Two-Year Hair Journey Update

June is my 2 YEAR HAIR-VERSARY and I am beyond amazed at how far I have come in such a short period of time.  I started out my hair journey with unhealthy thin bone-straight relaxed hair that was a little shorter than shoulder length. Today I still relax, but NOT bone straight. My hair is hovering right at mid-back length and I am well on my way to hopefully reaching my goal length of waist length hair.  I have learned so much about what it takes to grow and maintain healthy hair from those that have successfully completed their own journeys.  Great reads are Grow It by Chicoro, and The Science of Black hair by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy, both available through amazon.com.  I think it was so beneficial early on to gain knowledge and inspiration from ladies on the long hair care hair boards. One of the best is k-i-s-s-.biz (also know as Keep it Simple Sista).  I always say the best thing you can do for your hair is to educate yourself on healthy hair care! Learn what products you need to avoid, what styles to avoid and mechanical devices cause damage to hair. Learn how CRITICAL the moisture content of your is.  Once you realize the impact this has on the health of your hair, dropping certain practices and adding new ones to your regimen will become a no-brainer. Today I LOVE my hair and I NEVER thought I would be able to utter the words.  If I can grow my hair long and strong ANYBODY can.  I always thought long healthy relaxed hair was unattainable if you have had short damaged hair all your life like I did.  This simply is not true.  If you are displeased with the health and condition of your hair, relaxed or natural, take an active approach in caring for it yourself.  If that means ditching your hair dresser then so be it! Black women's hair was made to grow to great lengths just as women's hair of any other race.  I have posted Pics of my progress over the past two years.  I hope you will find it inspiring and proof that educating yourself will allow you to achieve anything : ) Happy Growing!

Start of my Hair Journey June 2010 - Length Check w/ Wet Hair

1 year into my HJ - June 2011 - Length Check

2 years into my HJ - June 2012 - Length Check

Beginning Length June 2010

Current Length June 2012!!!

Update: Loving My Hair!!!

I am almost a year and a half into my HJ and I officially have my dream hair! Its not at my ultimate goal of Waist length, but a full BSL and I just love the length, texture, and fullness! I NEVER thought this hair would be attainable for me. It crazy that I was able to acquire it in what feels like no time flat.  Knowledge really is the key to anything you want in life.

I did my Phyto Relaxer yesterday...DC and styled with all Phyto products and these are the results : ) I hope to be at MBL by my next birthday of June 2012...so cross your fingers! All my readers and followers send me pics of your progress so that I may share them with the world. You can help to inspire just as I have.

HAIR JOURNEY 1 YEAR IN

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES!

MAY 2010 - BEFORE THE JOURNEY

JUNE 2011 - 1 YEAR INTO MY HAIR JOURNEY 

Night Time Protection

Just a Tip: Protecting your hair at night is very important when growing your hair long. Use a silk scarf or silk bonnet to protect your strands every single night. Pillow cases, and the head movement can cause hair to tangle, loose moisture and the friction can cause the hair to break. If you should use a scarf be sure it's not tied too tightly or it can cause tension and breakage at the nape or front hair line. Stay away from cotton scarves and bonnets as they will leach moisture and oil from the hair. Hope this helps you along the way ; ) Happy Growing!

1 YEAR HAIR-VERSARY !!!!

I reached 1 year on my hair journey in June and I am so excited to see that I have not only met my first long term hair length goal of BSL ( bra strap length ) but I have much healthier hair over all. My hair is longer than it has ever been my entire life and healthier than I could have ever imagined! My hair holds heat well now, does not frizz with humidity or even when I spritz water on my flat ironed hair...it's silky easy to manage and has great movement too.  I took a heat pass for my Bday celebration and to conduct a thorough length check.  I have used heat about 3 times since my journey has stared. I have been diligent with my regimen and bunning. This no heat diet along with daily moisturizing and frequent washing is what I can attribute my success to through out this process.  I have learned so much and hopefully I have helped others learn through sharing my personal experiences.  I am amazed at how much length I was able to  retain over he course of one year. It may be a little hard to see the number lines on my LC shirt, but I started a little above the #1 mark line and I am currently grazing the #8 line!

