Hiiiii and New Hair Growth Challenge.

Hello Stranger.... Ok I know I'm the stranger and have been AWOL .... again!!

I wont bore you in this post about the whys and wherefores but I'll deffo do a update post soon.

I just waned to quickly post that our next round of the 90 Day Hair Growth Challenge is up and running. Whoooop Whooop lol.

It will be great having you all join in again, I love seeing and hearing all about your progress. Please let me know what methods you will using during the challenge.

If you have any ideas an/or hair growth hacks for me to try please let me know.

I will be doing a Q&A and info video as I have had quite a few questions re: the growth challenge so let me know if you have any.

Here's the Start and Length Check Video:

90 Day Hair Growth Challenge round 2 - Starting Date

Hi Everyone, I hope you are all well.

Round 2 of our 90 Day Hair Growth Challenge is starting on Monday 29th August.

Here's the video with information about what I plan to be doing during the challenge and my starting length check.









Video's from the first challenge that you may be interested in:

First challenge video information:
https://youtu.be/JzPTh4lS6mo

First challenge final length check and why I stopped taking MSM:
https://youtu.be/CM1k9mU6pUU

First Challenge Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiYfa_ngzAYtp9NdgVth7y_PerVZflXEx

90 Day Hair Growth Challenge - Results and Experience

Hiya!! I have finally managed to upload results video!!

I had a mishap along the way (wha'ts new?) and had to record on two different days.

Thanks again for everyone who took part and for your continual support. For those who wanted to join in when we were already started, and those who asked about doing it again, we will do another challenge in August xxx

90 Day Hair Growth Challenge - Update and Length Check.

Hiya!! Here's an Update for the 90 Day Hair Growth Challenge and a Length Check.

90 Day Hair Growth Challenge - Starting Length Check

Hi!! Here is the video of my starting hair length for the challenge.
I plan to do length checks probably monthly. I will do general updates more often though.
I am happy on the whole with my trim although I am missing the length. My ends look and feel much healthier and my twists stay in better too.

Hair Update - May 2015 (picture heavy)

I realise I haven't really updated about my hair since last year so thought I'd do it now.

It's very helpful for me to have a post (or 10 lol) that allows me to see progress, keep an eye on any products/techniques that affect my hair whether that be in a negative or positive way, and set and review goals.

Growth:
My hair has really improved both in length and health since this time last year. I have retained length well and even though I did a couple of trims to remove some ends, I have gained whoooop.
Here's a few pics for comparison;

My afro is coming along nicely:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

afro, 06/14

afro, 07/14

afro, 10/14

afro, 12/14

afro, 03/15

As I have been staying away from heat, I don't have many straight hair pics but here's a couple:


Blowdry/rollerset:

blowdry, 11/14

rollerset, 04/15

Straightened/Flat ironed:

straightened, 03/14

straitened, 11/14

 Wow!! Pictures really do help to show progress. It doesn't really feel like my hair is growing at times, natural hair has alot of shrinkage lol. I have noticed that I need to use more thread and bands when I am stretching my hair and also my twist/braid outs hanging lower.

twistout, 08/14

twistout, 06/15

 My hair has grown in length and thickness! My relaxed hair was no way near this thick.
I can now claim shoulder length for the top and back of my hair - whooopwhooop - and the front and fringe/bangs are now around chin length.

 Transitioning:

It has been 21 months since I last relaxed my hair and I am almost fully natural now. I just have a few straggly ends left from my two trims and general breaking.
 My transition has been hard at times with my hair "acting up" but I seem to now be familiar with my hair's needs and cna mange it much better. The added thickness has taken a while to get used to and many a hairband has been snapped (one just this morning actually lol) putting my hair into a bun/ponytail is a task and my sections have increased when moisturising and sealing but I welcome my hair's new found thickness with a grateful heart.
I have discovered some curls I didn't even know or remember I had. Thinking back to my relaxed days, I did have some waves when I added gels and liked the crimped look when I twisted my fringe and let it out. I just assumed it looked like that because of the relaxer. I do realise that my relaxed ends may be pulling my hair down causing it to look more curly than it is but I do have parts of my hair which are all natural as the relaxed part has long gone and those parts are also quite curly. It will be very interesting to see what the texture is like when all the relaxed ends are off.

