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

pre_medicalrulz

It Always Been About Hair!
I'm dreading this wash tonight. I'm working with a matted mess. Don't know why I keep doing this to myself. Yes I do. No energy to tackle it before it gets in this state. My mom was telling me last night I need to cut it all off and not bother removing the matted mess. LOL I was like, not yet cause believe it or not this is not as bad as it looks. We ladies learned to unravel the worst of the worst on these forums. :)
 

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
@Aireen I think it might be easier to just show you a picture of what I picked up from the store. :look: They were the cheapest I've every seen ($8.50 normal price $22.50) After my coupon they ended up around $6. Most are winter candles since they are my favorite. I love the ones with Vanilla and Pine undertones.

20151207_091256.jpg
I totally left the store without picking up what I went there for because it was so crowded so that night I ordered online:

2 Winter Candy Apple
2 more Mahogany Balsam
2 more Snowflakes and Spruce

Some people collect hair products, others shoes and clothes...my thing is aromatherapy simply because I believe in it's power. I have an aromatherapy pantry in my beauty room full of wallflowers, candles, essential oils for diffusing etc.:drunk:
 
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pre_medicalrulz

It Always Been About Hair!
I had no idea Ulta was more than a make-up store. This place has a huge salon in a back and 2 natural stylists! And a great line of black hair products; Biolage, Kenra Care, Joico, etc. I love this store!! But tell me why so many white people work there? I felt so odd having a white person explain to me what was best for my hair. I will never get the last 10 mins of my life back. In any event I got my products! I am hoping to have the energy to detangle this mess tonight and get to business. image.jpeg
 

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
How in the world do you roller set all that hair????? Does the curls even stay in with your length?

:giggle: See that's the beautiful thing about learning how to style your hair when it's short. As your hair grows so do you. I've learned how to adjust with each new length. For example: At the crown, my hair reaches way past my arms length when I stretch it to roll. So I have to lean my arms to the side, roll a few times, then bring it back straight up before I roll the rest of the hair on the roller. It's quite a funny sight :giggle: but hey it works. lol

I dry under my professional dryer for one hour then allow the rollers to cool for an additional hour (or until I go to bed):look: This is what gives the curls their staying power. However, I usually don't roller set to wear the curls. I set for the stretch and smoothness...so it's more like a base to transition to a different style. I finger comb the curls out with argan oil, place my hair in one big bantu top knot bun like thingy and that's how it will stay. When I take it down, it looks like my profile picture.
 

Bunnyhaslonghair

Ebonics Queen
I couldn't stand that scalp smell any longer :lachen:so I'm under my warm and cozy steamer now with my pre-poo in. :toocool:
Do you feel like like steaming helps contribute to your retention? Is the conditioning different than deep conditioning with a hooded dryer?

I'm debating on buying a steamer but it seems like I don't hear as much hype about them these days.
 
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faithVA

Well-Known Member
I had no idea Ulta was more than a make-up store. This place has a huge salon in a back and 2 natural stylists! And a great line of black hair products; Biolage, Kenra Care, Joico, etc. I love this store!! But tell me why so many white people work there? I felt so odd having a white person explain to me what was best for my hair. I will never get the last 10 mins of my life back. In any event I got my products! I am hoping to have the energy to detangle this mess tonight and get to business. View attachment 344749
I didn't know they did natural hair. I was just in there but I didn't really pay attention. Will have to check it out next time.
 

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing

toaster

Well-Known Member
I didn't know they did natural hair. I was just in there but I didn't really pay attention. Will have to check it out next time.

The last time I had my hair straightened I had it done at Ulta. I loved it! The results are in my avatar. I walked in the day before with my hair in a twist out and asked for an appointment with someone that could straighten my hair. I let the stylist know that I would be coming in with washed and de tangled hair, and wanted him to blow dry and flat iron. He rolled with it and did an excellent job. No damage or anything.
 

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
Do you feel like like steaming helps contribute to your retention? Is the conditioning different than deep conditioning with a hooded dryer?

I'm debating on buying a steamer but it seems like I don't hear as much hype about them these days.

