2014 One Inch Per Month Challenge

MaraHanna

Hello curlies!

We've come up with a new challenge for those interested in growing their hair out in 2014 :queen:

The goal is simple: to grow and retain one inch of healthy hair every month through TLC and various growth-enhancing techniques, and with the encouragement and support of each other.

You are all welcome to join ladies. Just hit "reply" and tell us about your commitment to the challenge with the help of the included list below.

Let's first start by the RULES of the challenge:

1. Make sure you take a healthy diet with lots of water
2. No or minimal heat styling (at most once a month)
3. No harsh chemical treatments (relaxer overlap, overlapping color treatments or color with perm, etc)
4. No excessive hair trimming (at most 3 times per year)
5. No fine-toothed combs or brushes
6. Low manipulation as much as possible

Those who join the challenge can choose to commit to some or to ALL of the rules as suits them best.


And here are some suggested sub-challenges that we can choose from every 2 months:

1. Satin or silk scarf or pillowcase for night time
2. Finger detangling. No popping/tearing hair with combs and brushes
3. Baggying
4. Greenhouse effect
5. Inversion
6. Castor oil scalp stimulation
7. Henna
8. Got anything else in mind?

Everybody who joins the challenge should state the following: (just answer as many as you can )

1. Curl type:
2. Strand thickness:
3. Porosity:
4. Current length (including a photo if possible):
5. The length I aim for:
6. The challenge rules that I commit to: (plz pick from the blue list above)
   
   
7. Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention. For example:
   
   

   • Protective styling: braiding, bunning, etc
   • No poo/low poo/co-washing
   • Regular scalp massage (what with?)
   • Vitamins and supplements (plz specify)
   • Other techniques (plz specify)
8. Techniques and products you will use to keep your hair strong and moisturized. For example:
   
   

   • DC (what with? How often?)
   • PT (what with? How often?)
   • Leave in product
   • LOC method?
   • Others (plz specify)

We officially start by the first of January. But those who would like to cheat can start right away and enjoy the benefit of being one month/one inch ahead of themselves and their goals :angel9:

We should report our progress at least once every 2 months (a photo of the achieved progress, the growth rate, the retained length in inches, compliance with all our commitments, any problems, setbacks, success stories, etc)

There is no need to straighten for measurements, you can measure the hair curly or just manually stretch it to make a measurement.

MaraHanna

I will go first

Hello, my name is Mara

1. Curl type:
   I should think 3b-3c. I've always stretched my hair, all my life. Always brushed the curls out after shampooing and then stretched them out by using bantu-knots and bunning.
   Recently I've been relaxing my hair. And even though I am not sure if this is it's exact true nature or if the curls have been loosened, but it still curls when I soak it in water. Anyway the last relaxer application has caused me a lot of damage. So I'm hoping to transition back to natural while I grow my hair out.
2. Strand thickness:
   Fine.
3. Porosity:
   Highly porous. Even more so now, after my relaxer damage. Can't keep moisture into my hair even after re-sealing twice with the LOC method. But I'm experimenting to find ways to keep my hair moisturized for longer periods of time
4. Current length (including a photo if possible):
   Bra strap length when straightened with a relaxer. Here is my starting photo. As you can see, the ends are damaged. But I'm not giving up on them yet.
   
   
   
   
   
5. The length I aim for:
   Hip length, while curly :toothy4: I wonder if my genes will allow it
6. The challenge rules that I commit to.
   Basically all of them:
   