Styling:

As well as my trusty buns, I have been wearing my hair in more curly styles for the past 2 months. I had wanted to go on another protective style challenge and put my hair away but changed my mind at the last moment and curls it was. I have noticed that my hair looks much better in twist and braid outs now that there's less relaxed ends and I enjoy the results more.
As I mentioned, I noticed some curls popping up, especially during my deep conditioning sessions and it made me want to try a wash and go more and more but I felt my hair wasn't quite long enough to hang how I would like, the pull was too much so I gave it a try and I LOVED it, it was quite strange at first as I am not used to the shrinkage and the look but I have done quite a few and will continue to wear my hair this way for a few more weeks.
I have been gathering wash and go tips and picked up a couple to stretch the curls which gives the style a longer look.

Wash and Go

Wash and Go - Stretched

twistout refresh of Wash and Go

curly bun and fringe/bangs

 Products:

 Although the product junkie in me has been subdued I have to admit that I have added a few items to my stash, mostly the Shea Moisture goodies that I have been raving about. I also picked up Lutrasilk Curl Max Curl Activator Moisturizer on the recommendation of a lovely assistant in a hair shop, she was admiring my curls and told me I didn't need a wig haaaaaa, she told me there was a product she uses that really brings out her curls so I tried it and it really is fab!! The orice is good too and for a big bottle.
I am saving up some pennies to purchase a few items from the Curls range, to use in my curly routine, I have the Passion Fruit Control Paste which I love, I used it for edge taming and slicking my buns but recently used it in a twistout too.
I'm still enjoying mixing oils to seal with and for the last couple of months or so, have swapped my Hairlicious for my Boosted Cinnamon oil for my scalp and have been loving that.. I will be going on another hairlicious 30 day challenge soon and a batch has been infusing for the last few weeks.


Routine/ Regieme{n}:

I have kept up with my routine for the most part - weekly washing and deep conditioning, nightly moisturising and sealing, scalp and edge treatment and massage.
While wearing wash and go's I haven't been moisturising every night but use oil.



wowww what a long post lol!! It's been noce having a look at my progress and it can be a "go to" post for when I get questions about my HHJ.

Catch Up - Wash Day and Heat Passss!! -

Whooooooopppp! haaaaaa

Yes I used heat on my hair!! Its been such a long time I'm rusty. To think I used to use heat from my blowdryer every time I washed my hair, plus the straighteners..... and I'd touch up my hair with them when my hair got frizzy. Oh gosh not to mention the curling tongs too.
It's fair to say I used heat with no care or second thought.
Before starting my HHJ I didn't even bother about heat protectants, I just used what I new would make my hair straight and shiney, thankfully I used oil moisturisers alot and they actually have Heat protecting properties but I cringe to think of the times I just "dry" tonged or straightened my hair..... and not always when freshly washed either(shudder).
Now I'm on my HHJ I air dry and use no-heat techniques to stretch my hair and to curl it.

I wanted to ensure I gave my hair the best protection starting from the actual washing. I also wanted to get my hair smooth as possible so I wouldn't need to use too much time with my straightners.

I started off with a Oil Baste overnight. The next day I prepared to pre-poo and as I needed to go to the shops I decided to brush my hair up into a bun with the condish in. I learned from last time that putting honey and coconut milk in my pre-poo mix and going outside was not a good move - sticky icky - so I left them out.

I sprayed my hair with Paul Mitchell's Awapuhi Moisture Mist (love that stuff) I sprayed quite a bit on to make my hair very damp. I then slathered(is that a word?) Aldi's Carino Herbals Hydration Conditioner (this is the dead stamp of Herbal Essences Hello Hydration), And smoothed Raw Coconut Oil on top.
I LOVED the curly afro the pre-poo left me with, I actually contemplated going without a hair band but thought if it ever dried out I'd be left with a ball of fuzz on my head.... nah... haaaaaa.
My curls are really starting to come through now and I love it!!(how many times can I say love in a post??)
I brushed my hair up into a curly bun. It's amazing that I didn't use any gel but got a slick bun..... I'm very tempted to try the curly girl or tightly curly, or whatever method it is that uses condish to style your hair.


I went around the shops in our new area, Mello needed school shoes so we went out specifically for them. I wanted to buy a heat protectant as I cannot find my Tresame one. I didn't want to buy another Tresame because I know it's in a box but I really want to try a heat protectant that also keeps hair straight too. I looked at the different types - whoooaahhhh there's soooooo many choices, my head was whizzing lol. After reading and re-reading and reading again nearly every straightening product in the shop(superdrugs actually) Mello was more than bored and kay was about to pull an almighty strop so I picked up Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray For Curly Hair(John Freida) and left....and the rain just fell out of the sky like buckets!! OHMYGOSH!! I can't even begin to explain the downpour.

When I came home, my hair was wet but the condish wasn't running down like I thought it may have been.

