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Grow It Long 2025 Challenge!

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25InchesStarting'25 said:
I thought you were wearing a bun with a scrunchie where you twisted the scrunchie around your hair to secure it

For me, I wouldn't say using "spin pins" would make it a true bantu knot/bun. The "spin" in "spin pin" is where there may be an issue for me. Using a small flat snap clip, bobby pin, or if your hair is long enough use a satin scrunchie over it with no twisting around it - these would be safe in my opinion

But wearing your hair loose seems best, hope your hair flourishes with the change :)
Click to expand...
At first I was sleeping with a loose bun held in place by a satin scrunchie, but during the day I hold my bun in place with spin pins. (I love them, I’ve never seen a broken hair and the bun is super secure)

Lately I’ve gotten lazy and I’ve been sleeping with the spin pin bun. But as of tonight I’m back to a scrunchie at night.
 
25InchesStarting'25 said:
@GettingKinky and @VarieYvette thanks for committing to the challenge!! The challenge is from this weekend 3.8.25 to the weekend of 5.24.25
This should help us stay accountable with our regimens and keeping to healthy hair practice in daily life. Excited for our progress progress! :)

@GettingKinky already shared what tips she is taking from the challenge, what about you? @VarieYvette

For me...
-I'm already drinking plenty water. More than 30oz a day averaging about 50oz per day
-I don't use combs or brushes
-I wet hair almost daily and cleanse scalp 2x weekly
-I eat clean
-I take vitamins
-Will work on improving fitness for blood circulation (I'm in the 2025 Walking Challenge to help, haven't been doing that great so far :laugh: )
-Massaging scalp
**I can't remember is she mentioned massaging, but I know people with rapid and consistent growth make massaging a priority

@faithVA You should join us! weekly or biweekly :)
@snoop You think you can commit to Biweekly pics now? :)

Another major health tip is to stay away from seed oils (canola, vegetable, grapeseed, peanut, soybean, safflower, sesame, sunflower) I believe she spoke on this which was surprising (she really knows her stuff!) I don't think she went over what to use instead. You can use avocado oil, EVO (below 350), butter (below 250), ghee, lard (believe it or not it's healthier than seed oils :) ) I have not been consuming seed oils for a long period of time now. They are very toxic to our bodies and exacerbate a host of chronic inflammatory conditions and likely the increased incidents of skin cancer and other cancers over the years
Click to expand...


I'll participate.
 
I just realized today that ever since I took a break from wash n gos back in early October I haven’t clarified my hair. I’ve only been using a moisture poo or cowashing.

So today I clarified followed by my moisture poo. I LOVE how my hair feels when I clarify.

I followed up with my moisture DC. I also used my detangling brush for the first time in 2 months. I’m going to use it periodically to make sure I’m getting all my shed hair out.

And now I’m wearing space buns held in place with my mini spin pins
 
25InchesStarting'25 said:
Nice healthy start! :) You have a point about accuracy. Maybe part out the section that you will consistently pull on for it to be consistent every time. I parted from ear to ear for my nape to have consistency
Click to expand...
I will definitely pull the same section each time, but I’m not sure I will get the same amount of stretch each time. This morning my hair was still pretty damp so I got a good stretch, but if it’s wetter or drier next week the amount of stretch will change a little. But that’s OK I’m curious to see if I can see the changes over 75 days.
 
25InchesStarting'25 said:
@GettingKinky and @VarieYvette thanks for committing to the challenge!! The challenge is from this weekend 3.8.25 to the weekend of 5.24.25
This should help us stay accountable with our regimens and keeping to healthy hair practice in daily life. Excited for our progress progress! :)

@GettingKinky already shared what tips she is taking from the challenge, what about you? @VarieYvette

For me...
-I'm already drinking plenty water. More than 30oz a day averaging about 50oz per day
-I don't use combs or brushes
-I wet hair almost daily and cleanse scalp 2x weekly
-I eat clean
-I take vitamins
-Will work on improving fitness for blood circulation (I'm in the 2025 Walking Challenge to help, haven't been doing that great so far :laugh: )
-Massaging scalp
**I can't remember is she mentioned massaging, but I know people with rapid and consistent growth make massaging a priority

@faithVA You should join us! weekly or biweekly :)
@snoop You think you can commit to Biweekly pics now? :)

Another major health tip is to stay away from seed oils (canola, vegetable, grapeseed, peanut, soybean, safflower, sesame, sunflower) I believe she spoke on this which was surprising (she really knows her stuff!) I don't think she went over what to use instead. You can use avocado oil, EVO (below 350), butter (below 250), ghee, lard (believe it or not it's healthier than seed oils :) ) I have not been consuming seed oils for a long period of time now. They are very toxic to our bodies and exacerbate a host of chronic inflammatory conditions and likely the increased incidents of skin cancer and other cancers over the years
Click to expand...

I think for me, mine are:

1. Drink a lot of water, I can average 2 litres on a bad day
2. Daily mulitvitamin
3. Definitely need to up my fitness, I have a bit of belly pudge that's developing

I don't want to change the rest of my regimen up too much. My hair definitely grows faster with washing more, but I don't want the daily manipulation as it causes me breakage
 
25InchesStarting'25 said:
So glad you're excited for the challenge! Congrats on your progress, your hair looks so healthy!! :)

How often will you be traveling for work?
Click to expand...

It's pretty unpredictable for now. And I have two young kids, and they take up a lot of my energy. I would have been up for daily pictures when I first grew out my hair in 2012 when I was young with no responsibilities
 
Happy Monday!