I guess I should set new goals at this point...so full MBL (mid back length) *which for me is officially dream hair length* is what I hope to reach by May 2012.  I am amazed at how much length I was able to  retain over he course of one year. It may be a little hard to see the number lines on my LC shirt, but I started a little above the #1 mark line and I am currently grazing the #8 line!

June 2010                         December 2011                   June 2011

Three Months Post Length Check

I am now 3 months post relaxer and I soooo ready to get my PhytoRelaxer next week. Not because my roots are hard to manage but because I am excited to see the new length!

My new growth has been very manageable this go round as I am consistent with my regimen. I CANNOT believe I am close to bra strap length already!!! Did not expect to get close until May/June. So reaching my June 30th 2011 goal of BSL is pretty much in the bag...YES!!! :)  I had no idea I was getting so close and retaining so much length until I did a mini length check last night. Posted are pics of my luscious new growth and latest LC. 

New Growth 3 months Post Relaxer

Healthier Hair is Here!

Well I treated myself to a heated style finally :) I deep conditioned with Spiral Solutions Deeply Decadent for 30 mins (short on time), then shampooed with Carol Daughter Tui Herbal Shampoo.  Next I did a final conditioner rinse with Elasta QP Intense Hydration.  I applied my leave ins, dried hair under hooded dryer for 40 minutes then flat ironed. The length I retained is so amazing and I loved how much fuller and healthier my hair looks.

Seven months into my HHJ and my hair is healthier than it has ever been.  No static in my hair after the wind gets to it, no frizzing (even though I am texlaxed), my hair is split end free and I didn't even have to comb it the entire night out! My curls stayed and everyone gave me compliments on how great my hair looks. I LOVE MY HAIR, FINALL...didn't think I would ever say those words : )
Now I will return to NO heat until my goal of Bra strap length is reached.

JUNE 2010                              JANUARY 2011

                                                

End of 14 week Stretch

Well I have been on my healthy hair journey for about 4 months now! I did get a need trim after the first month. I am so happy to report that I have not fallen off at all on my hair regimen ( it has been tweaked, fewer products lol) since the start of my May 2010 journey. I have been wearing a protective style every day,cleaning my hair 2x weekly (1 poo and 1 co wash), moisturizing and sealing twice daily, and I have noticed that I don't need a trim after almost 4 months! This is major!! Normally my hair breaks so much that I am in big need of another trim after about a month. My hair is almost as even as they day I had it cut. I am completing my 14 week stretch now, and plan to self relax with my PhytoRelaxer on September 25, 2010. I will do a dusting, not a full trim and pull out my trusty length check shirt to measure growth. I did a check about 2 months ago, and I was right at the #1 line. Hopefully I will be at the #2 once I relax. Will aim for a 16 week stretch next go round. I am soooo happy I embarked on this journey.

Beginning Goals

Well, I started this journey at Shoulder Length hair. I needed a trim bad, to get rid of nape damage and thin ends from a previous (and last ever) sew in. I am now a healthy shorter shoulder length.  I figure I should make some clearly defined goals and take all the necessary actions to meet them. My first goal is to reach Full Bra- Strap Length. I have increased my deep conditioning to twice a week. I am protecting my hair around the clock as well...phony pony by day and as soon as I get home, I moisturize, seal and cover my very loose bun with a satin scarf until the next morning. I want these thin edges healthy and full again by my next perm in 5 months. I am already starting to see a difference in them with using the JBCO on my scalp and Aloe Vera gel for styling.  I also want to start relaxing my own hair, or have my mother do it now. My stylists overlaps an I just cant put my hair health in anyone else's hands again. I will go to her for trims only. Over all I am very pleased with the much healthier condition of my hair as my HHJ only began a month ago. I am confident I will reach my ultimate goal of Waist Length hair by June 2013. Below is a pic of my new freshly relaxed, trimmed healthy locks: )

 Happy Growing!

