WEEK 7 CHECK IN – September 15th 2013
It’s that time again ladies. FREE HAIR WEEK!! I don’t know about you but I am stoked at being able to do whatever I want with my hair this week and trust me I plan to take full advantage of the situation. 🙂
For those who started the challenge at the beginning, it has been 7 weeks so it’s definitely time for a strong protein treatment. If you are a fan of Aphogee 2 step protein treatment* like I am, be prepared to strengthen your strands this weekend to replace protein and re strengthen your hair.
If your hair does not respond well to hard protein treats like Aphogee* try going for a protein treatment mask, Tresemme and Joico K Pak make fabulous ones that are generally well received. Or at the very least do a light protein deep condition with something that contains hydrolyzed silk.
How are you planning to wear your hair in this free week? Going anywhere special?
WEEK 8 CHECK IN – September 22nd 2013
It’s the final push guys, the last 3 weeks of protective styling (maybe a couple more to wait for those who started late). If you have come this far I will not allow you to quit now so COME ON it’s just 3 more weeks!! Pick a style, something nice and easy to install of course and keep it moving.
I have noticed that lots of you prefer to have styles that give you access to your scalps, it makes sense when you think about it, there’s much less itching and you are able to cleanse better.
Not many of us have chosen sew ins during the course of this challenge (must be driving the Indian hair vendors mad don’t you think? lol) so my guess is that we will see more of the same, mini twists, braids and a variety of other updo styles. All great options, in fact I’m going for twists myself.
So have you chosen your final protective style yet and how do you plan to maintain it?
WEEK 9 CHECK IN – September 29th 2013
2 more weeks ladies, we are so close to the finish line I can almost taste it! I hope those of you who are a week or two behind have also chosen your final protective styles. By now I would imagine that most of you have settled into a routine and (hopefully) picked up some good habits that you will continue with once the challenge is over.
I once heard that it takes 30 days of repetition to turn something into a habit and we have been doing this staggered protective styling thing for 3 months! I’m sure you have picked up a thing or two about how easy length retention can be when you just commit to doing the work week after week.
Emily wrote a really inspiring post that is all about trusting the process and your regimen especially because you won’t see immediate results but knowing that over time, these miniscule gains will add up and you will finally get to your goal.
For this week the check is question is straightforward: Are you starting to believe yet that you will have long hair (whatever long means to you)?
WEEK 10 CHECK IN – October 6th 2013
One more week of protective styling she said as she wiped the solitary tear running down her eye… I can’t believe that the time has gone by so quickly, it seems like just the other day we were starting out with so much hope and enthusiasm for our hair. You ladies have done so well, seriously, you have been taking charge of your own success and week after week, you have committed to doing something to achieve your goals.
I will share a little something with you. There is an ulterior motive behind asking you all to share something every week with the group and it has little to do with me wanting to know which hairstyle everyone is wearing at any given time or even the prizes which I’d completely forgotten about. lol.
It’s because I know that the more you think about your hair and your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them. There’s a formula that is powerfully simple that states “You are what you think about most of the time”.
In regards to your hair, if you are constantly thinking of what it will be like to have your hair tickle your lower back then you have already made it, you are just waiting for your hair to catch up! If on the other hand you are constantlyhaving negative thoughts about your hair and can’t imagine where your next inch will come from, I’m afraid you are also right.
Yet I don’t think that many of you still taking part in the challenge today would have stayed this long with negativity constantly on your minds. Nope you are hopeful of achieving your hair goals and for that reason I have no doubt that you will all make it (Sorry for going all coach Alma on you!).
Anyway please share what you plan to do after the challenge is over. Will you carry on or will you revert to a more relaxed version of your current regimen?
Have a good week ladies and keep positive:)
WEEK 11 CHECK IN – October 13th 2013
Unofficially we are at the end of the challenge because we have gone through 3 bouts of staggered protective styling but officially we are not quite at the finish line.
For those of you who are sticklers for rules you will know that this is your last free hair week before we start doing the final length check photos and such. But of course you don’t have have to take your protective style down right now if you don’t want to. God knows I tend to prefer my hair loose wild and free but I am really enjoying the ease of twists and I totally plan to keep them in for an extra week.
Further to that, we are also going to have to wait a couple more weeks for those stragglers 🙂 who started the challenge a bit late. Stick around for the after show in a manner of speaking, the fat lady is still clearing her throat!
Have a good week ladies!
WEEK 12 CHECK IN – October 13th 2013
Ok guys, this is the official end of the challenge! I hope you all had as much fun as I did, and I also hope you learned a thing or two about how simple length retention actually is when you follow a system that works for you and repeat it over and over again.
I know a lot of you didn’t do this challenge for the prizes but indeed someone has to win ’em so if your hair is out right now (and before you decide to protect it again), please take quick photo of your final results and post it soon so that we can pick some winners.
This is the last motivational update I will add to this post, awww, but before we announce the winners on the 3rd of November, I would also like to give you a heads up that the challenge will be continuing or restarting at the new BHI forum. I’m just putting a few finishing touches but it will be ready very soon.
Have a great week!
AND THE WINNERS ARE…
Those of you who stuck the challenge out have all been so active and committed that we felt it would be unfair to pick just 3 winners.
After much deliberation we have decided that the best way to sort this out is to give those who have been active since the beginning of the challenge and have also updated the comments in the last few weeks since it ended a $10 amazon gift card each.
Here are the winners:
Tiffany M
Jmdean25
Snoelle
B_phlyy
Rhianne
Libby
Brenda Jackson
Joclyn Brigette Murdock
rdyson39
Jenelle Brown
THE CHALLENGE CONTINUES
I really enjoyed the challenge along with the accountability that came along with being involved so I decided to continue the challenge over at our new forum. I really appreciate you all taking part and I hope you will be carrying on with us. The challenge continues here.