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

pre_medicalrulz

It Always Been About Hair!
@Aireen
I had no idea you lived in Toronto. :)

No I didn't prepoo with it. I used my left over conditioner (nexxus) to soften the strands when using a comb. It's not hard at all. Just time consuming. And yes yes yes the Joico is here to stay. My hair and NG are both still soft and fluffy. It can't go into a ponytail though. Too huge. It's like my strands are swollen. Lol
 

Fotchygirl

Well-Known Member
Okay, yes it makes sense, I see I've been doing a few things wrong. Will adjust my routine then. Thanks @pre_medicalrulz.
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
 

Aireen

Well-Known Member
@Aireen
I had no idea you lived in Toronto. :)

No I didn't prepoo with it. I used my left over conditioner (nexxus) to soften the strands when using a comb. It's not hard at all. Just time consuming. And yes yes yes the Joico is here to stay. My hair and NG are both still soft and fluffy. It can't go into a ponytail though. Too huge. It's like my strands are swollen. Lol
Yeah I haven't really mentioned it much. I love it here but ugh, sometimes Canada doesn't have all the stuff the U.S. does and it's frustrating.

Sounds like it did a good job at infusing moisture! I'll buy it next time I see it but I have another Joico product I need to go through first. If you remember, let us know how it works on your hair over time. :grin:
 

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
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.

@Fotchygirl Hey Girl Hey :hiya:
I try to not go past 4 days without detangling. Anything more is asking for trouble on my end. I separate my hair from ear to ear, bun the top then work on the bottom. I take my time and work in small sections. Massage the scalp with my fingers to spread the sebum to lubricate the roots. This helps loosen up the shed hair at the roots. Sometimes I use argan oil if my fingers don't feel oily enough from my sebum. I then moisturize the length and begin finger detangling pulling all the shed hair from the roots to the ends. Once I get to the ends, I grab my TEK detangling brush and just brush out the ends to make sure all the shed hair is out. If I don't do the last step, all those shed hairs would just be chilling at the ends like...party over here! , :hottub: causing all kinds of knots and ssk's and we can't have that lol:brucelee:
 

pre_medicalrulz

It Always Been About Hair!
I'm also still looking for a deeeeeeep daily moisturizer. I like creams but it's a catch 22 cause the creams are only good when I don't plan on wearing my hair flat ironed straight. So I would need a liquid as well. I found the liquid now I'm just in need of a cream.
 

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
Has anyone found their holy grail products? I'm pretty confident that I've found most if not all of mine. I'm still looking for a deep moisture product but I don't think I'll find it.


YASSSSS Gawd....this year was the year of so many holy grail additions.

Neutral Protein Filler
Shea Moisture Jet Black color system
Joico Moisture Recovery Balm
Camille Rose Aloe whipped butter gel & Moisture Milk
Shea Moisture Manuka Honey line
Chi Keratin leave in

The search is OVA! I think the worst part of the hair journey for me has been testing and wasting money on products. My advice to anyone out there, when you find something you love and your hair loves....stick to it! Stop searching for something better if you already have something you love. Now all that's left is to give away, donate or use up those mediocre products in 2016. I think I have around 6 in a box in my garage and 5 products that I ordered on Black Friday that's already in the use up category (since I prefer my staples to be found on the ground).
 

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
@lulu97, how are you using the CR Aloe Whipped Butter Gel. I have some and I've never used it.

@MileHighDiva I use it as a Styler or double moisturizer. Like today, I took my hair down out of a top knot bun that I've had in since wash day. I finger detangled, moisturized with watered down CR Moisture Milk then followed it up with the Aloe whipped butter gel. I then put my hair in a protective style. (2 twisted ponytails wrapped around each other) Since I know my hair will be tucked away and unbothered until Sunday, I wanted to make sure it was extra moisturized. I also wanted to be ensured that if something comes up and I need to take my hair down, it could be worn in an "out style". Hope that makes sense. So to clarify... It is a double moisturizer/soft hold Styler.
 

Aireen

Well-Known Member
I'll name my favs. :drunk: I have more stuff I love but I think these are the REAL MVPs right now.

