4b/ 4c Naturals Growth Thread

[Ipanema]

Ever?!?!?

Not for growth. I've been growing and taking care of my hair for so long. It's time to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I want to grow it without protective styles.

 

[Maracujá]

I've heard that this can happen. How did your texture change?

It has become coarser and it shrinks up a whole lot more too. This may be due to a number of reasons:

* I didn't DC with heat for about three years, only started again now.
* I take prescription drugs for my mental illness
* I entered my thirties 2.5 years ago

Any more information you may have about it, will be greatly appreciated. TIA.

 

[FadingDelilah]

Hi. I was a member here last year but I won't mention my old name since I doubt anyone remembers me... lol. This is also a new account. Anyways, I'm 4B with a little 4a and 4c in the back. I've been growing out my hair from a baldy for a little over a year now (cut it for the new year in 2016). I'm going to try to grow out my hair using a few simple rules: only finger detangle shrunken hair, use combs only when my hair is stretched, and practice complete simplicity. Oh, and once my hair reaches shoulder length, always keep my hair stretched (save for special occasions).

Lately, I've been extremely interested in two things: shampoo bars and mud washes. I want hair that is completely set straight out of the shower and these two seem to be my best leads. I got hooked on the idea of a one step regimen when I tried oil rinsing (my first beloved), which was promising but had its issues. Mainly, olive oil is my scalp's enemy. I hope the hair that thinned in the back while using it fills back in. My shedding was insane.

After careful consideration of what I want: a regularly refreshed scalp, grease-free hair and moisture that cannot be wiped off my hair by a pillow case (I feel like most people's kinky hair is still truly "rough" underneath all their product, hence why they have to reapply moisturizer everyday. I hate that a cotton hat can make my hair feel like wire because it soaks up the moisturizer. This shouldn't be), I set out for a solution. I asked myself, why is our hair "rough" like that? Why is kinky hair naturally dry?

A mean, I know straighter hair is said to be softer due to more sebum availability, but think about it. Even without those scalp oils present after shampooing, their hair has this natural cool, smooth and soft feeling naturally. Why not kinky hair? I'm out on a hunt for what could make my hair naturally soft also. What vitamin or product do I have to use to make my hair moisturized and soft straight out of the shower? This is my single question. I already know how to retain length - just don't break my hairs. Lol. But gaining true softness is still a mystery. I refuse to believe that the sebum which straighter haired people never let coat their hair from root to tip in this day and age anyway is what makes their hair so soft.

After researching, I think mud washing or using glycerin soap (the latter based on the personal experience that glycerin is the strongest moisturizer for me) on my hair is what I will first trial in my pursuit for true softness. I ordered some of the latter today and I'm excited to try it. My goal is simple: make my hair healthy and soft - on its own accord. Also, I want the much desired length. Lol. We shall see... (sorry for the length. I felt like this was the right place to put this.)

 

[SAPNK]

Hi. I was a member here last year but I won't mention my old name since I doubt anyone remembers me... lol. This is also a new account. Anyways, I'm 4B with a little 4a and 4c in the back. I've been growing out my hair from a baldy for a little over a year now (cut it for the new year in 2016). I'm going to try to grow out my hair using a few simple rules: only finger detangle shrunken hair, use combs only when my hair is stretched, and practice complete simplicity. Oh, and once my hair reaches shoulder length, always keep my hair stretched (save for special occasions).

Lately, I've been extremely interested in two things: shampoo bars and mud washes. I want hair that is completely set straight out of the shower and these two seem to be my best leads. I got hooked on the idea of a one step regimen when I tried oil rinsing (my first beloved), which was promising but had its issues. Mainly, olive oil (which slows down cell renewal when used on skin, surprisingly) is my scalp's enemy. I hope the hair that thinned in the back while using it fills back in. My shedding was insane.

After careful consideration of what I want: a regularly refreshed scalp, grease-free hair and moisture that cannot be wiped off my hair by a pillow case (I feel like most people's kinky hair is still truly "rough" underneath all their product, hence why they have to reapply moisturizer everyday. I hate that a cotton hat can make my hair feel like wire because it soaks up the moisturizer. This shouldn't be), I set out for a solution. I asked myself, why is our hair "rough" like that? Why is kinky hair naturally dry?

