12 Inches In 12 Months - 2017

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
Beautiful hair! What's in your coconut milk conditioner?

thank you KenyafromCT!

Recipe and photo:

Post #101 to see photo of the actual conditioner
Post #107 to see photo of the ingredients

https://longhaircareforum.com/threa...tioning-challenge.807125/page-4#post-23479637

Ingredients:

1. 200 ml of coconut cream or coconut milk
2. 1 teaspoon of guar gum ( can put in more, up to 1 tablespoon.)
3. 1/4 cup of oil- I prefer peanut oil because it is so greasy.
4. 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid (check acidity with ph paper to ensure your mixture is not too acidic.)

Mix in blender. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes as it will thicken up. If it is too thick, add more water or aloe vera juice/gel. If it is too thin add more guar gum, but pinches at a time.

Once it is mixed up, add in extra olive oil and honey to 'doctor it up' like we do any conditioner we might buy in the store.

This conditioner can be heated in the microwave or on the stove top before application onto the head.

A basic conditioner has two (2) main purposes:

1. To de-swell the hair strand/shaft (we erroneously [me too!] call this closing the cuticle or lowering the cuticle)
2. To lubricate the hair strands to lower friction (we call this rubbing).

I selected the the coconut milk and peanut oil due to their high fat content. Peanut oil has high omega 9, like in our skin. (Lubricant components)

The guar gum serves as the binder as coconut milk has water and will not naturally mix with the oil. It adds nothing beneficial to the hair and is I included as a component of the formulation.

The citric acid de- swells the hair.(Closing the cuticle component)

I use all I make at once. I mix with cheap conditioner to give more slip. Also, it smells like coconut milk.

***The ingredients are in French because I live in France. You should be able to find coconut products in any store. The guar gum and peanut oil are usually found in speciality or health food stores. The citric acid may be the hardest to find. You can use apple cider vinegar instead of citric acid but I can't tell you in what quantities because I use the citric acid.
 

Tefnut

Well-Known Member
See... WL was my ultimate goal length but now, y'all got me aspiring for HL and such. Bad influences I tell ya...

Starting Picture: (Photo taken September 23rd, 2016)
View attachment 381493

I'm joining this time!

Current Length: 21 inches in back, 22 inches in front
Goal Length Having Retained 12 inches: 34 inches!!!!! :eek: :happydance::headspin::supergrin::walking::thud:
(That would be mid thigh length or right underneath my behind!)

This will be the first time in my hair journey that I am focusing on growing my hair beyond WHIP/ Hip length. I want my hair to touch and lay on/over the top of my behind.


My high level plan:
  • I'm a huge proponent of green juices (not smoothies), so I'll do those. Lots of natural, organic sulfur.
  • Protective styling : baggy-ing hair during the day, doing whole head baggy at night.
  • Keep every single strand bathed in moisture and sealed from root to tip.
  • Continue with my vitamin regimen.
  • Deep condition with heat using my home-made coconut milk conditioner.
I look forward to seeing everyone's gorgeous updates. I like the support and encouragement in this thread and in the one from 2016.
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
See... WL was my ultimate goal length but now, y'all got me aspiring for HL and such. Bad influences I tell ya...

Come on @Tefnut ,

What's the difference? You've got to pass through WL to get to HL, right? So, just do your thing. Nothing bad about being in the company of woman who have high expectations and the bona fide proven, methods that work to support reaching those high level goals.
 

CurliDiva

Well-Known Member
My nape has broken complete off - no bald spots just a small, uneven fro! I'm not sure what happened, but it slowly got thinner and thinner and then shorter and shorter. HELP!
 

Tefnut

Well-Known Member
Are you straightening it? If so, maybe stop and give your hair a break. I had that issue a couple of years ago and noticed that when I started wearing more protective styles it grew back. It was so bad that I assumed the broken off parts were my nape babyhairs until my stylist told me otherwise.


My nape has broken complete off - no bald spots just a small, uneven fro! I'm not sure what happened, but it slowly got thinner and thinner and then shorter and shorter. HELP!
 

Tefnut

Well-Known Member
You're right.

I guess my short term goal will be WL and my longterm goal will be HL.

