Hip–Tailbone Length (HL–TBL) 2015-2016 Challenge!

[Lucia]

lulu97

Maybe I'll try the Moroccan masque if I see a couple positive reviews I've always wondered what the hype over Joico Kpak is about haven't forked over cash for that either.

But I'm probably going to mix up my own bc I'm looking for a replacement for Aubreys.

it's just not the same since they added the soja=soya I might give them another try since I have nothing else id like to use The Shea moisture Is a bust.

 

[Dee Raven]

I just used the Moroccan oil moisturizing mask after hearing the Glamtwinz review and I liked it. My hair felt super moisturized after I straightened. It was definitely the softest it's ever been since I've been straightening it.

 

[Aireen]

You ladies are making me want to buy this mask but I'm going to resist the urge... for now. Maybe I'll buy it around my birthday.

Ugh, I can't wait to wash my hair tomorrow. I bought The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Shampoo and it smells lovely. :lovedrool: Also like that there's salicylic acid in it so it'll help with my scalp issues.

 

[SmilingElephant]

So tonite I deep conditioned with the silicon mix Bambu. I think I left it on for 20 minutes tonight. I feel like as long as I get past 15 minutes...I did a good job...bc I just don't have the time to let it sit for an hour. There's not enough time in a day.

I can't wait for May! That will be 6 months since I straightened my hair since November! That's two months from now...and I can't wait to see how much growth I've achieved since then.

I grow about the avg of .5 inch per month...so that would be at least 3 inches of growth since November I'm just wanting to gain 4 to 5 inches by the end of this year to make it to hip length. A claimable hip length (well in my case...birthmark length...I have a birthmark that sits right above my hip length...and I'm actually trying to reach like half an inch above the birthmark.)....so n in that case, I'm almost there...by December 31st 2015, I hope to have made it!

 

[mayoo]

Update:
I've given myself a deep trim and have decided to reform my whole regimen.
Hey ladies, I've gone through a lot of hair changes that I kind of wanted to share. Up until last week, my hair was tangled, thinning at the ends, filled with split-ends and constantly breaking.
I finally decided that enough was enough and that searching and destroying probably wouldn't cut it this time. So, I gave myself a deep trim. I've gone from grazing TBL to around HL with most layers around WL. It hurts to have all of that length gone but my hair feels so much healthier now.
I've realised that the reason that my hair actually ended up in that condition may have been because of my extremely lazy and irregular regimen so I've decided to have a reform.
I'm going to use that opportunity to try out some new products and styling tools.
Deep-conditioning: I haven't deep conditioned for what feels like around a year and my hair is suffering because of it. I plan to purchase both a protein and moisture deep conditioner
Tangle Teezer: Don’t shoot! Lol. I know that everyone hates the TT now because of the breakage it causes on some people’s tresses but I still want to try it. Anything that could possibly reduce detangling time and fully-detangle my hair is worth a try. Plus, finger detangling just isn’t cutting it anymore.
New products: I’m really excited at trying out some new products such as Aunt Jackie’s, mane n tail etc.

 

[Aireen]

LAAADIIESSSSSS! I'm so happy! Hehe, I've been feeling this way for a while but actually going back and seeing why has put it into perspective! Remember my setback?! It was posted in the HL-TBL 2014 thread starting with this post.

^ It was such a disappointment but I didn't let it get me down for long. I feel like based on my attitude and plans... I recovered super quickly. It's been 10 months since the incident with my stylist and I feel really good about my hair – actually, like I said, I've been feeling good for a while.

Soooo... time to see if I've followed through with my plans after the setback:

PLANS FOR NOW UNTIL NEXT RELAXER:

- Wash my hair with my dandruff shampoo to cleanse scalp and to help heal any irritated areas ✓
- Use protein balancing treatments on my hair to strengthen weak/over-processed areas ✓
- Research into DIY relaxer; need to find a good relaxer, base, technique ✓
- Continue to take supplements, eat healthily, and drink water; strong hair comes from strong nutrition ✓
- Always keep hair detangled and knot free ✘
- Tame roots with oil when dry ✘
- Look into buying a steamer ✓
- Never go back to my hair stylist ✓

^ These all seem do-able. I'm feeling hopeful, thank you ladies for your support.

^ Seems like I followed through with most things although I did slack off once I seemed to really accept my hair would grow back. I still have room for improvement but at the same time it's nice to keep it simple and not be so serious all the time. I remember I did wash my hair and my scalp recovered from the burns quickly, still working with my scalp issues but it's not too terrible if I wash my hair every 4-5 days. Definitely need to get back to doing more consistent protein treatments as well as use my steamer more often but after that setback, I remember being very diligent. My DIY relaxer technique does need improvement but I think it'll get better with experience, the base and relaxer are great though. Eating healthy foods will always be a work in progress but I do take my supplements every day and have for a loonnnngg time, also have been drinking a lot more water lately and trying to eliminate juice + pop. I don't keep my hair tangle free all the time and I don't oil my roots but I'll keep trying to at least do one of the two – this has ALWAYS been a problem for me though. Overall, at least I can say I NEVER went back to my stylist, HA! Lots of room for improvement but like I said, it's nice to not be so serious all the time, it can end up feeling overwhelming, leading to laziness, which can lead to a possible setback. I'm pretty content, I feel like I tried to follow most of what I set out to do after what happened.

