Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BKT 2x

alima

New Member
Hi everyone. Sorry in advance for all of the pictures. I've been lurking on here since June and finally decided to join a week ago. I've learned so much about hair in only two months that I kick myself every time I think about all the dumb things I did to it in the past. I'm finally on the right track and have never been happier with my hair (except when it was longer). Here are a bunch of pictures with little descriptions. My two major setbacks happened in college. The first was abusing the flat iron during my freshman year of college:wallbash:. And the second was being lazy during my sophomore year. Warning: Some of these pictures are the most random ones ever and please excuse outfits, facial expressions, and weird backgrounds:perplexed Feel free to post any questions =)

n1383150187_30015018_9420.jpg

June 2006: 16th birthday. Not a great picture but notice how long my hair was.
n1383150187_30015022_122.jpg

November 2006: Sigh my goal curly hair length.
l_edb546a9ee100a6372cb759ff2e0ea38.jpg

May 2007: Senior pictures. Again not a great pictures but shows my length (taken on the same day)
n1383150187_30097349_4177.jpg

January 2008: Hair was its healthiest my Senior year of high school. 07-08.
n1383150187_30115540_1529.jpg

June 2008: High school graduation
n1383150187_30098218_1043.jpg

September 2008: First month of college. Already addicted to flat irons. My hair was still pretty healthy though.
n631880678_1096545_2178.jpg

October 2008: This was Halloween of my freshman year. You can see the damage from using crappy flat irons, not using heat protectants, and mistreating my hair. I wish I had a picture that showed my ends. They were fried!
IMG_3714-2.jpg

March 2009: Close up of my curls before ever putting any keratin, color, or highlights
3301_1071567874431_1383150187_30232658_4386721_n.jpg

May 2009: Curls again.
4699_1086528128428_1383150187_30274253_4854226_n.jpg

4699_1086528048426_1383150187_30274251_6709957_n.jpg

4699_1086528208430_1383150187_30274255_295071_n.jpg

June 2009: Professional hair cut and first time getting highlights. I have tons of pictures from that day if you guys want to see more, let me know. I really liked it but not on me. It made me look old.
IMG_4145.jpg

July 2009: Picture of my curls. The highlights didn’t affect my curl pattern. The cut did make my hair more bouncy because I had gotten rid of all the damage I had done to it my freshman year of high school. I HATED the hair cut on curly hair though.
IMG_4202.jpg

July 2009: I just love how shiny my hair looks =) Close up of my hair with highlights. My mom blow dried it with a round brush and put each section in pin curls after drying to make it bouncy
13656_1179423690759_1383150187_30514483_3595987_n.jpg

13656_1179463011742_1383150187_30514507_7028555_n.jpg

13656_1181148733884_1383150187_30517841_7877407_n.jpg

November 2009: Loved how my hair looked in pictures these 3 days but it was a mess in person. The back was all tangled and matted. My hair is really fine and I don’t have a lot of it. This was like 3-5th day hair. Since I toss and turn so much in my sleep, it was “teased” to be this big. :lachen:
17168_1209049191378_1383150187_30580690_586912_n.jpg

January 2010: A few days before Brazilian Keratin.
17168_1211968984371_1383150187_30587826_7831116_n.jpg

17168_1211969544385_1383150187_30587827_7123767_n.jpg

January 2010: Brazilian Keratin results. Had lot of ends cut off. Although I stopped flat ironing my hair, I was really lazy with it and would throw it up in a bun and leave it for a week at a time. Although bunning is good, I wasn’t moisturizing at all. Hair would always break off.
17168_1215343548733_1383150187_30593870_368130_n.jpg

17168_1215343628735_1383150187_30593871_5625408_n.jpg

17168_1215343748738_1383150187_30593874_7050157_n.jpg

January 2010: Blowdried with round brush right after washing out the Brazilian keratin after 3 days of torture.
IMG_0188.jpg

January 2010: Hair about 2-3 weeks after Brazilian Keratin Treatment. I think this is like 2nd day hair.
23542_1270352883932_1383150187_30700238_3149118_n.jpg

March 2010: (lol don’t mind the tired boyfriend) I don’t have many pictures of my curls after my Brazilian Keratin because I didn’t like how it made my hair look. I suspect that the one used on me had formaldehyde and it straightened my hair too much. As you can see in this picture, it looks like I did a braidout but this was a wash and go. Although my curls looked pretty after the keratin. They became more wave like and had less volume which I don’t like. It took a lot of messing with my hair to get it to look like this and it looked gross without the headband.
31024_1309031810881_1383150187_30783657_4223171_n.jpg

May 2010: Rollerset. Had a few layers added on top.
31974_1327757039000_1383150187_30835066_3690303_n.jpg

June2010.jpg

June 2010: Wash and go. Two different days.
35605_1340175509454_1383150187_30867548_4964599_n.jpg

June2010straight.jpg

July 2010: Rollerset
35102_1368093767393_1383150187_30935320_1968550_n.jpg

37889_1368101927597_1383150187_30935339_6009911_n.jpg

39760_1387348688754_1383150187_30985065_674927_n.jpg

IMG_0746.jpg

July 2010: My mom did the Brazilian keratin at my house. It came out great. I discovered I had a W going on in the back which I have now been working hard to fix. But I was surprised how much my hair grew from the last time I did it in January. This picture was after I had cut about an inch of ends off. I think I made my length check shirt too big because when I made it my hair was on the first line so please ignore the discrepancies on where my hair lands.