   1. A healthy diet with lots of water
   2. No or minimal heat styling (at most once a month)
      I will omit heat altogether except for using a final rinse with warm water (because it prevents my hair from becoming hard and crunchy when it air dries) and occasionally using a blow dryer when my hair is contained in a plastic bag and I am doing a deep treatment. So no direct blow drying and no flat ironing or curl ironing.
   3. No harsh chemical treatments (relaxer overlap, overlapping color treatments or color with perm, etc)
      I plan to transition to natural hair but I might opt to texlax my new growth if i fail to manage it. I hope that I won't be forced to do that so as to avoid re-damaging my new growth.
   4. No excessive hair trimming (at most 3 times per year)
      I am inclined to trim the final few inches of my hair before I start the challenge because they are badly damaged. But I will defer this until all the methods I intend to try to fix them have failed. But otherwise I will not trim my hair for no good/pressing reason.
   5. No fine-toothed combs or brushes
   6. Low manipulation as much as possible
   
   
7. Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention:
   
   

   • Protective styling: I will flat-braid my hair and keep it in braids for at least 2 weeks. Then take it out for at most 3 days before I return to the braids.
   • Co-washing mainly, but I might need to clarify about once every 2 month or so, depending on the buildup I get.
   • Regular scalp massage with a mixture of rosemary oil, peppermint oil, lavender oil and castor oil. About 4 times/week.
   • Supplements: biotin. I have just started it 2 days ago. If it does not cause my face to break out, I will continue to use it and see what results I will get.
8. Techniques and products you will use to keep your hair strong and moisturized.
   I am still experimenting but here is what I do currently:
   
   

   • DC: with coconut oil mainly, mixed with any moisturizing treatment, once weekly
   • PT: I will try to pick up from: Organics hair mayonnaise, Vitale hair mayonnaise, and home-made gelatin treatments.
   • Leave in product: Oriflame nature secrets conditioner for dry and damaged Hair
   • LOC method with Dabur Vatika enriched coconut hair oil and raw shea butter

lori.mattox

Curl type: 3C/4A; Strand thickness: Fine; Porosity: Low to medium (I think)
Current length (including a photo if possible): layered- longest almost reach collarbone, shortest in front reach tip of nose
The length I aim for: long enough for a curly pony or MBL, whichever comes first
The challenge rules that I commit to:
Healthy diet with lots of water (already doing)
No or minimal heat styling (at most once a month)
Low manipulation as much as possible
No fine tooth combs/brushes

Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention.
Protective styling: will be experimenting with different styles and start stretching my normal wash and go’s past 3 days (accept bigger, less defined hair). Most likely protective styles: roller/perm rod sets, finger coils, braid outs (will see how today’s first attempt goes), mini twists, and bunning as hair gets longer.
No poo/low poo/co-washing
Wrap hair in a scarf or secure hair in some way at night instead of leaving it loose; already use a satin pillowcase
An opposite of one of the main rules: trimming (i.e.1/8-1/4’ off) my ends more often. My relaxed hair needed trims every 4-8 weeks for maximal growth/health; I’ve been on a schedule of 16 week intervals since last December. I noticed today that the 7 inches I had at the beginning of October was only 6.25 after not touching/redoing my hair as often in an attempt to retain length, and no trim due ‘til December. =(

Techniques and products you will use to keep your hair strong and moisturized.
DC (what with? How often?) ORS replenishing pac/conditioner or possible homemades
Leave in product Cantu Shea Butter Leave in conditioning repair cream
LOC method? Leave-in, styler, oil (flaxseed unless I try something new that I like)
Others:continued use of aloe vera juice in regimen, and pre-poo’s with coconut oil and/or hot oils overnight at least 2 times a month.

BotticelliBrit

So ready for this!!

Curl type: 3A, with a bit of 3B hanging around on there too

Strand thickness: Medium

Porosity: Low porosity (will do the Goosefootprints test soon just to be sure of this!). Buut based on how my hair behaves I'm going with low for now.

Current length (including a photo if possible): Shoulder-length when curly


The length I aim for:
Ultimately I want to go for hip-length when curly (though that won't be achieved just in this year lol).