I Wanna Be Like Wanakee

I am again so excited about my HHJ. I am on the computer day and night trying to educate myself on the best ways to care for my relaxed hair and get it to my longest lengths. I wanted to take the time out to pay homage to one of the pioneers of black hair health and protective styling, Wanakee Pugh. I remember seeing pictures in Essence magazine of Wanakee when I was a young girl, and a myriad of thoughts would enter my head. Her beautiful hair looked simply unattainable or I thought it must be a weave...or I even thought, well her name is Wanakee, she must be half Native American with hair like that lol. In the end I would just feel like my hair was inferior. I thought, she has always had this long luscious hair and I could never even dream about having hair this long and healthy. Well, today I feel different. Wanakee shared her countelss hours of research, personal hair journey stories and gave us the tools we need to educate ourselves on proper hair care for African American textures, and how to grow your natural, texlaxed or relaxed hair to great lengths. The information below is from Wanakee's Practical guide to hair care. I even included some pics of Wanakees hair thought her journey, as she did not have long hair until she started deep conditioning, trimming as needed and WEARING PROTECTIVE STYLES. Enjoy!


WANAKEE'S PRACTICAL GUIDE TO HAIR CARE

INTRODUCTION
If your hair has been damaged, take heart. Your hair is growing while you’re reading this. It was growing yesterday while you were having dinner, and it will be growing during your coffee break. If you’ve ever had a relaxer or hair color in your hair you know how fast it grows; seems like you need your roots touched up every time you blink! Yet women constantly say, "My hair just won’t grow. Why doesn’t it ever get any longer?"

In order for your hair to grow, it has to have what I call a ‘healthy growth pattern’. Here’s what a healthy growth pattern looks like: Grow, grow, grow, trim. Grow, grow, grow, trim. Grow, grow, grow, trim. Notice, there’s three times more growing going on here than trimming.


An ‘unhealthy growth pattern’ looks like this: Grow, break, grow, break. Grow, break, grow, break. There’s as much breakage going on here, as there is growth. You can see clearly that the hair is growing. But it’s breaking just as fast as it grows; the breakage is NEUTRALIZING the growth, making it appear as if it’s not growing at all! So what’s causing all the breakage? Dry, brittle hair.

THE MAIN REASON FOR DRY HAIR
You’ll notice that after you trim your hair, the ends seem dry again almost immediately! You’d think it was because of too much heat or blow-drying or maybe a bad perm. Although these treatments can sometimes dry out your hair, they only happen occasionally. The process that happens everyday, drying out your hair is...exposure to the air!

Yes, something that simple can be sapping your hair of life. Think for a moment; air dries your laundry, it cracks your house paint, it chaps your lips, it ashes your skin; it’s a serious drying agent. And when you wear you hair down regularly, air dries out your hair too. The movement of your hair against your clothing can dry your ends even more; and when ends get dry, they break off.

Picture an ear of corn with the husk on it. Did you ever notice how awful the silk looks that’s hanging on the outside of husk? But if you peel the husk down, the silk is soft, shiny and in excellent condition. The only difference is that the top silk has been exposed to the air, while the silk inside the husk has not. Air can cause damage to your hair. Moisture and Oil for the Hair is a light daily application of protection against dryness that adds a gorgeous shine and allows the hair to remain clean feeling. It’s nice.


DEVELOPING A HEALTHY GROWTH PATTERN
Since the ends are the oldest part of your hair, they suffer the most from this constant exposure to air. You can end the breakage cycle and experience a healthy growth pattern by following these simple rules. They may not seem very significant at a glance, but they are the steps that restored my damaged strands to a full, healthy head of hair. Remember that you want to preserve the ends while the roots grow. Being consistent and patient every day is the key to your success. 1. KEEP YOU HAIR CLEAN AND CONDITION IT, CONDITION IT, CONDITION IT!

If you wash your hair less frequently than 7 days or so, the scalp may get irritated and begin to itch. And when dirt begins to build up on the strand, it slows down the brush or comb, creating a pulling affect, which can snap hairs. You’ll find that Deep conditioning at least once a week make the hair easy to comb through when the hair is wet and when it’s dry.

