where was your hair last year?

[Lilmama1011]

And where is it today? What do you think caused the setback or progress?

 

[Mande30]

Well, I just started my HHJ in July 2012. So last year my hair was not so good:
-relaxers every 4 to 6 weeks
-my only moisturizer was hair grease (Doo Gro), applied once weekly
-flat ironed weekly, sometimes daily
-used a pertoleum based product as heat protectant
-had no idea what sulfate-free was
-did not purchase products based on ingredients, but on what the label stated that it would do

as of now:
-relaxers stretched to 12 weeks
-moisturize with water based product and seal with oil, nightly
-no direct heat since July (when I began my journey)
-rollersets, bantu knot outs, braid outs and twist outs
-experimenting with bunning
-pre poo w/oil; sulfate-free shampoo; clarify once a month; DC weekly

Hair is doing much better. Joined my first challenge today, 2013 Bootcamp

 

[Lucie]

Last year I had a huge afro puff. This year I am almost BSL and relaxed. I think what caused progress is by doing nothing. I am lazy and don't like to do much. Fortunately, my hair likes my laziness.

 

[*CherryPie*]

I was almost bald (BC'ed) last year. I'm past SL today. I just washed, conditioned and wore braid outs all year.

I keep forgetting to moisturize so I can't include that. I'll have to try to do better with that this year.

 

[Kinky4Agirl]

I was natural, shoulder length and damaged last year at this time. This year I am relaxed, neck length and happy and healthy. Being natural was not for me. I had split ends so bad I had to cut alot of my hair off when I relaxed. The best thing I did for my hair is discover LHCF. Now I can't wait to do my hair every weekend. I love it love it love it!!!

 

[JulietWhiskey]

Last year, my SL hair was chopped and screwed.

This year, due to consistent co-washing, DCs, daily moisturizing, sealing, leaving my hair mostly in twists and twist-outs (I'm now experimenting with the twist-n-curl) and adding regular doses of protein to my super-fine strands, my hair is doing GREAT!

And I do believe I've made APL!

 

[TeeDee66]

Last year my hair was shoulder length and now it is armpit length. I am happier!

 

[Aireen]

MBL/WL before I screwed it uppppp.

It's okay though... it's on, it's gonna be pure progress from here.

 

[JJamiah]

To my Tailbone

Now it is at my shoulder and in twist

 

[MystiqueBabe]

Last year I was relaxed and miserable. I was NL/SL and getting shorter and eventually the relaxed hair snapped off down to the new growth, like it always does. The front was 7-9 in long while the back was 4-5 in long. My hair looked horrible. Nothing I did helped my relaxed hair it still felt dry, brittle, hard, turned a brownish red color, and was stiff as a board. I had to sweep all the broken off strands of hair off the bathroom floor AND swipe off the broken hairs that landed on my shirt. smh I tried everything on this forum. I guess my hair just hates relaxers.

Now I am natural and my hair is the exact opposite of what is described above. It is back to where it was length wise and healthy. All I have to do is cut the rest of these straggly relaxed ends off.

 

[venusfly]

I was Halle Berry short as recent as APRIL 2012 BUT by SEPTEMBER 2012 I had a one length, neck length hair cut with long side swooped bangs - AND that was after a pretty big cut where I took several inches off - mostly from the back, in order to get one length hair (I don't like V or U shaped hair) - AND also without me doing a darn thing (I didn't find my way back to this site and start thinking to grow my hair long until my birthday at the end of October.)

If I liked U or V shaped hair I would have retained more and my hair would be several inches longer but I DON'T so I sacrificed some inches I could have held on to. If it takes longer to get to my goal of full blunt mid-back because I keep cutting to keep a blunt hemline then so be it....I like what I like.

I haven't relaxed since end of September but when I releax in the next 2-4 weeks I should have a nice approaching-shoulder length blunt cut. I hope.

So all in all I think my hair grew well this year even though I wasn't taking any special care of it and despite the cut to get an even hemline.

 

[MsDee14]

Last year, I was relaxed with thick, APL hair.
Now, I am 1 year + post relaxer with thick natural and relaxed, APL hair.

 

[koolkittychick]

Last year my hair was pretty healthy, but I was stuck at the same collarbone length I started out at when I went back to relaxing my hair in August of 2009. This year I am about to hit full APL with my next touch up, and it's due to a few things:

1. I took better care of my health by working out regularly, drinking more water, eating more fruits and veggies and lean protien, and taking a good multivitamin/biotin supplement
2. I mastered the art of caring for two textures during a long stretch. Now I do touch ups every 12-16 weeks instead of every 4-6 weeks.
3. Found a good moisturizer and sealer that works for both textures, and became more consistent with moisturizing and sealing on a regular basis.
4. Finally realized the importance of deep conditioning (with heat)weekly instead of bi-weekly or monthly, especially deep into a stretch.
5. Became more consistent with wrapping my hair in a silk scarf at night; my edges, sides and ends have thanked me in spades.
6. Learned to PS without putting tension on my hair. Once I realized that ponytail holders were not my friend and that I could make nice buns without them using Goody Spin Pins (they are THE TRUTH!), I reversed a ton of the breakage I kept experiencing at my nape and back--which kept forcing my stylist to cut off any progress I made in the front. I am still longer in the front than in the back, but the difference is more like 1 inch, compared to as much as 3 inches difference in the past.

