Sidenote: I've been lurking the Drop IT thread and your and @Yvette 2.0 's posts/progress/commitment/insights have been inspiring, motivating, and relatable to me as I'm navigating my own fitness and nutrition journey. I appreciate you ladies!Usually in the first quarter I am more into my hair. This year is different. I really don't feel like being bothered. I tried blow drying for several weeks but I'm done with that. Now I'm back to putting my hair up into Bantu Knots to let it dry. Then I convert those to flat twists. I'm going to try to keep things simple and not spend too much time thinking about my hair. I'm going to focus on fitness and nutrition and hopefully the hair health will follow.
I want to put in 2 strand twists but they always look so spacey because my hair is fine and less dense in the back.So, I will stick with 2 strands and let that be that.
I'm going to settle in and set my expectation to reach APL in December and not try to rush it and get impatient.
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2025/2026 - Journey to SL/APL/BSL Challenge
- Thread starter faithVA
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Yvette 2.0
Well-Known Member
This means a lot, @i4! Thanks for sharing this. It's incredibly encouraging, and it would be hard to convey how meaningful encouragement is to me right now.
Bette Davis Eyes
The "OG" Product Junkie
Taking my hair down next Saturday so it will be refreshed for upcoming Spring break. That will be a total of four weeks in my latest protective style.
Bette Davis Eyes
The "OG" Product Junkie
Bette Davis Eyes
The "OG" Product Junkie
Bette Davis Eyes
The "OG" Product Junkie
Back braided up. 
Checking in for month 3 and Q1!
(This is copied from the Grow It Long thread)
This month, I walked back two changes I made in February--that is, using detangling tools, and styling in flat twists. I've been finger detangling (and really taking my time) and styling in 12-14 plaits. When I go through my hairballs, I have very little breakage, and almost all of it comes from when I need to cut out ssks.
I'm feeling confident in my routine. I use Pantene's Daily Moisture Renewal shampoo & conditioner, Seht's all purpose conditioner as a leave-in, and The Doux's Bonita Afro Balm as a styler. My hair stays moisturized enough for me to dry detangle on wash day and that's all I really need.
Life has gotten significantly busier for me, and I've fallen off of my daily gym routine as a result. I only made it to the gym 12/29 days. I miss it. One of my goals for this year is to work up a sweat every day. So I bought an at-home treadmill with a desk, and my new goal is to walk 12 miles everyday, 2-2.5mph, 1 hour at a time, while I'm working on my computer. If I don't get sweaty enough, I'll throw in a short HIIT workout, or a short session on my stepper after I finish up for the day.
Wrt to wash frequency, I've been playing it by ear. One week I washed 2x, one week I washed 3x, two weeks I washed 4x. The only hard and fast rules I have are that 1) I don't go longer than 3 days, because I don't remoisturize in between wash days and 2) that if the sweat starts to make my scalp itch, I have to wash either that day or the next.
I've retained 8.3cm/3.26in this quarter and 2.3cm/0.8in this month. And I'm officially CBL! I still have my fingers crossed that I see that 3.5cm/month happen again! Here's to hoping that I'll see 1inch+ next month, when I'll be on top of my exercise regimen and not breaking my hair off with mechanical damage.
All in all, I'm very happy with my progress thus far. It's looking like I'll be APL or at least grazing it by the end of next month!
(This is copied from the Grow It Long thread)
This month, I walked back two changes I made in February--that is, using detangling tools, and styling in flat twists. I've been finger detangling (and really taking my time) and styling in 12-14 plaits. When I go through my hairballs, I have very little breakage, and almost all of it comes from when I need to cut out ssks.
I'm feeling confident in my routine. I use Pantene's Daily Moisture Renewal shampoo & conditioner, Seht's all purpose conditioner as a leave-in, and The Doux's Bonita Afro Balm as a styler. My hair stays moisturized enough for me to dry detangle on wash day and that's all I really need.
Life has gotten significantly busier for me, and I've fallen off of my daily gym routine as a result. I only made it to the gym 12/29 days. I miss it. One of my goals for this year is to work up a sweat every day. So I bought an at-home treadmill with a desk, and my new goal is to walk 12 miles everyday, 2-2.5mph, 1 hour at a time, while I'm working on my computer. If I don't get sweaty enough, I'll throw in a short HIIT workout, or a short session on my stepper after I finish up for the day.
