TWA to MBL in 3 years, *pics*

[Highly Favored8]

Congratulations.

 

[lalla]

Congrats!
Your hair looks WL to me.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

LadyPaniolo, I have a few questions.

How exactly is your hair braided underneath the wigs? As you mentioned, your hair is thick, so I can't imagine. Are you braiding it or someone else?

When you were doing the C&G method, what style of braids were you wearing? Do you wear extensions or were you just braiding your hair?

TIA

I braid my hair myself. I never allow any other person to do my hair... it took some pretty terrible experiences with stylists to come to that decision.

To fit my hair under a wig is no joke, lol. I cornrow it in an around-the-world pattern, like people sometimes do for a sew-in weave.

Currently, I have my front hairline area unbraided, so that I can wear half-wigs. I pull this loose hair back into a small ponytail which is then braided. I have to kind of swirl it around my head, along with the tail from my snake-pattern cornrows, and tamp it down with a weave net. I try to tuck it in between the cornrows when I have time.

My cornrows are pretty thick. I can't see any way of getting around it, no matter how small I make the parts. So if someone were to pat my head while I am wearing a wig (they better not ) they would definately feel the lumps. Because my cornrows are the same height, so to speak, I don't think it's that visually noticeable.

When I did the C&G method, I used the cheap Kanekalon jumbo braid hair. Sometimes I took Robin's advice and removed the base from the hair by sitting it in warm water & vinegar... but I found that this made the hair look ratty sooner. I tried to only add a small amount of hair per braid. This minimized the product being wasted by absorbing into the fake hair instead of my own. I tried to follow Robin's advice to the letter as far as how to braid, wash and maintain the braids. Later I stumbled on the idea of preparing the hair for braiding by doing the deep conditioning treatment as I braid it up.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

If any of you ladies who live in central NJ (Mercer County/Burlington County) would like me to do your braids like I do mine, hit me up via PM.

 

[thaidreams]

You really do look like you are WL!!! Great job, your hair is beautiful!!!

 

[beans4reezy]

Later I stumbled on the idea of preparing the hair for braiding by doing the deep conditioning treatment as I braid it up.

Sorry to make you repeat yourself, I just want to make sure I understand. So, you deep condition, and without rinsing the conditioner out you seal, let the hair dry and then braid?

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Sorry to make you repeat yourself, I just want to make sure I understand. So, you deep condition, and without rinsing the conditioner out you seal, let the hair dry and then braid?

Not quite... as I sit there braiding up my hair, I section off the small piece to be braided. I spray it with water or a water/Infusium mixture, to open the cuticle. I apply a deep conditioner to that small section of hair, and massage it into the hair until it is all absorbed. Right that second, I seal the hair with something kinda heavy: grease, shea butter, or Vatika oil. Then I take the fake hair and braid that piece of hair until about one inch past my real hair, and tie it off. Then I go on to the next little piece of hair to be braided.

The hair dries on its own in the braid, I don't do a whole head DC and then dry, then braid. The hair is wet as it is being braided.

 

[Nonie]

:notworthy Just ........WOW! :notworthy

 

[beans4reezy]

Not quite... as I sit there braiding up my hair, I section off the small piece to be braided. I spray it with water or a water/Infusium mixture, to open the cuticle. I apply a deep conditioner to that small section of hair, and massage it into the hair until it is all absorbed. Right that second, I seal the hair with something kinda heavy: grease, shea butter, or Vatika oil. Then I take the fake hair and braid that piece of hair until about one inch past my real hair, and tie it off. Then I go on to the next little piece of hair to be braided.

The hair dries on its own in the braid, I don't do a whole head DC and then dry, then braid. The hair is wet as it is being braided.

Thank you so much for this explanation!!

 

[FlightsWifey]

Your hair is amazing! Do you have a regimen for your DD's hair?

 

[Angel of the North]

Excellent progress!!! your hair looks long silky and very healthy, I'd be interested in knowing how you PS

 

[GodsGrace]

Dang! That's amazing! You did a fantastic job, it looks great!

 

[*Happily Me*]

*gasp*

WOW

You GROW girl!

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Your hair is amazing! Do you have a regimen for your DD's hair?

Thanks :blush3: My DD has her hair pre-poo'd with whatever condish I have handy and within arm's reach, lol. Then after washing I style it, usually just in braided pigtails. I use the same spray mixture that I use on my hair on hers. Usually it's Infusium, water, aloe vera gel or braid spray in there, sometimes with a squirt of tea tree oil or jojoba oil. I use Aussie Moist as a leave-in on her head and it really makes her hair soft and smell great. I NEVER let her walk around without her hair braided up. The few times I have done this it has been like torture getting it back in shape. I let my mom do her hair ONCE. Never again.

Excellent progress!!! your hair looks long silky and very healthy, I'd be interested in knowing how you PS

Nowadays it's wigs all the way. Though I am going back and forth about a sew-in...


Thank all of you ladies so very much for all of your kind words and compliments. I bumped this thread in response to some PMs I got about my reggie.

Hopefully this time next year I'll have a new thread to show my progress! Probably nothing nice like Jamaica Lovely's videos though lol.

 

[beans4reezy]

Thanks for bumping. My hair is braided and I had some questions about your reggie that you've answered in this thread.

 

[JFK]

Lady Paniolo, congratulations!

How did you stay on track/schedule with your regimen while nursing and/or taking care of 3 kids?!

 

[Janet']

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!!!

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Lady Paniolo, congratulations!

How did you stay on track/schedule with your regimen while nursing and/or taking care of 3 kids?!

Thanks!

It isn't easy.... that's all I can say. The kids are a lot of work. I love them but.... well. You SAHMs out there know what I'm talking about.