A mean, I know straighter hair is said to be softer due to more sebum availability, but think about it. Even without those scalp oils present after shampooing, their hair has this natural cool, smooth and soft feeling naturally. Why not kinky hair? I'm out on a hunt for what could make my hair naturally soft also. What vitamin or product do I have to use to make my hair moisturized and soft straight out of the shower? This is my single question. I already know how to retain length - just don't break my hairs. Lol. But gaining true softness is still a mystery. I refuse to believe that the sebum which straighter haired people never let coat their hair from root to tip in this day and age anyway is what makes their hair so soft.

After researching, I think mud washing or using glycerin soap (the latter based on the personal experience that glycerin is the strongest moisturizer for me) on my hair is what I will first trial in my pursuit for true softness. I ordered some of the latter today and I'm excited to try it. My goal is simple: make my hair healthy and soft - on its own accord. Also, I want the much desired length. Lol. We shall see... (sorry for the length. I felt like this was the right place to put this.)

Nice post, and welcome to the thread!
I can't help with achieving softness, but I will say that I have wondered why sebum makes so much difference when many of us coat our hair in enough oil to replace it in my opinion, lol. My head stay oily yet still dry.
I have a lot of other musings, but I won't bother now, lol.

 

[SAPNK]

It has become coarser and it shrinks up a whole lot more too. This may be due to a number of reasons:

* I didn't DC with heat for about three years, only started again now.
* I take prescription drugs for my mental illness
* I entered my thirties 2.5 years ago

Any more information you may have about it, will be greatly appreciated. TIA.

There's a thread on lipstick alley about this.
https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/did-your-hair-texture-change-after-your-30s.1386691/
There's also some old threads on this forum, but it hasn't really been discussed in detail. The conclusion always points back to some study or scientist saying hair changes every 7 years, but I'm starting to think that's something a random person said and everyone just went with it. Ill research it though.
Some people's hair gets looser, some more course around their 30s.
One poster in that LSA thread said they knew someone whose pysch meds took them from 4b to 2c, but that sounds ridiculous.

 

[snoop]

Nice post, and welcome to the thread!
I can't help with achieving softness, but I will say that I have wondered why sebum makes so much difference when many of us coat our hair in enough oil to replace it in my opinion, lol. My head stay oily yet still dry.
I have a lot of other musings, but I won't bother now, lol.

First, different oils have different properties which is why not all oils work the same. I've never read anything to that talks about the actual acidic composition of sebum but I don't think that just oiling "your" hair with anything helps. (Not you, but "you" in general.) I know which oils work and which ones don't work on my hair and how the oils that "work" make my hair feel or how it gets my hair to react.

Lately, I've been extremely interested in two things: shampoo bars and mud washes. I want hair that is completely set straight out of the shower and these two seem to be my best leads. I got hooked on the idea of a one step regimen when I tried oil rinsing (my first beloved), which was promising but had its issues. Mainly, olive oil (which slows down cell renewal when used on skin, surprisingly) is my scalp's enemy. I hope the hair that thinned in the back while using it fills back in. My shedding was insane.

I read recently, that olive oil can actually cause dry scalp and dandruff, so your experience for me isn't that surprising (now that I know).

After careful consideration of what I want: a regularly refreshed scalp, grease-free hair and moisture that cannot be wiped off my hair by a pillow case (I feel like most people's kinky hair is still truly "rough" underneath all their product, hence why they have to reapply moisturizer everyday. I hate that a cotton hat can make my hair feel like wire because it soaks up the moisturizer. This shouldn't be), I set out for a solution. I asked myself, why is our hair "rough" like that? Why is kinky hair naturally dry?