I'm getting my new set of cornrows tomorrow.

Today I'll protein treat (no heat 45/min- 1 hr), shampoo and DC (with steam).

Followed by rev-air and a quick blowdry with comb attachment.

I'll do large chunky flat twists to keep my hair stretched for tomorrow's morning appointment.
 
25InchesStarting'25 said:
@GettingKinky Glad you brought up your issue with the Spin Pin bc now I falling in love with bantu knots :) I'm switching from "wet bunning" to "wet bantu knots" with Bobby Pins
Click to expand...

I like bantu knoting with a spin pin, myself. I find that there is too much tension in a bobby pin and if you ever get one with damaged ends, they just rip through the hair. With the spin pin, I can make a loose bun and one pin and my whole bun stays. Maybe, two if I can't get things right. With bobby pins, I've got to use way too many since they can't hold enough hair.

I tried something like these a LONG time ago:

1741624763319.webp

I only just threw them away because the ends were too pointy. I got them, initially, because I'm not convinced that bobby pins are the best option for regular use.
 
VarieYvette said:
I wish, length retention has been my biggest struggle, especially when try to break the SL/APL plateau
Click to expand...

As someone who has had short (less than 4") of hair my whole life up to 30 years old, I feel your pain! I would try to grow my hair but ended up just cutting it and keeping it short bc I couldn't seem to get past NL.

Try hiding your hair when you reach SL (if you're not already). Commit to a HYH regi for 6 months or one year and see what happens. I believe that will help you get over your hump. Even without growth aids or regular DCing. :duck: No HIH at home. Ends fully protected. Strands not exposed to mechanical or environmental damage. For me, when I don't see my hair for a long time, it's easier to see the progress and be encouraged by it.

Once I came to the hair boards and saw ladies reaching crazy lengths with buns, wigs and weaves, I knew I had to try just putting my hair away. Once I had about 3" of hair, I started my own HYH regi. I alternated between extension twists or braids during the cold season and cornrows under pixie wigs / headwraps and minibraids (no extensions) during warmer months when I could water rinse my hair daily. My ultimate hair goal at the time was APL and I was hoping to reach that in two years. About a year after I started, I went to pull my hair down while refreshing my cornrows and saw that I was BSB! I had skipped APL!! Ever since then, I've hit WL 3 different times after backsliding. lol
 
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I'm not following directions on this Komaza Protein bottle Lolll, but I LOVE the way it melted into my hair.

My Komaza application today (1st time ever using it):
▪︎Sprits each section with water to lightly dampen
▪︎Add about a nickel sized amount in each section and worked it in
▪︎Detangle each section with a seamless comb
▪︎Twisted each section

Decided I'll just let this sit while I do some work from home, and let it absorb and dry into my hair strands for a few hours before shampooing.

My hair is still short (for now) but I totally 2nd what @MzSwift ♡♡ said- HYH (while caring for it) works every single time for me too!

Adding these pics below with the protein soaked in just to mark 3.10.25 length.

20250310_133734.jpg20250310_133952.jpg20250310_163125.jpg
 
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I guess these are my starting pictures.

LCHF_Mar2025.png LCHF_Mar2025_2.png

I'm not sure how long my hair ha grown in the last month because I kept forgetting to take pictures of my roots when I first installed. I think that by the time I'm ready to take my hair down, my roots at the front of my hair should be as long as my thumb knuckle.

My hair is already looking not picture friendly, but 'tis the nature of the beast. In two weeks, I'll have had my twists in for 2 months. I'm not sure if I'm going to last until June with these twists, y'all.
 
I realized that I forgot to take a picture of my crown. I blurred everything out because I really need to wash my hair. My scalp is uber dry and so I'll exfoliate tomorrow as well. Ugh. (I love you all, but not enough to show you my hair in detail like this. Hence the blurry photo.) I never got dry scalp when I moisturized regularly and this neglecting my hair is going great for my retention, but not so great for the moisture at my scalp. If I can't get my act together in two weeks, these twists will definitely come out.


LCHF_Mar2025_4.png
 
25InchesStarting'25 said:
Nice that you're a fast grower :) What do you think is causing your issues with retention?
Click to expand...

Retention for me has been a problem because of:

1. Heat. My hair gets easily damaged by heat. So much that my hair length remained stagnant in 2024 because I got my hair blowdried monthly to get knotless braids
2. Protective styles like knotless braids make me neglect my hair, so it gets weak
3. Hard water. We have hard water, but recently installed a water softening system so hopefully this helps
4. Laziness. I get so lazy I neglect my hair
5. Letting my hair shrink. This causes knots that are a nightmare to detangle, and I get impatient

But since @Chicoro put me onto shea butter, the knotting is minimal, and only happens when I do not use a butter. This time around, I should get a good amount of retention
 
25InchesStarting'25 said:
Do you ever use Aloe Spray (Aloe Vera Juice)? That may help keep your hair and scalp moisturized
Click to expand...

Generally speaking, I avoid aloe in my products. It makes my hair feel hard. I do, however use fresh aloe in my masks since it doesn't harden my strands and has a lot of beneficial properties.

If I actually moisturize my hair like I'm supposed to, then my scalp is fine. I can actually moisturize my hair once per week if I wash it on time (every 7 days). It's just my scalp that doesn't like it. I think massaging during this time makes it worse (i.e. flaky). It doesn't get itchy either.
 
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