Hair Update: June 11, 2019 (pictures were taken June 11) So my update is 3 months and 11 days out.
Growth: so far from March 1, 2019 – June 11, 2019, my hair has grown 3 inches, and I do not need a trim. I will check in September if I need a trim (an inch a month). (so that means I have 6 more inches for this year right, lol… just nod and smile.)
The front of my hair is blank inches. I started at 20 inches.
The back of my hair is blank inches. I started at 18 inches.
For many naturalistas using rice water to grow and regain the health of their hair, they are washing their hair weekly. I don’t have that kind of time. Right now, from start to finish, my wash days are 6 hours. I cannot spend 6 hours every Friday, doing my hair.
A quick synopsis of my hair journey to this point:
When I little, my mother went out of town, and my father’s sister took me to get my hair “done” at the salon. When my mother got home, my hair was relaxed; she was never told or consulted.
Hight school 2004-2007 – wanting to be like everybody else I began curling and wanting my hair straight. I was using the curling iron just about every day.
College – December 22, 2010
I was sitting at my desk the day after my birthday. I was six hours away from home and did not know anyone who could do my hair. My hair was short and thin (for me short was right above my bra strap).
Summer 2010 I didn’t do the big chop, I was standing in my bathroom and just started snipping, the demarcation point was getting to be too much to handle. My hair reached my shoulders on the sides and in the back a little past my shoulders, the shortest my hair had ever been.
2012- 2018
By trade, I am an independent adjuster, so I contract myself out to work major storms, which requires traveling, 11/12 hours days, 6-7 days a week. After working that long hair is the last thing on my mind, also throw in working out 4 days a week.
How are things going?
Things are going great. I have been using rice water to rinse my hair and an Aloe shampoo I make every 2 weeks to cleanse my hair (my homemade shampoo contains aloe, manuka honey, sweet almond oil, peppermint oil, and castile soap). During this journey, I am trying to keep everything I put in my hair natural.
My itchy scalp is nonexistent, and my flakes are gone.
My hair is much softer and more manageable.
I have been following the rules I set forth at the beginning of this journey:
1.wash hair with rice water
2.wash hair every 2-3 weeks
3. Seal ends
4.Hair to be worn in a protective style at all times
5. 3-month updates
6. Keep up with ends (trim when needed)
7. Take MSM daily
8.Wear bonnet (I’ve been doing this)
9.No heat (I’ve been doing this)
10. keep hair moisturized
Is my hair healthier?
I can definitely tell that my hair is healthier.
The detangling process is much easier. It still takes some time because I detangle my hair in section, but it is seamless.
What have I changed?
As far as ingredients, I have changed nothing. To combat the smell of the rice water, I started adding peppermint oil to the rice water.
In my first post, one of the rules was no heat. I will change that to the week before I do my hair update, I will blow my hair simply for stretching purposes and to check my ends. I will only use the blow drier 2 more times this year (September and December).
Also, I need to be more diligent with my scalp massages. For this, I will be using castor oil.
I purchased a tangle teaser, and it may have changed my life lol. Before this hair journey, I only use to comb my hair after I washed it to put it in twists, other than that I did not comb my hair. In the natural community, there is always discussion about whether you should comb your hair or not. I have done both and as of right now combing my hair at least when I wash it every two weeks and halfway through is better for me.
Now the caveat to this: do you comb your hair dry or wet. After washing my hair, I; put a cream on my hair and then comb through the tangle teaser. During the week, I wet my hair and work through a cream and then comb my hair with the tangle teaser.
What I might change.
I may add onion juice to my rice water. I like to keep things simple when it comes to my hair. I feel like adding too many growth “elixirs” at once may be counterproductive.
I have, however, been researching chebe powder. It is an African herb that native women use in their hair.
Also, fenugreek and MSM powder. Fenugreek as a conditioner and MSM power will be introduced to my shakes in the morning. MSM, while most people take it for joint health, it lengthens the anagen phase of the hair, which is the growth phase. I took MSM pills back in 2015, and I did notice a difference in my hair. If you want to try MSM powder, introduce it to your body in a low quantity and then work your way up to the daily dosage on the packaging. Also stay hydrated, if not one side effect is headaches.
I will change the number of times I trim out single fairy knots if I happen to see one, I will cut it. It is very time consuming (but worth it), the day after I wash my hair, I will do what is referred to as search and destroy. Simply put I will go through my hair a cut out the single strand knots. Search and destroy is something you do when you can set aside a couple of hours. Turn on your favorite music, listen to your favorite audiobook, or binge watch your favorite tv show.
Is my hair shinier?
One of the things that begins to happen as your naturally curler hair gets longer; it takes more time and care. One of the things you will notice is that your curl pattern will elongate, and your hair may not be as shiny. For me, I have noticed that since I have been taking better care of my hair, it has naturally had more shine to it. Make sure you are putting product on all of your hair, pay special attention to you ends.
My goal: I am getting married May 24, 2020. I want my hair to be waist length blow dried. I say blow dried because I don’t wear my hair flat ironed often. If I do blow dry my hair, I can usually look at my ends and decide if I need a trim. I usually straighten my hair on or around my birthday to celebrate my natural hair anniversary.
Blow dried, my hair is straight but puffy, so I can still twist it and wear it in styles twisted.
As black women hair is always a topic of discussion, going natural was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and since December 22, 2010, I have never looked back. I want my hair to be healthy, and an inspiration for other women of color to let them know you can grow your hair as long as you want and that it’s beautiful no matter the color or texture.
Black women need to know that the natural hair on their head is beautiful and they do not need to fit into societies definition of beauty. Black women do not and will never fit into those standards.
People have asked me what in the world am I going to do if I have a daughter? I tell people she will love the skin and hair she has. When my daughter turns 18, she will be an adult, she may do anything she pleases to her hair, but before then living in my home, she will wear her natural hair. Now, if she wants a wig…we can talk! If she wants a wig to change up her look or doesn’t want to straighten her natural hair, that’s fine (as I am writing this blog post, I am currently stalking a wig online lol, so I can’t tell my daughter she can’t wear a wig). If she wants a wig because she does not like natural hair and she wants to cover it, then I have not shown her the beauty she holds.
Next update: September 1, 2019.
TOODLES for now! Thanks for watching and have a great evening!