A mean, I know straighter hair is said to be softer due to more sebum availability, but think about it. Even without those scalp oils present after shampooing, their hair has this natural cool, smooth and soft feeling naturally. Why not kinky hair? I'm out on a hunt for what could make my hair naturally soft also. What vitamin or product do I have to use to make my hair moisturized and soft straight out of the shower? This is my single question. I already know how to retain length - just don't break my hairs. Lol. But gaining true softness is still a mystery. I refuse to believe that the sebum which straighter haired people never let coat their hair from root to tip in this day and age anyway is what makes their hair so soft.

I think that our hair texture is more porus than straighter hair and that the cuticles are raised higher and therefore feels less silky and inherently less soft. I think that if you are trying to get your type 4 hair to feel like type 1 or 2 hair or even that of a baby or small child then you might be in for a bit of a struggle. For me, it took me a couple of years to realize that this won't happen and that my hair would never be like Napptural85's, but that I could get it to be healthy and behave within the natural limitations of type 4.

It has taken a while, but for the most part my hair now actually does feel cool at it's best or cooler most other times. It doens't feel smooth because I don't' comb it, but when I do comb then DANG! Softness galore!!! And I can see the smoothness and shine now that my hair is beginning to clump better. I've been mudwashing for years, but you can probably achieve the results faster by starting out with water washing for a while. Or going back and forth between the two methods. I believe that the mudwashing helps to coat your hair with sebum but over time...whereas the water washing can get it done within a couple of weeks.

I think that straighter haired people let the sebum coat their hair from root to tip but they don't let it build up the way that we would have to. They don't shampoo their hair half as much as we'd like to believe they do. Especially the ones that have long and healthy looking hair.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

Not for growth. I've been growing and taking care of my hair for so long. It's time to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I want to grow it without protective styles.

I wish you much success in this. Protective styles have saved my hair, keeps it moist and shielded. With the right technique I'm sure you will still retain.

 

[FadingDelilah]

@snoop

Thanks for the feedback! I've heard similar reasoning before (believe me, I've considered many factors) but I have some reasons to believe differently. There are a great many low porosity kinky haired naturals (I've even seen results from places like Komaza proving that low porosity is possible for kinky haired gals on a microscopic level) yet despite their cuticles being glued down to the max, they tend to have very dry hair as well. Some would say that's because moisture can't get in, but how come low porosity women of other hair types don't need to use heat caps and a bunch of snake oil to "get moisture in" to their hair? It's already soft and smooth, that's why. I don't believe the roughness has to do purely with porosity at the root of things, though I know that can affect how good any hair type *holds* onto moisture. I have the absolute lowest porosity hair and my hair used to feel rougher than some wool fried with actual bleach and left out in the sun for years. (It still does sometimes... lol) But I'm kind of over everyone saying kinky hair is high po when I think most of us have low-medium po hair. High po is more as a result of chemical damage. I think most people who say they are high po are just medium po with dry hair.

I heard sebum contains part water and part cholesterol, plus some other stuff I can't recall. So yeah it's different from other vegetable oils - it's more tailored for hair. I might add some lanolin to my glycerin soap for just this reason. It's supposedly very similar to sebum, just like jojoba oil.

I know that kinky hair will never feel just like type 1 or 2 hair because part of the texture difference is the actual feeling of the kinks (my goal is not for my hair to feel like theirs, but to simply feel good and healthy on its own. I guess my first post didn't explain very well). I do believe our hair can feel soft and smooth also, but obviously it will always be more coarse and I looove that about it. But I've felt very soft and strong feeling kinky hair before, and that's what I'm going for.

Again sorry for the looooong post.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

I have learned something about my hair lately as It gets longer.

1. My hair is not in the "thick" category like I thought. I is "medium thick" or average, but appears very thick!

2. My hair seems to want to hang down now which is strange to me.

3. I am tender headed.

4. I do not need as many sections to wash anymore. I use to do 10 sections and now I am doing 6.

I will just has to see how my hair looks and behaves as it grows... approaching year 3!

