samanthaa
December 5th, 2016, 09:03 AM
Hi everybody! Around this time last year I made my account here at LHC and I'd like to share with you all my hair growth progress at the one-year mark! :cheer:
http://i.imgur.com/znjnDe5.jpg
I joined LHC convinced I had a slower-than-average growth rate, but really I think it'd just spent too many years trimming off all my progress. At the time my most recent trim had been in September 2015. I joined the no-trim 2016 challenge but ended up dropping out in June due to terribly uneven ends (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=133349&page=102&p=3256817&viewfull=1#post3256817), trimmed about 1.5", and then promptly joined the six-month July to December no-trim challenge. I'm happy I put down the scissors for so long because for the first time in my life I was able to get to and past waist. I swear I'd been stuck at MBL for 4 years! If you'd like, you can see my month-to-month progress here in the 2016 Monthly Length Photo Project (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=135606&page=74&p=3333628&viewfull=1#post3333628).
http://i.imgur.com/40WCmUh.jpg
Here's the progress from the front, from March 2016 to December 2016, sporting braid waves in both (two nights' worth of paranda braid waves in the second. Before I went out in the snow and got wet, I looked like a poodle and LOVED it!).
Right now I'm washing once a week with CV shampoo bars, followed up with an acidic rinse and my HG conditioner, Swanson Premium Argan Oil Conditioner. I'll water-wash a couple times throughout the week, typically on days that I run, and I try to do a weekly SMT+ ("+" meaning with cassia or coconut oil as an addition), which I count as a co-wash, though in reality any DT ends up being more like every other or every third week. I don't use any products because they weigh down my thin, fine hair, but I'll sometimes apply a light amount of oil (coconut and argan are my favorites) to the ends.
I've done a lot of experimenting with different conditioners this past year to find the one that ultimately works best for me. I'm protein- and cone-free at the moment. I've also learned that there's little point in S&D'ing. My fine hair is very fragile. I don't think it's possible for me to ever be free of split ends (but luckily the fineness hides the splits well), and attempting to get there will only thin out my hemline, so now I only use my scissors for trims.
The last big change for me this past year was the decision to grow out my henna. As of the end of October, this was my progress:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25097&d=1477868471
I started diluting my henna with cassia last February on the following schedule:
Last 100% henna application: Feb 10, 2016
80% henna application: Apr 4, 2016
50% henna application: May 23, 2016
20% henna application: July 5, 2016
And I've been henna-free now since July!
Bonus! Some favorite styles of the year (I'm sorry for all the pic-spam; I'm feeling a bit sappy since it's almost the end of the actual year too and all that):
http://i.imgur.com/4YcYnwi.jpg
French braid in rope braid rose bun
http://i.imgur.com/HwcZcS4.jpg
Braided half-up
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=23582&d=1466188157
Heatless sock bun curls
Also! I surveyed my hair toy collection thus far in my blog (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/entry.php?b=128110).
Right now the goal remains tailbone with a blunt hemline, though ultimately I'd like this + virgin hair (but I'll rock the ombre for a few years). Next year I start a microtrimming schedule to hopefully thicken up my hemline. Eep! I'm scared of my scissors!
Thank you all for reading/viewing. I look forward to the next year here!
http://i.imgur.com/znjnDe5.jpg
I joined LHC convinced I had a slower-than-average growth rate, but really I think it'd just spent too many years trimming off all my progress. At the time my most recent trim had been in September 2015. I joined the no-trim 2016 challenge but ended up dropping out in June due to terribly uneven ends (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=133349&page=102&p=3256817&viewfull=1#post3256817), trimmed about 1.5", and then promptly joined the six-month July to December no-trim challenge. I'm happy I put down the scissors for so long because for the first time in my life I was able to get to and past waist. I swear I'd been stuck at MBL for 4 years! If you'd like, you can see my month-to-month progress here in the 2016 Monthly Length Photo Project (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=135606&page=74&p=3333628&viewfull=1#post3333628).
http://i.imgur.com/40WCmUh.jpg
Here's the progress from the front, from March 2016 to December 2016, sporting braid waves in both (two nights' worth of paranda braid waves in the second. Before I went out in the snow and got wet, I looked like a poodle and LOVED it!).
Right now I'm washing once a week with CV shampoo bars, followed up with an acidic rinse and my HG conditioner, Swanson Premium Argan Oil Conditioner. I'll water-wash a couple times throughout the week, typically on days that I run, and I try to do a weekly SMT+ ("+" meaning with cassia or coconut oil as an addition), which I count as a co-wash, though in reality any DT ends up being more like every other or every third week. I don't use any products because they weigh down my thin, fine hair, but I'll sometimes apply a light amount of oil (coconut and argan are my favorites) to the ends.
I've done a lot of experimenting with different conditioners this past year to find the one that ultimately works best for me. I'm protein- and cone-free at the moment. I've also learned that there's little point in S&D'ing. My fine hair is very fragile. I don't think it's possible for me to ever be free of split ends (but luckily the fineness hides the splits well), and attempting to get there will only thin out my hemline, so now I only use my scissors for trims.
The last big change for me this past year was the decision to grow out my henna. As of the end of October, this was my progress:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25097&d=1477868471
I started diluting my henna with cassia last February on the following schedule:
Last 100% henna application: Feb 10, 2016
80% henna application: Apr 4, 2016
50% henna application: May 23, 2016
20% henna application: July 5, 2016
And I've been henna-free now since July!
Bonus! Some favorite styles of the year (I'm sorry for all the pic-spam; I'm feeling a bit sappy since it's almost the end of the actual year too and all that):
http://i.imgur.com/4YcYnwi.jpg
French braid in rope braid rose bun
http://i.imgur.com/HwcZcS4.jpg
Braided half-up
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=23582&d=1466188157
Heatless sock bun curls
Also! I surveyed my hair toy collection thus far in my blog (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/entry.php?b=128110).
Right now the goal remains tailbone with a blunt hemline, though ultimately I'd like this + virgin hair (but I'll rock the ombre for a few years). Next year I start a microtrimming schedule to hopefully thicken up my hemline. Eep! I'm scared of my scissors!
Thank you all for reading/viewing. I look forward to the next year here!