Fifth LHC anniversary, or "The year I failed at maintaining at tailbone"

[schweedie]

I'm a couple of weeks early with this, but I'm getting a cut soon and I really wanted to be this length for my anniversary post, so I'm cheating. :p

So, five years. That seems like a big deal! Prepare for babble and pictures.

I was only just BSL when I joined, having originally started growing at shoulder length without any particular goal, and decided I'd grow to waist. I started doing proper length shots a couple of months after joining - this was August 2010 to July 2011:

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k626/growingmyhair/2010-11_zps7emuojaj.jpg

Well, you all know what tends to happen with goals the longer you're here, right? Waist became hip, which became BCL, and eventually tailbone. I had regular trims, about every three months, but they were always the minimum amount that needed to be trimmed off thanks to my lovely hairdresser. Tailbone was always the limit where I intended to stop - I reached that last year and decided to maintain there, but it turns out (shockingly!) that to maintain you need to actually have trims. Who knew, right? Not going to the hairdresser was easy and cheap and and convenient, and meant that my 2014 'maintaining' ended up like this:

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k626/growingmyhair/2014-2_zpsw7c9tkdg.jpg

A pretty big trim in August, but it basically grew back by the end of the year. And I'd initially planned on trimming a similar amount again, but decided that since I was so close to classic I'd grow a little longer, just to be able to say I'd grown to classic length once (the December picture is actually after the trim).

And due to the aforementioned convenience of not getting haircuts, I haven't trimmed since. Depending on how my ends choose to flip on any given day it can either look like I'm way past classic or like I'm barely there, but yeah, definitely at classic. And my hair likes playing tricks on me. Sometimes I'llt take it out of a bun and it'll be like, "Look at me! I look smooth and thick! I have volume! Why would you ever want to cut any of me?":

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k626/growingmyhair/DSC05672_zpswmfys4n1.jpg http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k626/growingmyhair/DSC06182_zpslg4ncc3l.jpg

A few days later it could laugh at me: "Ha, I can't believe you bought that when you know that this is my true form!":

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k626/growingmyhair/DSC05040_zpspj9j7plr.jpg

(That particular mockery was a few months ago, but I saved it to remind me what a normal day really looks like.)

So. My hair has grown a lot longer than I ever planned on letting it, and although a part of me is tempted to go on just to see how long it could get, I'm also a little tired of this length and ready to cut back a bit. Not a huge chop or anything, but back to BCL and *maybe*, after the summer, even back to hip or so. But as of right now, this is where I'm at:

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k626/growingmyhair/DSC06233_zpsjxgnrcjk.jpg

My thickness has held relatively steady over the past year, although it may have gone down a little. A pony on top of my head currently has a 2.5 inches circumference - it used to be 2.75, but the last time I remember it being that was a couple of years ago.

I gotta admit it, I'm kind of looking forward to cutting back.

ETA, I forgot to do my regular braid length shot, so I'm just gonna throw that in, too.

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k626/growingmyhair/DSC06265_zpszwsx1x7b.jpg

[Blue Mermaid]

Beautiful growth progress! Your hair looks so healthy!

[Elly May]

Gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing. It is very inspiring to me since my hair type is similar, although you have a little bit more than I do. I always love seeing hair pictures, but particularly of hair like mine. :D

[embee]

Happy Anniversary!

No matter what you do, your hair color is lovely. The journey was worthwhile, you learned a lot. Your pictures are a good record.

For sure, no trims is convenient and cheap. I'm there. :D

When you have your big trim will you still be able to do that gorgeous bun in your siggy?

[snowyx]

Wow! Happy anniversary. Your hair is gorgeous. So healthy and shiny, too. Do you mind sharing your routine? I think it would really help me:)

[hannabiss]

:whistle::whistle::thudpile::thudpile::thudpile:Im a fan of long blonde hair so of course i love seeing the progress. Plus knowing youve maintained and yet grew all the way to classic is inspiring! gives me hope for my own hair in the next five years

[schweedie]

Thanks, guys! :D


When you have your big trim will you still be able to do that gorgeous bun in your siggy?
Heh, I think so! If I end up going back to hip it'll probably become a bit smaller, but at BCL it shouldn't be too different.