 

[snoop]

@snoop

Thanks for the feedback! I've heard similar reasoning before (believe me, I've considered many factors) but I have some reasons to believe differently. There are a great many low porosity kinky haired naturals (I've even seen results from places like Komaza proving that low porosity is possible for kinky haired gals on a microscopic level) yet despite their cuticles being glued down to the max, they tend to have very dry hair as well. Some would say that's because moisture can't get in, but how come low porosity women of other hair types don't need to use heat caps and a bunch of snake oil to "get moisture in" to their hair? It's already soft and smooth, that's why. I don't believe the roughness has to do purely with porosity at the root of things, though I know that can affect how good any hair type *holds* onto moisture. I have the absolute lowest porosity hair and my hair used to feel rougher than some wool fried with actual bleach and left out in the sun for years. (It still does sometimes... lol) But I'm kind of over everyone saying kinky hair is high po when I think most of us have low-medium po hair. High po is more as a result of chemical damage. I think most people who say they are high po are just medium po with dry hair.

I heard sebum contains part water and part cholesterol, plus some other stuff I can't recall. So yeah it's different from other vegetable oils - it's more tailored for hair. I might add some lanolin to my glycerin soap for just this reason. It's supposedly very similar to sebum, just like jojoba oil.

I know that kinky hair will never feel just like type 1 or 2 hair because part of the texture difference is the actual feeling of the kinks (my goal is not for my hair to feel like theirs, but to simply feel good and healthy on its own. I guess my first post didn't explain very well). I do believe our hair can feel soft and smooth also, but obviously it will always be more coarse and I looove that about it. But I've felt very soft and strong feeling kinky hair before, and that's what I'm going for.

Again sorry for the looooong post.

It's interesting, that you mentioned that most people say our porosity is high because I'd only ever read that in one spot. Most people think that their hair is low because of the water test, which I believe Komaza said is useless. (Or maybe it was another hair expert.) I wish that I'd done the water test as soon as I got my results from them. They said I was normal and high in damaged areas which I can believe because my hair at the time of testing and since, behaves in a much healthier way than when I first started my journey -- i.e. it will stay moisturized for days instead of minutes or hours. I don't think that our "rougher" strands is inherently due to damage, but just the way our hair is.

I've wanted to try lanolin, too. I'm scared that it isn't water soluble and that it would be difficult to remove with mud.

By any chance, do you have thick strands?

(BTW, I like you're long posts... it's giving me some things to think about, research, and experiment with.)

 

[FadingDelilah]

@snoop

Awww thanks! Glad to know I'm not being a bother. I wasn't implying that you actually think our rougher texture is due to damage, just that I don't think most natural hair is high porosity (because from my observations many do think that). I was just saying that I believe actual high porosity hair is almost always due to damage, and that I don't believe there are as many "naturally" high porosity naturals as many may think. But its intriguing to me that you have read mostly people saying they are low po. I thought we were a minority... Anyway, it doesn't take from or add to the point of either of our posts so I guess it doesn't matter lol. And about the lanolin, many people believe surfuctants are needed for water insoluble ingredients, but in my experience (with oil rinsing, namely), anything - water soluble or not - will eventually come out of the hair with just water. It may just take a larger amount of washes. So I think I'll just add the lanolin every few washes or so.

We'll see how it all actually works out in reality lol! If the lanolin is too greasy even in very small amounts then I'll give up. Or maybe I'll just find a water soluble ingredient to add to the soap. I wanted to try avj but I'm afraid my lo po hair might not like it.

Oh, and I'm not sure if my strands are thick or not. Sometimes I say medium, and then somebody with even finer ones makes me feel like mines are thick. Then the next person with hair strands that size of actual threads got me thinking my hair is allll the way fine. (In the voice of the guy from the tootsie pop commercial) The world may never know...

 

[SAPNK]

I was about to ask another question comparing our hair to other types, but hopefully I answered my own question, and possibly it will answer some of what we discussed as well. I think the "issue" is that our kinks are many and very small. It seems to me that this is what makes our hair feel more rough and also what affects the refraction of light. I think it has less to do with porosity, and more with these tiny kinks. For example, I wondered why it was so difficult to slick my hair back with gel, but when you think about it, the looser something is, the easier it is to undo/ loosen it more. If I comb out any knots and apply enough gel, then why wouldn't my results be the same? Well I think that if you look on a microscopic level, those kinks are still there and it takes a lot to loosen them and get that sleek shine. I've seen girls achieve this and when they apply gel in small layers so that every hair is coated and smoothed, I wouldn't even know they were 4c or that our hair could lay that flat and shiny.