2. WEAR YOUR HAIR IN PROTECTIVE HAIR STYLES AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN

This means wearing your hair ‘up’ in a style that tucks the ends safely underneath the hair so the ends are not seen. Remember the ear of corn with the husk again: protective styling is like taking the dry tip of the silk, and tucking it safely underneath the husk, out of the air. But if your ends go up dry, they’ll come down dry.

My favorite protective styles are the French twist and the chignon (or bun). You should not be able to see the ends at all. A ponytail, for example, wouldn't be considered a protective style because the ends are moving and still exposed to the air. You can really have fun creating these styles, using all types of accessories and enhancing your look with simple things like earrings or a newly tweezed set of eyebrows! You can make your look clean or really do yourself up. Have fun with it.

If your hair is short, you’re going to protect your hair from the air and from too much movement while you sleep. 3. SLEEP WITH YOUR HAIR PROTECTED AT NIGHT.

I know, I know! This is where I lose a lot of you ladies who have spouses; but hear me out. It's important at night, again, to take your hair out of the air and especially to eliminate all of the rubbing that takes place while you sleep. This rubbing can be bad news in the morning when your ends are frayed beyond recognition. A good thing about wrapping (or tying up) your hair at night is that it requires less styling the next day (sometimes you’re actually ready to go with just a quick stroke of the brush).

If you’ve read my brochure, you've heard me say that wrapping your head at night need not be grounds for divorce. You can use a fine meshed hair net over your bun or over your hair if it’s short, and then apply a wide cotton spandex headband around the hairline. It looks similar to a regular daytime look. If you’re still not loving the idea, my next best advice is to put it on late and take it off early! By the way, just sleeping on a silk pillowcase won’t help if your hair is still moving around and exposed to the air.

If your wrap comes off, and at some point it probably will (especially if your hair is short), half a night’s protection is better than none. But this simple, traditional routine of tying the hair up at night is still a very helpful method in maintaining your hair. 4. GET YOUR HAIR TRIMMED EVERY 6 TO 8 WEEKS.

If you’re trying to grow your hair out, this is where protective styles really pay off. Your hair grows ¼ to ½ inch per month, so in 8 weeks it could have grown 1 inch. Let’s say you started your routine with a real good trim. And now, 8 weeks later it’s time for another trim. If you’ve been conditioning, using your Constant Care for Ends and wearing your protective styles everyday, your ends shouldn’t even be split. So now you’re going to trim your hair before it splits. You only have to trim ¼ inch or so because it’s not split. That means you have ¾ of an inch of new length. You put those brand-new, freshly trimmed ends right back up into your protective styles and next month you’ll accumulate another ¾ of an inch - that’s 1 and ½ inches of real length in four months!

Now let’s look at what happens if you don’t wear protective styles. You wear your hair down, it rubs all day against your shoulders and the air makes it dry - but it looks good, I understand.

But here’s what happens: you go to get your trim in 8 weeks and you really only want the hairdresser to take ¼ of an inch off. But she sees damage and split ends as far up as an 1 and ½ inches. She cuts the damage off and, even though your hair has grown an inch, you just lost ½ inch in length because the constant damage caused by your ends being exposed DICTATED TO YOU how much hair had to be cut. With protective styling, you trim before your hair splits and you determine how much you trim off. Every little quarter of an inch is a victory.

Some women have asked me, "What is the point of having long hair if you have to wear it up?" The point of wearing it up is to have long hair. Once a young lady asked, "About how long would it take for me to grow my hair really long?" I told her it would take about 4 years with regular trimmings. She said "Four years? I’ll be 34 years old in four years, that’s too much time!" I had to remind her that she was going to be 34 years old in four years anyway; might as well get there having fabulous hair.

If you have short hair, don’t let all this talk of protective styles disturb you. If you keep your hair cut short and trimmed on a regular basis, it’s automatically healthier by being trimmed more often. It's when hair becomes long that the protective styles become necessary. If you’re not growing your hair long, but are keeping it trimmed and styled at a fixed length, then you can get away with wearing it down more often than the person who is on a mission to grow long hair.

BEFORE WANAKEE'S HHJ

AFTER HER 4 YEAR JOURNEY