I want to officially document my hair journey with all of my accomplishments as I reach my goal of Bra Strap Length in 2012.
Hair Status
Current Length-TWA (Teeny Weenie Afro) Next Goal Length- Afro Puff Style / EL Final Goal Length- Bra Strap Length Last Relaxer- June 1st, 2012 with Trim Next Relaxer- NEVER!!!! Hair Goal- Healthy Hair Current Style- TWA
At Seven Month's post, I tried to twist my hair using perm rods....The results were not exactly what I expected and I ended up putting my hair in a puff so that I could go out to the movies! Check out the video below and let me know what you think about my results.
On October 7, 2012 I did the Big Chop (BC) and had my relaxed ends cut off to become 100% natural. I washed my hair and was surprised that my hair did not have a curl to it- lol.
After my BC
Next Morning- After the barber shaped me up.
I loved rubbing my hands through my hair and would feel little coils in my head:
Twenty Day's after becoming natural, I revealed my new hair-do to my family- Not that I was avoiding them, but I did not see them until this event. Initially shocked by my new look, they liked the style on me. My mother said I remind her of my baby picture.
Me with my Brother
I would wash my hair either with shampoo or just conditioner (co-wash) every other day as an attempt to add moisture to my hair because my hair felt very dry. I would deep condition with my steamer for about 20 minutes with each wash.
Deep Conditioning with Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Mask Early November 2012
When deep conditioning, I would notice that my hair would be longer. I noticed that my hair was growing...however, no one else noticed, because once my hair was dry, it would shrink alot.
One Month Post BC
At six weeks post BC, I decided to see if I can twist my hair. I tried to flat twist it.
My flat twists were an EPIC FAIL. They started off nice, but as I started getting to the top of my head, my hair was not long enough to twist. I was a bit sad, because I wanted to wear a style for Thanksgiving which was approaching. Although these twists were a fail, in the middle of December, I was able to twist my whole head...it wasn't perfect, put it was a mini goal that I accomplished!
Although I was able to twist my hair, I was free forming them and was not comfortable going to work like this, so I tied my hair up with a head scarf and two days later, I took the twists out- another fail, but they come with successes right!
While watching youtube videos of girls whose hair texture I felt best matched mine, I came across youtuber BlakIzBeautyful videos and came across her blog: KinkyCurlyCoilyMe.
From the blog, I ended up joining the Winter Castor Oil Challenge which
was from December 1, 2012 to March 1, 2013. I had read about and seen
many reviews on Castor Oil and while relaxed, I purchased a bottle of
Jamaican Black Castor Oil to stimulate my hair growth and to help my
mother grow in her edges. So when I came across the Castor Oil
Challenge, I jumped at the opportunity to use castor oil based on the
benefits of it regenerating new hair growth, thickening the hair, and
keeping the hair soft. For this challenge I was applying JBCO to my
scalp three times a week.
By two month's post BC, I was getting tired of wearing my hair in a TWA (teenie weenie afro). I was also tired of picking out my hair several times a day so that my
hair would look decent and I noticed that my hair was breaking
off...YIKES
So After Christmas, I had the grand idea of trying to braid my hair with synthetic Box Braids extensions. It took me a week to do, but I was able to do it- on my TWA!!
After about five weeks with my braids, I took them down. I was eager to see what my hair growth was like.
I was also doing length checks on a monthly basis and my hair was growing at a steady rate of 1/2 an inch a month. In the middle of February, I did my next protective style of Cornrows and Kinky Twists (sorry no pictures only this video).
This style lasted for a month. I wished it would have lasted longer, but my cornrows were getting fuzzy. I joined the KinkyCurlyCoilyMe castor oil challenge for the Spring which began March 1st and ends June 1st. My hair was growing so well that I decided to twist it up one more time:
This time it was NOT A FAIL and I was proud to where this style for a week to work! WHOO HOO...I cannot wait until my hair grows longer and I can twist up my hair.
Below is my last photo comparison from mid February to the end of March.