I just want to thank you ladies for the support, the kind words of encouragement and sharing of your stories has helped tremendously. I'm so glad I started this challenge back in 2012, having you ladies here to talk about all things hair along with being able to share secret hair goals has truly been lovely. Happy hair growing!

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

My faux bob game getting strong yall! lol

The bottom half and a small portion on each side is braided and protected while the top half is doing all the work. The top half is layered yet it is still more than long enough to hide the braids. I think I'm going to braid down more on the sides next wash because that hair keeps rubbing against my neck. This will be my spring style. I love that my length is protected, yet I'm not fully hiding away all my hair.

 

[Lucia]

@lulu97
Nice that's a great PS idea

 

[MzSwift]

@lulu97 Girl you've just inspired me! Love the faux bob!!

 

[LaVgirl]

This is a group pic but I wanted to share. That's me in the middle. This weekend I tried a variation of Naptural85's new tutorial "Deconstructed Flexi Rod Set", on a twist/bantu knot set instead. Hardly used anything to set, just some leave-in conditioner after washing, only because it was a very spur of the moment decision. Next time I will use more product. I loved it though! So not used to wearing my hair huge and short as opposed to stretched and long. Made me feel like a whole 'nother person lol.

 

[melahnee]

New pics! Grazing WL when flat-ironed.

 

[SmilingElephant]

Update:
I've given myself a deep trim and have decided to reform my whole regimen.
Hey ladies, I've gone through a lot of hair changes that I kind of wanted to share. Up until last week, my hair was tangled, thinning at the ends, filled with split-ends and constantly breaking.
I finally decided that enough was enough and that searching and destroying probably wouldn't cut it this time. So, I gave myself a deep trim. I've gone from grazing TBL to around HL with most layers around WL. It hurts to have all of that length gone but my hair feels so much healthier now.
I've realised that the reason that my hair actually ended up in that condition may have been because of my extremely lazy and irregular regimen so I've decided to have a reform.
I'm going to use that opportunity to try out some new products and styling tools.
Deep-conditioning: I haven't deep conditioned for what feels like around a year and my hair is suffering because of it. I plan to purchase both a protein and moisture deep conditioner
Tangle Teezer: Don’t shoot! Lol. I know that everyone hates the TT now because of the breakage it causes on some people’s tresses but I still want to try it. Anything that could possibly reduce detangling time and fully-detangle my hair is worth a try. Plus, finger detangling just isn’t cutting it anymore.
New products: I’m really excited at trying out some new products such as Aunt Jackie’s, mane n tail etc.

@mayoo have u tried using a paddle brush? A big square one? I've tried almost every type of detangling tool and paddle brushes work the best for me.

 

[mayoo]

@SmilingElephant I haven't tried one actually, maybe I will Thanks for the recommendation! The tangle teezer is really working for me though. It's cut my detangling time down by more than half

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

I'm in! I won't be doing anything but deep conditioning and PS'ing because it's hard to be proactive with a 5 month old. Lol

I was or probably still am grazing hip in Dec 2014. I did an intsy teeny tiny trim in Feb 2015. Anyway that trim will be my starting pic.

 

[Guinan]

@pre_medicalrulz , ur hair is gorg! I'm glad u and the baby are doing well.

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

@pre_medicalrulz , ur hair is gorg! I'm glad u and the baby are doing well.

Thank you my dear

 

[SmilingElephant]

@pre_medicalrulz your starting pic is my goal! I hope I'm there sooner than I think. I'm giving myself until the end of the year tho.

My hair feels heavier than usual today...I noticed this yesterday too. My curls have a little more "swang" to them. I wonder if that means it's getting longer.

I'm really just hoping for "whip" length. I'll be happy with anything extra tho

 

[Aireen]

I agree with @SmilingElephant! Good quality square paddle brushes are amazing for detangling, I think I like them more than wide tooth combs because they detangle better, smooth the hair, and are good for styling blowouts. I'd say they're more ideal for hair that's around MBL if they're really big but they're easy to handle once you're accustomed. Definitely make sure to get a good quality paddle brush though, not all of them are created equal, @mayoo.

Glad you're back, @pre_medicalrulz! I was wondering if you were coming back for round 2. Your hair looks great and congratulations on your baby!

 

[SmilingElephant]

Yes...I use the paddle brush the same way you would use a Tangle Teezer....or any detangling tool, really. Very gently from the bottom and work your way up.

I HAD to start using them bc I had a really bad shedding spell about year ago and nothing else would thoroughly remove the shed hairs. So I'd end up with my hair locking up at the roots and never being thoroughly detangled.

I also LOVE the smoothing effect!