The challenge rules that I commit to:
Healthy diet with lots of water - do this anyway).
No or minimal heat styling - don't use heat really. Except a diffuser once in a blue moon.
No harsh chemical treatments - don't use these any more anyway
No excessive hair trimming (at most 3 times per year) - this suits me fine.
No fine-toothed combs or brushes - only ever finger detangle anyway.
Low manipulation as much as possible - don't tend to manipulate my hair at all.

Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention:
DC (what with? How often?): Nothing But Intense Healing Mask, once per week.
PT (what with? How often?): Going to try the gelatin treatment and see how my hair responds.
Leave in product: Hairveda Red Tea Moisturiser / Darcy's Botanicals Daily Leave-In Conditioner.
LOC method?: Because of my low porosity this doesn't tend to work too well for me. May have to experiment a bit!
Others: Scalp massages! I low-poo as it is, but may give co-washing a go too at some point.

Aqua_Lily

This thread is perfect for me!

I'm in!

I will commit to the following rules:
1. Healthy diet lots of water (also has great benefit for my nails!)
2. No heat styling (I never heat style)
3. No chemical treatment (never done before)
4. No trimming (I haven't been to stylist in more than a year... I sporadically cut my own hair with a trimming scissor, and then I only cut the split ends)
5. No fine-toothed combs or brushes (I occasionally use a brush, but will quit this)
6. No manipulation (I don't do that)

Sub challenges I'm taking:

1 Silk pillowcase (been using that for a while now!)
2 Finger detangling (Already do that most of the times)
6 Castor oil scalp stimulation (did that for a long while with Jamaican Black castor oil and really sped up my growth!!)


My hair & growth:

1. Curl type: 3a/2c/2b/3b (in order of prevalance)
2. Strand thickness: medium
3. Porosity: Mostly medium, also have some low and high porosity strands.
4. Density: Very high
5. Elasticity: High or medium
6. Current lenth: 40 inches (tailbone length when straight) (measured from hair line at forehead!)
7. The length I aim for: 50 (mid-thigh length when straight)
8. Challenge rules I commit to: 1, 2, 6.

9. Other techniques:
- Protective styling (my hair is getting so long, it will be more convenient anyway).
- Low-poo and co-washing.
- Daily scalp massage (with Jamaican Black Castor oil)
- Multi vitamins & minerals (many different kinds), and protein.
- Wear elastics without metal part to avoid damage

10. How I keep my hair strong and moisturized:
- PT: EO Keratin conditioner (as it is, at least twice a month)
- DT: Mostly The Body Shop Rainforest moisture conditioner or other moisturizing conditioner (with some added penetrating oils, at least twice a month)
- Leave in: Mostly a light product.
- LOC: Leave in spray (see next), grapeseed oil, styling mousse (Jane Carter)
- Spray leave in (Desert Essence Red Raspberry conditioner made into spray conditioner)

MirCurls

Not joining in (my hair is the length I want it now, and I just trimmed aout 3 inches in October, cause it was TOO long), but a question:

I know hair growth rates vary, from person to person, health status, etc, but if the average human hair growth rate is 1/2 inch per month, how is 1 inch per month feasible? (Barring any sort of hormonal manipulation of prescription drugs?)

sixelamy

Curl type: 2c/3a (with 2b in places my hair is too short)
Strand thickness: medium
Porosity: low
Density: high
Current length:

The length I aim for: arm pit length

The challenge rules that I commit to:
I already do all of these, maybe except the lots of water part - which I know I need to work on.
1. Healthy diet with lots of water
2. No or minimal heat styling
3. No harsh chemical treatments
4. No excessive hair trimming
5. No fine-toothed combs or brushes
6. Low manipulation as much as possible

Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention:
1. Low poo w/ occasional co-wash
3. Regular scalp massage w/ low poo and/or conditioner, or maybe some oil on wash days
4. Multivitamin & calcium

Techniques and products you will use to keep your hair strong and moisturized:
1. DC: don't need these very often. SS Caitlin's Conditioner
2. PT: gelatin w/ RO, honey & oils
3. Leave in: it varies - SM C&H products (milk, smoothie), TN, Komaza Aloe My Hair Leave In or Coconut Hair Milk
4. Henna

sixelamy

MirCurls wrote: »

Not joining in (my hair is the length I want it now, and I just trimmed aout 3 inches in October, cause it was TOO long), but a question:

I know hair growth rates vary, from person to person, health status, etc, but if the average human hair growth rate is 1/2 inch per month, how is 1 inch per month feasible? (Barring any sort of hormonal manipulation of prescription drugs?)

