2 years of LHC! ~Pic heavy~

[RavenRose]

So it's been two years here, time has flown by!

Sorry about the huge Photos, I am fighting with photobucket about trying to resize many of them....

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/576672_10151521163364834_800682485_n%202.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/576672_10151521163364834_800682485_n%202.jpg.html)
My hair pre-LHC. Bright coppery henna, baking soda/vinegar no-poo damage, and a double perm. The henna was probably the only thing really holding my hair together! It was snapping and breaking off and no matter what I did wouldn't grow past APL.

I had been using the Henna for years but was frustrated with the coppery color that was not good for my skin tone. I found LHC in my quest to solve the Why is the henna not building up to a deeper color?

So after lurking for a couple days after actually joining I put together one of my first posts- Experimenting with Henna
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128704

So I cut the damage back to collarbone, and dyed a henna/hibiscus mix in Feb 2015. I got the lovely burgundy color I was hoping for!
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/Feb%202015.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/Feb%202015.jpg.html)

Unfortunately the hibiscus faded within a week, leaving me a dull auburn color that was unflattering.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/March%202015.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/March%202015.jpg.html)

So I grew it out a couple months, and got sick of the roots so redid the henna, and cut back to collar bone again due to damage. To be honest I loved Henna, If I could of achieved a color that flattered me better I would have kept up with it, but I wasn't about to retreat the hibiscus every week to maintain it. my time and pocket book couldn't support it.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/20150612_181448.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/20150612_181448.jpg.html)

Then in July I had gotten into a car accident fracturing my T11 in my spine. During my time off of work I used Color oops to try and mitigate the henna. OMG! does that stuff stink! My hair smelled like rotten eggs when wet for weeks afterwards. I tried an ash blond dye to tone over the whole thing, but the henna still shined through. left my hair brassy orange which my boss took issues with.

So I ended up bleaching it twice. I used low volume developer with a short time and focused only on the areas with the henna. I did also throw in some Opalex, but still was heavily damaged.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/Sept%202015.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/Sept%202015.jpg.html)

I had first reached APL in October 2015
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20150927_204332842_HDR.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20150927_204332842_HDR.jpg.html)
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/Nov%202015.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/Nov%202015.jpg.html)

But the bleach damage was so bad

So I spent the rest of 2015 and the first half of 2016 just growing out and cutting back damage.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20151114_222614919.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20151114_222614919.jpg.html)

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/Jan%202016%201_1.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/Jan%202016%201_1.jpg.html)
My 5" cut with some light layering to start 2016 anew!

I cut out the last of the perm, but Lo! I still have waves! turns out I am not a super straity as I had always thought! 1c/2a explains a lot!
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/Hair%20type.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/Hair%20type.jpg.html)

To be continued....

[RavenRose]

I did some other neat things though!

I made my first hair toy!
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20150910_201943062.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20150910_201943062.jpg.html)

I made some pretties for the Fall 2015 swap
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20151115_193238705_HDR.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20151115_193238705_HDR.jpg.html)

And Received some awesome pretties from DweamGoiL
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20151112_153920986_HDR.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20151112_153920986_HDR.jpg.html)


In Spring 2016 I was having amplified health issues due to the car accident, so I ended up on some meds that made me lose a bunch of hair, and stalled my growth. Plus my baby goddaughter ended up moving in and work got hectic so I just forgot about my hair for several months.

It would be August until I would reach APL again. Then there was an incident with my god daughter and we became protective placements, plus my work kept jerking me around with my health issues so I left work to focus on my health and home situation. We are now in the process of becoming foster parents, with a 30 day licensing process!

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/Sept16%202.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/Sept16%202.jpg.html)
This September 2016 pic shows how thin it got, but the henna and the bleach is a lot less orange!

October 2016- So much Damage ugh!
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/Sept%202016.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/Sept%202016.jpg.html)

I ended up cutting an inch and adding layers back in to help get rid of the damage, and now my waves pop!
I am really starting to love that some days my waves can be encouraged into ringlets!
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20161014_215952373_HDR.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20161014_215952373_HDR.jpg.html)

And a splash of color!
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20161029_162019409_1.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20161029_162019409_1.jpg.html)

I finally Hit BSL this month when stretched!

