Length Retention Tips - Things I've Learned Along the Way... :-)

Hey There!

Yours truly is still in "lala land" from having reached waist-length last week. I still sometimes can't fully believe it, I've done a length check 3 times since Monday just to be sure I didn't tell y'all nonsense. LOL!

I've worn my hair down twice since last week Wednesday, but apart from that I've been wearing messy top buns. My friends and co-workers have been asking be why I don't wear my hair down more often. The truth is, I am still all about length retention.

The thought of wearing my hair down all day in the AC, rubbing on my cotton white jacket, getting snagged while I put on and take off my handbag makes me cringe! Lol.

Maybe they are right,

Maybe I should make a point to enjoy my hair's new length a bit more, but the way I see it is:

I just just just reached Waist-length,

I want it to be that way if not longer by the next 2 Texlaxing sessions for me to feel like "Ye, mih reach!" Lol.
In short, if I can reduce setbacks as much as possible and retain as much of my hard earned length as possible then I'll be happy.

Which brings me to the Topic at hand...

Length Retention!

Man, would that I knew about all these things at the very START of my journey, I may have been sitting even prettier now, Lol. But that's life for you.

Below are a few tips and tricks I picked up along the way since I started my HHJ in January 2013. Funny enough, I learned the most after major setbacks, so hopefully you can make use of them and avoid the major setbacks I had altogether. Lol.

TIPS FOR LENGTH RETENTION:

Moisture, moisture, moisture! - Dry hair breaks, that's a well known fact. The more breakage you have the less hair length you can retain. Its like you are giving yourself a slooooow hair cut. In the beginning of our hair journeys, most of us lack Moisture. So make it a point to do a Moisturizing Deep Conditioning as often as YOUR hair needs it - a good frequency to start off with is is once a week. You can increase or decrease the frequency of deep conditioning as your hair needs or doesn't need it.
Protein Treatment - I do a Protein Treatment maybe once every 2 weeks to once a month to maintain a good moisture-protein balance. Be careful with protein! You don't want to overdo it because some people are protein sensitive. Start out with a mild protein like Aphogee 2 Minute Keratin Treatment to see if your hair likes it or not.
Low Manipulation Styling & Long Term Protective Styling - The Less often you manipulate your hair, the less opportunities you'll have to cause breakage i.e. more length retention. What you choose as a protective style really depends on the you as an individual. There are tonnes of options out there: twists plaits, braids, weaves wigs or just Bunning to name a few.
BE GENTLE - If you here "snap" when brushing combing or just finger detangling, you are being too rough. Be as gentle as possible. I start off with finger detangling followed by a wide tooth comb and then my Goody/Denman brush.
Baby your Ends - Your ends are the oldest part of your hair, they need tender love and care! They are more prone to dryness and damage than length of your hairs strands. Keeping them tucked away from the elements and away from rubbing on your clothes or car seat makes sure that you get to keep them for longer! :-) - NEVER FORGET to MOISTURIZE & SEAL!!! :-)
Hair Accessories - Avoid hair accessories that snag in the hair when putting it in or taking it out, keep breakage at bay! :-)
Manicured Nails! - Yep! Lots of people I know don't even consider this one much. But I've learned the hard way (as usual LOL) that you must keep your nails well manicured because chips here and there can snag and break you hair strands when combing/brushing/washing.
Satin/Silk Scarf/Pillow Case - cotton clothes/pillowcases/anything absorb moisture from your hair, making it dry and prone to breakage, so protect you hair when you go to sleep at nights by wearing a silk/satin scarf
Watch and listen to your hair!!! Watch and Listen to your hair carefully. With time and observation you'll known when it breaks most, and under what conditions (products or hairstyles) it thrives best. It takes a bit of time and effort but its worth it for sure!