What's my hair doing?

So it's been 6 months since my last post as I said in the previous post and what's my hair doing? It's growing! (and retaining length)

freshly flatironed

Shortly after my last post in October I got my hair straightened with the main purposes of trimming my ends and seeing my progress.

my hard press about 2 days later

I went to kinhairitage salon in pleasantville and Vicki gave me a protein treatment (I noticed some breakage where I had it bleached), a trim, and she flatironed it. I wore it like that for a week or so. Vicki did a great job. It looked good and there was no heat damage; it reverted right back without issue.

After that I basically wore twists and twist outs through the winter. I made a couple forays into using curlformers to stretch my hair for dry twist outs.

curlformer time, don't I look happy?

In February, I went to DC to experience A Taste of Damn. There's a salon based out of Atlanta called The Damn Salon and from time to time they travel to different cities where they offer their signature styles. I got a set of Urban twists installed. Hair was added to mine and twisted. With these I was able to achieve a longer fuller twist out.

"fresh" urban twists

urban twist out

I don't think I'll do that again though. They were very expensive. Like more than a Coach bag expensive. And I mean a nice size Coach bag. And I only wore them for 3 weeks. Yeah, that was a waste.














After that I was heavy into dry twist outs with smaller twists. This produced the most amazing full, defined twist outs. Loved those! But I think these and wash and go's have given me an abundance of single strand knots.

4 hrs of this...

...yields this awesomeness

So what have I been doing lately?  I still try to make a point to shampoo my hair weekly.  I have to use shampoo because my scalp is an itchy mess otherwise.  I detangle with conditioner in sections in the shower when I'm not lazy.  I then deep condition with shea moisture deep treatment mask for about 30 minutes with a heating cap.  I apply kinky curly knot today and then seal with shea butter or a castor/coconut oil mix.  I then twist with ecostyler argan oil gel.  I wear my twists for a day usually and then wear twist outs all week.  I vary my styles as the twist out ages from buns to french rolls to frohawks.

I gave myself an aphogee 2 step protein treatment recently (just because) and I plan to do one of these monthly to help strengthen my strands.  I'm also going to stop using henna because i may want to color my hair in the near future.  I've learned from bleaching my hair that the two don't mix!

my newly acquired bun

twist out 

Lastly, I plan to get my hair done professionally more often, at least once a month if I can afford it.  I just got my hair trimmed and am currently wearing it in a cornrow style.  As I post, I am now 20 months natural!  Who knew I would last this long?