Winter 4M Challenge/ Hiding your hair- UPDATE END OF CHALLENGE

that is really cool!!! Thanks for the link Beautifulyfe. I have to try that one day. Or maybe on one of my girls hair this weekend. I can just see me messing it up getting the strands all confused. She makes it look pretty easy though.

Omg ladies you guys have some cyute hair. Sorry I've been MIA had A LOT!!! to do. Yesterday I washed my hair with a shampoo bar, and did a deep treatment with HEHH, aussie moist and oyin handmade after bath oil. I then washed it out with trader joes condish.

I used qhemets detangking ghee as a leave in and KBB hair nectar to moisturise then cornrowed my hair to stretch it.

I'm going to dry braid my hair for church tomorrow.

On Sunday I will twist my hair and leave it for as long as it will stay fresh.

That's all for now ladies

Hi everyone! I am new to this site (just joined today) and just came across this awesome challenge. I so do want to participate; I only hope its not too late! I have been transitioning for almost 6 months (last relaxer 6/23/10) and would love to learn new ways to protect my hair and retain my length. I'm a long term transitioner for sure and need to start hiding away these thinner (ugly) relaxed ends. I have started to bun my hair since I am currently on a no heat self challenge until the end of March. Btw, I'm SUPER excited about all this great info!!!

Hey Ladies! I'm just checking in. It's been nearly 3 weeks since getting my kinky twist extensions put in and they are starting to look a bit messy. Good thing I have an appointment Tuesday to get them freshened up!

Let's see...I've been washing and steaming every week (that's probably why the twists don't look so hot). This week, I used my Deva One No Poo Shampoo, MJ Creme de la Creme and KC Leave-in Condish.

Since Jack Frost decided to rear his ugly head in the Midwest, It's been hard keeping my hair, particularly my scalp, moisturized. Any advice, ladies?

I'm late but i wanna join I'll be doing braids for this challenge. I braid my hair myself so i shouldn't have a problem with tight edges. Talking about edges, I want to grow mine out. Years of going to the Africans have caused me to have horrendous edges and I am sick of having to cover them up with even more braids! By the way, this is the first challenge I am committing to!! Wish me luck and HHG

@naturelle - What are your bunning practices? A lot of people say they bun, and I've watched a lot on youtube. I've made my own little sock donut, but I don't really enjoy keeping that in my head for long periods of time. I am trying to find out what EXACTLY people who bun do! Wet/dry? How long do you keep it in? Does the middle of your scalp get drive? etc... Thank you for any help you can give!

@Ambitious_Tiff you're welcome at any time and welcome to CN you'll find alot of support here

@naturellebeaute if you're looking to retain length you've come to the right place. CONGRATS on your transition!! 6 months is a long time so keep it up.

@bernice damn girl i admire a chica who can do it herself. I'm rooting for you and those edges.

@jazzwife: for my buns first I moisturize then seal and I just gather the hair using mostly my hands into a ponytail. I do have to brush up the back now cuz I chopped the relaxed ends of the back inch of my head and ever since then it doesn't quite lay down on its own. (I got a little BC excited and wanted to test it out). I secure it w/ one of those ouchless holders then I use a "bun form" (got mine at sally's, also seen them at walmart) over the holder and arrange the hair around it. Then use another ponytail holder to secure that hair over the form. I just wrap the ends around and kind of tuck them in. If I need to I use a couple straight hair pins. Then I wrap a silk scarf around my edges just to encourage them to lay down.

I understand what u mean about the sock. Since its probably cotton that can/will dry out the hair if left in for a long while. I've watched tutorials on YT on how to make one, but I never tried it. I recall seeing my friend with these perfectly round buns so I asked her her secret. I looked around for some and experiemented w/ a few. The one i use is a meshy kind of material and I LOVE IT cuz I feel like its not damaging to the hair and it work perfectly every time. One question. Do u cover ur sock bun, or is the part touching ur hair the actual sock? Just wondering...

I have actually done my buns on both wet and dry hair and the results are pretty similar. I dont really have a preference, but if its cold where u are u might want to take that into consideration at this time of year.

Since the process is super simple and quick, u can either leave the form in overnight, tie up ur edges, and either sleep on satin case or use a satin bonnet. The wrap helps keep the edges in tact so there's minimal work to do in the morning. Or u can just take out the form and leave ur hair in a loose pony overnight so u dont have to keep manipulating the hair. Since I began the challenge I'm really trying to keep my style in for the whole week, so what I've been doing is just remoisturizing & sealing at night, using the scarf, and either leaving the form in or taking it out and twisting the hair to give it more dimension for the bun (curlynikki method). As for the middle, I just oil it using a tipped nozzle type bottle to really get down to the scalp since my hair is thickest in the crown area. I know that was A LOT of info (or a lot of typing) but I really hope this helps! Let me know if u need clarification on anything and also how it turns out if u do try it!!

@naturallychelsea: thanks so much! it has been such a challenge but I really think i'm starting to manage/master working with both textures. Thank GOD! It has been trial and error for real!!! I plan to transition for at least 12-18 months, so I feel like i'm still in the infancy stages with a loooong way to go lol!