So in conclusion, I think our hair is literally like a rough surface, and our kinks are like bumps. If you think about it, how much harder would you have to pull a piece of my hair to loosen all those tiny kinks vs pulling on a clumped tendril of 3b hair.

 

[FadingDelilah]

Today I started finger detangling and twisting my hair after half a year of just rinsing my twa regularly to make it look presentable. My understanding is I'm good with just finger detangling my hair once in a while. It keeps me from having to fight with my hair all the time, since increasing how often I detangle only increases how much breakage I get without really decreasing how tangled my hair ends up anyway.

I realized there's no point in bothering with it more often than necessary since I have a twa and it will always end up getting matted at this length every time I go to bed anyway (I refuse to twist it every night lol). This means that my hair is super matted by the time I do detangle, but my saving grace is that I've mastered finger detangling.

In case this helps others, here are a few finger detangling tip from my experiences:

Do not yank a knotted section apart by the middle to get the tangle loose. Instead, grab one to two strands at a time from the knot and slowly pull them out of the mother tangle until its completely gone by using a pulsating motion (does that explain it well?). By pulsating motion I mean, don't just try to pull the strand out in one go. Pause as you go so that if the hair is not ready to come out, you don't snap it. If it doesn't come loose at first, try other strands within the tangle until you find one that is ready to come out. Then continue until all the strands are loose and the tangle is gone. Sometimes there will be shed hairs causing a knot at the end, so follow the steps above until that little shed hair ball comes off easily.

Stretch the section as taut as you can before starting so that the tangles and shed hairs can be easily felt with your fingers. Then you can work them out more easily and quickly.

Figure out whether damp, dry, oiled or conditioner-coated strands makes finger detangling the easiest for you. That way you can get similar results each time - minimum breakage with the most ease. But remember that depending on the condition of your hair at any given point in time, the option that is the best can change. It takes time to learn how to be able to just feel your hair and tell what is the best right then and there, but a few sessions of trying different things should give you enough experience. No matter the case, if you are gentle the hairs will keep from snapping.

While I'm doing it, I got my laptop and a chair so I can watch my tv shows while I do it at my vanity mirror. This way I'm comfortable and entertained. I don't want it to take two weeks like last time. Lol.

I did a twist in the back and I was surprised when it reached all the way down to slightly past my shoulder!! It felt very good since big chopping twice in two years has made it quite a while since I've seen my hair that long. I was like... woah!

I hope I finish by tomorrow. Wish me luck please.

 

[yaya24]

I'm at neck length now -- started over.
Hoping to make APL 2018.

 

[SAPNK]

I'm at neck length now -- started over.
Hoping to make APL 2018.

You Will!

 

[SAPNK]

I've been washing my hair is plaits, and it's been great. I worried about my hair not getting clean, but that hasn't been a problem at all. Washing my hair has been really easy and I'm not dreading my wash day anymore. Before I could never imagine washing once a week, but now I am.
I can go through the whole wash process quickly, instead of having to twist and re-twist multiple times to shampoo, condition and stretch. And no more twists unraveling (because my hair isn't that long) or forgetting which ones I've washed and conditioned already. It's just a short process now, and I hope it continues to work for me.

And this week I washed my hair last night, so I wouldn't have to dedicate a whole day to the process. I detangled each section thoroughly and put the braids in. Then washed and deep conditioned. When I wash, I focus on scrubbing the scalp under each plait. I then wash the braids themselves. I apply the deep conditioner and put my cap on then wash it out. I get the product into the braids by squeezing it in while they are soaking wet. I get the product out by using my fingers and pulling down on each braid under running water.