This was my first time blowing out my hair since my big chop. I blew it out so that I can get my hair braided at my local African Hair Braiding shop.
My hair continues to be in box braids which I will take out over memorial day weekend.
I am so excited for my hair to continue to grow. I have taken a whole lot of photos of styles I cannot wait to try. I already completed my mini goal of two strand twists, and my major goal of a two strand twist out puff (sorry no photo- only video)
So readers, continue to follow me on my Healthy Hair Journey as I continue to blog about my natural hair!
I decided to get my hair braided on a protective style mainly because I was traveling to London to attend my cousins wedding in addition to vacationing. I did not want to have my hair out for fear that I would not have been able to style my natural hair for the wedding.
I plan on keeping my braids in for two months- so by the end of May I will be taking them down.
In preparation of my box braids, I washed, conditioned, deep conditioned, and blow dried my hair. I used Grapeseed oil as my heat protectant and my blow dryer on the low setting. I parted my hair into four sections and made those sections even smaller while drying. I used a wide tooth comb to detangle my hair followed by my denman brush and then the wide tooth comb again used by drying my hair.
After my hair was all dried if formed an Afro. Check out the video below to see my Afro at 5 months post big chop (BC).
After having my hair in two strand twists for a week, it was time to take them out. I wanted to try, or at least see what a twist out would look like. It came out fine, but not as I expected. I picked out my hair to stretch it and thought to my self: "I wonder if I can get my hair into a puff". And so went my journey....check out my video below:
I recently took out my protective style of cornrows and kinky twists and I wanted my scalp to breathe.
After taking down my style, I did a hot oil treatment with JBCO, washed my hair with Shea Moisture's Coconut and Hibiscus Shampoo and Tresemme Naturals Conditioner. I deep conditioned my hair with As I Am Hydration Elation and then proceeded to twist my hair while wet using As I Am Twist Defining Cream and As I Am Dougble Butter Cream.
My hair was kept in that style for a week and then I took my twists out because it was time for me to wash my hair and prepare for my next protective style.
The video below shows my hair as a two strand twist out. Enjoy
On October 7, 2012, to my surprise, I let my boyfriend big chop my hair. I wanted to know what my natural hair looked and felt like. My hair had been chemically processed since I was 5 years old so I was excited to see my hair.
After the Big Chop (BC), my hair did not curl- it did not look like other ladies who had their BC videos up on Youtube. My boyfriend told me this would happen; That my hair would not look like the other ladies because I have thick hair, bla bla bla. But once I seen my natural hair, I knew I had to embrace what I had.
I do not want to get caught up in curl typing- my hair is very tightly coiled in some places, my hair does not clump together and curl, and it shrinks A LOT when wet. I thought it would take forever for my hair to grow and I was growing impatient with my afro from October to December.
I measured my hair length every month from October to present, and my hair has been growing at a steady rate of 1/2 an inch a month. From December to March, I joined the Winter Castor Oil Challenged started by blogger and Youtuber Blakizbeautyful at Kinky Coily Curly Me and I continued with the Spring Castor Oil Challenge which ends in June where I have been applying Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) to my hair three times a week and most recently started using JBCO as my hot oil treatment.
In January, I found my hair to be long enough for me to braid so I did box braids for a month or so, followed by cornrows and kinky twists, and now I am in box braids again until about May.
In March- I was able to two strand twist my hair and I wore it that way for a week. After taking the twists outs, I was able to put my hair in a puff! My first short term goal for my natural hair. I was so excited. Then I blew out my hair and seen how big my afro was. By keeping my hair in protective styles, I was not focused on its growth- A watched pot doesn't boil right! My length checks were just to figure out my growth rate.
Since going natural, I have realized that since my hair is no longer straight/relaxed, I am more willing to try out different styles with my curl texture. I would never have wanted my hair to be so short and I would never have considered leaving my house with it that short either. But now, I live freely and am eager to try new styles!!
I still have not found the hair products that make my hair stand out- I do not even have a stand out hairstyle yet- so my journey continues.