Come on @Tefnut ,

What's the difference? You've got to pass through WL to get to HL, right? So, just do your thing. Nothing bad about being in the company of woman who have high expectations and the bona fide proven, methods that work to support reaching those high level goals.
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
My nape has broken complete off - no bald spots just a small, uneven fro! I'm not sure what happened, but it slowly got thinner and thinner and then shorter and shorter. HELP!

Uh oh! What changed in the last 30 to 40 days?
 

CurliDiva

Well-Known Member
Uh oh! What changed in the last 30 to 40 days?

STRESS! Major life and work stresses that I know I cannot sustain and must correct!

Hair-wise: I haven't used heat in months, only for a trim. I'm natural and wear wigs as a protective style but NOW feel like I have to wear a wig because the bottom half of my hair is now missing. :(
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
You're right.

I guess my short term goal will be WL and my longterm goal will be HL.

I don't see anything wrong with that! The processes to get either one are relatively the same. I see a slight difference coming in when trying to get to tailbone, though. So, if you are getting healthy growth and good retention with your current processes, you will get to WL and HL!
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
STRESS! Major life and work stresses that I know I cannot sustain and must correct!

Hair-wise: I haven't used heat in months, only for a trim. I'm natural and wear wigs as a protective style but NOW feel like I have to wear a wig because the bottom half of my hair is now missing. :(

You are lucky! Your body is telling you, beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is an issue. You and your physical body have a great relationship because it communicates to you in ways that you easily understand. You know right away that your body is under siege by stress because your hair is showing you. So many people don't get clear signals or just don't pay attention to themselves to realize that their bodies are desperately trying to tell them something. That is 90% of the issue which you have already conquered and solved!

You may want to do some research as I would like to suggest that as a temporary measure you get a
Vitamin B Complex Stress Formula. B vitamins are water soluble and are required for making the heart pump and the brain think. The heart and brain are primary systems where the hair is an ancillary, or secondary system.

When stress happens, the body loses B vitamins 2 to 3 times faster than normal. This creates a 'vitamin B famine' type situation in your body where the body has to decide who gets what and how much. In the it's wisdom [the body], it's going to parcel out the B vitamins to the brain and heart first. Whatever is left, goes to the hair.

Until you can get your stress where your body finds things more manageable, you may want to try the Vitamin B Complex Stress Formula for awhile. That will help replenish those lost B vitamins and help to fortify and support your hair.
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
I'm joining! :clap: Been needing tips on how to grow my hair out to tailbone length. I think this will get me close to that!:)

Welcome to LHCF and to this challenge, @Madison France !

The ends of your hair look like they may be weathered, in that they are a lighter and probably drier than the rest of your hair. Getting to tail bone is about retaining length and keeping what you grow. That may be where you may want to focus your attention to gain your desired length.

Happy Growing Hair Everyone!
 

Daina

Well-Known Member
  • 2 tablespoons of your choice leave-in conditioner
  • 2 tablespoons of (Whole leaf version) Aloe Vera Juice with a pH 4.0 or 4.5
  • 2 teaspoons of Castor Oil
  • 2 teaspoons of Jojoba Oil
Mix well and use on freshly washed hair.

Thank you!
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
4 Hour Wash Session (Deep Condition/Steam/Aphogee 2 Step Protein Treatment)
It took my 4 hours to do my hair. That is absolutely too long. But, I do have a couple of caveats. First, I did the Aphogee 2 Step Protein Treatment. After, I did a deep conditioning with my homemade coconut conditioner. I sat under the dry for that too. My wash to deep condition process took me about 1 hour.

Double Hand Held Steam Session This Time
Then, because I had 2 week old braids, I got some matting and used my hand steamer to gently unravel each braid to finger comb, remove shed hairs and to put in my protein mix and shea butter mix. I used the steamer a second time to hit my hair after I put in the shea butter mix. It melted it right in. I really loved that.

Only In 8 Braids
The longest time was taken up by the unbraiding and braiding of my hair. I only unbraid my hair 1x! I wash and condition in braids and unbraid only to detangle and add my leave-in products. Then, I re-braid my hair up and put them in bantu knots.

Hair End Regimen
My end regimen is to keep them oiled with castor oil. I oil the last 4 to 5 inches of my each braid. I have 8 braids. Then, I wrap them in bantu knots. I keep them oiled and tucked away out of the air. I do this every other day, if not every day and I do it morning and night (2x per day). It takes me less than 3 minutes to do it.