Wow! Happy anniversary. Your hair is gorgeous. So healthy and shiny, too. Do you mind sharing your routine? I think it would really help me:)
My routine is very simple, really! I wash every second or third day, with whatever shampoo I picked up last, followed by a cone-free conditioner. Sometimes I do a vinegar rinse (like, a tablespoon of white vinegar in a litre of water) if my scalp is feeling itchy, and I clarify now and again if remember to. My hair is almost always up, unless I'm just lounging around on the sofa at home. That's basically it. :)

[TrapperCreekD]

The first pictures, I'm not used to seeing you with "short" hair! Your hair is so beautiful! :thud: The color and silkiness :crush:

[lapushka]

Great progress, very pretty hair, and I actually remember when you started first growing. :)

[Begemot]

Congrats for your fifth year! Your hair looks gorgeous in every length :blossom:

[Belle Paix]

Beautiful progress!! This gives me hope for my own goal down the road:)

[texangrrl]

I love the pictures and your hair is gorgeous!! Congrats on 5 years at LHC!

[Illryeth]

This is so beautiful and inspiring!!! I absolutely love how your hair looks, and after all these years the thickness also maintained! My congratulations!!! I am also so happy you decided to keep growing and not stop at waist :D.
Do you have any tips you would give to new LHC members?
Or could you share a more detailed routine when you have time?
:grouphug:

[Anje]

Looks great! Your hair's a similar thickness to mine, but it looks so nice and dense all the way to the ends! :) If they separate a little, it still makes a nice blunt hemline all the way down at classic, and that's impressive to me with my constant taper.

Your "maintaining" looks a lot like how I maintain a length; ignore it and eventually realize that it's several inches longer than you meant to keep it! Nothing wrong with that, and it's way easier than trimming frequently.

Anyway, your hair is lovely and looks so smooth and silky!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Such lovely hair! I love seeing your wonderful hair photos and it's a treat seeing so many here in one spot. Happy 5th anniversary, and I look forward to your 6th! :)

[BrightEyes]

Your hair is stunning! I didn't realize it had grown so long. It's beautiful, great job :D

[bluebreezes]

Congratulations and your photos are so inspiring. But even more inspiring is your wonderful sense of humor, which must have some effect on growth too. Thanks for such a fun post.

[Vanilla]

I love your hair! The texture, the color and the length are all so pretty :)

[Swan Maiden]

Beautiful! I love your normal day photo, my hair does the same thing.

[FallingDarkness]

Totally stellar!

[browneyedsusan]

So pretty, schweedie! Thanks for sharing your story. I'm going the same route: BSL became waist. Waist became tailbone. I've trimmed minimally. When it gets on my nerves, I'll probably "maintain" about like you do!

Yours in having a similar hair plan,
browneyedsusan :flowers:

[Savvyhorsez]

Happy Anniversary! Awesome hair and growth!

[cathair]

It's beautiful, what a way to fail at maintaining at tailbone! :D Happy Anniversary :blossom:

[EdG]

Happy anniversary! Your hair is beautiful. :thud:
Ed

[hennalonghair]

Congratulations Schweedie ! Your hair looks gorgeous at every length but classic looks classic. Seriously your got the hair texture to pull it off so nicely. :magic:

[schweedie]

Thank you, everyone! :blushing:


Do you have any tips you would give to new LHC members?
Or could you share a more detailed routine when you have time?
I posted a bit about my routine a little further down on the first page! :) But really, it's so simple it hardly even qualifies as a routine - for the past two years it's basically been benign neglect with washing, conditioning, airdrying and putting it up once it's dried (or before), and forgetting about it. I used to do a lot more stuff - cassia treatments, moisture treatments, search & destroy split ends... But I don't know, I just let that go. My hair probably wouldn't object to a bit more pampering, and I'm sure could do with a moisture treatment now and again, but it's still doing all right. So for new members, I guess that would be my tip - don't fret about it too much. Let it do its thing, and it'll usually grow. I mean, I know that sounds easy to say for someone who's at classic and I *certainly* wasn't this zen about it when I first joined, heh. But that's really all there's to it.