Wrt to wash frequency, I've been playing it by ear. One week I washed 2x, one week I washed 3x, two weeks I washed 4x. The only hard and fast rules I have are that 1) I don't go longer than 3 days, because I don't remoisturize in between wash days and 2) that if the sweat starts to make my scalp itch, I have to wash either that day or the next.
I've retained 8.3cm/3.26in this quarter and 2.3cm/0.8in this month. And I'm officially CBL! I still have my fingers crossed that I see that 3.5cm/month happen again! Here's to hoping that I'll see 1inch+ next month, when I'll be on top of my exercise regimen and not breaking my hair off with mechanical damage.
All in all, I'm very happy with my progress thus far. It's looking like I'll be APL or at least grazing it by the end of next month!
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B_Phlyy
Pineapple Eating Unicorn
So my mini braids are out. Took me 3 days in total to remove them. My hair is now in chunky braids under a wig. Today is the end of wig wearing season for at least 6 months. But if my retention is on point, it may be a much more permanent development.
Plan today was to color, rollerset, and flat iron for length check. However, my moon cycle just started last night and PMS is already drop kicking my butt. If I have the energy when I get home, I'll do it. If not, maybe before Easter.
Plan today was to color, rollerset, and flat iron for length check. However, my moon cycle just started last night and PMS is already drop kicking my butt. If I have the energy when I get home, I'll do it. If not, maybe before Easter.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry, I'm just replying to this. The past month I've been all over the place and not checking in.
I hope our shared journey will be of some help to all of us and we keep moving forward. Love having the company and the support.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
Sorry I missed this message and the end of the quarter. This year is breezing by.
I don't have anything to report. Right now I need a break from thinking much about my hair. I'm just on a simple regimen and keeping things easy.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
You hair looks wonderful. Your progress is so wonderful. Thank you for sharing your progress with us.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
Congratulations. That is fabulous progress. Glad you have a regimen working for you.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
Sorry I haven't been around but thank all of you for keeping this thread active and going.
I really didn't feel like doing much with my hair last month. I decided against doing any type of length check. I'm just going to keep a simple regimen and try to stick to 2 strands until June. I will reconsider in June if I'm doing any type of check but probably will wait until it is cooler.
Right now I'm focused more on nutrition and fitness and getting my gut biome healthier. Hopefully, all of that will translate into more consistent growth and great retention. We shall see.
I really didn't feel like doing much with my hair last month. I decided against doing any type of length check. I'm just going to keep a simple regimen and try to stick to 2 strands until June. I will reconsider in June if I'm doing any type of check but probably will wait until it is cooler.
Right now I'm focused more on nutrition and fitness and getting my gut biome healthier. Hopefully, all of that will translate into more consistent growth and great retention. We shall see.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
I switched over to the 4C Only products I bought during Black Friday. Today was my 3rd wash. So far I really like them. My hair feels good after I rinse out the cleanser and it feels like my hair is holding more water than usual. Will see if I see any real changes each month.
I don't love the way my 2 strands look but they are wearable. So each month they should look a bit better. Will look forward to that.
I don't love the way my 2 strands look but they are wearable. So each month they should look a bit better. Will look forward to that.
Bette Davis Eyes
The "OG" Product Junkie
Going to focus on scalp care for the next quarter.
About to purchase a peptide and use it for the quarter then reassess
About to purchase a peptide and use it for the quarter then reassess
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Rocky91
A work in progress
I started the year with knotless braids, then I had a brief stint in a sew-in that I didn’t love (it just wasn’t flat enough for my taste). Now I’m taking a break for a few weeks before my last long-term protective style of the year, another sew-in. I might get a blowdry trim this evening, and then try out a twistout or flexirod set.
I told myself in January that I had 5-6 months to grow more hair and get comfortable with the length, and then I needed to wear my hair out no matter how I looked. And I mean that! I don’t need to be sending the message to the people in my life that my hair cannot be worn out.
My kiddo and I will be rocking natural hair out and about all summer, matching fros and wash and goes
I told myself in January that I had 5-6 months to grow more hair and get comfortable with the length, and then I needed to wear my hair out no matter how I looked. And I mean that! I don’t need to be sending the message to the people in my life that my hair cannot be worn out.
My kiddo and I will be rocking natural hair out and about all summer, matching fros and wash and goes
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