I plan on using all of these techniques to help me succeed in my new goals for the coming year:

1. Go back to being a complete DIY relaxer again. I love my stylist, but as I have grown my hair longer and stretched my relaxer for longer periods of time, I have discovered that she is much better with clients who keep their hair shoulder length or shorter and maintain a straighter texture most of the time. The last couple of times I have gone, she was quite rough with detangling my hair prior to the relaxer and ended up tearing out enough hair so that she woud have to trim back at least half of the 1.5 to 2 inches if hair I grew during my stretch. It's a shame that they don't sell Paul Mitchell relaxer for home use (best product that has EVER been used to straighten my hair), but I am hopeful that I will find a comparable product to do the job; I may even transition to being textlaxed, but we'll see.
2. Retain as much of the 6 inches or so I grow every year so that I can reach BSL (something I have never done), and maybe even see the beginnings of MBL, which on my short torso is a difference of under 2 inches between the two lengths.

 

[SimJam]

Last year I was SL, now I'm APL
Found my staples and stuck to a KISS regimen

 

[SmilingElephant]

Last year my hair was SL and grew to APL. Now im pushing MBL. I think it was due to me co washing so frequently honestly. My hair grew a lot when i started co washing while relaxed too. So when the weather warms up I'll be back to my near daily co washes.

Nice thread

Sent from my Teleportation Device

 

[Seamonster]

Last Year, My hair grew from SL to BSB
This Year, My hair grew from NL to SL
Although my hair is shorter, and I want long hair, it is much thicker, and in better health so I am hoping to be able to grow my hair to longer lengths this year. If I get past bsb with thick hair that will be quite an accomplishment.

Just like another poster said, I care about the style more than the length. My style this year is to grow to that SL a-line layered natural bob, with a swoop bang I have been fawning over for years.

 

[Diva_Esq]

I was almost BSL. Now I am WL. I think my progress is due to cowashing, protective styling and minimal heat.

 

[rayellejd14]

Last year, I was dealing with a major setback. My hair had gone from BSL to SL because I pull my own hair out especially when I'm stressed, so applying to and beginning law school ruined my hair, even though I take care of it in every other way. I'm passing APL now.

I also swore I'd grow old and die relaxed, but a few weeks ago I decided to transition because I was bored with my hair. 13 weeks and counting.

 

[irisak]

In December I was collarbone length now in grazing bsl. The pics below are from March and today.

 

[EnExitStageLeft]

Last year my hair was half texlaxed, half bonelaxed, chopped and frickin' SCREWED! and all together a hot, stringy, silicone buildup havin' MESS!

This year my hair is fully texlaxed & healthy (I'm pretty frickin' excited about it) .

 

[knt1229]

My hair this year and last year is about the same. It's gotten longer but I'm not entirely happy with my progress. It's healthy, but, I feel it should be longer than it is.

 

[DarkJoy]

I've been natural forever but didnt know how to take care of it. I kept it in braids, wigged, or weaved. Ir was bet SL and CBL. Little did I know that all that tension on fine hair with conrowing and sew-ins and extensions was bad medicine. On top of that, I dyed to a dark brown for my grays...well I quickly found out that dye and my hair equals disaster.

BC'd to 2-3" in July. Best decision ever. Now the back layers are already SL. And its much thicker and is a different texture even!woohoo!

 

[Angelicus]

Around the same length it is now


I am working on getting it back long. I hate protective styling so I think I am going to wear wigs for a while.

Sent from my LHCF App.

 

[divachyk]

MBL/WL before I screwed it uppppp.

It's okay though... it's on, it's gonna be pure progress from here.

This....

I agree Aireen

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

Last year I was in the midst of my long transition (more than a year in) and partially MBL. Now, I'm completely natural, healthy, and BSL.

 

[longhairdreaming]

Last year my hair was SL and in decent shape after monthly trims to get things under control. This year my hair is APL and dusting with trims as needed have helped me retain. I also KISS'd my way through the year with cornrows under wigs and scarves as well as yarn braids and kinky twists.

 

[bellebebe]

I was apl relaxed, now neck length natural.

 

[Ogoma]

Last year at this time, I was neck length and almost shoulder length ( BCed in June). This year, I am APL. I tried to eat healthy, took vitamins and supplements to fill my laziness gap, worked out regularly, co-washed frequently, DCed regularly (sometimes with steam), and never used heat.

 

[Evolving78]

i was natural. by Oct i relaxed my hair. it was a little past SL. i am past APL now. my hair was in good condition, until i had a major setback with protein overload. i also suffered some breakage from using a blow dryer with a comb attachment. that thing was ripping my hair out. my hair is in a good state now and i am back to using mild protein and cowashing. i know not to over do it with products and know what products work best for my hair.

 

[ScorpioRising]

Last year I had just BC'ed and was grazing NL, now I'm grazing APL

I've been properly moisturizing my hair, DC'ing every week, I stopped using butters and oils on wet hair which caused my hair to dry out (use GSO on dry hair), properly cleansing my scalp, and doing low manipulation hair styles.

Sent from my jacked iPhone