I decided to use my travel size Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily Shampoo(smoothing) to see if it got my hair smooth from the get go. It promised to smooth, soften and not strip my hair and it did just that.

I did a tea rinse with Sage, Peppermint and rooibus teas.

Next it was time for a Deep Condish Treatment. True to form I chose to mix a few conditioners/masks together but opted for the ones that smooth and
silken my barnet. I mixed Kanechom Karite Butter Hair Moisturising Cream,
Avanti Silicon Mix Bambú Nutritive Hair Treatment, Capilo La Aplanadora Macadamia Oil New Hair Growth Maintenance Treatment(all time dream product), Organix/OGX Hydrating Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask(not Pictured)
I also added some Coconut Milk Powder as I had left it out of the pre-poo and I know it deffo softens my hair.

After doing chores and getting dinner sorted, I rinsed the condish mix out of my hair in the shower.
I decided to use my travel size Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily treatment conditioner to further smooth my hair out.
and the time it was time to do my ACV rinse there was on way I was going to do it in the shower so I stood outside the shower unit and put my head over the base and poured it over my head. That's how I'm gonna do it from now on and will also do my tea and coffee rinses like that too.
I wrapped my hair in a vest and left it to dry a little.


In the meantime I had put the same condish mix I had on my hair into eldest son's hair as he wants to wear his hair out of plaits for a while. I rinsed it out, detangled and blowdried it for him. Wowww!! His hair has grown and is great!! I can't believe how it's gotten so nice after I have been looking after it for growth rather than just for keeping it neat.

Omy!! I was Ti-y-ered after all that - but the thought of having my hair straight gave a second wind. I sprayed the Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray on my hair and blowdried it. I was gonna use cool air to minimise heat on my hair but the instructions said overwise and kept emphasising that it was activated by heat so I went along with them and prayed I wouldn't get heat damage.
The Spray made my hair feel weird, like a little coated and hard.
I really liked the way my hair looked though, all fluffy and roots stretched out.
I then started the task of Straightening.... Out came the GHD's and the anxiety.... I have become soooooo cautious with using heat on my hair.
It's been soooo long since I straightened that I couldn't even remember which serum I liked the best!! I took out my Hask Straight Solution, Chi Keratin Silk Infusion and Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum and decided to use each on a section and see which one I liked better.
I used the chase method (where you place the comb/brush in front of straighteners) I bought the flat iron chase comb agggeessss ago and  decided to give it a try.
borrowed pic:

I just couldn't get to terms with it so swapped for my denman. 
I used the Hask serum but it was a bit sticky and then left my hair feeling odd so used the Chi but that was too light. So I mixed the two and carried on, halfway through I tried the comb again and for some reason, it just clicked and it worked great so I continued with that. I then tried the Paul Mitchell serum and remembered why I fell in love with it..... Yummo!! So with a combination of the Hask and PM I finished up:

Fluffy and Straight.

I was more than pleased with the growth!! whoooaaaa I was sooooo amazed, I couldn't see it before as clearly due to shrinkage and curling. really made my efforts seem worthwhile lol.
I can now claim shoulder length whoooopppp in fact i'm just past double whoooopppp the front of my hair always grows asthough it's cut in a style that is layerd so that part isn't at my shoulders but it has grown too.

I wrapped my hair with a little coconut oil so it would lay nicely for church and went to sleep - it was crazy o'clock. The next day this is how it looked:

straigggght!!

The front is reverting something chronic but hey ho, I'll take it. Getting ready was a breeze as I didn't have to detangle. It will be odd having straight hair again and the dodging of rain returns.

Afro Growth and length check

It's been a while since I did a proper look at my hair growth progress. It's quite difficult to get a good gage at the growth because of shrinkage and I have to be honest and say It doesn't actually feel like my hair's growing at times but I know for sure it's getting thicker and as I have some relaxed ends still I can look at the two different textures and I realise my hair really has grown.

I find taking photo's help to have a visual comparison and also it's a documentation of my HHJ.
Here's some afro pics:

July 2014

September 2014

October 2014

I remember taking the wacky July pic I was amazed that I actually had an afro, that was the first time it started to get proper puffy lol.


Here's some length check pics too:

May 2014

July 2014

October 2014

Whooooopppppp!! The hard{but fun}work is paying off. I'm soooooo chuffed as I have been staring at other peoples' hair growth pictures left right and centre and now I can get the same whoooopppp feeling about my own.

I am deffo keeping up the with the hair regime{n} but I think I'll get my GHD's out....
........Heat Passsss lol.