Luscious Healthy Ends Challenge 2025

[faithVA]

Congratulations!

Thank you. Literally inching along.

 

[Meritamen]

It's been two months so I went to my hair appointment for another smoothing treatment and trim. Got bangs this time too! I look like a different person... it will take sometime to get used to but I do like the bangs. I did get a little bit of growth. Honestly, I am enjoying the long bob.

 

[Chicoro]

I'm

It's been two months so I went to my hair appointment for another smoothing treatment and trim. Got bangs this time too! I look like a different person... it will take sometime to get used to but I do like the bangs. I did get a little bit of growth. Honestly, I am enjoying the long bob.

Your long bob is pretty.

 

[Angel of the North]

It's been two months so I went to my hair appointment for another smoothing treatment and trim. Got bangs this time too! I look like a different person... it will take sometime to get used to but I do like the bangs. I did get a little bit of growth. Honestly, I am enjoying the long bob.

Your hair looks very healthy and sleek. How often do you have your smoothing treatment?

 

[Meritamen]

Your hair looks very healthy and sleek. How often do you have your smoothing treatment?

Thank you! This is my first touch up with the Qiqi smoothing treatment. It's been two months since I had it done initially. I think I am going to aim for 2-3 month between treatments since I want to also keep up with trims.

 

[Angel of the North]

Thank you! This is my first touch up with the Qiqi smoothing treatment. It's been two months since I had it done initially. I think I am going to aim for 2-3 month between treatments since I want to also keep up with trims.

I'm glad it's working well for you

 

[Chicoro]

Alright Ladies,

We are fast approaching the end of August 2025.

 

[Angel of the North]

Alright Ladies,

We are fast approaching the end of August 2025.

As soon as I get back from Portugal, I will have a full hair care day and check my ends. I found some splits on shed hair, I definitely believe it to have been the tangle teezer. I'm going to have pull out my Denman 38p mini paddle brush, while I'm still researching detangling brushes.

 

[faithVA]

Monthly Update Series of Questions

Alright, we are heading into the last week of August 2025.

How are you progressing? What are those ends looking like?

Have you had any epiphanies?

Have you set bolder goals?

Have you pulled back on some goals?

Have you had any realizations about your hair or your hair care practices?

How is your consistency?

Extending grace to you?

 

[faithVA]

Monthly Update Series of Questions

How are you progressing? What are those ends looking like?
I'm staying steady. I'm getting my weekly reset in and not changing much right now.
My ends are slowly improving.

Have you had any epiphanies.
Yes, I think mini twist are a problem for my ends. I took down the larger twist with no problem. But the mini twist which I did in the front were not so easy to pull apart. My hair is too short in areas to do larger twist all over and have it look decent. I will stick to flat twist as much as possible and try larger twist maybe at the end of the year. Will see.

Have you set bolder goals?
No. Just sticking with something safe because I know I don't want to do the work for bigger goals.

Have you pulled back on some goals?
No. Still shooting for some parts of my hair grazing APL in December and most if not all of my hair being SL.

Have you had any realizations about your hair or your hair care practices?
A few things
1. Think I realized I needed to add some protein treatments on top of the bond treatments I do. Not sure what lead to that realization.
2. I need to buy a new comb. I've probably been using the same Hercules Sageman comb for over 10 years.
3. When my leave-in and conditioner run out, I think I'm going to try the salon products at CVS because I can get 40% off. That way I can try without worrying about spending too much. Plan to start with the Paul Mitchell products. I liked them many years ago.

I think I need to add a protein treatment in before I do my next length check. Will hit Sally's the holiday weekend and see what I can come up with.

For the holiday, I will give my hair some extra love and some extra treatments (protein and a bond treatment).

How is your consistency?
Yep, getting it done weekly

Extending grace to you?
Yep. On top of it.

 

[Chicoro]

@faithVA

I got extra bucks for hair care products at CVS and thought nothing of it and discarded them. Now, I am going to be smart like you and retain those receipts and use them for hair care products, too! I love the fact that you have had realizations.

 

[Chicoro]

August 2025 Update:

I have been back in the United States, permanently, since July 26th. I have not washed my hair. I feel like I broke into the US atmosphere like a space capsule returning to the Earth's atmosphere. I have had to hit the ground running and burning. I am caring for my mother and she has so many needs. The GREAT thing is that I have had the luxury to cultivate my hair care process in France over many years so I am on a healthy auto-pilot with my hair.

How are you progressing?
I have not checked in with my progress. I am trying to keep my hair braided and protected. I undo and re-do my braids gently and continue to use my S-Curl and Shea butter on my ends. People in Los Angeles stop me as I go about my business and comment that I have such beautiful hair.

What are those ends looking like?
I haven't seen my ends since my last trim in April. August is the month I am supposed to trim. I would like to get a blow dryer with a comb and get some scissors to trim my ends. It seems I am right on time for my second (2nd) four (4) month trim. I trim my ends every four (4) months in 2025. I changed from trimming every three (3) months like I did in 2024.

