Bot’s 6 year hair anniversary!

[AutobotsAttack]

Sup ladies and gents.

figured I could document how far my hair has come over these past six years.
I started out natural my entire life, then relaxed my hair once I gained some independence. I also liked bleaching and dying it quite a bit, so for most of my highschool life I had vibrant colored hair. Didn’t really retain much length during that time. Always stayed around my ears, or barely past chin/neck length.

This was mid 2014
https://i.imgflip.com/3rskia.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rskia)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)
https://i.imgflip.com/3rskke.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rskke)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

after a while I grew out my color, left the heat alone, started protective styling, and sleeping with my hair protected at night. I also upped my moisture, and starting deep conditioning bi-weekly.
Made it passed shoulder length around 2015
https://i.imgflip.com/3rsktv.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rsktv)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

started co-washing almost exclusively in 2016-2017 and saw some really good length retention
https://i.imgflip.com/3rt40b.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rt40b)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

2018 I realized how much I can’t comb or brush my hair that often as it leads to way too much damage for my find strands.

early 2018
https://i.imgflip.com/3rt4el.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rt4el)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

mid 2018
https://i.imgflip.com/3rt4ig.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rt4ig)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

Beginning of 2019 I really delved into protective styling, and finding which styles helped keep my hair separated and free of tangles, as well as helped protect my ends. I also started using Shea Butter and MuruMuru Butter as means of sealing in moisture.

https://i.imgflip.com/3rt62h.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rt62h)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)


Mid 2019
https://i.imgflip.com/3rt513.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rt513)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

towards the end of 2019 I mostly just kept my hair out of the way, washed as needed, and air dried.
https://i.imgflip.com/3rt5dp.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rt5dp)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

Current length 2020
https://i.imgflip.com/3rt5hm.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3rt5hm)[url=https://imgflip.com/memegenerator]

Im passed classic and might see the likes of nearly FTL around my birthday in May.

My current Regimen is as follows:
Shampoo roots only, Condition from root to tip, detangle, air dry, apply leave-ins, braid or twist hair up every 3-4 days. I also relax every 2-3 months during warmer months, and 4-5 months during colder months.

Wondering how long my hair will be by the end of this year. Pretty cool to see how far my hair has come.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Wow, past Classic, that's so awesome! Congratulations on six years here already! :D

[AutobotsAttack]

Wow, past Classic, that's so awesome! Congratulations on six years here already! :D
Thank you! I’ve always enjoyed being here!

[squirrrel]

That’s amazing progress Autobotsattack. I love the difference between your initial colour, and the way you have grown it out so far over the last few years.

[FennFire911]

Happy hair-iversary! Your hair is so beautiful, congrats on all your progress!

[Cg]

Congratulations and happy anniversary!

[neko_kawaii]

Happy anniversary! It will be interesting to see where terminal eventually is.

[lapushka]

Congratulations on 6 years! Classic is awesome! :D

[paulownia]

Congratulations on the 6 years! Time is flying indeed:D amazing progress.

[Kalamazoo]

Wow! Your high school colors were beautiful, & getting past Classic? Wow!

[bokeh]

I loved seeing your journey from beginning to current and all the growth and colors! You are an inspiration. Your hair is beautiful!

[Ylva]

Congratulations! Also, I loooooove that pink hair!

[AutobotsAttack]

That’s amazing progress Autobotsattack. I love the difference between your initial colour, and the way you have grown it out so far over the last few years.
Thank you!


Happy hair-iversary! Your hair is so beautiful, congrats on all your progress!

Thanks!


Happy anniversary! It will be interesting to see where terminal eventually is.

I’m not sure if im wanting to grow to terminal, but I say that now, and will probably end up changing my mind anyways lol


Congratulations on the 6 years! Time is flying indeed:D amazing progress.

I know! Doesn’t seem so long ago, now that I think about it. And thanks!


Wow! Your high school colors were beautiful, & getting past Classic? Wow!

Thank you!


I loved seeing your journey from beginning to current and all the growth and colors! You are an inspiration. Your hair is beautiful!

Aww thanks!


Congratulations! Also, I loooooove that pink hair!

Thank you! I do miss my bright colors sometimes. Was wanting to do like a streak or something, but haven’t acted upon the thought as of yet.

[Dark40]

Congratulations on your 6th year anniversary, and reaching pass classic! :) Those colors for your high school look awesome! Your regimen sounds like what my regimen is. Can wait to see what terminal length is.

[Winter Fox]

Congrats, what an amazing journey! :cheer:
(I gotta say I really like that picture with your teal hair and the contacts. :D )

[AutobotsAttack]

Congrats, what an amazing journey! :cheer:
(I gotta say I really like that picture with your teal hair and the contacts. :D )

Thank you! I quite like whatever style I had going on in highschool. I did a green hair color with green contacts once upon a time, but I can’t seem to figure out what I did with the photo. But thanks though :)

[TatsuOni]

Congrats! :) That's some great progress!