Mine grows at about an inch per month already. Honestly, IMO it's not about exactly one inch a month, it's about taking care of your hair properly and doing everything in your power not to damage it so we can grow it out. If we get to an inch in a month, great! If not, who cares. It's about the process, in my eyes.

kaykre

Fun!! Quick question... Does diffusing count?


Curl type: 2a/b
Strand thickness: medium fine
Porosity: med to high... probably just medium since my last cut
Current length (including a photo if possible): just above shoulders (pic at the end)
The length I aim for: BSL... dunno if it's possible in a year
The challenge rules that I commit to:
1. Make sure you take a healthy diet with lots of water
2. No or minimal heat styling (at most once a month)
3. No harsh chemical treatments (relaxer overlap, overlapping color treatments or color with perm, etc)
4. No excessive hair trimming (at most 3 times per year)
5. No fine-toothed combs or brushes
6. Low manipulation as much as possible


Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention. For example:
Protective styling: braiding, bunning, etc
No poo/low poo/co-washing
Regular scalp massage (Jessicurl oil)
Vitamins and supplements (already take GNC Ultra Nourish Hair)
Techniques and products you will use to keep your hair strong and moisturized. For example:
DC (CJ Rehab--as needed)
PT (CJ repair me-- at least weekly)
Leave in product


Current length:

kaykre

Sorry the picture is so large.. IDK how to resize it.

bringingcurliesback?

Everybody who joins the challenge should state the following: (just answer as many as you can )

Curl type: 2c, 3a, 3b
Strand thickness: Coarse
Porosity: High
Current length (including a photo if possible): just kissing shoulders
The length I aim for: as long as possible whether it APL or BSL etc.
The challenge rules that I commit to:
1. Clean Eating
2. Not using heat at all. (why start now, don't you dare use the diffuser)
3.No chemical treatments etc.
4.No crazy hair cutting (twice a year max; as you notice your hair needs it)
5.No combs or brushes!! (Amber Brown status; your only comb=hand)
6.Little manipulating (need to work on this I love to touch it :laughing3:)



Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention. For example:
Protective styling: braiding, bunning, etc
Technique:Low-poo once a week max; w/ CO or WO methods otherwise
Regular scalp massage (in shower and when DT)
Vitamins and supplements (multi and hair supplement but may quit the fakeness altogether in swap for an awesome diet)
Other techniques:
The original no poo
Ignorance method (your a kid:glasses2:)
Techniques and products you will use to keep your hair strong and moisturized. For example:
DC (SM, or homemade once a week is preferred but once or twice a month atleast)
PT (Hair doesn't do well with too much so use a gel with protein once in a while or Mane and Tail CO:arrow: caution as my hair is quite coarse in some parts)
Leave in product: I'm never faithful but will list in siggy :happy6:
LOC method? The moisture is awesome but it doesn't make up for the lack of definition maybe as it gets long I could go back?
Others (plz specify):
Leave it alone; don't restyle over and over and over and over; if you put it in a rubberband it ain't comin' down whether its ugly or not. Leaving it down in its natural state=ideal.

Try to resist the urge to always get it out of your face; use clips to secure loosely and omit the rubberbanding if you can.

DO NOT TOUCH during drying process (you always do though)

A watched pot never boils.

