Why Do Length Checks?

Every naturalista has at least heard of length checks if they haven't participated in a couple themselves. Let's dive into a few reasons about why people even care about length checks.

Quasi Length Check

57 Months Natural

It has been way too long since my last real length check! While I was taking my blog break, I tried to be mindful and jot down ideas here and there. I KNOW I took pictures of my hair with my length check shirt on, but so much has gone on over the course of the past few months. I've searched high and low for those photos and I can't seem to find them anywhere.

SO! The next time my hair is straightened, I'm going to get things rolling again with more routine length checks. I also need to get a post out to get my blogger legs back, so this post is more than a must.

February '16 Hair Check

NOT a Length Check

I took out my vacation crochet braids recently and felt now would be the right time for a hair check. It's not a length check, but a check to see how my hair now compares to my hair before the two sets of crochet braids.

4 Years Strong

4 Year Naturalversary

I celebrated being 4 years natural on this past weekend (January 30th). I can remember making the decision not to get any more relaxers like it was yesterday! It's been a very long journey.There have been many ups and downs, but and I believe that I am just not making my greatest strides. I'm proud of myself for that and I'm proud of everything I've learned up to this point.

For this year's celebration, let's recap my year in hair.

Essential Oils

Trying Essential Oils on my Natural Hair

During my last length check, I talked about the thinning of my hair. Am I certain that my hair is thinning? I'm about 75% sure it's thinned out over the last couple of months. Since I feel this way, I've decided to do something about it! I've been thinking about using essential oils for a while and I figure now is a better time than ever. I'm sure you're wondering what an essential oil is, right?! Let's talk about it.

December '15 Length Check

47 Months Natural

It's been a whole half of a year since my last length check. I know I said I'd go longer amounts of time between length checks but I certainly didn't mean 6 months! Nevertheless, I'm here to dish deets about my hair and what's been going on since my last length check.

So, let's jump right on into the December length check!

June '15 Length Check

41 Months Natural

April seems like such a long time ago but I'm here again with another length check. Since April, I've recommitted to having healthy hair and I've started working fervently towards reaching and maintaining the healthy hair goals I've set.

First, let's take a look at my starting point:

March 30 = 165 weeks natural (3 yrs, 2 mos)

June 21 = 177 weeks natural (3 yrs, 5 mos)

March '15 Length Check

38 Months Natural

SO! Sew-In #2 comes out and I feel it was a success. As tempting as it is to go right back and get another one, I'm deciding to give my hair a break. I kept the last sew-in for a total of 9 weeks and I've continued to take Hairfinity, drink a lot of water, and make sure my hair stays as moisturized as possible! Let's see my results!

November 5, 2014 = 144 weeks natural (2 yrs, 9 mos, 4 days)

Notice that my head is slightly tilted back in the pic on the left
...and is straightforward in the pic on the left

March 30 = 165 weeks natural (3 yrs, 2 mos)

December '14 Length Check

Length Check at 33 Months Natural

I made a length check shirt in April but because of so many reasons (to include a hair cut) I never got around to using the shirt. I'm doing this length check as a fresh start, since I recently had my sew-in taken out.

I used these pictures in my last hair post to show how much length I'd retained with the sew-in despite the TRAUMA I experienced while taking it out!

July 9 = 127 weeks natural (2 years, 5 months, 9 days)

86 weeks since the BC (1 year, 7 months, 26 days)

November 5 = 144 weeks natural (2 years, 9 months, 4 days)

103 weeks since the BC (1 year, 11 months, 26 days...almost 2 years)

June '14 Length Check

28 Months Natural

Let me preface this by saying, I took pictures in April like I was supposed to, but I didn't post them because my hair was in wash-and-go mode. It wasn't stretched enough to give an accurate read, so I waited. I'm not exactly happy with the most recent length check pictures that were taken because it's been very humid and my hair is doing all of whatever it wants to do!...but it's overdue, so I bring to you the half year check.

