For those wanting long hair...

[HibiscusHoney]

I've been keeping my natural hair pulled low in a chignon during the week for work and at home in the evenings I run aloe down my scalp then rub castor oil on the top. Keeping it simple - no heat at all, very little styling.

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

Using CG method (no cones/sulphates), low-heat (I plan to straighten 4 times this year to dust/trim my ends, with the first trim due next month), and keeping the protein/moisture balance in check. I'm really loving using hemp seed oil to seal, leaves my hair feeling soft/moisturized.

Sent from my iPad using LHCF

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

*Moisture, Moisture, Moisture

*Low to no heat - The first time I flat ironed my hair was in December and that was after a year

*Twists and buns - It helps the hand in hair syndrome stay in its place

*Keeping it simple - no product junkyism, no extraordinary measures (just letting it grow)

[NaturalBeauty<3]

Cowashing and bunning. Sealing with olive oil.
Thats it. Maybe a random DC when I want to treat myself, or noticing when my hair's elasticity is lessening.
I took a pic Jan 20th and just took one early this morning to see if cowashing/bunning daily was helping, because I was noticing a few ssks. [sigh]
Looks like I got an inch. I'm ecstatic!

[Chromia]

Here's what I'm doing:

-No heat. I haven't used my blow dryer since I don't know when. I haven't flat ironed in 2 years. I used a heat protectant when I did use heat.

-Low manipulation. I twist my hair after washing and conditioning, and I keep my hair in a twistout all week.

-Taking my time detangling every week, starting at the ends and working my way up.

-Using tools that are gentle on my hair. My Magic Star Jumbo Rake comb is great. And I use a Denman brush but I don't brush from the roots - I just brush the ends to get the shed hair out.

-Deep conditioning, leaving the DC in for at least 30 minutes.

[Whimsy]

I keep heat to a minimum most of the year. Winter I use heat weekly or biweekly by flatironing my airdried hair.

I wear protective styles fairly often: buns, twistsed updos, etc.

I moisturize my ends religiously and moisturize/DC my hair tons.

Yes this works well for me. It's what got me to hip length last year and what's going to get me back there again.

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by An_gell

I been bunning da crap out of my hair for about two years, and I couple that with low manipulation and it's working for me.

Great! This is what I love to hear.

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by g.lo

low heat, i can't even remember the last time i blow dried my hair!!! focusing on moisture-protein balance, stretching my hair and being very gentle! so far so good! I am hoping to hit MBL by end of the year! I am APL now and last year this time I was NL.

Way to go. What type of hair styles are you wearing?

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by alive

this year, i'm trying out no heat until November *gulp* and as little manipulation as possible. so far so good

This sounds like a great plan. I know you're probably already keeping up on top of moisturizing. What type of hair styles are you wearing?

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by longhairdreaming

So far this year I've been wearing my hair in braids. For January I wore cornrows under my wig and now I have yarn braids. I M&S daily, dc weekly and shampoo weekly. I use heat once a month to check my length but that may move to every two months. I also henna, was twice a month, now it'll be each time I take down my braids.

Is M&S moisturize & style? Do you change your style daily or do you just like to do your hair daily? I wonder if I'm the only one that styles their hair on Sunday and keep it that way until the weekend. Do you do henna to strengthen your hair?

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by Aireen

I'm taking prenatal vitamins, keeping it simple, trying to have a ceramide/moisture/protein balance, and limiting the use of protein to only after my relaxer. I recently had a setback in January prior to doing my relaxer on the 20th of that month and also had a setback the previous relaxer before that one. As a result, my stylist had to cut off a lot of length, putting me back at MBL. I went back to get a relaxer redone on February 8th because my hair didn't take and my hair grew back so quickly, now it's less than an inch to WL. I pretty much owe it to the prenatal vitamins and not doing anything else to mess up my hair aka not trying to load it with protein. I'm planning to follow this routine until I relax my hair in the next 3-4 months in which I expect GROWTH and a cleaner cut.

Are your setbacks from relaxing? What type of protein are you using? I love Aubrey Organics GPB (very mild protein, been using it since 2000). What type of hair styles are you wearing?

