[ALove4Me Extreme Hair Growth Challenge] My Planned Regimen

Greetings!

Thanks so much for visiting this blog!

Below I go into great detail about the regimen steps, products, and tools I’ve chosen in order to participate in the ALove4Me Extreme Hair Growth Challenge. The reason I thought so deeply about this: As I discussed in the previous post, I might be losing a significant amount of hair when I go in this month for a trim and shaping. If so, I’m really going to miss those inches. Bra-strap length hair has been easier to handle, and I’ve been loving rocking textured hair that frames my face.

Because this post is a little lengthy, I’ve included a table of contents, so to speak, that you can click on and return to in order to better navigate this post. I hope you enjoy this post! 🙂

NOTE: Here’s a slideshow for your previewing pleasure that captures much of the content of this post:

The list below contains the topics I discuss in this post. PLEASE CLICK ANY TOPIC ITEM BELOW IF YOU DESIRE TO JUMP STRAIGHT TO MY DISCUSSION OF IT. Otherwise, feel free to read this post from top to bottom without jumping around.

Post Contents:

• Regimen Overview
• My Approach for Maximizing Retention and Growth During the Challenge
• My Regimen Calendar
• The Regimen Explained in Detailed Steps
• Planned Hair Products for Implementing the Regimen
• Planned Hair Tools for Implementing the Regimen
• Regimens from YouTube / Websites That Influenced My Regimen Design

Regimen Overview

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

Every Three (3) Weeks

• Protein treatment

Every Week

• Wash and treat hair
• Install and wear a stretched, tangle-resistant hairstyle

For Maintenance During the Week Between Weekly Wash-and-Style Days

• Massage scalp with stimulating hair growth oil every other day (i.e., on “A” days)
• Lubricate ends every other day (i.e., on “B” days)
• For overnight protection of the hair and preservation of the hairstyle, pineapple or band the hair and wear a hair sock over the hair

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

My Approach for Maximizing Retention and Growth During the Challenge

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

• FOR GROWTH: Massage the scalp with a stimulating hair growth oil every other day.
• FOR RETENTION: Keep the hair stretched and tangle-free between weekly wash-and-style days.
• FOR RETENTION: Minimize tension on the hair during detangling.
• FOR RETENTION: Minimize tension on hair during styling.
• FOR RETENTION: Maintain moisture-protein balance (stay ahead of dryness; reinforce strength of my naturally highly porous hair with protein).
• FOR RETENTION: Lubricate the hair’s ends every other day.

I’m also on the hunt for a marine collagen powder that contains vitamin C (this supports the body’s uptake of the collagen), Cynatine HNS, and hyaluronic acid.

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

My Regimen Calendar for the Extreme Hair Growth Challenge

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

Achia, the host of the ALove4Me Extreme Growth Hair Challenge, has prompted participants to put their regimen tasks on a calendar. I created a dedicated Google Calendar to do this, and it took very little time. It’s embedded below.

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

Detailed Steps of My Regimen for the Challenge

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

Washing and Treating (Weekly)

1. Prepoo (with either a cowash or a deep conditioner):
   1. Finger detangle roots,
   2. fully finger detangle ends, and
   3. gently twist hair up into 6-8 chunky twists.
2. Apply scalp exfoliant, then pin twists atop head.
3. Steam hair for 10-20 minutes, if prudent.
4. Detangle section by section with the Felicia Leatherwood brush (no need to retwist up each section), placing a small Goody Updo Barrette at the root of each section once the section’s been detangled.
5. In the shower: Cleanse hair section by section, removing shed hair. Gently retwist up the sections along the way.
6. At the bathroom sink:
   • Every third (3rd) week apply the Aphogee two-step treatment.
   • Otherwise, apply the Soultanicals Rice Tonic treatment.
   • Details: Apply each treatment section by section to scalp and hair. Gently retwist along the way. Let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse out at kitchen sink.
7. For each section, apply deep conditioner and then apply a sealing oil mixture on top of the DC, gently retwisting along the way. Steam in deep conditioner for 30-60 minutes. With cool to cold water, rinse deep conditioner out at kitchen sink.
8. Oil ends.
9. If the hairstyle calls for a leave-in, apply leave-in section by section. Brush the leave-in through each section, gently twisting up the hair along the way.
10. Oil scalp with scalp stimulating oil (no need to do a scalp massage on wash day).
11. IF THERE IS NOW NO TIME TO INSTALL STYLE, wear hair in twists under wig and plan to style the next day.

Styling (Weekly)

(NOTE: Styling can either be done on the same day as washing and treating . . . OR on a subsequent, second day #2 if needed or prudent)

1. Section by section, remoisten hair if need be and apply styler.
2. Install chosen hair style and dry hair under the dry or let air dry.
3. Style hair and wear.