March 2 = 105 weeks natural (2 years, 1 month, 2 days)

64 weeks since the BC (1 year, 3 months, 17 days)

 

June 8 = 122 weeks natural (2 years, 4 months, 9 days)

81 weeks since the BC (1 year, 6 months, 26 days)

Length Check Shirt

Natural Hair Arts & Crafts

I'm doing a trial run of something but I don't want to reveal what it is just yet. However, I will say that it involves my hair! If you're a naturalista, I'm sure you've seen length check shirts used to measure the length of natural hair (if not, see here). Back in the day I researched these shirts but they were pretty costly, so I immediately dismissed the idea of having one. I think now, since people are making their own, you can find them at more reasonable prices than you could back then. I decided to join the make-my-own-shirt team!


The items needed were simple enough. I decided to use an old screen tee that I hardly wear anymore. This way I wouldn't be "ruining" a good shirt!

Next I researched the best way to make the shirt. I'd seen many length check shirts and each shirt had the 1 inch line starting at different places on the back of the shirt. I decided to start measuring from the collar of shirt. You guys know I'm shooting for length retention so the higher up I start, the better I'm sure I'll feel once my hair starts making it's way down my back. It's not like I'm using the shirt for scientific research!! It's just to have a point of reference when measuring my hair. So, if you're going to make you're own shirt and you'd like to start somewhere other than the collar, go right ahead!!

I ironed the wrinkles out of the shirt with my hand and placed the ruler in the middle of the shirt, lining it up against the collar. Next, I marked a dash at each inch.

I put the ruler up against each dash mark and made dashes going across the shirt horizontally. I wanted the ends of each line to line up, so my dashed lines are about the length of the ruler.

And voila! That's it!

April is my length check month so you'll get a chance to see me put this shirt to work at the end of the month. I know I won't be happy with my length this month because of my trim...but hopefully this trial run experiement will have positive results!

Stay tuned!

Also, while you're here :-), help us celebrate Janee's birthday by entering the Birthday Giveaway for your chance to win a $600 Visa gift card!! The summer is near...there'll be cookouts, summer vacations, wardrobe changes, etc!! I know $600 would certainly be a nice chunk of money to throw at anything you're trying to do this summer, so ENTER!!

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February '14 Length Check

25 Months Natural

As promised, I'll only be doing length checks every other month. February is my first length check of 2014 and I must admit that I'm not too excited about it. Let's go on and take a look:

December 25 = 99 weeks natural (1 year, 10 months, 25 days)

58 weeks since the BC (1 year, 1 month, 12 days)

March 2 = 105 weeks natural (2 years, 1 month, 2 days)

64 weeks since the BC (1 year, 3 months, 17 days)

So...I found a date calculator! Now I won't have to calculate the time in my head!! As far as a summary, not too much has changed since my last length check:

• Let me tell you how hard it is to line these pictures up so my face is in the same spot...lol! Even though it looks like my hair didn't grow any, my hair is growing and I know that. I feel like the growth is for nil because of my split ends. I've gone through so many options about what to do because I want to take care of this NOW!! You don't exactly want to go to someone new when you need a haircut...and I don't have enough time saved up to take off from work right now, so...I'm in a bind! I've even thought about getting a pair of scissors and doing it myself!! For now, I'm just trying my best not to manipulate my hair too much and I'm also trying not to be too frustrated with it when I style it.
• I finally got an opportunity to use one of the products from the February curlBOX (which I'll be writing a post on later in the week). This first curlBOX was full of conditioners, so I couldn't use them until wash day. The March box has already been sent out, so I'm curious to see what's in it AND hopefully they'll send it to the correct address this time!
• Other tidbits
• I'm still dealing with a lot of shedding.
• I'm trying to drink more water because I know that affects my hair.
• ...and I had to revert back to coconut oil this past two weeks because my hair was more dry than usual. I attributed this to the wrap lotion I used as setting lotion!

My emotions go up and down about my hair, mostly down. People tell me all the time how great it looks but I just want it to be as healthy as possible and I know it's not. It's getting thicker, but not longer and no matter what I do, it won't be good enough until I get these split ends off. Also, I still have trouble trying to find different ways to wear my hair. I try to do up-do's but they never work out...which is just as discouraging as my split ends.

I'll continue to go through these motions because I need and have to do my hair!! But y'all pray for me!

P.S. - I got another snow day today...Yay!! I love less than 5-day work weeks!!