Hey ladies, just checking in.....I took out my micros after 8 weeks and I have wonderful growth and my hair is so soft. I got my hair re-braided this weekend, I plan to leave these braids in for about 8 weeks also and follow the same hair regimen. Once i take these braids down i will get a partial sew-in for my next protective hair style. Hope everyone's protective hairstyling journey is going as well as mines.

@ Naturelle, thank you so much for the info!!! I've actually seen the 'bun forms' in the store, maybe I will get one. I wrapped my white sock in a black stocking and that is touching my hair.

I did a pony on damp hair and then the next morning I twisted and pinned for a cute twisted bun. I did a few flat twists in the front and pinned back, it came out cute. So, my new staples are my roll and the bun. The roll is messy in the pic, I did fix it up before I left the house ;-)

Here are pics!
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Awwwh no prob jazzwife! I am glad to help out any way I can. That's smart that u wrapped ur bun cuz seems like just the sock would cause damage. I really like the detail of ur bun too. I am searching for ways to jazz mine up since a plain ol bun isnt very exciting. A roll is also a good way of hiding ends. How do u accomplish urs? I'd like to try this out...

@jw your hair is gorgeous you're so creative

sidenote: my hair is growing guys. It has gotten longer. My twists are hanging better

@Chelsea, thank you!!! After my last detangling 'situation', I really am trying to find the simplest ways to take care of my hair. I found out something interesting. A friend of mine who was taking the same medication I got started on, stopped taking it because it made her hair fall out! She is Caucasian, so it's a little simpler for her to notice the med was the culprit. But if I have another big 'fall out' like last time, that will be something I will have to talk to my doctor about. Like I said, since starting this process I have NEVER lost that much hair!

@naturelle - I honestly just started 'tucking' the hair from the bottom and pinning and rolled more fully in the middle. I left the top open, made sure the front was shaped the way I wanted it, and then pinned the rest accordingly. I used to roll ALL the time in high school, it was my signature look back then, lol, so it's kinda second nature now. The only thing I don't like about doing it this way is that while the ends are tucked away, they are just loose and stuffed in there, so they are scraggly underneath. That is the one thing I would fix in this method, although I would think hair length would make a difference with this dilemma.

Okso I planned my styles since the start of the challenge up until now. WHAT TO DO NEXT?!?! Im thinking about wearing it out for the weekend but Sunday I need to do something to this hair. Ideas please....

frohawk
puff
twist and braid outs
bantus


also you can mix and match these styles

Hey guys!!! just checking in. Right now I have single braids with extensions in for two weeks and plan on taking them down on Feb 1st. That would be my official yr as a Transitioner whoo hoo! I'm thinking about BC on my birthday . wish me luck.

oh yea, Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!

I know it's late but Merry Christmas!!

Thanks @naturallychelsea people keep telling me to try the frohawk maybe thats what I'll do.

Hey ladies! It looks like everyone is progressing really well which is so inspiring!!!
But I'm giving another update before the New Year! I have taken out my senegalese twists about a week ago, they just didn't last as long as I thought (only 2 1/2 weeks :-/) I think my daily and weekly regimen kind of messed up the twists. So now I have a full sew in with an invisible part that I did myself....I actually like this style better and I can control how much pressure I put on my hair versus having to say "OUCH!" to someone else! lol Also I plan to take out the sew in and redo it every 2-3 weeks until the challenge is over and I may continue to do it until the weather breaks!

But I have noticed some growth and suprisingly my ends are really healthy! I haven't noticed split ends or out of the ordinary shedding or breakage and I haven't had my hair trimmed or cut since I BC myself in August! but below are some pics below and I still do the same regi but with slightly dif products:
Wash bi-weekly with Miss Jessie's Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Deep Treatment with Ouidad 12 minute deep treatment
Deep Condition with Aussie Moist 3 minute miracle
Condition with Totally Twisted
Leave-In Conditioner Giovanni Direct Leave-In
Oil scalp with Wild Growth Oil
Spray Hair with ApHogee Keratin Reconstructing spray
Seal with a little Grapeseed Oil

here are my pics:

Right after taking down the Senegalese Twists:
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After pre-pooing condtitioning, shampooing, deep treatment and conditioning, and leave in conditioner then blow drying:
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My full sew in with invisible center part done by me! =D
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So far so good this way and I'm happy with my results after only a few months! Keep up the great work ladies! And have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

wow aduke it seems like you have had some awesome growth keep it up

Hey, I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their holiday. I just wanted to come on here and do a mini update. I just applied henna for the 1st time and am wondering if any of you have done this before? The process went fairly well, but now that I have it wrapped up in the plastic I have a slight/moderate headache! Has anyone else experienced this??? Help!!

hey, curlies!!! i know i have been mia! I have been experimenting with flexirod sets for a New Year's Party tomorrow. I plan on twisting my hair back up sometime mid week of next week. Happy New Year's!

No prob bbygurl. I experimented myself for Christmas and I have my first real wash and go in for New Years

Happy New Year!!! I'm gonna take my braids out this week and will be bunning and two strand twist until april.