Relaxer:
• Optimum Multi-Mineral Reduced pH Creme Relaxer (Regular Strength)

Shampoo:
• OGX Intensely Invigorating Eucalyptus Mint Shampoo
• The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care
• Motions Neutralizing Shampoo

Conditioner:
• Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Conditioner :lick: :lick:
• Infusium 23 Moisture Replenisher Conditioner
• ApHogee Intensie Two Minute Keratin Reconstructor
• Mill Creek Botanicals Biotin Conditioner
• Mill Creek Botanicals Keratin Conditioner

Mask:
• Inebrya Ice Cream Shecare Reconstructor Mask :lick: :lick: :lick:

Serum:
• Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Nourishing Treatment With African Macadamia Oil :lick:
• L'Oreal Hair Expertise Nutri-Sleek Precious Oils
• OGX Awapuhi Ginger Dry Styling Oil

Tools:
• Bonbon Cheveax Hard Candy Plastic-Lined Satin Bonnet
• QT Performance Tornado Advanced Tourmaline Hair Dryer
• QT Performance Temptress Paddle Cushion Brush/Nume Paddle Brush
• Tangle Teezer
• Wide Tooth Comb
• Medium Fine-Tooth Comb
• Claw Clips

The relaxer I use is so gentle and at this point I don't have to worry about my hair falling out. I am so glad that I had that setback with my stylist. Ultimately, doing my hair at home = less money, less stress, more flexibility, more control – it's just all around 10x better than going to a salon. It was only after that incident that I was finally able to convince my mother that we should DIY our relaxers. I ONLY miss two things, feeling pampered when I'd go to a salon and getting a more thorough haircut, although, my stylist couldn't really cut so... :look:

The conditioner is great, I go through it quickly but it smells lovely, detangles, keeps my hair soft, and is just a dream conditioner/must-have for me. The mask is basically the same but with a bit of an edge and is the best of its kind, very few masks work for me and that one is just yummy. :lick:

Serums tend to be the same across the board, the ingredients are almost identical regardless of the brand. Either way, I really love having the ones I do have because the price is on the low side so I can be heavy-handed, and I feel like they protect my hair from heat damage while sealing any splits.

Everything else is pretty standard. I try to use shampoos that tackle my scalp issues but also leave my hair manageable enough. The Motions and OGX shampoos are very softening though. As for tools, honestly investing in good tools and working on technique is key for salon results at home. If you do go to a hairdresser and want to start on the DIY track, observe everything they do, the products they use, and ask questions. YouTube videos can be a good resource too. Even though gurus get a lot of flack for sponsored videos, they're not all bad; I learned about Flat Iron Expects from YouTube and I can say that if I ever need another blow-dryer/flat-iron/etc., I'll most likely be buying it from there.

(** Note: If anyone was wondering, I don't use moisturizers or leave-ins in my hair and I don't moisturize daily, that's why I don't have anything listed for that type of category. After I blow-dry, my hair goes into bun to sleep/stay at home and I leave it down when I'm out. After 5-14 days, I'll re-do the whole process over again.)
 
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Aireen

Well-Known Member
@Aireen, what are you doing with a Tangle Teezer? How are you using it? It's not causing you mid-shaft splits etc.? Gurl, seeing the words Tangle Teezer made me nervous.
Nope, it doesn't cause me midshaft splits, it just detangles my hair lol. I bought it randomly because I've always wanted to try it and I love it, I have 3. I mostly use it to detangle my hair when I'm out since I keep 2 in different bags. At home, I might use it but I usually reach for a paddle brush.
 
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ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
@Aireen I love a nice serum too. The slip makes detangling so easy.

Sidenote: I had no clue the Body Shop had hair products. I bet they smell yummy. Have you ever tried their exfoliating body scrubs? The Shea as well as the Brazil nut is amazeballs! I was gifted some and I really want to repurchase.
 

cocosweet

Well-Known Member
Welp. My hair is done. I had an insane amount of split ends. The dusting I'd been doing throughout the year was not getting the job done. Between the hair I shed while detangling the last few nights and the shed hair today, I could build a puppy. Lengthwise, I'd say I am full shoulder length now but the crunchy ends are gone. My hair hasn't been this short in years. :)
 
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Aireen

Well-Known Member
@Aireen I love a nice serum too. The slip makes detangling so easy.

Sidenote: I had no clue the Body Shop had hair products. I bet they smell yummy. Have you ever tried their exfoliating body scrubs? The Shea as well as the Brazil nut is amazeballs! I was gifted some and I really want to repurchase.
Yep! Exactly! The slip makes it easier for me to blow-dry my hair.