Possible Schedule of Hairstyles:

• Week 1: Stretched twist out.
• Week 2: Stretched wash and go.
• Week 3: Bantu knot out on waveformer-stretched hair.
• Week 4: Stretched twist out.
• Week 5 if applicable: Stretched wash and go.

Maintenance and Protection

1. Preserve hair style and protect overnight with hair pineappled or banded in a hair sock.
2. Every other day on “A” days, oil scalp with a scalp stimulating oil and electronic scalp massager.
3. Every other day on “B” days, oil ends.
4. PROTEIN TREATMENT: Every 3rd week, do a protein treatment instead of the rice tonic treatment.

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

Hair Products for My Regimen for the Challenge

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

Detangling “Prepoo” (Either a Cowash or Deep Conditioner)	— Soultanicals SPROUT Rice Vitamin Butta Shampoo OR — Shea Moisture High Porosity masque
Cleansing Product(s)	— Cowash: Soultanicals SPROUT Rice Vitamin Butta Shampoo — Detangling shampoo: Miche CLEANSED — Scalp cleanser/exfoliant: Cantu Apple Cider Vinegar Root Rinse — Shampoo: Olaplex Shampoo
Protein/Strengthening Treatment(s)	— Soultanicals SPROUT Follicular Tonic — Aphogee Hair Strengthening Kit (2-step) (only every 3rd week)
Deep Conditioner	— Shea Moisture Manuka Honey masque (under Soultanicals Knot Dressing oil or olive oil) — Miche INDULGE Deep Conditioner
Combing, Moisturizing Product	— Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Leave-in (great especially when applied in the shower) — Miche LAVISHED Leave-in OR — Curl Origin Triple Moisture Butter
Growth and Retention Boosting Product(s)	— Soultanicals Bloom Supa Potent Hair Growth Oil — Soultanicals Follicular Rice Water Tonic
Stretching and Setting Product(s)	— ion Humidity Defying Gel Spray (tiny amount per section) — Lotta Body Setting Lotion
Styling Product(s)	Twist/Braid Out Product: — The Mane Choice Pink Lemonade & Coconut Mousse OR — Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Twisting Souffle Bantu Knot Out Product: — The Mane Choice Pink Lemonade & Coconut Mousse OR — Soultanicals Total Recoil Butter (water-free)
Curl Setting Products (for a Wash and Go)	— Curl Origin Triple Moisture Butter OR — Miche LAVISH Leave-in AND/OR — Miche QUENCHED Hydrating Butter — Bronner Brothers Firm Hold Curling Gel OR — Soultanicals Supa Hold Gel
Slicking and Fly-Away Product(s)	— Curls Blueberry Paste — Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

Hair Tools for My Regimen for the Challenge

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

Tools When Prepooing and Detangling

• spray bottle for holding water
• hair clips to aid in sectioning hair on wash day
• Felicia Leatherwood Brush (for detangling)
• hair scissors for clipping out single strand knots
• optional: 6-8 of the small Goody Ouchless Updo Barrettes for sectioning hair to prevent the need for so much retwisting (manipulation/handling) on wash day
• optional: standing hair steamer (uses distilled water)

Tools for Treating the Hair

• plastic processing cap
• optional: standing hair steamer (uses distilled water)
• optional: standing hair dryer
• towel to dry the hair
• wig to wear over twists at the end of wash day, in case it’s more prudent to install the week’s hair style later (even the next day)

Tools for Styling

• rat tail comb to create center or side part (for styling)
• 15 – 24 of either the tiniest sized claw clips OR bobby pins (for pinning twists around head to result in a stretched twist out)
• yellow perm rod to add to the ends of twists for the twist out
• waveformers for stretching hair for a subsequent style installation
• optional: standing hair dryer

Tools for Weekly and Overnight Maintenance

• Goody Ouchless seamless hair ties [note: I used the ones labeled as the athletic hair ties] (for pineappling the hair overnight and for protective styling the hair into ponytailed braid with the ends banded)
• hair sock (to protect the hair and to preserve the hairstyle overnight)
• optional: electronic scalp massager (otherwise, one can simply use one’s fingers)

Regimens from Youtube / Websites That Influenced My Regimen Design

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

Jump Up to the Post Contents List

That’s It! How Do You Maximize Your Growth and Retention?

Phew! That was a lot of detail. So how do you maximize your growth and retention? Is there a YouTuber or someone else who has taught you a lot about growth and retention? Please feel free to share in the comments your length gains tips, tools, products, hairstyles, supplements, etc. I’d love to hear from you! 🙂

Many blessings! ❤

Yours,

Yvette