Lyn´s hair really came a long way. This just proves that with proper care even damaged hair can be transformed into a fabulous head of healthy long hair. to find out more details on Lyn´s regimen please click here!
Are you relaxed or Natural?
In general I would say I am relaxed, but to be specific I am texlaxed. That means my hair is relaxed but not 100% straight it is slightly under processed
What is your hair type? Describe your curl pattern
My hair type is 4C. It is kinky, extremely coarse and generally resistant to relaxers that is why I am always texlaxed!
What was your starting length and what is your current one?
I started at neck length and I am now at Armpit length
Describe the status of your hair before you started your Healthy Hair Journey…
My hair was extremely damaged due to the fact that relaxed and colour treated my hair almost at the same time, and also due to some bad habits. Some bits were longer than others and I had stringy uneven ends.
What inspired you to start a HHJ and when was it?
After colouring my hair straight after a relaxer, I experienced severe and extreme breakage. I really didn’t want to chop off all my hair and start again so in desperation went on to the internet to see if I could find a way to stop the breakage and do some kind of repair work to my hair. Then I came across a hair blog. The lady that wrote that blog had long hair and what inspired me the most was that she had the same type of hair as mine and she was black like me! I saw a video of her hair journey and I was so inspired that I too can do this!
How easy was getting into a regimen, knowing the right products etc?
That was the most difficult thing in my hair journey. All the ladies I saw in the hair forums used products that are not available here in Africa. At the time I thought it was all about the products. I thought it’s the products that grow your hair so I battled quite a bit. At some point I got some friends to get me products from abroad, then I realised that this wasn’t very viable, I have to work with what I have got. So I started experimenting with local products and going by how they made my hair feel. I also read up a lot on which ingredients to look for and which ingredients to stay away from. I also spent hours in shops looking at ingredients on products and trying them out. I kept a diary where I updated myself on which products where working and which ones I wanted to try etc.
I still keep a diary actually it’s a notepad in my Blackberry!
Is this ‘regimen thing’ complicated?
At first it seems very complicated but once you get the hang of it , it makes your life so much easy. It’s really easy to take care of my hair right now because I have developed certain habits that I follow daily and weekly. It doesn’t feel like a chore or a big job to do anymore it comes as naturally as taking a shower! The word regimen makes it sound complicated but all it means is routine, things you do to your hair on a routine, daily or weekly
How soon into your HHJ did you start seeing results?
After three months I saw quite a big change in length but not really thickness.
After 6 months my hair was starting to get visibly thicker after a year I was getting positive compliments from people about how healthy my hair looked.
How long has it taken you to reach your current length?
It has taken me two years
Do you think what you achieved would be possible without learning the Proper techniques necessary to grow African hair long?
Never! To me technique is everything! Obviously there are some products that are better than others but there is no product that will grow your hair. It’s all about proper techniques and good habits.
Do you believe anyone who adapts the correct techniques can grow fabulous hair or is there such a thing as bad hair?
I really believe there is no such thing as bad hair all our hair is different but there is no type that is better than the other! I now believe that anyone can have exactly the hair that they long for
How many people have been inspired by the length you have gained and decided to start a HHJ?
Unfortunately most people think my hair looks good because I was born with good hair no matter what I tell them they believe that there is nothing that they can do to have good hair. The people that are close to me and have grown up with me are the ones most inspired by me and they know that I didn’t always have hair like this. One of the people who have been greatly inspired by me is my sister, here is what she has achieved with her hair.
Unfortunately people also believe that her hair looks good because it ‘runs in the family’. I don’t know how to convince people otherwise.
What is the most heart-felt advice you would give to other African ladies thinking about but not so sure about starting a HHJ?
If you think about it you bath everyday and you moisturise everyday. You cleanse tone and moisturise your face everyday, what stops you from also taking a few minutes to moisturise and seal your hair every day and washing it twice a week? Absolutely nothing. Those little habits are what are going to take you from the good hair that you already have, to great hair! There are no special formulas.
What would you advice a Newbie NOT to do?
If you are a newbie try not to jump onto every bandwagon you hear about if something doesn’t make sense don’t do it just because some people say it’s what works. Do only what makes sense to you.
So are you hoping to grow your hair to ankle length? What are your short term and long term goals?
Ha ha ha! no! Very fortunately my short term is also my long term goal as well. I do not intend to grow extremely long hair. I have a modest goal; I want only to get to a thick healthy Bra Strap Length. I think that length is perfect for me I think it will suit me and my style quite well. At the beginning of my hair journey I went into a wig shop and tried different styles and lengths of wigs and the one that reached bra strap length is the one suited me the most so Bra Strap length it is!