Let's start the journey. :love7:

bringingcurliesback?

you are my exact length right now!! how cool we'll be length twinsies as we grow!!! :happy5:

sixelamy your my length about a month or so ago too!! :occasion5:

Aqua_Lily I AM A HUGE FAN :salute:
you are amazing and I love that your hair/goals/existence is so similiar and different from my hair at the same time. I know I probably seem crazy right now but it makes perfect sense to me. :angel3:

asagi

Curl type: 3C/4A (I think...lol)

Strand thickness: Medium/Coarse
Porosity: low
Current length: Twa
The length I aim for: Short term: Shoulder length, Long Term: Waist Length


The challenge rules that I commit to:

Healthy diet with lots of water
No heat styling (at most once a month)
No harsh chemical treatments (relaxer overlap, overlapping color treatments or color with perm, etc)
No excessive hair trimming (at most 3 times per year)
No fine-toothed combs or brushes
Low manipulation as much as possible

Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention. For example:

Protective styling: braiding maybe after 8 months into the challenge
Low poo once a month and co-washing once a week.
Regular scalp massage with coconut oil or olive oil
Vitamins and supplements:MSM and Biotin. Might add a women's multivitamin

Other techniques:
Bagging during week of doing inversion method

Techniques and products you will use to keep your hair strong and moisturized:

DC: either Luster YOU Repair Treatment or Creme of Nature Jojoba & Olive Oil Moisture-Active Deep Conditioning Treatment. DC once a week.
PT: Don't have one yet. Any suggestions?
Leave in product: Paul Mitchell The Conditioner or Sauve Naturals Conditioners
LOC method with mixture of Jamaican Black Castor oil, Jojoba oil, Coconut oil, Oilve oil and Raw Shea butter

Picture of current length:

BotticelliBrit

So excited to get started! Is it January yet?

MaraHanna

Amazing!

Welcome to all girls who've joined the challenge


lori.mattox
BotticelliBrit
Aqua_Lily
sixelamy
kaykre
bringingcurliesback?
asagi

How is it going so far?


@MirCurls

Not joining in (my hair is the length I want it now, and I just trimmed aout 3 inches in October, cause it was TOO long), but a question:

I know hair growth rates vary, from person to person, health status, etc, but if the average human hair growth rate is 1/2 inch per month, how is 1 inch per month feasible? (Barring any sort of hormonal manipulation of prescription drugs?)

I'm glad that you are currently at a length that gives you satisfaction..

This challenge is designed to help girls achieve their hair goals, but not to make them feel sad if they do not achieve one complete inch per month. The majority will, I expect, experience an added increase in the length of their hair. And this should be great even if it isn't one whole inch by the end of the month.

And 1 inch/month is indeed not impossible. In addition to the fact that many people normally grow 1 inch or more/month, there are ways that are supposed to help increase someone's usual growth rate, as mentioned above in the challenge rules, these include improving one's diet to eliminate any vitamin or trace element deficiency, plus multivitamin supplements are known to help with growth rates.

There are studies that showed an increase in growth rate with scalp massage (increasing scalp blood flow) specially with the use of certain oils that seem to have a stimulatory effect of their own (e.g. castor oil and rosemary oil)

You must have also heard of the inversion method that has recently been claimed to add one inch of growth per one week for certain individuals.

Other treatments that enhance growth include biotin, msm, etc. These are safe, usually approved by physicians and dieticians and usually have minimal side-effects, if any.

The other half of the challenge is about retaining the new growth. This is a very important aspect as well. Hair grows all the time no doubt but many people experience no noticeable growth because their ends are always splitting and breaking off. We aim to help with this too by emphasizing moisture and gentle treatment of the hair.

The challenge, as Sixelamy stated above, is mainly about encouraging people to take perfect care of their hair so as to achieve the maximum they can. So when we say "1 inch" we are raising the bar so as to make it a real CHALLENGE that pushes people to do their BEST.