@Bunnyhaslonghair I love love love wait did I mention LOVE my steamer. LOL It's so relaxing and always make me feel like I'm in a spa. I prefer the moist heat of a steamer versus the dry heat of a hooded dryer. I love that it not only infuse moisture in my hair, but it feels like it's opening up the follicles in my scalp. I'd highly recommend investing in one. I don't think you NEED it to aid in retention, but it is definitely a nice treat.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
The last time I had my hair straightened I had it done at Ulta. I loved it! The results are in my avatar. I walked in the day before with my hair in a twist out and asked for an appointment with someone that could straighten my hair. I let the stylist know that I would be coming in with washed and de tangled hair, and wanted him to blow dry and flat iron. He rolled with it and did an excellent job. No damage or anything.
Thanks for that. I will check it out. I may just try them for a blow dry to see how that goes.
 

cocosweet

Well-Known Member
Why are you starting over? Do you have damage? What's going on?
Several things:
  1. I'm bored out of my mind with my hair.
  2. I no longer enjoy doing it which has led to me doing the bare minimum and incurring splits and breakage because of it. :(
  3. I want my hair to be fun again.
  4. I no longer want my hair to be merely presentable, I want it laid.
  5. I finally found a stylist I trust enough to let in my hair.
I should say that for me, starting over means cutting back to either SL or APL. I'm leaning towards layered APL.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
Several things:
  1. I'm bored out of my mind with my hair.
  2. I no longer enjoy doing it which has led to me doing the bare minimum and incurring splits and breakage because of it. :(
  3. I want my hair to be fun again.
  4. I no longer want my hair to be merely presentable, I want it laid.
I should say that for me, starting over means cutting back to either SL or APL. I'm leaning towards layered APL.

I hope you don't go less than APL. At least give yourself the option to bun and do a quick updo. It's fun to be short for a minute but it really can reduce your options.
 

pre_medicalrulz

It Always Been About Hair!
Yes! Yes! Yes to Joico! This is my new product line! I woke up around 4am to detangle and omgeeeee! Feels like really fluffy juicy cotton balls! I'm in awe.

@lulu97 what leave-ins and moisturizers do you use? And to any other ladies that use Joico as well. :) :)

Biolage has a leave in and a mask. Does Biolage give the same results as Joico?
 

luckiestdestiny

Well-Known Member
:giggle: See that's the beautiful thing about learning how to style your hair when it's short. As your hair grows so do you. I've learned how to adjust with each new length. For example: At the crown, my hair reaches way past my arms length when I stretch it to roll. So I have to lean my arms to the side, roll a few times, then bring it back straight up before I roll the rest of the hair on the roller. It's quite a funny sight :giggle: but hey it works. lol

I dry under my professional dryer for one hour then allow the rollers to cool for an additional hour (or until I go to bed):look: This is what gives the curls their staying power. However, I usually don't roller set to wear the curls. I set for the stretch and smoothness...so it's more like a base to transition to a different style. I finger comb the curls out with argan oil, place my hair in one big bantu top knot bun like thingy and that's how it will stay. When I take it down, it looks like my profile picture.
Rolling products please? Are you just using water? What are you doing?
 

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
@pre_medicalrulz @luckiestdestiny

My favorite roller setting combo:
Chi Keratin (the gold packaging not the red one) plus MoroccanOil serum.

chi_keratin_leave-in_conditioner_spray_-_6_oz_500x500.jpg

This combo always give me light, flowy, soft & non-weighed down hair. It's the perfect amount of strength, Moisture & slip. Plus using lighter products keeps my drying time in the 1 hour range.

I also love the It's a 10 leave in for when I wanna switch things up but I do love the Chi Keratin more.

I put my products on first (in the same 4 sections I use to wash) then spray with a water bottle as I roll.

Edited to add:
To maintain my sets:
I only use my Argan/Rosehip seed oil mix for the few days after a fresh set. Around day 3 or 4, I'll moisturize with Camille Rose Moisture Milk. If I want to do a protective style (my fav is 2 twisted ponytails wrapped around each other) I'll use the Camille Rose Aloe whipped butter gel after moisturizing.
 
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ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
Yes! Yes! Yes to Joico! This is my new product line! I woke up around 4am to detangle and omgeeeee! Feels like really fluffy juicy cotton balls! I'm in awe.

@lulu97 what leave-ins and moisturizers do you use? And to any other ladies that use Joico as well. :) :)

Biolage has a leave in and a mask. Does Biolage give the same results as Joico?

I'm so glad you love the Joico! Win Win Win.
 