Well thanks for looking at my post. I'm so happy I joined and can post things on the boards. I learn so much while still having fun. Sorry the pictures are all over the place. I didn't start documenting my hair until recently. Most of these pictures were on facebook. Only reason why I know when they were taken. :grin:
 
Last edited:
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Lol sorry girls. That was a whole lot of pictures. I think I went a bit overboard.
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Thank you for sharing with us. Please don't be so hard on yourself when commenting on your pictures. You looked awesome in all of them :yep:. I think it would be great if you combined an album on your page or you might even consider creating a fotki album.

I was first introduced to a flat iron in college and it messed my life/hair UP! As soon as someone told me that my hair looked sooooo good...it was all down hill from there :lachen:
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

we love pics.... and hellllll-o yah it was alot! :lachen::lachen:

your hair looks alot like the texture of member "southerntease" TO ME..... she runs the blog maneandchic.com

beautiful hair.... so you simply wash out the BKT? was it expensive?

are u natural now?
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

wow Welcome for one, (I'm also from NY, bklyn to be exact) two- thanks for the tons of pics:grin: and three, u and ur hair are both beautiful. love the str8 look. It's wonderful that you found out exactly what you were doing that was breaking your hair, now you're on the right path. Keep up the great work:yep:

 
Last edited:
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Haha since you've been lurking for so long you should know we love pics :lol:

I love your color and pics! Good luck on your journey :yep:
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Thank you for sharing with us. Please don't be so hard on yourself when commenting on your pictures. You looked awesome in all of them :yep:. I think it would be great if you combined an album on your page or you might even consider creating a fotki album.

I was first introduced to a flat iron in college and it messed my life/hair UP! As soon as someone told me that my hair looked sooooo good...it was all down hill from there :lachen:

The girls with really slow internet connections are going to hate this thread:lachen: An album would have definitely been the smart way to go. Thanks for the suggestion and the compliment =) I was also introduced to a flat iron in college. I had to stop after I burned a section of my hair off in the back. The plate on my roomie's iron was all scratched up and it murdered my hair:nono:

we love pics.... and hellllll-o yah it was alot! :lachen::lachen:

your hair looks alot like the texture of member "southerntease" TO ME..... she runs the blog maneandchic.com

beautiful hair.... so you simply wash out the BKT? was it expensive?

are u natural now?

Girl would you believe I still have more. I took some tonight because I was having a really good hair day but I was like I'm going to get attacked if I add any more. Gotta save some for my next thread:yep:

I'm going to look up southerntease. I'd love to see how she maintains her hair. I've heard about her a few times but have never seen her hair. Thanks!

You wash out the BKT 3 days after application. It sucks because it has to stay pin straight for those three days. No water, ponytail holders, tucking it behind your ear, nothing...It slowly washes from your hair after a few months. The first time I did it, my mom's friend who is a hair dresser did it for me. She charged me a very discounted $150. The second time, my mom ordered the keratin off the internet and she put it for me at home. Its so much cheaper because we got an 8oz bottle (she used about 2.5oz for my hair) for about $140.

I'm not natural because I have the keratin in my hair. But I don't have a relaxer. Sorry I'm not sure what you mean by natural.
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

wow Welcome for one, (I'm also from NY, bklyn to be exact) two- thanks for the tons of pics:grin: and three, u and ur hair are both beautiful. love the str8 look. It's wonderful that you found out exactly what you were doing that was breaking your hair, now you're on the right path. Keep up the great work:yep:


Thanks so much =) My SO is from bklyn. I love my hair str8 too but I've come to accept that its not good to do all the time but its a nice treat. You get to see how much your hair has grown and get tons of compliments from people who are used to it curly:grin:

Haha since you've been lurking for so long you should know we love pics :lol:

I love your color and pics! Good luck on your journey :yep:

Lol yeah. Pictures was one of the reasons I joined because I hated not being able to see people's attachments in their posts. I'd see like 50 comments on how beautiful a girl's hair was but I couldn't see the attachment unless I joined. Def pushed me over the edge:yep:

And thanks=) Good luck on yours too!
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

I agree, the heat is too much exactly why I joined the "no heat challenge" but keep doing what your doing, ur hair looks great and that is almost the same reason I joined. Well I joined because I was in need of help and seen all the other encouraging posts and progress of others
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Yea that was the main reason I joined. I wanted to be able to post if I needed help or give tips to people on things they needed help with. Also posting on challenges seemed like it'd keep me motivated to do them. There's so many reasons but it was definitely money well spent.

