2022 - SL/APL Challenge

Napp

Ms. Nobody
I tried doing a modified version of the LOC method to moisturize.(Liquid, Cream, Oil/Butter) I will see how it turns out tomorrow. I'm trying to see how I can moisturize less often and have some more longevity of my cornrows.
The LCO was a success! My hair feels juicy and moisturized even though. I moisturized it a day ago. Will be doing the loc method 3 times a week for now and seeing how my hair fares.


@faithVA your hair looks good. I'm glad she didnt take off too much length. Youve got some length goals to achieve this year!:drunk:
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
The LCO was a success! My hair feels juicy and moisturized even though. I moisturized it a day ago. Will be doing the loc method 3 times a week for now and seeing how my hair fares.


@faithVA your hair looks good. I'm glad she didnt take off too much length. Youve got some length goals to achieve this year!:drunk:

Yes, I'm looking forward to more length and I think she is definitely the right stylist to help me get there.
 

Napp

Ms. Nobody
I took down my braids 3 weeks early because I noticed some breakage at my nape. I had to see the extent of the damage. It's not terrible but I can tell my hair will look thinner in the middle when I finally straighten it:confused:.

I need another braid pattern to go under my wigs. I plaited my hair into 7 braids and my hair got pretty flat so I think I may do that instead of cornrows. Or I might leave the braids in for less time. 6 weeks is too long for my fine strands.

On a positive note when I stretch my hair it reaches APL! :shocked: I can't believe my hair has grown so much in such a short time. I need to measure to see how much growth I've gotten. I'm definitely not full APL yet though. I'm hoping I can get there by June and possibly BSL by December?
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
For the winter months I need a regimen to keep my hair hydrated but simple enough that I won't avoid doing it.

On the weekend, I plan do CCS (cleanse, condition and set/style). My style for the weekend will be a wash and go. My wash and goes last 3 to 4 days. Midweek, I will just rinse, condition, apply leave-in and put my hair into flat twist. This regimen allows me to keep my hair hydrated, keep learning how to style my wash and go but also give me a mid-week styling break.

Not sure if my hair will be long enough by the summer, but would love to do something simple like rinse, condition, gel and put my hair up in a banana clip. I'm pretty far from that right now. The best I can do right now is put my hair in 6 flat twist. Maybe, by April, it will be long enough for just 2 flat twist.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
I did a length check today. So far I was only able to retain 1.5 inches of length after 4 months. I am so disappointed. I think I am going to lay off the wigs and let my hair grow out in wash n goes. Let's see if in the next 5 months I can get to APL
Maybe the extra pampering will turn things around for you. :yep:
 

GettingKinky

Well-Known Member
I did a length check today. So far I was only able to retain 1.5 inches of length after 4 months. I am so disappointed. I think I am going to lay off the wigs and let my hair grow out in wash n goes. Let's see if in the next 5 months I can get to APL
How fast does your hair grow. For me that’s about normal. I only grow 0.1 inches a week. So in 4 months I would have ~1.6 inches.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
I really didn't feel like doing my hair tonight, but I felt my hair and I knew my wash and go in the morning would be totally gone. And I remembered I had an appointment in the morning so I couldn't do it in the morning. So, I sucked it up and got it done. I rinsed, conditioned, applied leave-in and put it in 8 flat twist. Will wear it like this until Sunday.

I hear we are getting snow again this weekend so there will be plenty of time to do hair :rolleyes:
 

Napp

Ms. Nobody
I tried measuring my hair again and it looks like I got even less growth than I thought?(1 inch) But when I stretch my hair it almost reaches my front armpit when it was barely collar bone length before! It seems like my hair is broken off at different lengths. Le sigh....So I'm just going to focus on growing out my hair and babying the rest of the chemically treated ends. I still refuse to trim it at this point because I want length IDC IDC lol
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
I tried measuring my hair again and it looks like I got even less growth than I thought?(1 inch) But when I stretch my hair it almost reaches my front armpit when it was barely collar bone length before! It seems like my hair is broken off at different lengths. Le sigh....So I'm just going to focus on growing out my hair and babying the rest of the chemically treated ends. I still refuse to trim it at this point because I want length IDC IDC lol
Instead of doing one big trim, maybe consider doing a dusting every month or every other month. Not sure if your ends are split, but letting them stay for 6 months, allows them to keep traveling and defeating your goal. It may feel easier to let a little go at a time instead of getting to APL and then having to cut it back to nape length because the ends are too busted.
 

