, ASPIRE!

i'm working it and definitely think the ayurveda has boosted my progress alot!
certainly this thread and this site is directly part of this progress because i have never had hair this long in my entire life!
i will remain eternally grateful to all of you ladies!

Grow, every time I see your progress, I am in awe. You've made some great progress so far. I can't wait to see what else is in store for your hair. HHG!

 

[MrsIQ]

How did I miss this thread?!?! I so need to be here! Off to read yall's posts! I need help with my fine hair!

 

[grow]

Grow, every time I see your progress, I am in awe. You've made some great progress so far. I can't wait to see what else is in store for your hair. HHG!

Thank you, IntheMix08! you are so sweet! it's funny that you wrote that because that is just the same way i feel when i see YOUR PROGRESS!!!

JUST AMAZING IT IS!!!

you have a very beautiful head of hair and i am so happy to be on this journey together!

let's hear it for the newbies!!!

 

[Nix08]

What happened to this thread - the info in here is fantastic...WOW!

 

[WaistLengthDreams]

Oh, I miss this thread! I got to go back through it and check out all that info. How is everyone else doing? The year is almost up. Is anyone closer to their initial goals that they set out on at the beginning of the year? I made APL and I'm closing in on BSL.