Grow It Long 2020 Challenge

[Napturallypretty1908]

Camille Rose Lavender has glycerin as a main ingredient which is why your hair may be frizzing instantly especially if it’s dry outside. Not too familiar with Uncle Funkys. Try clarifying your hair. When products start to stop working, clarifying usually helps.

Thank you! That's good to know. Will certainly try next time my hair is out.

 

[water_n_oil]

Natural, Relaxed, Texlaxed: Natural

Current Length: BSL in the front, MBL in the back

Goal Length: WL (apparently closer to that than I realized)

Plan to reach goal length: Sticking to the same ol', same ol'.

Regimen: Hair gets wet (via shower) and detangled every 5 days alternating between cleansing and WO. Follow-up with shea blend and 4-8 braids. Braidout 1-3 days later if I choose to do so.

Protective Styles: 4-8 braids on wash day. Not a fan of regularly protective styling.

Staple Products: Shea butter. I don't have anything else that's an absolute must.

Starting Pic:

 

[MzSwift]

Natural, Relaxed, Texlaxed: Natural

Current Length: BSL in the front, MBL in the back

Goal Length: WL (apparently closer to that than I realized)

Plan to reach goal length: Sticking to the same ol', same ol'.

Regimen: Hair gets wet (via shower) and detangled every 5 days alternating between cleansing and WO. Follow-up with shea blend and 4-8 braids. Braidout 1-3 days later if I choose to do so.

Protective Styles: 4-8 braids on wash day. Not a fan of regularly protective styling.

Staple Products: Shea butter. I don't have anything else that's an absolute must.

Starting Pic:

Uh, ma'am. I don't see any "MBL" going on in that picture. You look straight up WL!! That strand is beyond the middle of your back. LOL.

 

[water_n_oil]

Uh, ma'am. I don't see any "MBL" going on in that picture. You look straight up WL!! That strand is beyond the middle of your back. LOL.

Lol! It's close but not quite. In between the two I should've said.

 

[Honeypot]

I also wear my twists in buns. I think it matches me lol. Anything looks good with earings and mascara... Also neat parts. I sectioned my hair last month and I'm aiming to keep the same sections until the end of the year.

Braids and twists help me stay motivated because I can see the new growth



Honeypot, have you taken your starting photo and updated your entry post with a current length? Where do you want to be by the end of the year?

I have to post a photo when I get a chance

 

[Honeypot]

Or wear them in a pony. I prefer plaited buns. They’re super low maintenance. Also easy to re-quench. I don’t take down the plait until wash day. Every morning just spritz with water, brush whatever flyaways back and roll the plait into a bun.

That's another option but I don't like my hair being pulled back. I just let mine hang

 

[NaturalShe94]

Lol! It's close but not quite. In between the two I should've said.

Pshhhhhhh.... You don’t even look WL to me. You look W’hip Length. You sure? Lol.

 

[GGsKin]

I can see you are at WL or already past. Your hair isnt even straight in this pic lol

Lol! It's close but not quite. In between the two I should've said.

 

[water_n_oil]

I can see you are at WL or already past. Your hair isnt even straight in this pic lol

Taking that into account, it probably is then lmao. Guess my goal should be HL or TBL? My visible goal is 2 braids @ BSL. They're at APL now.

 

[Mapleoats]

Natural, Relaxed, Texlaxed: Natural

Current Length: BSL in the front, MBL in the back

Goal Length: WL (apparently closer to that than I realized)

Plan to reach goal length: Sticking to the same ol', same ol'.

Regimen: Hair gets wet (via shower) and detangled every 5 days alternating between cleansing and WO. Follow-up with shea blend and 4-8 braids. Braidout 1-3 days later if I choose to do so.

Protective Styles: 4-8 braids on wash day. Not a fan of regularly protective styling.

Staple Products: Shea butter. I don't have anything else that's an absolute must.

Starting Pic:

I love how simple your regimen is! Do you ever deep condition? How much time does your wash day routine usually take?

 

[water_n_oil]

I love how simple your regimen is! Do you ever deep condition? How much time does your wash day routine usually take?

I dc every once in a while. Wash day is around 30-45min. Longer if I decide to do some sort of treatment.

 

[NaturalShe94]

Taking that into account, it probably is then lmao. Guess my goal should be HL or TBL? My visible goal is 2 braids @ BSL. They're at APL now.