Hair Growth and Measurement and Pattern

I measure and document the growth on EACH braid! I do this each month. I got length gains in January and February, but none in March. I will share that information in detail December 2017, but not right now.

Month 1- Growth, newer longer length (Growth)
Month 2- Growth, newer longer length (Growth)
Month 3- No new length, more hairs joining the hairs at the longer length (Thickening)


Observations and Realisations:
  • I enjoyed my time with me and my hair, but 4 hours is too long. To avoid this in the future I must, must try to do my hair EVERY week. That 1 hour invested each week, will save me 3 hours that are added on when I wait two weeks to do my hair.

  • My hair end regimen, which is separate and apart from my standard regimen is paying dividends. I can see little hairs sprouting longer and breaking away from the 'bunch'. I am able to retain these hairs without them getting tangled, knotted or allowing them to be torn and broken out.

  • The steaming I'm doing keeps the hair relaxed and elongated so that when I start to detangle, the hair acts like a docile, soft kitten and the tangles kind of fall loose.

  • My home made conditioner and leave in are greasy. The lubrication helps also reduce the friction and make the tangles easier to address.

  • Although my process is longer than before, I am retaining far more of my growth. Also, what I am retaining is not splitting and getting knotted as much. I've seen a drastic decrease in single strand knots as well.

  • Thus far this year, I have noticed that I get length gains for two months and then my hair starts to thicken and have more hairs at this newer length in month three.
Calling @AbsyBlvd... thought you might be interested in this info!
 
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Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
@Chicoro Thank you, I do:yep:. I didn't see the tag but I found your post all the same and I repeat that I love your detail and diligence.

Actually, I snuck in the tag after I posted. :giggle: I later went back and edited in your tag name because I got a feeling maybe you would like to see it. I'm glad you found it anyway! My detail and diligence come from the way that I personally learn. The more specific and detailed something is, the better I can understand it. It's got to be organized, though. I dislike too much detail that's all over the place that lacks organization and a point! Okay, good to know you've seen this.
 

Sharpened

A fleck on His Sword
Yeah, yeah, I know I am a month late. Here is progress pic:

Can I claim APL?
 

Guinan

Re-Branding
Wearing my hair in a twistout since cutting it. I like it but I have product buildup. I think my tressume and KCC are not playing well anymore.

@Sharpened , congrats on reaching APL!!!!!!
 

CheChe1881

Well-Known Member
I want to join this challenge....
I know I'm late lol.

Strategy:
Netwurks (surge)
Protective Styling: Wigs, Crochet, Stretching hair (curlformers and flexirods)
Low Manipulation Styling: Bunning
Drink more water. Take biotin. (will update later)

Here is my starting pic
(The shirt I'm using is lined but the lines are sliiiiiiightly over 1 inch)
 
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NaturalShe94

Well-Known Member
I want to join this challenge....
I know I'm late lol.

Strategy:
Netwurks (surge)
Protective Styling: Wigs, Crochet, Stretching hair (curlformers and flexirods)
Low Manipulation Styling: Bunning
Drink more water. Take biotin. (will update later)

Here is my starting pic
(The shirt I'm using is lined but the lines are sliiiiiiightly over 1 inch)

Omggg!!! Your hair is sooo pretty! I remember from the other thread you mentioning our hair being the same length; you're so right! Love your hair...
I'm thinking about joining this challenge as well... Still lurking in here in the meantime though lol...
 

CheChe1881

Well-Known Member
Omggg!!! Your hair is sooo pretty! I remember from the other thread you mentioning our hair being the same length; you're so right! Love your hair...
I'm thinking about joining this challenge as well... Still lurking in here in the meantime though lol...

Aww thanks love !
It's a flexirod set. lol
You should def join the challenge. Seems like your hair definitely grows at this rate.
 

NaturalShe94

Well-Known Member
Aww thanks love !
It's a flexirod set. lol
You should def join the challenge. Seems like your hair definitely grows at this rate.

Lol! Okay. Well, I'm headed home. I will join. I have someone to finally take a pic of my official length from behind. So I'll post when I get home to my tablet. :bouncy:
 
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