I don't do a lot of day-to-day fussing with my hair. Once I put it into cornrows I don't fuss with it. I do my DCs and spray my leave ins but I'm not styling my hair on a regular basis. Once my hair gets long enough, I'll start doing more styles with my own hair like this one in the pics... that's Yulia Tymoshenko. My mom used to do my hair like that when I was a toddler, before they cut my hair all off and her hair was worn like that back in the day as well. Maybe by June I'll have the length to pull it off, or I'll try some other old school hairstyles I love that take zero time to put together and are still protective.

 

[butter_pecan]

That's a whole lotta healthy growth! Congrats!

 

[Kurly K]

congrats!!!! wowww!! such inspiration

 

[aa9746]

Awww.... Thank you ladies so much for your comments!

I guess I should have included my reggie, huh lol

Year 1: Well, for about the first year I just wore an afro/afro puff. I co-washed a lot but didn't do a lot of DCing. I tried a bunch of different products, most of which didn't work well for me. My hair was either greasy or dry much of the time. I started doing Crown & Glory braids after about 8 months.

Year 2: This is when I began to jock Chiccoro (sp) hard!!! I used the Crown and Glory braid regimen for about this whole year. As I was braiding my hair, I would wet it with a mix of water and Infusium. I would then apply a good deep conditioner to my hair and seal it with Dabur Vatika oil. I didn't apply the conditioner or the oil to the scalp or about 2 inches from the scalp in order to avoid buildup. I sprayed my hair with a mix of water, braid spray and Infusium. Later on in this year I began to wear some wigs and I had a few disasterous but addictive weave experiments. (Oops, forgot to mention I texlaxed once this year. Haven't done it again though.) I also started taking biotin and B-complex.

Year 3: I wore a weave briefly this year... it ripped my hairline out. Again. Now it's growing back nicely though. I also wore braids briefly. I knew it would be the last time I wore braids because to braid all that length takes a dog's age and I just don't have the time or energy. Mostly I have stuck to wearing wigs this year. I still follow my procedure of opening the hair cuticle with water, massaging in the conditioner (usually Kenra MC or Suave Humectant ) and then sealing with a variety of greases, or shea butter. I use the cheap mineral oil grease to seal in that good conditioner and my hair stays crazy moisturized.

The Future for my hair : This year I'll be wearing wigs like crazy. I finally got a heating cap for Christmas So I'll be doing lots more DCing than I have in the past. To fit this hair under a wig takes some doing, lol. I cornrow it in an around-the-world- pattern and tuck the tail in among the spaces. It works for me.

ETA: Thanks on the compliments of my baby! She is adorable, lol. And my height is either 5'5" or 5'6" I'm not sure.

How often do you dust or trim/or both???

 

[femmemuscle]

Wow! there's still hope for me!!! Thank you for posting such wonderful progress!

 

[ckisland]

To repeat what everyone else has already said, your hair is absolutely gorgeous . I cut down to a 1 inch TWA too and I'm hoping to hit MBL at the end of this year. I have a ways to go, but luckily I have no waist and am all legs .
Congrats on your growth, and thank you for sharing your knowledge

 

[LadyPaniolo]

How often do you dust or trim/or both???

I did one trim at my 1st nappiversary. BIG mistake! It was in its shrunken state, and I ended up cutting off a couple inches in the back, when I really didn't need to. Sigh.

Since then I've been hardcore about NOT trimming. What I do is S&D (Search and Destroy). I don't do it very frequently, but when I see splits I will cut them. I ONLY cut off the damaged hair, I refuse to cut off the healthy part. Some people love blunt ends or ends in a U or V or whatever... not me. I just want my hair to grow to its maximum length possible. Fairy tale ends are fine with me.

It takes about a week to S&D this whole head. It takes dedication and patience, lol, but I feel it's worth it.

 

[BostonMaria]

LadyPaniolo, your baby is so adorable!

 

[Creatividual]

What great inspiration! I'm practically 1.5 years in my natural hair journey after a 7 month transition. I too started off with a TWA and this just gets me more amped up for my personal challenge to get my hair to MBL-WL 2 years from now. So this really excites me and gives me something to look forward to. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Solitude]

Beautiful hair. I didn't see this thread before. Your baby is beautiful, too.

 

[WyrdWay]

Bumping for for new thread

 

[LadyPaniolo]

LadyPaniolo, your baby is so adorable!

That baby in the pic just turned 5yo! Where does the time go...

What great inspiration! I'm practically 1.5 years in my natural hair journey after a 7 month transition. I too started off with a TWA and this just gets me more amped up for my personal challenge to get my hair to MBL-WL 2 years from now. So this really excites me and gives me something to look forward to. Thanks for sharing!

Alright! You can do it!

Beautiful hair. I didn't see this thread before. Your baby is beautiful, too.

Thanks! It's a good thing they are cute or they would be getting it lol

Bumping for for new thread

Thanks for bumping... there's info in here some would find useful.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

I saw a youtube tutorial last night with Longhairdontcare doing a replica of this style except it was a twist instead of a braid. I wish my hair was long enough to replicate it but not yet

Your Baby Paniolo's are so cute

Thanks!

It isn't easy.... that's all I can say. The kids are a lot of work. I love them but.... well. You SAHMs out there know what I'm talking about.

I don't do a lot of day-to-day fussing with my hair. Once I put it into cornrows I don't fuss with it. I do my DCs and spray my leave ins but I'm not styling my hair on a regular basis. Once my hair gets long enough, I'll start doing more styles with my own hair like this one in the pics... that's Yulia Tymoshenko. My mom used to do my hair like that when I was a toddler, before they cut my hair all off and her hair was worn like that back in the day as well. Maybe by June I'll have the length to pull it off, or I'll try some other old school hairstyles I love that take zero time to put together and are still protective.