Napp

Ms. Nobody
Instead of doing one big trim, maybe consider doing a dusting every month or every other month. Not sure if your ends are split, but letting them stay for 6 months, allows them to keep traveling and defeating your goal. It may feel easier to let a little go at a time instead of getting to APL and then having to cut it back to nape length because the ends are too busted.
Id rather do a chop after I've figured out how to retain my length as opposed to before because the ends will just get raggedy again. Plus if I trim I prefer it on straight hair and I don't plan on straightening any time soon. I have about 2 inches of processed hair that have to go. I want to grow it to BSL and then do a blunt cut to APL.
 

Napp

Ms. Nobody
Ok pne
I tried measuring my hair again and it looks like I got even less growth than I thought?(1 inch) But when I stretch my hair it almost reaches my front armpit when it was barely collar bone length before! It seems like my hair is broken off at different lengths. Le sigh....So I'm just going to focus on growing out my hair and babying the rest of the chemically treated ends. I still refuse to trim it at this point because I want length IDC IDC lol
I tried measuring my hair one more time using the pull test. I checked in different places around my head this time. It seems the majority of my hair is CBL or shorter due to breakage which is annoying. I've been around this length going over 2 years now. I am not retaining length at all. I'll never touch a chemical again if I can just get to Full APL this year.
 

gforceroy

Well-Known Member
Update: I have been holding myself accountable lol

I washed my hair this past weekend. I did a "prepoo" with the Melanin Leave in and oil. Then washed and conditioned. I have been just putting my hair in 3 plaits. Trying to take a break from wigs this year my hair wasn't thriving then so let's see how this goes washing and conditioning every two weeks.

Yesterday I also refreshed my hair with moisture using the Melanin leave in. I am going to start moisturizing my hair on the weeks in between my wash and condition.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
I rinsed and put in flat twists on Wednesday or Thursday. Don't remember which.

Today is wash day. I cleansed, conditioned and styled in a wash and go which I am doing 1x a week. It is an improvement over last year. And doing it only 1x a week is doable and keeps me from feeling frustrated and overworked. :yep: Will rinse again on Wednesday or Thursday and put back into twist.
 

B_Phlyy

Pineapple Eating Unicorn
Shampooed and DC'd my hair on Saturday. Then did a rough blow dry with my RevAir. I really need to sell it because it's not doing what I need it to do.

My hair is in a short low braid under my wig. I'm thinking of wearing buns for most of the month of February.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
Shampooed and DC'd my hair on Saturday. Then did a rough blow dry with my RevAir. I really need to sell it because it's not doing what I need it to do.

My hair is in a short low braid under my wig. I'm thinking of wearing buns for most of the month of February.
What doesn't it do that you want it to do?
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
Mostly dry my roots. I always have to go in with my hand held dryer and a comb attachment to get the roots dry. Plus, it is so heavy when using it on yourself.
OK. I understand. Well if you use it again before you sell it, move the nozzle around at your roots to dry your roots. If you need to break that section up and finish the roots. Usually if the roots aren't getting dry or straight, it is too much hair or not moving the mouth of the dryer around to get the roots.

It is heavy. I make sure I sit while I use it and I prop my arm up.

And I do a comb chase with the nozzle to get the hair straighter if that helps.
 

B_Phlyy

Pineapple Eating Unicorn
OK. I understand. Well if you use it again before you sell it, move the nozzle around at your roots to dry your roots. If you need to break that section up and finish the roots. Usually if the roots aren't getting dry or straight, it is too much hair or not moving the mouth of the dryer around to get the roots.

It is heavy. I make sure I sit while I use it and I prop my arm up.

And I do a comb chase with the nozzle to get the hair straighter if that helps.
I did most of that (except the comb chase method) and my roots still ended up being poufy because they weren't 100% dry.

I've had it about 2 years and have more than got my monies worth, but I just need something less bulky and more efficient now.
 

Napp

Ms. Nobody
I've decided that I'm going to nurse my hair more aggressively because I have chemically damaged ends. I didn't want to admit how badly the last keratin/botox did a number on my ends but if I'm still at SL after 2 years then something is very wrong. So every week I will use a protein treatment followed by a deep moisture treatment. I will also use a protein infused leave in conditioner as well. I don't want to do a trim until at least April, which is when I will be doing a rollerset and flat iron for a length check. I will assess the damage and go from there.
 
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