Thanks for sharing lyn!
Are you relaxed or Natural?
In general I would say I am relaxed, but to be specific I am texlaxed. That means my hair is relaxed but not 100% straight it is slightly under processed
What is your hair type? Describe your curl pattern
My hair type is 4C. It is kinky, extremely coarse and generally resistant to relaxers that is why I am always texlaxed!
What was your starting length and what is your current one?
I started at neck length and I am now at Armpit length
Describe the status of your hair before you started your Healthy Hair Journey…
My hair was extremely damaged due to the fact that relaxed and colour treated my hair almost at the same time, and also due to some bad habits. Some bits were longer than others and I had stringy uneven ends.
What inspired you to start a HHJ and when was it?
After colouring my hair straight after a relaxer, I experienced severe and extreme breakage. I really didn’t want to chop off all my hair and start again so in desperation went on to the internet to see if I could find a way to stop the breakage and do some kind of repair work to my hair. Then I came across a hair blog. The lady that wrote that blog had long hair and what inspired me the most was that she had the same type of hair as mine and she was black like me! I saw a video of her hair journey and I was so inspired that I too can do this!
How easy was getting into a regimen, knowing the right products etc?
That was the most difficult thing in my hair journey. All the ladies I saw in the hair forums used products that are not available here in Africa. At the time I thought it was all about the products. I thought it’s the products that grow your hair so I battled quite a bit. At some point I got some friends to get me products from abroad, then I realised that this wasn’t very viable, I have to work with what I have got. So I started experimenting with local products and going by how they made my hair feel. I also read up a lot on which ingredients to look for and which ingredients to stay away from. I also spent hours in shops looking at ingredients on products and trying them out. I kept a diary where I updated myself on which products where working and which ones I wanted to try etc.
I still keep a diary actually it’s a notepad in my Blackberry!
Is this ‘regimen thing’ complicated?
At first it seems very complicated but once you get the hang of it , it makes your life so much easy. It’s really easy to take care of my hair right now because I have developed certain habits that I follow daily and weekly. It doesn’t feel like a chore or a big job to do anymore it comes as naturally as taking a shower! The word regimen makes it sound complicated but all it means is routine, things you do to your hair on a routine, daily or weekly
How soon into your HHJ did you start seeing results?
After three months I saw quite a big change in length but not really thickness.
After 6 months my hair was starting to get visibly thicker after a year I was getting positive compliments from people about how healthy my hair looked.
How long has it taken you to reach your current length?
It has taken me two years
Do you think what you achieved would be possible without learning the Proper techniques necessary to grow African hair long?Never! To me technique is everything! Obviously there are some products that are better than others but there is no product that will grow your hair. It’s all about proper techniques and good habits.
Do you believe anyone who adapts the correct techniques can grow fabulous hair or is there such a thing as bad hair?
I really believe there is no such thing as bad hair all our hair is different but there is no type that is better than the other! I now believe that anyone can have exactly the hair that they long for
How many people have been inspired by the length you have gained and decided to start a HHJ?
Unfortunately most people think my hair looks good because I was born with good hair no matter what I tell them they believe that there is nothing that they can do to have good hair. The people that are close to me and have grown up with me are the ones most inspired by me and they know that I didn’t always have hair like this. One of the people who have been greatly inspired by me is my sister, here is what she has achieved with her hair.
Unfortunately people also believe that her hair looks good because it ‘runs in the family’. I don’t know how to convince people otherwise.What is the most heart-felt advice you would give to other African ladies thinking about but not so sure about starting a HHJ?
If you think about it you bath everyday and you moisturise everyday. You cleanse tone and moisturise your face everyday, what stops you from also taking a few minutes to moisturise and seal your hair every day and washing it twice a week? Absolutely nothing. Those little habits are what are going to take you from the good hair that you already have, to great hair! There are no special formulas.
What would you advice a Newbie NOT to do?
If you are a newbie try not to jump onto every bandwagon you hear about if something doesn’t make sense don’t do it just because some people say it’s what works. Do only what makes sense to you.
So are you hoping to grow your hair to ankle length? What are your short term and long term goals?
Ha ha ha! no! Very fortunately my short term is also my long term goal as well. I do not intend to grow extremely long hair. I have a modest goal; I want only to get to a thick healthy Bra Strap Length. I think that length is perfect for me I think it will suit me and my style quite well. At the beginning of my hair journey I went into a wig shop and tried different styles and lengths of wigs and the one that reached bra strap length is the one suited me the most so Bra Strap length it is!
Thanks for sharing lyn!
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