I'll have to keep doing this before I know if it's going to work for me, but I'm putting my focus on having a simple yet effective regimen, so I really hope it does. I know some people wash in twists. They're looser and easier to wash, so when my hair gets longer I may switch to twists, but I can see having to redo them to stretch, whereas I only have to put these braids in once throughout the entire wash process.

 

[Ipanema]

I'll have to keep doing this before I know if it's going to work for me, but I'm putting my focus on having a simple yet effective regimen, so I really hope it does. I know some people wash in twists. They're looser and easier to wash, so when my hair gets longer I may switch to twists, but I can see having to redo them to stretch, whereas I only have to put these braids in once throughout the entire wash process.

I think with long hair, washing hair in braids is easier for detangling. Washing in twists has so much potential for hairs creating knots.

 

[FadingDelilah]

I'm learning a lot from you guys. I love this thread.

I finished my hair and it took me 3 full days. In some places I had actual dreads! Gosh, if I didn't know how to finger detangle I would have never made it. I didn't have any breakage from it and my hair has grown more than usual. I think it has to do with adding a B-vitamin complex and Vitamin C to my vitamin routine in the last few months. I will continue taking them.

Oddly, I notice that I have almost no single strand knots. I thought I would have multiple on every strand like I used to but I guess not. I literally have no idea how this happened since all I did was wear my hair shrunken and lose. I don't mind ssk's anyways but it was kind of... cool. I liked it. Though I'm not expecting this strange period to last.

Gives me reason to believe that decreased breakage (which increases end quality) helps prevent ssks. Woop woop for finger detangling, since it creates full blunt ends with minimal splits. My hair has never been so even and neat from root to tip. I found a good medium too. I finger detangle the major knots and hairs tied around each other, and then use the comb just to be sure the section is perfectly detangled. I didn't notice anything but shed hairs coming out in the comb this way. No breakage. I will continue using this duel technique.

Anyways, I'm glad that I'm all done. Now I won't have to do this again for the next 6 months or so. I will probably wear the twists for a little while and then go back to my usual loose fro. Hopefully by the next time I do this I will be full shoulder length *fingers crossed.* That will open so many new doors for me.

Happy growing!

 

[Ipanema]

After shampooing, I did a final rinse with warmed white vinegar, and my hair felt so soft. I didn't use conditioner. I think I might do this once per month to clarify.

I was also thinking about the age of my hair. My ends are probably 3 or 4 years old. Back then, I was so busy, and had no interest in hair care. I'd shampoo, let it air-dry in yarn braids, and then go on with my day. My diet wasn't so great, either.

Now I'm thinking that if you want healthy ends in the future, you have to think about the quality of your hair today. The bulk of your hair right now will be the ends 3 or 4 years from now. This is probably common knowledge, but I was just thinking about it after a shampoo.

 

[FadingDelilah]

After shampooing, I did a final rinse with warmed white vinegar, and my hair felt so soft. I didn't use conditioner. I think I might do this once per month to clarify.

I was also thinking about the age of my hair. My ends are probably 3 or 4 years old. Back then, I was so busy, and had no interest in hair care. I'd shampoo, let it air-dry in yarn braids, and then go on with my day. My diet wasn't so great, either.

Now I'm thinking that if you want healthy ends in the future, you have to think about the quality of your hair today. The bulk of your hair right now will be the ends 3 or 4 years from now. This is probably common knowledge, but I was just thinking about it after a shampoo.

On that note, be careful cause I heard vinegar can degrade the hair's keratin over time and even cause hair to lighten as well. Especially when not diluted very much and left on the hair.

 

[Ipanema]

On that note, be careful cause I heard vinegar can degrade the hair's keratin over time and even cause hair to lighten as well. Especially when not diluted very much and left on the hair.

With the amount of build-up I had, it wasn't an issue at all. I was applying Softee coconut hair grease plus coconut oil every day. Then I decided to experiment one day, and applied lotion on top of that. My hair was a dull mess. The vinegar was much needed.