I hope that this explanation encourages those who are still hesitant to join us

MaraHanna

BotticelliBrit wrote: »

So excited to get started! Is it January yet?

Hehehe not yet! But I'm cheating. I'm starting already

I put my hair in cornrows yesterday for my 1st protective style of the challenge. I would like to show you the photos. How do I add photos in the middle of the text, rather than put them in a thumbnail attachment?

BotticelliBrit

Just click the little image button (in between the globe and the mini text thing) and input the URL of your image. It'll mean having to upload it to imageshack or something similar first

MaraHanna

Oh yeah! Thank you dear BotticelliBrit :love4:

Here are my new cornrows

MaraHanna

lori.mattox wrote: »

An opposite of one of the main rules: trimming (i.e.1/8-1/4’ off) my ends more often. My relaxed hair needed trims every 4-8 weeks for maximal growth/health; I’ve been on a schedule of 16 week intervals since last December. I noticed today that the 7 inches I had at the beginning of October was only 6.25 after not touching/redoing my hair as often in an attempt to retain length, and no trim due ‘til December. =(

I think that this actually makes sense. They say that the split ends that some people get can climb up the hair if they are not cut off immediately and then they cause a good length of the ends of the hair to break off. This could be avoided by cutting the damaged ends as soon as possible.

BotticelliBrit

Definitely agree - people with split ends need regular trims and I say this from experience. Back when I was straightening my hair I only cut it once a year in an effort to grow it and it NEVER seemed to grow ... only later did I realise it's because my hair was just breaking off. I always had SUCH bad split ends (even right after a cut).

That's one of my favourite things about being CG and no-heat - I have no split ends now (granted my last cut was only a couple of months ago, but for me this is still a huge deal). Plus I have basically no breakage either.

That's why I'm so excited for this challenge - I can't wait to see how my hair grows now I'm actually taking care of it!

MaraHanna

BotticelliBrit wrote: »

Ultimately I want to go for hip-length when curly (though that won't be achieved just in this year lol).

PT (what with? How often?): Going to try the gelatin treatment and see how my hair responds.

Botticelli, we have the same goal. Me too I doubt if it's possible in just one year specially that we aim for it curly. We will see what happens

Please let me know the results of your gelatin treatments because I'm interested in trying them me too.

Aqua_Lily wrote: »

6. Current lenth: 40 inches (tailbone length when straight) (measured from hair line at forehead!)
7. The length I aim for: 50 (mid-thigh length when straight)

OMG that length is just AMAZING

kaykre wrote: »

Fun!! Quick question... Does diffusing count?

Hehehe, I guess it does dear. I have heard people say it's much healthier than the regular blowdryer, and yet other people said it caused them some heat damage. I haven't used it before. But maybe if anybody in this challenge has used it before they can tell us what results they got.

bringingcurliesback? wrote: »

2. Not using heat at all. (why start now, don't you dare use the diffuser)

Girl, I LOOVE the way you talk to yourself in the replies hehehe
So you do find that the diffuser is able to cause heat damage?

asagi wrote: »

PT: Don't have one yet. Any suggestions?

I'm not decided me neither but I hear people say a lot of positive things about ORS hair mayonnaise and their Olive Oil Replenishing Pak

BotticelliBrit

MaraHanna wrote: »

Botticelli, we have the same goal. Me too I doubt if it's possible in just one year specially that we aim for it curly. We will see what happens

Please let me know the results of your gelatin treatments because I'm interested in trying them me too.

Oooh cool! We can inspire each other then It's taken me two years (not really caring for my hair at all) to get it this length, so hopefully it'll grow quicker now I'm taking care of it. I think to get it to hip-length when curly will probably take about four years though lol.

