How Did You Style Your Hair When It Was Shorter?

Question for the long haired ladies. I know every so often you're asked the general question: "How did you reach your current length?", but I'd like to know, specifically, how you styled your hair before you reached long lengths.

What did you do with your hair at neck length, shoulder length, apl? How long did you keep it styled and how often did you wash it.

• What style(s) did you feel contributed the most to your length retention?
• What style(s) caused setbacks for you?
• Or do you feel it didn't matter as much?
• Did products or technique matter more for your hair?

Wigs, braids, buns, two strand twists? What did you do?

I grew my hair out for about 7 months and did a mini chop of 8 inches of the relaxed hair. So i had about 4 inches of natural hair and 3 inches left of relaxed ends so I did Marley hair buns which blended perfectly. I wore hats a lot for style, coverage and laziness. Then I cut the rest off (I don't know when). Then I wore two big flat twists going back, one on each side. It didn't take long to get out of the short hair faze at all because of protecting & moisturizing. If I didn't tuck away my hair I think I would still be in the short faze.

I Am So Blessed said:

I grew my hair out for about 7 months and did a mini chop of 8 inches of the relaxed hair. So i had about 4 inches of natural hair and 3 inches left of relaxed ends so I did Marley hair buns which blended perfectly. I wore hats a lot for style, coverage and laziness. Then I cut the rest off (I don't know when). Then I wore two big flat twists going back, one on each side. It didn't take long to get out of the short hair faze at all because of protecting & moisturizing. If I didn't tuck away my hair I think I would still be in the short faze.

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Thanks for the response! You and your hair are inspirational!
How often did you wash and restyle?

SAPNK said:

Thanks for the response! You and your hair are inspirational!
How often did you wash and restyle?

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Thank you! For the first year and a half I washed & deep conditioned faithfully every weekend. And I moisturized twice a week. But NOW, nope. I wash when I feel like it, sometimes I may go four weeks with washing it. I moisturize once a week now. Everything was easier when I had shorter hair.

It would be so much easier to grow my hair out if I left it alone and protected it.

With my job it should be doubly easier. Im required to wear a hat at work so... I rarely have my hair out and free. Even on the weekends.


( big ole sigh)

Whatdid you do with your hair at neck length, shoulder length, apl? How long did you keep it styled and how often did you wash it.

I was maintaining a chin length bob when I decided to start growing my hair out. I would go to the salon every 2 weeks and get it washed, deep conditioned and roller wrapped (2 to the 3 rollers set at the crown, the rest of the hair was molded into a wrap). Between salon appts, I would only use a dry oil spray and wrap my hair in a traditional wrap every night.

• What style(s) did you feel contributed the most to your length retention?

Roller sets are my main style. Once its set and stretched, I'll style it in a loose single braid or bantu knot bun.

• What style(s) caused setbacks for you?

My hair is tangle prone and super curly. I have to keep it very stretched and I dont experiment with any styles that do not support that.

• Or do you feel it didn't matter as much?

It matters. Stretched hair reduces manipulation.

• Did products or technique matter more for your hair?

I think they are of equal importance. I like minimal products because I know not much is needed to support a healthy hair growth and retention environment.

I currently use:
1) A good cleansing agent. This was my area that took the longest to figure out because everything either didnt clean it well enough (too gentle) or cleaned it too much (too harsh).
2) Deep conditioner that I also use as a leave in
3) RoseWater or Distilled Water. I dont need anything fancy to moisturize my hair....water works fine...the sealant that locks it in is more important for me which leads me to....
4) Whipped Shea Butter in which I'll forever be grateful to @Chicoro for showing me the light!

shawnyblazes said:

It would be so much easier to grow my hair out if I left it alone and protected it.

With my job it should be doubly easier. Im required to wear a hat at work so... I rarely have my hair out and free. Even on the weekends.


( big ole sigh)

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LOL! You like to style and have fun with your hair, nothing wrong in that.
At least you know what to do if you want to retain. Enjoy!

@ElevatedEnergy

That's one long, healthy, and thick looking braid!!

I Am So Blessed said:

@ElevatedEnergy

That's one long, healthy, and thick looking braid!!

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Thank you!!!!

Two strand twists will day errday. when my hair got long enough, I wore ponytails, then transitioned to wearing them in buns.

I had not first setback last year and I think it was due to lack of consistency in my regimen: too much manipulation and not enough moisturizing.

I clay wash my hair weekly and refresh the twists every second week.

snoop said:

Two strand twists will day errday. when my hair got long enough, I wore ponytails, then transitioned to wearing them in buns.

I had not first setback last year and I think it was due to lack of consistency in my regimen: too much manipulation and not enough moisturizing.

I clay wash my hair weekly and refresh the twists every second week.

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Thanks for the answer!

When I was relaxed, my hair was cut like Rihanna's during her Good Girl Gone Bad era. At that length, I was putting heat to it quite frequently and had to wash and deep condition my hair more frequently. Once I hit shoulder length, I began putting my hair away more often. I would alternate between kinky twists/braids, phony ponies, half wigs, and buns. Every now and again I would straighten my hair and wear it out. That pretty much was the routine for the remainder of my relaxed time. I was BSL when I inadvertently decided to transition.

While I was transitioning, flat twist outs were my BFF as it hid the 2 textures really well. Sometimes I would wear half wigs. During the summer I would wear braids.

After I BC'd, I wore wigs for awhile until I felt confident with my natural hair. When I finally did feel comfortable, I wore a lot of wash and go puffs--which tangled the heck out of my hair. From there, I wore twist outs pretty frequently but would also throw head wraps, two strand twists, and braids into the mix. As of right now, my unstretched hair is slightly past SL.

Moral of the story is: my hair thrives when I leave it alone- relaxed or natural.