Anje, it is a very 'easy' way to maintain, isn't it? I guess that since we chop off a decent amounts once we DO trim we end up with healthy ends anyway.
Heh, bluebreezes, I'm glad you found it amusing. :D
browneyedsusan, plan-having high five. ;)

[Illryeth]

Thank you, everyone! :blushing:

I posted a bit about my routine a little further down on the first page! :) But really, it's so simple it hardly even qualifies as a routine - for the past two years it's basically been benign neglect with washing, conditioning, airdrying and putting it up once it's dried (or before), and forgetting about it. I used to do a lot more stuff - cassia treatments, moisture treatments, search & destroy split ends... But I don't know, I just let that go. My hair probably wouldn't object to a bit more pampering, and I'm sure could do with a moisture treatment now and again, but it's still doing all right. So for new members, I guess that would be my tip - don't fret about it too much. Let it do its thing, and it'll usually grow. I mean, I know that sounds easy to say for someone who's at classic and I *certainly* wasn't this zen about it when I first joined, heh. But that's really all there's to it.


Thank you so much! :D You are the second person that told me that, I have a friend with gorgeous hair just like yours and I asked her... HOW?????? She told me she washes it, conditions (sometimes), braids it and leaves it be for a few days until she washes it again! No special treatments, deep moisture, or brushing, she barely even brushes it and it looks more untangled than mine that is brushed every single day. I must admit, what you two are doing sounds a lot easier than always stressing about it, and I guess that your hair kept growing so healthy and beautifully because you didnt do all those things that can in the long run also damage it by always pulling on the hair, no matter how gentle!

[schweedie]

No special treatments, deep moisture, or brushing, she barely even brushes it and it looks more untangled than mine that is brushed every single day. I must admit, what you two are doing sounds a lot easier than always stressing about it, and I guess that your hair kept growing so healthy and beautifully because you didnt do all those things that can in the long run also damage it by always pulling on the hair, no matter how gentle!
Oh boy, brushing. That's one reason why I try to keep it up as much as possible even if I'm just at home, because if it's down I'll totally brush it more than I should - I just really like the feel of newly brushed, silky hair. Sometimes fingercombing will be enough to satisfy me, but if it starts feeling tangly or my scalp feels itchy, out comes the brush. And that's just a recipe for more wear'n tear than is good for fine hair like mine, so keeping it up is a way of not being tempted to do that. Definitely recommended! ;)

[velorutionista]

You have lovely hair! It's so fun to see it go from BSL to classic!

[gwenalyn]

I have always loved seeing your updo/braid pictures in their corresponding threads. Your color(s) are just beautiful. Do you mind if I ask what your ponytail circumference is? I see that you are a ii but there is so much variation between 2" and 4"!

[Crumpet]

Gorgeousness. You're one of my hair idols!

[elsieivy]

Wow! Your hair is beautiful. It's nice to see how well benign neglect can work.

[DeadlyUnicorn]

Sooooooo gorgeous, omg :inlove:

[schweedie]

Thanks for the lovely comments, guys! :flower:


Do you mind if I ask what your ponytail circumference is? I see that you are a ii but there is so much variation between 2" and 4"!
Not at all. :) I put it in my original post, but it was at the bottom of all the text so perhaps a bit easy to miss. *g* At the top of my head my pony circumference is about 2.5 inches now. It used to be thicker - when I joined here I'm pretty sure it was 3 inches, which surprised me because I'd always been told my hair was thin and then it turned out I was bang on average. Then it just started getting thinner, and I don't really know why - blood tests showed no deficiencies or thyroid issues or anything that would explain it. But it's held steady at 2.5 for the past couple of years, so hopefully it's stabilised there!

[gwenalyn]

Thanks for the lovely comments, guys! :flower:


Not at all. :) I put it in my original post, but it was at the bottom of all the text so perhaps a bit easy to miss. *g* At the top of my head my pony circumference is about 2.5 inches now. It used to be thicker - when I joined here I'm pretty sure it was 3 inches, which surprised me because I'd always been told my hair was thin and then it turned out I was bang on average. Then it just started getting thinner, and I don't really know why - blood tests showed no deficiencies or thyroid issues or anything that would explain it. But it's held steady at 2.5 for the past couple of years, so hopefully it's stabilised there!

Whoops, sorry, I guess I did miss it! Thanks!