Y'all have as good a day as I'm having (because I'll still be sleep when this posts :-)!

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December '13 Length Check

23 Months Natural

I need to divulge a lot of information about what my hair has gone through over the past month, but I won't bog this post down with it. I'll discuss my latest salon visit in another post, so stay tuned. Here's the check for December (pre salon visit):

 December 6 = 96 weeks natural (~1 year, 11 months)

55 weeks since the BC (~1 year)

December 25 = 99 weeks natural (~1 year, 11.75 months...lol)

58 weeks since the BC (~1 year, 1.5 months)



My hair hasn't grown, but the pictures are only about 3 weeks apart, so that's to be expected! LOL!! Next year, I'll do length checks every two months, as well as on my naturalversary and on my big-chopiversary.

I call being natural my journey, because it's just that...a journey! I am continuously learning things along the way. Now that I'm away from my cosmetologist and her healthy hands and I have to do this thing on my own, I'm making mistakes...and that's okay. I would much rather be the one making mistakes on my own hair than have someone else making the mistakes. My hair is ever changing and regardless of the mistakes I make, it's ever growing!!

At the end of this year, with this last length check, I'll say that I love being natural and I hope to continue to learn the skills I need to take care of my hair so it can continue to be as healthy as it can be!!

P.S. - It's New Year's Eve and this day is the last 24 hours of the year. I'm sure most of you will be out celebrating tonight so please be safe and have fun! Let the countdown to 2014 begin!



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November '13 Length Check

One Year Post Big Chop

Wow! The November length check has rolled around so quickly! Seems like just yesterday I was doing the October check. Let's jump in!

October 2 = 87 weeks natural (~1 year 9 months),

46 weeks since the BC (~11.5 months)

December 6 = 96 weeks natural (~1 year, 11 months)

55 weeks since the BC (~1 YEAR!!)

October '13 Length Check

21 Months Natural

I finally made it home to my cosmetologist and I was overjoyed!! I'd been having issues with shedding and I wasn't happy with having to do my own hair. I want to learn the skills to be able to "tap into the versatility of my natural hair" so I've just been in an awkward place. I went in for a trim, so this length check will be after the trim. Let's see what happened at the salon.

June 18 (picture on the left) 72 weeks natural, (1 year 6 months)
 31 weeks since the BC (~8 months)

 

October 18 (picture on the right) = 89 weeks natural (a little over 1 year 9 months),

48 weeks since the BC (~almost a year)

September '13 Length Check

After a month of having to do my own hair, it's September Length Check time.

Sept 1 = 83 weeks natural (~1 year 8 months),

42 weeks since the BC (~10.5 months)

October 2 = 87 weeks natural (~1 year 9 months),

46 weeks since the BC (~11.5 months)

So, what have I learned this month??

• First...I learned I need to go to the salon!! LOL. I love my natural curly hair, but I don't have the time to devote to it to make more creative styles. Some times I have the time, but I just don't feel like it! I basically wear the same style every day and that's boring to me. I want more versatility (which I know I can obtain since I have natural hair) but I need to be able to tap into that. I don't want to have to "go to the salon" because I want "this style or that one" today. I want to be able to practice versatility on my own. So, I either need to find salon quick, fast, and in a hurry or learn the skills. We'll see which of those happens first.
• I've also been experimenting with different products and I've found one I really like (blog post to come soon).
• I'm in desperate need of a trim so my hair is shedding more and more each day. Even though I see this growth, I know it's for nil since I'll be getting it trimmed soon.
• I also asked my readers about detangling. Since I've washed my hair several times this month, I've found that it's better, for me, to detangle with a wide tooth comb. I actually take the time to separate my hair into six sections (while conditioning) and I detangle each section separately, then all together. I may try that method with a brush, just to see how it goes...but for now, I'm sticking with the comb...it's easier to chop away at the tangles!

Me and this hair, right?!! :-)

So, there are my September updates and my official goodbye to my blessed birthday month. I want to promise myself a few things moving forward:

• I'll try my best not to move on my birthday ever again. This has happened twice and it definitely takes away from the occasion that I spend all year waiting for.
• I need to plan an event for my birthday next year (or maybe the year after, since that'll be a milestone year). Either way, I've got to plan something!