Is your hair past your inward curve?
You look not far from HL, make it TBL

 

[Rhealthyhair]

Does anyone have experience deep conditioning with a PS such as box braids? I was lurking another thread and read that the Shea Moisture rose oil DC is really amazing and hard to find so I ordered some single packets to try. I want to deep condition with it now but I don't take my braids out for another 2 weeks.

 

[Mapleoats]

I dc every once in a while. Wash day is around 30-45min. Longer if I decide to do some sort of treatment.

My wash day takes at least 2hrs . Your long healthy hair is inspiring me to figure out how to cut it down.

 

[LonDone]

Does anyone have experience deep conditioning with a PS such as box braids? I was lurking another thread and read that the Shea Moisture rose oil DC is really amazing and hard to find so I ordered some single packets to try. I want to deep condition with it now but I don't take my braids out for another 2 weeks.

My box braids are WL. I use a big ol' tub of cheapie Aunt Jackie's Super Duper Moisturizing conditioner. I slather it on then "squeeze" it into the braids. Plastic bag and a scarf, leave for 30 minutes.

My latest discovery, to moisturise I use the same slather/squeeze method with a big ol' tub of cheapie moisturiser (Elasta QP Mango Butter or Cantu Leave-In Conditioner) mixed with oil. I then ponytail/bun the braids, wrap a t-shirt over the hair, then a scarf on top, and keep on overnight to allow the oil/moisturiser mix to absorb into the hair while the hair dries.

 

[MzSwift]

Does anyone have experience deep conditioning with a PS such as box braids? I was lurking another thread and read that the Shea Moisture rose oil DC is really amazing and hard to find so I ordered some single packets to try. I want to deep condition with it now but I don't take my braids out for another 2 weeks.

I do!
If I leave my extensions in longer than 4 weeks at a time, I wash and DC. I usually make a diluted mix of both poo and condish and I pour them on and rinse in the shower. Then I let my braids hang to dry. Poo I dilute 80/20, water/poo. Condish 90/10, water/condish. I'm too afraid of buildup to use too much product.

 

[metro_qt]

@NaturalShe94 Thank you for making this thread! You have 25 challengers so far... I think... if I got everybody

Me!!! @apple_natural
I thought I made a starting post in this thread to join, since I subscribed to it, but I guess I didn't.
Please add me to the list of challengers, I'll post my starting info below!

 

[metro_qt]

Natural:

Current Length:
BSL in back, APL on sides

Goal Length:
WL in back, BSL on sides

Plan to reach goal length:
Weekly or Biweekly:

Washing,
Steaming
Deep Conditioning
Plex treatments
also, new wash and go processes to
have less manipulation on my hair
i.e- a new detangling brush (behairful)
that is on pre order for Jan.

Regimen:
Same as my plan above.
Protective Styles:
None, necessarily, always wash and go.

Staple Products:
Shea Moisture Manuka ...Deep Conditioner

Starting Pic: REQUIRED
Will add.

 

[apple_natural]

I have to post a photo when I get a chance

Yay!

@metro_qt as self appointed secretary to this board, i will add you lol.

@Rhealthyhair I'm also in waist length box braids. I am using up my old conditioner and it sounds like i use a very similar method to londone.

 

[ckisland]

So I put my hair into a flattwist bun after I washed it. That bun turned into a flattwist ponytail later that night. I took the flattwists out and put my hair up in a ponytail. I took my hair down to do a chunky braid n'curl for today, and I had SO MUCH BREAKAGE!!!! I pretty much only saw short hairs . Yeah I switched styles, but I didn't comb my hair and I was gentle with each take down. Seeing that much breakage legitimately scared me .

 

[keranikki]

So I put my hair into a flattwist bun after I washed it. That bun turned into a flattwist ponytail later that night. I took the flattwists out and put my hair up in a ponytail. I took my hair down to do a chunky braid n'curl for today, and I had SO MUCH BREAKAGE!!!! I pretty much only saw short hairs . Yeah I switched styles, but I didn't comb my hair and I was gentle with each take down. Seeing that much breakage legitimately scared me .

Do you think you twisted your hair too tight!

 

[ckisland]

Do you think you twisted your hair too tight!

I may have done my bun too tight. My hair wasn't soaking wet but it was very damp. My hair is weak at ends (and length) from being heat damaged/trained. My hair may not have liked being twisted up like that at all. When I took my hair down today, I didn't see any breakage.