 

[beauti]

@pre_medicalrulz there you are! Congrats on your bundle of joy. Your hair is lovely!

 

[Aireen]

Finally got back to using protein! I was just too lazy to do it before but I figured if I have a moment, might as well. Used a clarifying shampoo on my hair to strip it of any oils and silicone residue, then deep conditioned with protein for at least 1 hr+. Planning to do this again either next week or the week after or both but I can already tell my hair benefited. I definitely need to get back into the habit of dcing with protein since I plan to relax my hair a bit more often this year.

Side note: The clarifying shampoo wasn't as stripping as I thought it would be but maybe it's because I'm pretty much freshly relaxed and I only used it for one shampoo on already clean hair. Either way, I'm happy with the results~

 

[SmilingElephant]

I'm thinking about giving Pantene products another try. Haven't used them in YEARS since I was relaxed.

I've noticed the newer formulations...I'm curious as to if they are improved.

I want to try the Beautiful Lengths line and the line for Curly hair. I may even try their Truly Natural products as well.

I just like being able to buy products in the store....that are affordable. So if i find a Pantene line that I like...I may just stick with that.

However I'm in the middle of using up products. Lol

I think the only thing I would splurge more on is my leave ins. That's where I get my moisture from. And maybe even deep conditioners....but I find using leave ins with oil is what really keeps my hair moisturized.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

My roller sets have been losing the battle against frizz, so I've been wearing wash and go's. They look decent until day 4...then I moisturize and turn it into a braid and curl and can get an additional 3-4 days out of that.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

Sometimes I can post pics, sometimes I can't...and they do not appear in the order I want. lol I'm still adjusting

 

[Aireen]

I think once my vitamins run out this time, I'm going to take only a couple things for maintenance. The amount of stuff I want to take cost sooooo much $$$, not to mention it's a lot right now. I'll probably take a good multi, a good fish oil, at least 5000 mcg of biotin, 1 Viviscal tablet, and maybe some collagen or silica. So 4 staples and the extra 5th supplement will be if I can splurge. This will all still be very expensive but I'm thinking I'll still be spending a little bit less, as well as physically taking a smaller quantity of supplements.

 

[Lucia]

I'm thinking about giving Pantene products another try. Haven't used them in YEARS since I was relaxed.

I've noticed the newer formulations...I'm curious as to if they are improved.

I want to try the Beautiful Lengths line and the line for Curly hair. I may even try their Truly Natural products as well.

I just like being able to buy products in the store....that are affordable. So if i find a Pantene line that I like...I may just stick with that.

However I'm in the middle of using up products. Lol

I think the only thing I would splurge more on is my leave ins. That's where I get my moisture from. And maybe even deep conditioners....but I find using leave ins with oil is what really keeps my hair moisturized.

I will never try anything Pantene ever again my hair used to fall out with that crap n/o

 

[SmilingElephant]

I will never try anything Pantene ever again my hair used to fall out with that crap n/o

Eek! ^^ That's scary!

Omg...I bought some measuring tapes today and even though I'm using them for crafts...I measured my hair for fun. So I found out I'm definitely waist length stretched at 23 inches...hip length on me is 26 inches and if I decide to go to tailbone it's about 30 inches...so I might reach that next year...but I can DEFINITELY make Hip Length by the end of the year!

I'm so excited!!

 

[Aireen]

Officially on a no buy for any hair products. Buying too many things lol. I got a Tangle Teezer to try out, it's good at combing through hair, I think I'll use it for the gym.

 

[Lucia]

Officially on a no buy for any hair products. Buying too many things lol. I got a Tangle Teezer to try out, it's good at combing through hair, I think I'll use it for the gym.

Good idea I'm cleaning out my product armada too I need to get back to my staples or my new staples since Aubreys not cutting it anymore and downsize some more

 

[Aireen]

Looks like I have another favourite brush! So as I've said, I bought the Tangle Teezer and I really like it! The sound of it when in use is a little unsettling but it does get hair detangled well with barely anything left in between the bristles itself. I noticed I'm liking brushes more than wide-tooth combs now; they still have their place but they're not the be all/end all anymore. The first time I tried the Tangle Teezer, I was amazed at how it glided through my hair with much less effort than a comb (that has teeth that aren't widely dispersed or fine) and that shocked me. I was so expecting this to be a return purchase but I actually think I will buy 1 or 2 more and chuck it in my bags for quick use when I'm out. It's not awkward to hold either and I was totally expecting to drop it since it has no handle and I'm clumsy but I haven't, although, I haven't tried it when wet. My expectations were very low but honestly, I'll say this brush is even better than a Denmen – which I did actually have high expectations of and ended up disappointed.

My other favourite would have to be the NuMe paddle brush, it did everything I expected the Denmen to do, absolutely love ittttt. I use that mainly for styling and get very smooth results. It was a little big to carry around though so that was one of the main reasons I decided to purchase a Tangle Teezer.

NOTE: This post is just an account of how these brushes work on MY HAIR, it may not be the same for everyone and if something feels off, stop doing it to avoid disappointment.