This computer thing is really killing me. I'm not able to do what I need to do when I need to do it. Thank God for all these devices (iPad and phone) but using those things don't compare to using a computer. Using my computer at work makes me have to do rush jobs on my posts (so if they read kind of funny, that's why)! I'm pushing through and I'm going to claim a new computer by Thanksgiving!!

Have a great day y'all!

  

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August '13 Length Check

Here we are at the end of August and time is truly flying by.
It's SEPTEMBER...which means it's my birthday month!! So I'm super excited!!
But now, it's time for my August length check, so let's get into it!!

July 30 = 78 weeks natural (1 year 6.5 months),

37 weeks since the BC (~9 months)

 

Sept 1 = 83 weeks natural (~1 year 8 months),

42 weeks since the BC (~10.5 months)

The day after look

I had to leave my salon behind after the transition I just made. Before I left I had a conversation with my cosmetologist about salons to go to in DC. She told me that she referred two people to two different salons in the area and both salons ended up messing up the girls' hair!! I'm skeptical about natural hair salons/natural hair stylist anyway!! Before going to the salon I just left, I definitely checked out the type of work they did before deciding that's where I would go. Before getting my hair straightened for the first time, I DEFINITELY saw them do this process to other ladies before agreeing to get it done. You see how long I've been on this journey; that's a long time to have it all be taken away in a matter of seconds by sitting in the wrong person's chair (to get my hair done). So, after I've scoped the scene here I might give it a whirl but for now I'm back to doing my own hair!

So far, I've done a good enough job with it. I washed and conditioned it when my two weeks was up (even though that fell on the weekend I moved). I also twisted and set it. I was going to sit under the dryer (like I do at the salon) but I absolutely HATE dryers. I let it air dry instead and hoped it would be something I could at least work with and it turned out beautifully.

The week after look.
Welcome to Shrink/Frizz City!

One thing I have to learn how to deal with is this moisture in the air. Since I get to work while there's still dew in the air and I have to walk a bit to get into the building, I have to deal with the shrinkage and frizz issues. By the end of first week, my hair looked completely different than it did at the beginning of the week. People seem to compliment me more after my hair has frizzed and shrunken down some, but I just don't like that look. So the plan for week two is to try different styles that have my hair pulled down and/or back.

Other than that, I don't really feel like my hair is growing. The only time I can tell my hair has grown is when I do the length checks, but looking at it everyday makes it harder to see the changes.

I also feel like my ends are in desperate need of a trim. I feel like I may not be detangling my hair correctly because I do get a bit frustrated and will begin to just brush the heck out of it, especially when I've been detangling for what feels like forever. 

I need to figure out which I like better for detangling: brushing or combing. I also need to figure out some products that I can use on a daily or almost daily basis to help control some of the frizz.

I need to find more styles to use. The fro gets old and I don't always have the time to do some of the other styles I can do!

So I'm reaching out to you guys. What are some styles you use for work? What are some of the daily products you use on your hair? And, when you detangle, do you brush or comb your hair??

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July '13 Length Check

Good gracious y'all. It's August 1! Seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the new year.

In June, I did a compilation of length checks as a summary of where my hair has come from. I got a trim then so I didn't exactly do the normal length check picture. This month, I kept reminding myself to take a length check picture but I've had so much going on that I couldn't retain all the things I needed to do to actually get them done. So, I've had to do my length check picture with the available hair I have at the moment, lol.

I'll show you the last three months worth of pictures to give you an idea of what's going on.

May 28 = 69 weeks natural, 28 weeks since the BC

June 18 (picture on the left) = I got my ends trimmed

72 weeks natural, 31 weeks since the BC 

July 30 (picture on the right) = 78 weeks natural (or 1 year 6.5 months...woot!),

37 (a little over 9 months) weeks since the BC

My hair continues to do well and flourish. I can tell it's getting longer because I'm starting to notice JUST A LITTLE hang time! Lol. I'm trying to get it in my head that I probably won't see the growth I'm looking for until around 2, 2.5, or 3 years...so I might as well get comfortable with what I have (not that I haven't been, I guess I'm just trying to rush the process).