 

[Rhealthyhair]

@LonDone @MzSwift Thanks girls! I'll probably do it this weekend while I have the time to let it air dry. Should I rinse out the deep conditioner? Also have either of you used the TGIN hair mask as a deep conditioner? @syrk first mentioned it to me when I was looking for a good DC. I'm afraid my products might be too much protein and not enough moisture. I use mostly Shea Moisture products for "dry, brittle, hair" to try and balance out my relaxers.

 

[LonDone]

@Rhealthyhair - Yes rinse out the conditioner after awhile, squeeze the excess rinse water, then generously apply a mix of leave-in or moisturiser mixed with oil, squeeze into the braids, cover hair completely with an old t-shirt and leave to dry overnight.

You should have evenly dried moisturised hair (I used to blowdry after washing braids and the roots were always damp the next day and after 4 or 5 days the hair smelled mildewy. This new method gets rids of that problem.) Another thing I have learned is wait until my hair is completely dry before taking down and re-doing any messy braids. Wet manipulation isn't for my hair. Look forward to hearing how it goes.

 

[nyeredzi]

Why don't y'all just wear the twists down. That's not gonna harm anything.

I don't like the way my medium twists look loose. The back of the head never looks right. Wearing it in a bun or ponytail looks better.

 

[Bronxcutie]

My hair is in the best condition it’s ever been, even though it’s bleached! I think getting it colored professionally instead of the box color, properly balancing protein and moisture and using Olaplex #3 helped. Now I want to grow out my tapered cut. The top and sides are much longer than the nape area. Everyone tells me that I should still be able to get it braided. I’m thinking about knotless box braids. Do you ladies think that will damage my hair?

 

[MzSwift]

My hair is in the best condition it’s ever been, even though it’s bleached! I think getting it colored professionally instead of the box color, properly balancing protein and moisture and using Olaplex #3 helped. Now I want to grow out my tapered cut. The top and sides are much longer than the nape area. Everyone tells me that I should still be able to get it braided. I’m thinking about knotless box braids. Do you ladies think that will damage my hair?

As long as you do a good protein tx before install to help strengthen your hair, I think you'll be ok.

 

[MzSwift]

@LonDone @MzSwift Thanks girls! I'll probably do it this weekend while I have the time to let it air dry. Should I rinse out the deep conditioner? Also have either of you used the TGIN hair mask as a deep conditioner? @syrk first mentioned it to me when I was looking for a good DC. I'm afraid my products might be too much protein and not enough moisture. I use mostly Shea Moisture products for "dry, brittle, hair" to try and balance out my relaxers.

Yes, please rinse out the DC. I don't apply any additional product to my extensions besides my braid spray mix. But @LonDone 's descriptions sound so yummy. Lol. I've never tried the TGIN but I've heard ladies say good things about it over the years.

Product wise, I don't think you should change anything. From what you've posted, including your avi, your hair seems to be doing very well with what you've been using and the way you've been PSing to retain in between relaxers. I would say to just use whatever DC you would use if your hair were loose. Just dilute it so that it is easier to rinse from the braids.

From what I've observed over the years on the hair boards, when ladies started to make changes to a regi that was working for them, it would trigger a setback. Now it's a different story if you're trying to solve a particular hair or process issue though. Try whatever you want to get the results you want.

 

[Mapleoats]

Took my twists out earlier today and decided to try out some protective styles on the twist out, based on some of the suggestions received. It was a success!

Here are my favourites:





Only a couple of weeks in this challenge and I've already learned so much from you all! Thank you!!

 

[nyeredzi]

Took my twists out earlier today and decided to try out some protective styles on the twist out, based on some of the suggestions received. It was a success!

Here are my favourites:

View attachment 454695

View attachment 454697

Only a couple of weeks in this challenge and I've already learned so much from you all! Thank you!!

Love it. I'm telling you, we got the same look, lol. I even showed my husband and was like "think quick, is this me or nah". He knew it wasn't me, but admitted it was close! Now tell us about that hair accessory.

I undid my twists today for a twist out. Looks fab, if I do say so myself. I'll probably wash in a day or two, which will be the last wash of my 3 wash cycle. I absolutely love that I figured out a way to only comb once every 3-4 weeks.