Yeah, they do! They've had hair products for a while but I've only tried 2, the shampoo I mentioned and this old mask they had that I'm pretty sure they discontinued. The mask wasn't that great, though the scent was Brazil Nut and did smell nice. I only happened to try the shampoo because I was desperate for something to help my scalp issues. I'd say skip their products except their shampoo if you have scalp problems. I've never tried their scrubs BUT I buy their exfoliating gloves regularly and they're a MUST HAVE HOLY GRAIL. I'm not joking, I cannot shower comfortably without them otherwise I feel dirty. It helps exfoliate all the dead cells off my skin but doesn't cause abrasions and the quality is great, love them. GET THEM IF YOU DON'T ALREADY USE THEM OR EXFOLIATE.
 
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Aireen

Well-Known Member
Welp. My hair is done. I had an insane amount of split ends. The dusting I'd been doing throughout the year was not getting the job done. Between the hair I shed while detangling the last few nights and the shed hair today, I could build a puppy. Lengthwise, I'd say I am full shoulder length now but the crunchy ends are gone. My hair hasn't been this short in years. :)
Do you love the new cut or do you miss the length?
 

cocosweet

Well-Known Member
Do you love the new cut or do you miss the length?
I kind of miss the length, but the fact that my hair is no longer crunchy and snagging on itself trumps that. My longest layers were MBL before the cut, but the ends were see through so my hair looked thinner than it should. I'm loving the volume I've regained. Right now, I'd say there are more positives than negatives.

I can't figure out how to post pics now or I'd put up comparison shots.
 

Aireen

Well-Known Member
I kind of miss the length, but the fact that my hair is no longer crunchy and snagging on itself trumps that. My longest layers were MBL before the cut, but the ends were see through so my hair looked thinner than it should. I'm loving the volume I've regained. Right now, I'd say there are more positives than negatives.

I can't figure out how to post pics now or I'd put up comparison shots.
Yep, that's what I love about trims, your hair becomes instantly easier to manage because the more damaged ends aren't all over the place tangling with the rest of the hair. It's all uniform and less brittle so it won't snag/knot so much. It's good you did what you wanted to do and cut your hair, a hair journey shouldn't only be about length, you can have fun too~ I like the fullness of the hair when it's at SL.

Oh if you want to post pics, when you go to reply, you should see icons where you can put your text in bold, change font, etc. Look more to the right side of those icons and you should see a little icon that looks like a mountain landscape next to a smiley, that's what you click to upload photos.
 
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Aireen

Well-Known Member
Currently sitting with one of my protein conditioners in my hair, really needed this.
 
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Chazz

Well-Known Member
@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.

View attachment 344747
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:
Girl i love candles too. But I got a speeding ticket.... So I had to pick hair product or candles... :eek::cry3:
 

Chazz

Well-Known Member
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 not in this challenge but back when I had a relaxer. I love biolage mask. I hope this helps.
 

Lucia

Well-Known Member
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. :)

Best detangler so far
Kinky curly knot today
Should melt those matted knots it's at whole foods I think target? And online
 

Dee Raven

Well-Known Member
I have a holy grail product line. It's Carol's Daughters Marula line. I know I've mentioned somewhere here on this board a while back, but I can't believe how good the line is. I just got through washing my hair right now (it's been a week since my last wash). I put the Marula oil on my dry hair, let it sit for like 30 mins, then washed my hair with the shampoo. What's awesome is that with this product, the best time I have found to detangle is right after the shampoo (which is different, because usually I will detangle with conditioner in my hair) No. Just under the running water, my fingers easily glide through the hair (and I only detangle in 2 sections, so it's a lot of hair). Then I rake the conditioner in, proceed with the rest of shower, rinse it out. Voile . It is soooooooo easy. I can't believe it.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
I have a holy grail product line. It's Carol's Daughters Marula line. I know I've mentioned somewhere here on this board a while back, but I can't believe how good the line is. I just got through washing my hair right now (it's been a week since my last wash). I put the Marula oil on my dry hair, let it sit for like 30 mins, then washed my hair with the shampoo. What's awesome is that with this product, the best time I have found to detangle is right after the shampoo (which is different, because usually I will detangle with conditioner in my hair) No. Just under the running water, my fingers easily glide through the hair (and I only detangle in 2 sections, so it's a lot of hair). Then I rake the conditioner in, proceed with the rest of shower, rinse it out. Voile . It is soooooooo easy. I can't believe it.
That's good to know. I'm always looking for a good and gentle shampoo.
 

SmilingElephant

Well-Known Member
Ever just daydream about reaching your hair goals?

I believe I will make it to Hip Length by February. Maybe late February early March.

I believe the vitamins I've been taking gave me that "jolt" to get my hair to start growing longer. That along with keeping my regimen consistent and less stress. So if I keep it up, I'll reach my goal in NO time! I only need about 2-3 inches to be Hip length!
 
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