 

[MizzBFly]

Although I trimmed frequently enough last year (detailed in the 2017 twists, bun, braid challenge) and wore twists all the damn time, my ends felt rough, maybe it was from the color from Nov2015. I got a professional trim to have a more precise idea where I stand so I can excel the growth with my 4 pattern. About 2 inched was cut. I’ll go again in May then Sep or Dec.

 

[Ipanema]

Does anyone use oil sheen spray? How does it affect your hair?

I tried some, and it made my hair puffy. I had to check the ingredient list to see if there was water in it. I do like that it makes my hair smell nice. Sometimes coconut oil can go rancid. It also switches from liquid to solid frequently. I went out in cold weather one night, and my hair froze into a stiff, solid mass because of the coconut oil.

 

[charmtreese]

Does anyone use oil sheen spray? How does it affect your hair?

I tried some, and it made my hair puffy. I had to check the ingredient list to see if there was water in it. I do like that it makes my hair smell nice. Sometimes coconut oil can go rancid. It also switches from liquid to solid frequently. I went out in cold weather one night, and my hair froze into a stiff, solid mass because of the coconut oil.

I DO!!!! I use CHI oil sheen most mornings after I style my twist. For me it locks in the moisture and adds a nice sheen to the hair. I haven't noticed any adverse effects from oil sheen.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

Although I trimmed frequently enough last year (detailed in the 2017 twists, bun, braid challenge) and wore twists all the damn time, my ends felt rough, maybe it was from the color from Nov2015. I got a professional trim to have a more precise idea where I stand so I can excel the growth with my 4 pattern. About 2 inched was cut. I’ll go again in May then Sep or Dec.

View attachment 423895 View attachment 423897

Your hair looks really nice and those curls.

 

[FadingDelilah]

Got some aloe vera juice to try. But since I don't want to use leave-ins anymore I don't really know what I should do with it. I did a honey treatment of sorts with v05 shampoo the other day and my hair reacted wonderfully. It's shiny and strong. I just want a bit more softness once my hair is fully dry. Will try adding the aloe when I wash tomorrow.

 

[FadingDelilah]

I've been in love with my hair lately. Turns out cheapie shampoos are the best for my hair. I added aloe to my mix today and omgosh my hair is so shiny and soft without any product. It finally feels like I found what I was looking for. My cuticles are laid nicely by the acidity of the shampoo and it only cost $0.99. Now I just have to find a growth aide that works for me.

After looking on Youtube for a bit I think I will try a cinnamon/mustard powder paste (since I have the ingredients already) for 20 mins (my goal is 30 mins but we'll see) twice a week, since that's how often I shampoo and the recommended amount is once a week to see results. That way I can apply it to my scalp and let it sit while I'm showering, then just shampoo it out at the end. I don't like sitting around outside of the shower with hair treatments in my head, so this will be a convenient way to kill two birds with one stone.

I was sold when I read people like me (with slow hair growth who have tried everything to speed it up) saying they got an inch in three weeks, and they only did it once a week. I figure, what will doing it twice a week give me? The inversion method doesn't work for me so hopefully this will. If I could just get an an inch a month I would be so happy. I also like that this method is not something that's expensive or intrusive to my life or comfort level. I won't have to expend energy by doing massages in a weird position, or walk around smelling like stinky hair oils. My wallet will also be happy. Hopefully my good luck continues and I get results from it.

 

[Ipanema]

I think I found a way to get shiny, soft hair that has enough weight to have swing, also. I've been patting water into my jumbo twists until they are slightly damp, spraying with a lot of oil sheen, and then letting them air-dry under a satin scarf. After taking the twists out, the results are

 

[FadingDelilah]

To my pleasant surprise, the cinnamon growth aide was actually posted by @larry3344 in her thread yesterday. This is the video.

 

[MileHighDiva]

Although I trimmed frequently enough last year (detailed in the 2017 twists, bun, braid challenge) and wore twists all the damn time, my ends felt rough, maybe it was from the color from Nov2015. I got a professional trim to have a more precise idea where I stand so I can excel the growth with my 4 pattern. About 2 inched was cut. I’ll go again in May then Sep or Dec.

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How was Electic Vibez? I love her IG!