I'm going to do a gelatine treatment next weekend. I'll keep you posted!

sixelamy

I used to get my hair trimmed once every 4-6 weeks, I always seemed to have split ends too. Luckily my hair has always grown fast - maybe this is why. I don't have any anymore since I quit straightening. Got a Deva cut and they scheduled me three months out, cuz I'm still trying to grow out my butchered hair cut from 2 months ago. It's all I can do to not call her up and get an emergency trim. My hair gets so thick and loses shape. Right now my hair is longer and thicker on the side that was butchered the most and lays weird, so I can't wait to get this fixed!!! My first cut may change my initial length, if it does I'll update my pic. Luckily its Jan 4 so at the beginning of this.

bringingcurliesback?

@MaraHanna Thank you haha! And bless my heart I ordered a whole stash of curl junkie yesterday. I mean A LOT. I put the products in my siggy but haven't gotten them yet lol.

Yeah I believe the diffuser can become a cruch. It happened to me before. But like you had mentioned no more than once a month. However, as I spoke to myself its like a smoker saying one cigarette is okay lol. NO NO NO!!! I do cheat in the sense that when I apply products for example a butter and I go to school. I turn on the heater in my car because I'm cold but it kind of helps the butter penetrate too. So I don't know if you would count taking advantage of your car as using heat lol. Its pretty far away and not directly on the hair and my hair does feel warm but that's about it. I probably sound like a hypocrite hehe. But I thought I'd share.
I'm loving the cornrows. My hair is at a dangerous length... Its just grazing my shoulders so it is hard to protect. Sometimes I just want it up and away and I have simply been using regular clips to clip the top section and then the second section up. But I do try to suck it up and just let it be. My last hair cut was when I chopped my waist length to about a Bob about two months ago. Even the stylist kept asking if I was sure. Here I am now two months later and I am loving this. The journey back to waist will be so much fun. When I got my hair to waist it had always been longish around boob length for the years I used to heat because I can also agree that heat won't let your hair grow. It was a cycle. Every time I would get split ends I would go for a trim and what grew got trimmed off.

Anyways yes at the moment I'm eager for curl junkie to come in as everything I ordered was glycerin free! I love mybshea moisture as it is so natural and cost effective for when my hair was longer. However, now that my hair is shorter I thought I'd finally try curl junkie and see what the fuss was about. I will be sure to let anyone interested know. My gosh I am writing so much I should seriously make a hair channel on youtube lol. And a note to you ladies please promise me you won't let me hoard anymore curl junkie or any products that contain polyquats, sulfates, cones, glycerin (for now), and not so natural ingredients.

I have looked into the ingredients in the curl junkie products and I'm not a fan of the preservatives but thought it was still way better than what is in my other cheapie products. Shea moisture and kinky curly are still my faves. However if I hadn't ordered I would kill myself with what if thoughts about curl junkie.
Enough of the ranting what are your favorite products?

Oh and now I want corn rows. I've wanted to try them for awhile actually.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using CurlTalk App

bringingcurliesback?

I washed my hair with shea moisture coconut and hibiscus cowash and followed with the smoothie and moisture mist. I know there's glycerin but its all I got right now.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using CurlTalk App

ashkins09

3b, fine and medium thickness, low to medium porosity, and medium density. My roots grow 1/2 to an inch to depending what season.
When hair is stretched its mid back length, when not its a few inches shorter I guess BTL
The length I wanna achieve is waist length
I'm colored treated been almost 3 months since last color but I'm growing out my natural hair color. No more coloring.
I get a trim every 2 months since I still have breakage and split ends. Mandatory or I'll end up with inches of hair breaking(done this before without a trim in 6 months)
I diffuse every once in a while if I go out and about. At home I'll let it air dry.
I use satin pillow case
Finger detangle/seamless comb
Protective styling: braids, bunning and pineapple
low poo and co wash
ACV for dry scalp

DC: Either Suave naturals tropical coconut or everlasting sunshine conditioner as a base with avocado oil, almond oil, coconut milk, honey, jojoba oil, and once a week
PT: Nubian heritage growth and strength mask once every other week
LOC method

That's all I do.

bringingcurliesback?