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by melisandre

I've been protective styling (hiding my hair under wigs), eliminating heat, and doing more finger combing. It seems to be working so far. I just need to make sure I moisturize more often. Sometimes I get lazy.

I never really got into finger combing (just didn't work well for me), so I just stick to my Jilbere Shower Comb. Moisturizing is important. I always moisturize my hair well before styling it for the week, and during the week, I just mist it with my water bottle. Every little bit helps.

[mwedzi]

I'm always trying something new because nothing I've tried has met with great success. Now I'm trying blow drying with a comb attachment every 2-3 weeks and wearing in braids or twists in the meantime. We'll see if this helps reduce tangling and knots, the combing out of which breaks my hair off.

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by MyCoilsGoBoing

What I've been doing:

-no/low heat. I haven't used heat since Christmas Eve 2011. I use heat once or twice a year

-low manipulation hair styles. I love protective styles. My hair is usually in a bun or some sort of updo.

-religiously moisturizing and sealing my hair.

-deep conditioning weekly

Honestly, this is the first time I've SERIOUSLY been consistent about a regimen for my hair. My hair has been stuck at APL-BSL for a while. I hope to see some results by the end of the year.

You're doing all the good things to retain length. Keep us posted on your length updates.

[SmilingElephant]

This is my second time growing my hair really long, but first time as a natural head. I find that my hair thrives in wash n go's As long as i wet my hair pretty much daily and put my leave in or moisturizer in it daily i'm good.

I would like to straighten my hair every 3-6 months...i have only flat ironed my hair once since going natural..which was a fail. I do occasionally blow out my hair. I ALWAYS use a heat protectant whenever i use heat.

I also make it a mission to thoroughly comb my hair out every 3 days in the shower....i use my Denman for heavy duty de-shedding every 2-4 weeks. I DC every single week for about 5-10 minutes while in the shower.

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by abioni

I have been doing cornrows under a wig. I used to have problems with tangles if I wear my hair in cornrows for more than a week but using gel and wetting it before I take it out reduces the tangles up to 90%. The gel feels slippery when wet, so my hair unravels easily. I had my last cornrows for 3 weeks (The first time in a year) and it didn't tangle up even though I sprayed it with my conditioner mix twice a week. I’m so glad I discovered this; it is helping me a lot to reduce tangles and breakage. Hopefully, I will retain more this way.

How many cornrows are you doing? How much of a difference have you noticed (with tangles and breakage) when you keep your cornrows in for one week vs three weeks? Are you using a moisturizing gel? A lot of people can get a good amount of growth in three weeks, so just be sure your hair isn't matting so you can avoid tangles and breakage.

[tarheelgurl]

I'm trying low manipulation and no heat. I haven't used any heat since November. I want to try braids under a wig but I'm afraid of what the people will say at work about it. (I work with some mean folks)

The problem I'm having is my ends becoming frizzy when I air dry. I try to twist them but that's only a little bit of help. I also hate that my hair gets hard when air dry. I'm trying one thing then another afte each wash. I may have to start washing more often.

Sigh....

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by MissDarcei

I dont use heat on my hair except for diffusing and it's on low heat. And I usually wear my hair up in a bun or in twists. And I TRY to deep condition once a week but sometimes I dont have time or I just forget lol I cut my hair to CBL in mid December and now its an inch away from APL! Woo! I'm trying to grow pretty much as long as possible. Aiming for WL in 2013.

Are you aiming for waist length when straight or when curly? My method of deep conditioning (in the shower) is just smacking on a plastic cap while I'm in the shower (which doesn't take too long). Why did you cut your hair to CBL?

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by HibiscusHoney

I've been keeping my natural hair pulled low in a chignon during the week for work and at home in the evenings I run aloe down my scalp then rub castor oil on the top. Keeping it simple - no heat at all, very little styling.

Keeping it simple is what I love. The aloe on the scalp sounds soothing.

[Allandra]

Originally Posted by MyAngelEyez~C~U

Using CG method (no cones/sulphates), low-heat (I plan to straighten 4 times this year to dust/trim my ends, with the first trim due next month), and keeping the protein/moisture balance in check. I'm really loving using hemp seed oil to seal, leaves my hair feeling soft/moisturized.

Sent from my iPad using LHCF

What type of hair styles are you wearing?