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20161227_143634726.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20161227_143634726.jpg.html)

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20161227_143726633.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20161227_143726633.jpg.html)

I am glad I found a routine and products that work for me! I found a sulfate free clarifying shampoo, so I am not so limited by my choice of shampoo and products, which has really helped, since my hair likes a small bit of protein and cones, but they can build up easily, and sulfates of any sort make me rash and itch. My hair does not like honey or aloe, or most protein/gelatin treatments. Coconut oil makes me break out like a teenager, and my hair is sort of meh about it. Add in a lavender allergy and products are hard for me to find. I was using the GUD line with success, but it was discontinued. My hair liked a lot of the shea moisture line, but I broke out badly from it- it just has too much coconut oil in it. I currently use Hask shampoos and conditioners and a touch Aussi 3MM, along with ION color defense sulfate free clarifying shampoo.

I use the WCC method, washing my length only once a week, my scalp every other day, (sometimes stretch an extra day if not doing anything important) conditioner from the ears down, finger combing the sheds out and a bit of scrunch to encourage the waves. Plus a bit of 3MM conditioner on the ends. I use a bit of the Hask conditioner as a leave in along with a bit of argon/jojoba oil mix or a argon coney serum if planning on leaving down.Then I blot with a towel and air dry without touching. Refreshing my ends on non wash days with the leave in/oil, and I do use a BBB to spread sebum/oils on days when I stretch washes. Clarifying and deep conditioning once or twice a month. I also do a lot more protective styles since my hair needs it because it splits so easily- An English braid for sleeping usually and a LWB during the day are my go to styles.

My hair is in so much better condition, except the bleached ends.
And it looks so much better around my face! My skin is even, you can see my eyes are blue and lips have color!
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20161215_145418940.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20161215_145418940.jpg.html)

[RavenRose]

I also have found a fork I absolutely love! I had it custom made by Nikki/Hennalonghair at Canadian inspirations!
I wish My camera could do it justice! It is lightweight enough to not weigh down and twist my hair! It stays for hours!
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/Hair%20Fork.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/Hair%20Fork.jpg.html)

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/paganrosemama/IMG_20161227_155322129.jpg (http://s221.photobucket.com/user/paganrosemama/media/IMG_20161227_155322129.jpg.html)

[yvsa]

What a journey! You look lovely and i like your pretty waves:cheer:.

[Borgessa]

Wow, that was an interesting read, congrats on it anniversary.

[summergame]

Well your hair looks so much healthier now and you have a beautiful texture in it! Congrats with your anniversary on LHC!

[moon_witch]

Congrats your hair looks lovely! :)

[lithostoic]

Very nice, lots of improvement.

[Nymphe]

What a lovely transformation! Congrats and continued success. :)

[TatsuOni]

Congrats! :) That's a long journey! Your hair really looks better now :)

[Alissalocks]

The damage looks so much better now, you've really put in the work to rehab your hair. Looking great, and love the pop of color :p

[triumphator!]

Your hair is looking fabulous - so softy and flowy! You have done a great job rebooting it.

[RavenRose]

Thank you all for the compliments!

I feel like I do have a ways to go yet- still have several inches of bleach that is bugging me, but overall it is so much better!

[lapushka]

You came a long way in growing your bleach damage out! Congrats!!! :D :cheer:

[Seija]

That inch you had cut off in October made all the difference! Your hair looks lovely :)

[RavenRose]

That inch you had cut off in October made all the difference! Your hair looks lovely :)

It was more the layers I cut in- it got rid of more bleach damage. But yes it made a world of difference!

[Saige]

Congrats on 2 years of LHC! Your hair is looking gorgeous! Your waves are lovely.

[RavenRose]

Thank you for all the wonderful comments!

[ephemeri]

Ooh I love your beautiful waves! Congrats on the 2 years and all the progress!!

[Greenfire]

What a great chronicle you have here for your hair story! I can't wait for the sequel, hope it's got less trauma in it though!

[RavenRose]

What a great chronicle you have here for your hair story! I can't wait for the sequel, hope it's got less trauma in it though!

Thank you.

Oh yes, less trauma would be very very welcome! I did even leave out a few things- like my hubby getting 9 stitches on his thumb recently, and the truck breaking down. The universe has already thrown to much at us the past two years! Although I do know there will be drama/trauma with Baby Girl and the whole fostering thing. I am hoping for the best for her and her momma and that is the only Trauma we have for the next few years.

[DweamGoiL]

Congratulations, RavenRose. You've made a lot of wonderful progress!!! :applause

[Kake]

Amazing progress. Your hair looks so much healthier now, and you've even gotten it to BSL. Fantastic!