[ZoeZ]

Loved your colored hair - you looked so beautiful in pink! Congrats on the milestone. :D

[C_Bookworm]

Wow! That’s some serious gains in 6 years! Congratulations on your lovely, healthy hair. Wishing you many more happy years and inches of growing :flower:

[lapushka]

That pink sure is *there*. Love it! :inlove:

[Shorty89]

Wow! It's gotten so long. I'm also amazed that you could pull off those vibrant colours. I'd love to see more of your protective styles. :)

[AutobotsAttack]

Wow! It's gotten so long. I'm also amazed that you could pull off those vibrant colours. I'd love to see more of your protective styles. :)

Here’s a few of the main protective styles I like to do. Usually either braids or twists. I was really into buns for a while, but buns don’t do much in terms of keeping tangles or matting away, due to the certain type of hair texture I have.
https://i.imgflip.com/3ru56g.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3ru56g)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)
https://i.imgflip.com/3ru5ep.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3ru5ep)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)
https://i.imgflip.com/3ru5i8.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3ru5i8)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

shawlum_agape made me the cute bun cover :)
https://i.imgflip.com/3ru5lh.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3ru5lh)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

Box braids are also protective styles I do, but I don’t do them often because it’s takes forever to install and take down.
https://i.imgflip.com/3ru5sh.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3ru5sh)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

And I’ll also do some sort of head wrap style like this

https://i.imgflip.com/3ru66r.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/3ru66r)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

[AutobotsAttack]

Congrats! :) That's some great progress!


Loved your colored hair - you looked so beautiful in pink! Congrats on the milestone. :D

Thanks you guys! :)


Wow! That’s some serious gains in 6 years! Congratulations on your lovely, healthy hair. Wishing you many more happy years and inches of growing :flower:

Thank you! And best wishes to you too!

[MusicalSpoons]

Congratulations! I'm in awe that you've been able to retain so much length with relaxed hair, because it can be hard enough for some people even with virgin hair :thud: and I love the protective styles you posted.

[ynne]

Your hair has grown so fast! :0 The colors looked great on you too. :) Thank you for sharing your journey so far, it's really interesting to see & even better with the progress photos! Btw, the braided updos look amazing too, oh. I really want to learn to make those when my hair gets a bit longer, as regular buns tangle my hair a bit too.

[AutobotsAttack]

Congratulations! I'm in awe that you've been able to retain so much length with relaxed hair, because it can be hard enough for some people even with virgin hair :thud: and I love the protective styles you posted.

It’s definitely been a challenge to say the least. But I always say if you’re going to do something with chemicals, let chemicals be the one and only thing you do. I don’t think I’d be at this length if I also straightened, colored, or excessively has extensions or weaves installed.

And thanks! I’ve been trying to come up with newish but simple styles to keep me from getting overly bored lol.

[AutobotsAttack]

Your hair has grown so fast! :0 The colors looked great on you too. :) Thank you for sharing your journey so far, it's really interesting to see & even better with the progress photos! Btw, the braided updos look amazing too, oh. I really want to learn to make those when my hair gets a bit longer, as regular buns tangle my hair a bit too.

Thanks! :)

They’re fairly simple styles to do. If you can braid to any degree it’ll be easy to catch on once your hair gets longer :)

[bokeh]

Your protective styles are so cute!

[AutobotsAttack]

Your protective styles are so cute!

Thank you!

[AmaryllisRed]

Hey, that's some impressive growth! Congrats on your anniversary!

[Five of Five]

Wow! The first photos are beautiful and your later photos are even more stunning! I love those protective styles, especially the one with the flexi.

[AutobotsAttack]

Hey, that's some impressive growth! Congrats on your anniversary!

Thank you! I really appreciate it!

[AutobotsAttack]

Wow! The first photos are beautiful and your later photos are even more stunning! I love those protective styles, especially the one with the flexi.

Can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to recreate that exact same style and can’t remember what I did lol. And thanks!

[BraidedBunch]

Amazing growth. Congrats on 6 years and best wishes to you and your hair journey!

[Shorty89]

Thanks for showing your protective styles. They look awesome. I'm always interested in how different hair types style their hair. Do you find that the box braids etc. are hard on your ends? I've worn small braids in my hair in summer and it is always rough on them!

[AutobotsAttack]

Amazing growth. Congrats on 6 years and best wishes to you and your hair journey!

Thank you! :)

[AutobotsAttack]

Thanks for showing your protective styles. They look awesome. I'm always interested in how different hair types style their hair. Do you find that the box braids etc. are hard on your ends? I've worn small braids in my hair in summer and it is always rough on them!