I'm still not happy with the shrinkage, but I'm learning to be prepared for it and okay with it now that it's starting to get longer. I've been having some trouble with "rough" ends and frizz. I haven't exactly figured out how to combat this so I've been over moisturizing to compensate. 

I'm going to have to figure something out soon, but for now I'll give my hair a B+! 

Go hair! Go me!!

:-)

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Hair Tuesday & June '13 Length Check

Hair Progress & 17 Months Natural

Today's post is about what else but my hair! It's a chronological view of my hair to date...so let's take a look.

First let's look at my wet hair over time:

(From left to right) These are photos of my hair from June back to January.

Look at the difference between the first picture and the last! I can't wait until I'm able to figure out how to wear my wet hair out as a wash-n-go. I'm still trying my hand at getting the different textures to blend AND I'm definitely still waiting on that hang time (Y'all knew it was coming :-)

Now, I've picked to show my hair during the three times I've had it straightened. I feel like these are good time markers to use and even though there's not that much time in between the three visits, you can see major growth. I'm getting my hair trimmed regularly now, so this will allow me to do a better job of recording my growth over time.

Let's see my hair before each salon trip:

These pictures (from left to right) show my hair before the last trip (6/18), my second trip (at the end of March),
and my first trip (at the beginning of February)

I know you can't really see the length of my 'fro in the first picture, but I chose it because this was the first time I've ever worn my hair on top of my head like that! I've never worn this type of pony tail with my natural hair. My hair grows fastest in the middle and everything else around it is much slower. So when I've tried this look before, the hair in the back would always find its way out of the pony tail. I'm not a fan of gel (although I'm trying to get the nerve up to use it more), but this time I was able to get my hair in the pony tail with no fuss...and no gel!


The top pic are from my March visit
& the bottom pics are from June.

Now, let's look at my straightened hair before being trimmed:

Look at the growth in only a 3 month period!!

Seeing this makes me smile. I know it's growing but it's hard to see that when I'm looking at it every day.

One perk of not having it straightened often is the gift of being surprised by how much it's grown.

I like those kinds of surprises.


Here's my just-stepped-out-the-salon-door hair:

This picture (from left to right) shows my first, second, and third trip.

And here's my hair a few days after each trip. In each of this pictures my hair is a little more laid down after being wrapped at night.

Left to right: last to first

As you can see, I've made great strides during the past (almost) 5 months. I always light up when my hair is straightened. You have to understand...my hair has been relaxed for as long as I can remember. Each time it's straightened, I also get a thought to heat train my hair...but it's a very quick thought. Going natural has been a long journey and it's a journey that I'm still on. I love my curly hair just as much as I love my straight hair and I'm not comfortable with letting it go (because as you heat train your natural curl will loosen more and more over time...and I would completely lose the look I have now). There's perks to each side but consequences as well.

Straight Hair
Pros:
~ easy night care (just wrap it)
~ I can run a comb straight through my hair
Cons: 
~ I can't be outside if it's raining or if there's a lot of moisture in the air (like at the beach)
~ When I wash my face my hairline frizzes
~ I'm afraid to straighten my own hair

Curly Hair:

Pros:
~ I can go out in any kind of weather
~ It's not the norm...it's different and uniquely mine

Cons:
~ night care is a serious task, as is washing it
~ you have to be creative and I'm usually not (for multiple reasons)
~ I can only finger comb my hair as opposed to using a comb
(for less breakage and to maintain the coils that develop over time)

I'm loving the versatility I have with my hair now. I feel like as my life continues to change, I will base what I'm able to do with my hair off of what's happening in my life at the time...

SO, only time will tell.

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May '13 Length Check

16 Months Natural

Here's my May Length Check!!

April 29 = 65 weeks natural, 24 weeks since the BC

 

May 28 = 69 weeks natural, 28 weeks since the BC

My hair is doing well. It's definitely healthy and thick!! My 'fro is a lot bigger than it is in both of these pictures, but it shrinks in size whenever I get my hair styled at the salon (due to having to set my hair under the dryer). I'm still having trouble finding styles I like to get me through the "not enough hang-time" stage, but that's a post for another time!!

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