Protective Styling & Moisture

After a year of protective styling regularly and keeping my hair moisturized I am convinced that I can "grow long" without the use of magical products or growth aids. I used to be length obsessed but that soon ended when my styling started taking more time than I had. I just recently cut off quite a few inches.

I am basically posting this to encourage anyone that reads it to stay focused and keep your regimen simple or at least consistent. Product overload and complicated regimens never yielded me the results that I have recently achieved this year.

This was April 2010:
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This is October 2010 (before the cut):
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My regimen was simple:
Shampoo & Condition 1x weekly
Apply a leave in conditioner
Seal with shea butter while styling in a protective style
Have fun and wear out no more than once a week or only for special occasions

I think the key was that I tried to only use products that MY hair likes. I experimented with others but eventually went back to what worked for me. Imagine what a year would have looked like (if I had not cut it)?
This time around I am going to hold off on trims until Oct 2011 - that will be a full year of length retention.

Remember...your hair is always growing, it's retention that gives you length.

I agree great post. When I BC'd in marched the barber cut all of my hair off. its bee 7 months and i have about 3 inches all over. I am not sure if i should have more . I am going to stick to a very simple plan and I hope to see more growth.

You have amazing growth

That was very encouraging! I wanna get to BSL by the end of the summer and my regime is really simple.

Thanks for the encouraging pictures!

@tia Where did you get the shirt. I likey. All this gadgets are amazing. LOL.

cluelesscurl wrote:@tia Where did you get the shirt. I likey. All this gadgets are amazing. LOL.

My favorite bargain store - Ross

I agree that consistency really makes a difference. On Monday I combed out my hair to trim my ends. Let's just say that I looked like I stuck my hand in a socket but I had a significant amount of growth. My mother even noticed and asked what was I doing. Truthully I wasn't doing of much anything except was condition,moisturize and seal. So I'm learning that less is really more.

Neems wrote:I agree that consistency really makes a difference. On Monday I combed out my hair to trim my ends. Let's just say that I looked like I stuck my hand in a socket but I had a significant amount of growth. My mother even noticed and asked what was I doing. Truthully I wasn't doing of much anything except was condition,moisturize and seal. So I'm learning that less is really more.

So true! I learned that lesson the hard way and the expen$ive way

Thanks for the encouragement and congrats on such wonderful growth!

Your hair looks great I hope to have about 2 more inches by the end of the year I have about 2-3in of growth now I really dont have a regime yet & been natural for 6 months but Im still experimenting

I am inspired!!!!! I think i will definately simplify my regimen.

Awesome growth!

I have my hair in mini twist now, can anyone give me some tips on how to keep them moisturized?

CrissyQ wrote:I have my hair in mini twist now, can anyone give me some tips on how to keep them moisturized?

A moisturizing spray that you