Actually the box braids don’t bother my ends much at all honestly. I coat them in Shea Butter so that they’ll not want to tangle up. Box braids, I find are actually a lot more stressful towards my roots and around upper shaft area where my natural hair meets my processed hair, during the installation. The reason my roots take the majority of the stress is because that’s where my natural texture is. It varies in how much depending on how long it’s been since my last chemical service, but with the sheer amount of density and interlocking/tangling that goes on at my roots, sometimes I’ll get more breakage just from the force of separating my hair into those smaller sections. As my new growth increases, I’ll opt for box braids a lot less. Maybe 2-3 times a year at max, and keep them in for around 3 weeks to a month and just wash with my hair in the braids.

Take down isn’t as stressful as installing, but I do occasionally have the end hairs that’ll want to tangle on eachother, but for the most they’re behaved lol. I don’t keep my braids out often since I get braid shred almost immediately. Smaller braids don’t shred too badly, but I usually have 5-6 braids in now just to save on time, but four days is the maximum amount of time I can keep them in because after that braid shred turns into straight up dread loc formation for me lol

[YvetteVarie]

You grew to classic in 6 years? That's amazing. Your hair is lovely and inspirational. One day, I'll get there

[AutobotsAttack]

You grew to classic in 6 years? That's amazing. Your hair is lovely and inspirational. One day, I'll get there

It honestly felt like forever to me lol. And yes you’ll definitely get there!! Essentially I’ve just done my best to do less and less in terms of manipulation to my hair the longer it gets.

[SleepyTangles]

Your hair journey Is so inspiring! Congratulations... And thank you for always being so kind and informative :flowers:

[AutobotsAttack]

Your hair journey Is so inspiring! Congratulations... And thank you for always being so kind and informative :flowers:

I’ll admit I’m a bit snappy at times, but I do try my best to be nice lol. And thank you! :)

[Shorty89]

Actually the box braids don’t bother my ends much at all honestly. I coat them in Shea Butter so that they’ll not want to tangle up. Box braids, I find are actually a lot more stressful towards my roots and around upper shaft area where my natural hair meets my processed hair, during the installation. The reason my roots take the majority of the stress is because that’s where my natural texture is. It varies in how much depending on how long it’s been since my last chemical service, but with the sheer amount of density and interlocking/tangling that goes on at my roots, sometimes I’ll get more breakage just from the force of separating my hair into those smaller sections. As my new growth increases, I’ll opt for box braids a lot less. Maybe 2-3 times a year at max, and keep them in for around 3 weeks to a month and just wash with my hair in the braids.

Take down isn’t as stressful as installing, but I do occasionally have the end hairs that’ll want to tangle on eachother, but for the most they’re behaved lol. I don’t keep my braids out often since I get braid shred almost immediately. Smaller braids don’t shred too badly, but I usually have 5-6 braids in now just to save on time, but four days is the maximum amount of time I can keep them in because after that braid shred turns into straight up dread loc formation for me lol

That's so interesting. My hair is so straight/slippery that I can't get fake hair to look good. I'm sure that would help protect my ends. I also get lots of fly away hairs along my scalp and down the braids.

[AutobotsAttack]

That's so interesting. My hair is so straight/slippery that I can't get fake hair to look good. I'm sure that would help protect my ends. I also get lots of fly away hairs along my scalp and down the braids.

It’s been a while since My last attempt at doing box braids with the addition of fake hair. As of now I just box braid my own hair. I’m finding the tension is just too much for me regardless of how little hair is added back when I used to do extensions. In the picture I didn’t add any fake hair, but I do realize the added hair makes the braids look a lot thicker and more uniform. But you can’t have your cake and eat it too I suppose lol

[Stray_mind]

Congratulations! Nice progress :flower:

[Sarez]

Awesome journey! Love how you embraced moisture. How important is it tho?! I just bleached my hair and dyed it green, Olaplex is a hair-saver. And I just brought some locally made organic hemp + argan shampoo/conditioner to replenish and repair, as well as oiling all the time. Also, I'm jelly of your classic length!! :D

[AutobotsAttack]

Congratulations! Nice progress :flower:

Thank you!


Awesome journey! Love how you embraced moisture. How important is it tho?! I just bleached my hair and dyed it green, Olaplex is a hair-saver. And I just brought some locally made organic hemp + argan shampoo/conditioner to replenish and repair, as well as oiling all the time. Also, I'm jelly of your classic length!! :D

Thank you! It’s been a very teachable journey too! It’s always been taught that protein is regularly needed for processed hair, but at least me for, protein is something I do usually the week following a relaxer touch up. After that the whole goal is just replenishing moisture as much as possible. I don’t co-wash as much as I used to, but my hair definitely responded well to that.

I haven’t bought any Olaplex as of recent, but I find it’s a great product as well. I haven’t been oiling a lot, but I do use butters like Shea and Mango butter on my ends or saturate my braids with it.