Have you had any epiphanies?
No epiphanies but just reminders, in the form of tangles on the ends of my hair, that I MUST protect and tuck away my ends. If I wear my braids out for even a few hours they curl up into balled knots and I instantly lose length.

Have you set bolder goals?
No. I am would like to go through 2025 to see how this every four (4) month trim cycle does for my hair. I can compare it with my 2025 three (3) month trim cycle to determine which one may work better for me. I'm not feeling bold right now. I am trying to stay in a safe harbor with my hair as I have had so many abrupt changes in my life since April 2025.

Have you pulled back on some goals?
No, not really. I love the certainty and surety of my protected, braided style. It keeps breakage and tangles to a minimum and I enjoy the hairstyle. I feel beautiful with my hair like this and am comforted by the fact that my hair is protected.

Have you had any realizations about your hair or your hair care practices?
A reminder more so. I have not been home in my Southern California sunlight in a long time. Normally when I visit I am just ripping and running. Now, as I care for my mother and her needs, I am doing things more methodically and reflect as I drive about town running errands. The sun here bounces off and reflects my hair like no other place I have lived. So, I enjoy the gleam and shine of my hair in the sunglight here.

How is your consistency?
I am quite consistent in keeping my hair protected. I use my fingers to detangle when I re-do my braids. I don't keep my hair covered at night and I want to go back to that.

Extending grace to you?
Absolutely! I take time to do my hair when I am going out and I do it gently. I appreciate my hair and myself. It helps to keep my cup full as I care for my mother and her needs. When I extend grace to myself, I can better extend grace to my mother. So it is PARAMOUNT that I practice extending grace to myself at this point and time in my life.

 

[faithVA]

@faithVA

I got extra bucks for hair care products at CVS and thought nothing of it and discarded them. Now, I am going to be smart like you and retain those receipts and use them for hair care products, too! I love the fact that you have had realizations.

Sign up for the text messages or emails or whichever. They send out a monthly 40% off one product without fail. And between those they have 20% of this or that. Of course they have bumped up the price but at 40% off you are still saving especially if it is something you just want to try out.

 

[faithVA]

August 2025 Update:

I have been back in the United States, permanently, since July 26th. I have not washed my hair. I feel like I broke into the US atmosphere like a space capsule returning to the Earth's atmosphere. I have had to hit the ground running and burning. I am caring for my mother and she has so many needs. The GREAT thing is that I have had the luxury to cultivate my hair care process in France over many years so I am on a healthy auto-pilot with my hair.

How are you progressing?
I have not checked in with my progress. I am trying to keep my hair braided and protected. I undo and re-do my braids gently and continue to use my S-Curl and Shea butter on my ends. People in Los Angeles stop me as I go about my business and comment that I have such beautiful hair.

What are those ends looking like?
I haven't seen my ends since my last trim in April. August is the month I am supposed to trim. I would like to get a blow dryer with a comb and get some scissors to trim my ends. It seems I am right on time for my second (2nd) four (4) month trim. I trim my ends every four (4) months in 2025. I changed from trimming every three (3) months like I did in 2024.

Have you had any epiphanies?
No epiphanies but just reminders, in the form of tangles on the ends of my hair, that I MUST protect and tuck away my ends. If I wear my braids out for even a few hours they curl up into balled knots and I instantly lose length.

Have you set bolder goals?
No. I am would like to go through 2025 to see how this every four (4) month trim cycle does for my hair. I can compare it with my 2025 three (3) month trim cycle to determine which one may work better for me. I'm not feeling bold right now. I am trying to stay in a safe harbor with my hair as I have had so many abrupt changes in my life since April 2025.

Have you pulled back on some goals?
No, not really. I love the certainty and surety of my protected, braided style. It keeps breakage and tangles to a minimum and I enjoy the hairstyle. I feel beautiful with my hair like this and am comforted by the fact that my hair is protected.

Have you had any realizations about your hair or your hair care practices?
A reminder more so. I have not been home in my Southern California sunlight in a long time. Normally when I visit I am just ripping and running. Now, as I care for my mother and her needs, I am doing things more methodically and reflect as I drive about town running errands. The sun here bounces off and reflects my hair like no other place I have lived. So, I enjoy the gleam and shine of my hair in the sunglight here.

How is your consistency?
I am quite consistent in keeping my hair protected. I use my fingers to detangle when I re-do my braids. I don't keep my hair covered at night and I want to go back to that.

Extending grace to you?
Absolutely! I take time to do my hair when I am going out and I do it gently. I appreciate my hair and myself. It helps to keep my cup full as I care for my mother and her needs. When I extend grace to myself, I can better extend grace to my mother. So it is PARAMOUNT that I practice extending grace to myself at this point and time in my life.

I know you are busy but it sounds like you are starting to settle in. Thoughts and prayers with you!