Fotchygirl

Well-Known Member
Hi ladies just popped in to ask a few questions since you've achieved such great lengths with your hair. How and when do you detangle your hair? I'm asking because mine was a bit like yours @pre_medicalrulz before I washed it and it only became a tangled mess which was matted at the roots afterwards. I lost so much hair trying to untangle it and now my ends are see-through.
 

pre_medicalrulz

It Always Been About Hair!
Hi ladies just popped in to ask a few questions since you've achieved such great lengths with your hair. How and when do you detangle your hair? I'm asking because mine was a bit like yours @pre_medicalrulz before I washed it and it only became a tangled mess which was matted at the roots afterwards. I lost so much hair trying to untangle it and now my ends are see-through.

Oh nooooo! I detangle on dry hair with my fingers first. Because if my hair is wet the hair will stick and become worst. I simply pull the strands (apart) up from the tip (if that makes sense) all the way to the root. It comes apart easy this way. The strands just let go of each other. Then I put a dime size of conditioner on each piece and use a wide tooth comb. Wash. DC. Air dry at 90% then repeat. Fingers first. Then wide tooth comb. I don't add oil or leave in until after I detangle with a comb this round because the same thing happens; my hair will wrap itself around each other for no reason. I hope this made sense. Lol
 

pre_medicalrulz

It Always Been About Hair!
Ok so the Camille Rose may do more damage for me because I don't have curly hair. Sigh. My hair strands will stick to each other if I use this. I will go with the chi keratin. :)
 

Aireen

Well-Known Member
I've always wanted Marshmallow Fireside but it's always sold out. Black Tie and Snowflakes and Spruce look very promising. I'm not into super sweet scented candles, if they're sweet, there has to be another note to balance it out. One of my goals is to have a beauty room and fill it with the same aromatherapy things, @lulu97.

I do that too, @pre_medicalrulz. I always wait until my hair is matted before washing it and regret it. How did you get the tangles out? (<< Nevermind, just saw your post.) Did you pre-poo with the Joico Moisture Recovery products? I've heard so many good things about that line but never tried it, since you've tried it, can you see it being a holy grail product? I wish we had an Ulta here in Toronto, I hear they always have sales.

Aw sad to see you leave the challenge, please continue to update us though, especially when you get your haircut, @cocosweet.
 

Aireen

Well-Known Member
*UPDATE*:

So I did my hair a couple of days ago, a little earlier than I wanted to, my aim was for the mid/end of December but I got a little anxious and cheated by touching up early. :giggle: Next year, I’ll try to stick to a definite time-frames for touch-ups and just wait before relaxing my hair.

Good News:

Right now I’m really loving my hair, it STILL doesn’t feel long but it feels like the longer side of medium length or the very short side of long. :lol: To be accurate though, it’s a bit passed WL, maybe WHIP? Anyway, hair-anorexia is soooooo real and it doesn’t get better for a long time. :lachen: I think I’ll need to see my hair at TBL for me to feel like it’s long, but I'm starting to think it'll never feel long. :lachen: Anyway, I'm optimistic that I can get to HL by the end of 2016.

Bad News:

I had a little setback around my edges but I’m going to try my best to baby and take care of my hair better so that sensitive area can grow back and not suffer. The front part of my edges usually can respond to treatment pretty easily and usually grows out to the same length of my hair. The back is the real problem area. Despite all of this, part of my nape is REALLY growing back, so proud I finally got at least part of that area to respond to my nurturing. I guess there can be good news within the bad, and regardless of the negatives, I'm really loving my hair journey right now. :grin:

Plans:

• I think I’m on a personal no cutting challenge for a bit. If I see a split or knot, I will cut it out but for the most part for right now, I’m going to leave my hair alone. This can change at anytime though, not sure how long I’ll keep this up. I do need a cut but I’ll wait it out.
• I’ll be applying tons of conditioner, serum, and prayer (yes, prayer) over my whole hairline to get it to be able to be a little stronger and grow back again; I’ll also be babying the growing part of my nape so that it can catch up to the rest of my hair.
• Going to keep it simple with vitamins, sticking to a multivitamin, biotin, and New Nordic Hair Volume. I’ll try my best to drink carrot juice and/or kale juice 3x-4x/week.
• Keeping my hair detangled and upping my washing a bit more. If I find myself bunning dirty hair more than 2x, I will be washing it.
 
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