Life is art and Art is life: June 2012

I love this thing. I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier... It was so easy to make. There are countless styles to use it for, like in the pictures below.

Here is how I made it.

Reason why I Love:

1. It adds length, when I needed it
2. It adds fullness for pompadour, french twist and buns.
3. I can wash my hair or deep condition without worrying about drying time. If you have ever had waist length and longer braids or twist, they take forever to dry.

4. Redoing my braids is less complicated. Instead of taking out the extension and throwing them away...only to add more hair, which could add up in price over the span of the year. I just simply and quickly braid back up my own hair and when I want length, I'll just slap that sucker in.

Braided Bangs and High Bun

It's in the bun.

Braided bangs with side braid

added to the bottom of the braid

Fishtail Braid

added to the bottom of the fishtail braid

Pompadour

it's in the Pompadour

I'm now grazing waist and I couldn't be happier. Can't you see the glow....lol.

For those who don't know I have been on my hair journey for 3 years...and for some reason reaching waist length has been one of the most difficult goals to reach on my hair journey. I kept making mistakes that caused major setbacks.
I decided to invest a little more time in my hair-care. What helps you reach MBL may not help you reach WL. What I had done personally to reach MBL was preventing me from reaching my goal.

Waist Length Check

Side Length Check

I need 2 to 3 more inches to be full waist length. So I hope that I can reach that by the end of December.

I had many set-backs in reaching waist length, and I'm going to share them with you. I hope that you can learn from my mistakes and reach your goals faster than I had.

1. I trimmed my hair too often

(for the last two years I would trim my hair 4 to 3 times a years. Which doesn't really makes since, If you want to see real growth. Your hair on average grows 5 to 6 inches a year and if you cut off four inches your growth will feel slower. So I stopped the bad habit. So far this year. Iv'e trimmed my hair twice and both times I cut a half an inch off. In all, I have only lost an inch due to trimming. The next trim will be a full inch in December. )

2. Detangling to roughly

(I have always regarded myself as a person with soft hands. I tell people to treat your hair like lace but I was ripping my hair out at the same time...lol... lesson learned . February, I took my mini braids out and flat-ironed my hair. I was determined to enjoy my hair and its length. I was blow-drying and combing my hair right out of my head. I knew I had to do something but I didn't know what. I got on YouTube and searched for no comb methods and finger detangling. I remembered I used to do that in the past but hadn't done so in a while and boy did it make a change.)

3. Heating training

( I have learned that blow-drying my hair every-week is a "heck no!"After my first flat iron in February, in the consecutive weeks, I simply blow-dried my hair. My hair got so dry and brittle after the process. Never again! ;-)

I blowdryed my hair for my first wedding anniversity and that will be the last time I use heat until December. I don't want to have anymore set backs this year and i'll be on a complete lock down. I will continue to use heat after I reach full waist length. I've concluded that its best to heat train my hair every two months with a flat iron.

4. Not enough protective styling

(Wearing my hair in braids is the best protective style for me. I get so much growth.

Braid-outs, twist-outs or even blow-outs get so tangled and stuck on stuff.

I have even shut my hair in the door of my car. It hurt so bad ughhhhh....

I just rather be safer than sorry and keep my hair in braids until I reached full waist length )

June2012

May 2011

5. Dying Twice

(Last year I dyed my hair twice in the span of two weeks. Didn't keep up with my protein treatments, which was a big no-no. I know now that my hair needs protein, and whenever I don't do my treatments, I'll see tons of breakage. )

6. Trying to new things

( The curly girl method was a nightmare of tangles and knots. It didn't work well, so I modified it to my liking. I tried to use sulfate free shampoo but haven't lately. I also stopped using any tools to detangle my hair I only use my hands. It has added a lot of time to the detangling process but I dont think I would of been able to reach waist length if I hadn't picked this up. Third, I try to use hair care products that are silicon free.)

I love this combination of products. It's been working wonders for my hair. For the last two months I've used this combo and its keeping my hair soft and pliable, and allows for more knots to slip-out.

well that's it. I hope this helps you.
My Hair Regimen:

I wash my hair with an Organix shampoo once a week. Usually on (Sundays)

I co-wash 6-5 days of the week with whatever conditioner is at hands reach (Monday through Saturday)

moisturize hair once a day.

once a week I deep condition my hair (I don't have a special day I just do it whenever.)

___________________Heat training portion___________________

Every two months, I apply some form of heat to my hair.

I perfer the flatiron but if I don't have much time I will just use the blow-drier.

I don't go more then a week with my hair straight or blow-dried, I am too physically active.

After a heat session I always deep condition for a minimum of 30 minutes then co-wash my hair. I never shampoo my hair. After I co-wash, I then air-dry until my hair is 80 to 90 percent dry, and then use my blow-dryer until my hair is 100% dry and fairly straight...

I also put my hair in braids until the next heat session.

(Regimen is then repeated.)