Good luck on reaching APL. I looked at your fotki and you are so close! I just hit APL and it was a struggle from SL to APL. Took me about 6 months. And I commend you on the hyh challenge. Thats one challenge I don't think I'll ever be able to do. I love wearing my hair out wayy too much for its own good. I only PS at home or when my curls don't look good but I'm too lazy to wash it. Thats when I put a headband on, throw it up, and go hoping that the messy translates to cute :lachen:
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

The girls with really slow internet connections are going to hate this thread:lachen: An album would have definitely been the smart way to go. Thanks for the suggestion and the compliment =) I was also introduced to a flat iron in college. I had to stop after I burned a section of my hair off in the back. The plate on my roomie's iron was all scratched up and it murdered my hair:nono:



Girl would you believe I still have more. I took some tonight because I was having a really good hair day but I was like I'm going to get attacked if I add any more. Gotta save some for my next thread:yep:

I'm going to look up southerntease. I'd love to see how she maintains her hair. I've heard about her a few times but have never seen her hair. Thanks!

You wash out the BKT 3 days after application. It sucks because it has to stay pin straight for those three days. No water, ponytail holders, tucking it behind your ear, nothing...It slowly washes from your hair after a few months. The first time I did it, my mom's friend who is a hair dresser did it for me. She charged me a very discounted $150. The second time, my mom ordered the keratin off the internet and she put it for me at home. Its so much cheaper because we got an 8oz bottle (she used about 2.5oz for my hair) for about $140.

I'm not natural because I have the keratin in my hair. But I don't have a relaxer. Sorry I'm not sure what you mean by natural.

wow, i'd love to see more.... add them as an album to your page

or just add them as a response to this post! we live for pics
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

:yep::yep::yep: yuuup what she said ^^^
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Ok since you asked for them here goes:grin: This is second day hair. Excuse the outfit, I was ready for bed. Lol and please ignore the little mermaid sheets too. I really love the BKT I did this time because it didn't change my curl pattern. It made my curls alot less frizzy though and super shiny. Idk what my hair type is though. I took these pictures to post so that I could ask. So any ideas?

IMG_0790.jpg

IMG_0791.jpg

Gotta love my leopard satin pillowcase from target.
IMG_0793.jpg

IMG_0794.jpg

IMG_0795.jpg

IMG_0796.jpg

I did a chamomile tea rinse about a week ago and it really brought out my highlights.
IMG_0801.jpg

IMG_0804.jpg

those ends aren't split or thin or anything. they just don't corkscrew curl like some of my other ends esp the ones in the front and underneath. its so weird.
IMG_0806.jpg

IMG_0807.jpg

different curl pattern and texture underneath
IMG_0808.jpg

IMG_0809.jpg

IMG_0810.jpg

looking a bit DRUNK:perplexed
IMG_0811.jpg

IMG_0812.jpg

You can see the different texture I have underneath. Its more challenging than the rest because it gets dry faster and is more prone to breakage. But because it curls so much, it gives my hair more volume. We have a very extensive love-hate relationship.:yep:
IMG_0813.jpg

IMG_0815.jpg

IMG_0816.jpg

Those few pieces in the back do not curl at all. They never have. Its so weird.
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

If you make a fotki, put the link on my profile page. I'd love to see more pics.

You and your hair are beautiful. Welcome.

ETA: I saw the pics you added after I posted. Very nice...you got a bit of everything going on up there!
 
Last edited:
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

wow you have a lot of different curl patterns, I see some tight, and some loose. beautiful. I think if you want the answer to that question though, u should start a new thread and ask about your hair type. Loooove the curls.
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

:welcome: Your curls are so pretty, and I love your highlights :yep: happy hair growing
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Wow, you're REALLY pretty and I love the highlights and shine in your hair. Good luck growing out the W shape, I know that can be a pain. Happy hair growing! :grin:
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Now that's quite an intro - so full of hairporn! Beautiful pics:)
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Thanks for the pictures, it really helps to see a person's hair story and changes! The person who did your highlights is an artist: they look so natural and flattering!
I hope you have a happy hair growth, keep it up!
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Welcome hon! You have beautiful hair!! :grin::yep::yep:
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

I agree, your hair is beautiful, but I understand what it's like when you self-reflect on what woulda coulda shoulda.

With time, commitment and patience you will meet whatever personal goals you have set for yourself before you know it.

Welcome to LHCF, and Happy Hair Growing! :)
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

:welcome: & I think you may have set a record for most pics in a single post. :spinning:
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

You and your hair are both pretty. Thanks for sharing your pics. Happy Hair Growing.
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Welcome! Your hair and you are very pretty!
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

You and your hair are beautiful. Happy growing!
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Great Progress! I love your hair. And dont ever apologize for posting too many pics, shoot we love pics around here. Im sure you know that.
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

You are very pretty and so is your hair.
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Welcome to the fold:grin: ?You're gonna be such a hit because you believe in pics.

Enjoy your HHJ and thanks for the pic history!
 
Re: Picture hair journey over the past 4 years including highlights, setbacks, and BK

Beautiful hair.

Glad to see I'm not the only one with a homemade progress T-shirt :lachen:
 
Back
Top