My Protective Styling Challenge - Week 1

Hey,

So, I've decided that I'm going on a protective styling challenge to grow and retain as much hair as possible till the end of June.

I normally keep my hair in flat braids for 5 days a week, deep condition every Friday night till Saturday morning, wash on Saturday, rock a beautiful puff on Sunday and head back to flat braids by Sunday night. With this challenge, I am still deep conditioning on Fridays and washing on Saturdays however, my hair's staying in the flat braids (with the hair twisted from the point at which it lifts off my scalp. I haven't kept braids in my hair since my first few months going natural (transitioning) so this is new for me. However, I guess I'm doing a pretty good job with it. Here are some of the things I've done so far that are working pretty well (by the way, I started this challenge last Sunday):

• When the flyaways get a little too much, I get some BeeMine curly butter onto my hair and tie a scarf down onto it. That does the trick and lays all the flyaways down making my hair look as good as new. (This is what I do on week days).
• I co-wash between the week using the BeeMine BeeLovely Conditioner. (This means that I wash twice a week now, but the second wash is strictly a co-wash while the Saturday wash alternates between a sulfate-free shampoo wash and a co-wash).
• After co-washing, I tie a scarf over my hair till I need to leave the house (school).
• On Friday, I take down only the twisted bits of my hair then I deep condition with coconut oil, olive oil and honey. This is because they're easier to wash out that things like avocado (plus, I did an avocado deep conditioning treatment last weekend).
• On Saturday, I wash out my hair with the Tresemme Naturals Silicone-Free Conditioner then I search for build up. If I find any, I wash with my BeeMine Botanicals Shampoo (sulfate free) then condition with the BeeMine BeeLovely Conditioner.
• After washing, I get some WonderCurl 'Butter than love pudding' onto my hair (good stuff!) then a tad (teeny-weeny) bit of shea butter onto my hair especially the ends.
• I hold up the ends with an ouchless band then I tie a scarf bun-style on my hair and leave it on till my hair is fully dry.
• When my hair is fully dry (and I'm ready to take down the scarf), I redo the twists, but instead of each braid being twisted at the ends, I twist the ends of two braids together then hold them together and hide my ends using an ouchless band. 

My results: My hair looking as good as new with zero flyaways.


I just might be able to keep these braids in for 3 weeks :)

~Samantha :)
(haha! I used my full name for the first time on here)

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Do any of you want to join me in this challenge?

It like a growth challenge.

So, if you're interested, comment below and say something like, "I'm in" :)