Just a few mugshots for reference.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using CurlTalk App

GotitorDont

I'm somewhat hesitant to join, but I think this will help me reach my hair length goals (and take better care of my hair) so I will!

Curl type: 4b. I think I have 3c on the top of my head, but the majority is 4b.

Strand thickness: Medium
Porosity: Medium
Current length: Bra-strap
The length I aim for: Short term: Mid-Back
Long Term: Waist Length


The challenge rules that I commit to:

No or minimal heat styling
No harsh chemical treatments
No excessive hair trimming
No fine-toothed combs or brushes


Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention:

Keeping the same hairstyle until I wash my hair again, or only changing my hairstyle at most once in-between washes

Sleeping with a satin scarf (I do that every night anyway :P)

Techniques and products you will use to keep your hair strong and moisturized:

1. Shea-Moisture Hold n' Shine Moisture Mist
2. Doing a twist-out or braid-out after washing hair whenever possible in order to lock in curls

Quick question, is it fine if I don't post pics and instead just give details about the progress?

bringingcurliesback?

@GotitorDont what kind of scarf do you use if you don't mind me asking? I want to get back into that again. My hair is in a satin bonnet/black satin cap thing at the moment. My hair is pineappled in the top half bit what didn't fit into the pineapple is tucked into my cap. This is the first night I got back into this since I cut my hair short. My hair does fine when I just leave the loose ends there and sleep on a satin pillow case. But I thought I'd go the extra mile. I just hate how it feels on my forehead sometimes and my hair gets flat too.

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lori.mattox

Botticellibrit- that is what frustrates me the most about my recent damage discovery. I use a lot of cg friendly products, but this hasn't been on purpose. I did find out that my favorite DC ORS replenishing pac had two surprises- it's not CG friendly, but probably has does so well for my hair in all stages (I used it when I had relaxed hair too) b/c it has protein. My leave-in is also not CG friendly, but has protein.

Then on the other side, I cut all my relaxed ends out December 24, 2012 and haven't been using a lot of heat. Diffused maybe 5 times this year so far, used the hair dryer for a couple of deep conditioning sessions for 10 mins. under a plastic bonnet, and hadn't straightened with heat at all until recently.

I have to admit that not cutting as often was because of my misconception that no heat + having natural hair meant my hair wouldn't need as many trims. I talked to many individuals who said that my former schedule would be overkill, and unfortunately started to doubt myself. I mean I really did think my stylist who talked me into trimming that tiny little bit off every 4-8 weeks was crazy at first until she explained the reason why she had to take so much off every time I went to see her and how little she would take off with more frequent appointments. I seem to always have to learn things the hard way though to really get it, lols. Now that I've done things the present way though, I can now see if I had been right all along and hopefully reap the benefits during this challenge. I did try a braid-out in anticipation of the challenge. Not the most impressive results, but I was able to keep it for almost 2 days before I worked out, sweated enough to destroy my style, and had to wash/restyle.

Angelface

I'd like to join. My information is as follows:

1. Curl type: 3C
2. Strand thickness: Fine and very dense
3. Porosity: Medium
4. Current length (including a photo if possible): About 10", just shy of APL in the back
5. The length I aim for: WL
6. The challenge rules that I commit to:
No excessive hair trimming (at most 3 times per year)
No fine-toothed combs or brushes
Low manipulation as much as possible
Minimal heat styling
No harsh chemical treatments

7. Other techniques I intend to use for hair growth and retention. For example:
Low manipulation - mostly twists and braids
Nature's Bounty - Hair, Skin, & Nails vitamins
Healthy diet, regular exercise, and drinking more water

8. Techniques and products you will use to keep your hair strong and moisturized. For example:
Rosemary water spritz mornings and evenings
Satin/Silk bonnet
DC whenever braids/twists are removed
Oil prepoo