THE BRAID IT UP 2011 CHALLENGE -anyone?

July Update: I am still in braids. I might switch to twists this weekend because I am going to visit my SO's family next week. We shall see . . .

Still braided up. Will be taking them out either today or tomorrow.

I completly forgot I was part of this but I actually kept my hair braided for the most part of this year. I am currently in kinky twists ( since July 7th) and plan to keep them until October ( Hopefully). They are short and do not really bother me, we will see how long it lasts. I am still on my journey to natural hair and I am getting close to 17months post relaxer. My ultimate goal is 2years but I could also just cut it before.
How is everyone doing with their respective journeys?

Checking in, I took down my kinky twists, I had planned to have them in for 6 to 8 weeks and didn't realize 10 weeks had gone by so fast so I took them down. I took them down myself and really took my time. I was happy because I was gentle with my own hair. Kinky twists are kind of easy to take down too coz you just cut the end, untwist with your hands, and then use the long end of a rattail comb to take down the 3 strand plait they started with. Got micros in now for 8 weeks and I put an alarm reminder on my phone The customer next to me had nasty hair with dandruff and debris and they braided it right in without brushing it out.

The rest of is post word for word from my hair diary, coz I record my after braid washing regimen. I just thought I'd share, and if anyone has any more ideas on how to take down braids and detangle I'm all ears.

SHAMPOOING:
I KNOW my hair mats up with two textures (I'm now like 4 months-ish post) so I made sure my hair was thoroughly detangled and I made 8 plaits before shampooing. I do the plaits because it's when the water hits my head that the natural hair shrinks into dreads. Did my poo, dc with Kenra, rinsed out in the shower, and used my Nioxin bliss as both a leave-in and serum. Added some safflower oil to each section as well.

STYLING:
Used that hot air brush from Revlon ionic coz I'm tired of trying to be ambidextrous. After reading several reviews carefully, I knew I had to detangle my hair thoroughly before I even started to blow dry. Used small sections. Sprayed my ends again until they were dripping wet, used the large barrel part of the air dryer, started at the roots. I put the brush there on low heat, pulled slightly to create tension and didn't move the brush for like 5 seconds, then moved it slowly only on the root. Then flipped it to the underside of the roots and did that again. The third time was when I started blow drying to the ends. I felt like this was how I got my roots and ends to agree with each other, and I lost VERY LITTLE hair. But the key was to detangle before blow drying.

My hair is ready for my super studying for the boards in October, now with my micros I can just get up and go but not look crazy.

still in braids how is everybody doing with the washing of the hair because im failing miserably

Just got micros today...

Checking In: I am still in braids. I am about to redo them later this week. I am excited to straighten my hair at the end of the year because I think I hit my BSL goal for this year.

I'm still in braids too, nothing new to report

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check-in! simple cornrows-----no damn wigs! after cornrows expire then its on to some flat twists.

Since this is a thread about braids I'm gonna add that I am proud to say I've been wearing box braids now for 88 weeks. I rebraid every 8 weeks and wash every week or so. I will relax anytime in 2012.

Hey ladies just stopping by to check in. I just installed a sew in last Tuesday. Hopefully i can get at least 6-8 weeks wear. I didnt purchase anything fancy this time. Just needed something quick. I got tired of wearing wigs.

made 1 month this week with my braids its fuzzy some but this jammy going another month then i will freshen up the top and sides i refuse to do a whole head take down to rebraid call me nasty but im lazy as hell i highly doubt i will be doing a whole head take down until the new year or by summer

approaching week 8 of this install ands will be taking it down next weekend. I'm seeing good growth, so i'm happy about that. Honestly I am looking forward to the 2 week break so I can try some twist outs etc for the first time!

I've had this set of braids for almost 3 months, I know its time to take them down, but I don't want to.
If I've been caring for them properly, is there any harm in keeping them for awhile longer?

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Ladybelle said:

I've had this set of braids for almost 3 months, I know its time to take them down, but I don't want to.
If I've been caring for them properly, is there any harm in keeping them for awhile longer?

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Ladybelle I think anything more than 2 months is a bit too long to be honest. You should take them out or you may have some serious trouble untangling your hair from the build up.

I am going to try and put in Senegalese twists for the first time. Braids just aren't working for me anymore. Has anyone had Senegalese twists? Do they hold up as well as braids?

Austro-Afrikana said:

@Ladybelle I think anything more than 2 months is a bit too long to be honest. You should take them out or you may have some serious trouble untangling your hair from the build up.

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I know you're right. I'm going to take them down this weekend. I hope the build up isn't too bad because I have been washing & co-washing them on a regular basis.

Austro-Afrikana said:

I am going to try and put in Senegalese twists for the first time. Braids just aren't working for me anymore. Has anyone had Senegalese twists? Do they hold up as well as braids?

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I love senegalese twists! They last just as long as kinky twists for me.

Sweet_Ambrosia said:

Checking In!

Taking a break from braiding/wigging it--it’s been 8 months so far, that’s a record for me lol!

My hair is progressing along well it’s getting closerrr to my length goal of WL about dang time, and my hair seems to be a bit thicker than usual, not sure if it’s positive effect from braiding it up for so long or not, but I ain’t complaining.

Style wise I’m switching over to twists, at first I thought long and hard about installing some senegalese twists but the whole process of installing them and taking them out takes extraaa long since my hair is a lot longer than when I first starting experimenting with extensions years ago. So I will be twisting my hair up over the weekend in small twists, I plan to keep them in for a month or so if all goes well.

~HHG~

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Wow! Wl?? Get it girl. I wanna be wl one day. I took my braids out today,will be cornrowing my natural hair & wigging it up for a few weeks or more.

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I really want to get some braids. I am sure its too late to join this challenge but if anyone knows of a good person that can braid me up in the DFW area please let me know.

Checking In: I plan to return back to braids within the next week. I switched to twists for a while to get a different look.

Is it too late to join? I've been braided up since April basically, with a few 2-week long breaks in between. Right now I hvve some Senegalese twists in that I did myself (gotta save those £££), they've been in a month nearly, and i've washed about once per week, more if I went to salsaaaaa lol.

Arggghh, i want to redo my twists..they're looking fuzzy :/

In my yarn braids.... at the moment til early dec

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Hmmm, why didn't I see this thread earlier?!!! Is anyone going to be starting the 2012 thread? I've returned to braids after a long hiatus, but I think I'm going to keep my hair braided for all of 2012. .....not sure yet though...we'll see.

justicefighter1913 said:

Hmmm, why didn't I see this thread earlier?!!! Is anyone going to be starting the 2012 thread? I've returned to braids after a long hiatus, but I think I'm going to keep my hair braided for all of 2012. .....not sure yet though...we'll see.

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I will, especially since I just bc'd again, aaarggh!! I will probably be in braids and wigs for another two years.

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Still in my braids. Trust that eveyone in the challenge has growth and retention for the year

Ladybelle said:

I will, especially since I just bc'd again, aaarggh!! I will probably be in braids and wigs for another two years.

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Ladybelle Sorry to hear this. Thank you for setting up the challenge this year.

I just put in yarn braids

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Marhia LOVE IT!

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