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My Natural Hair Journey: 1st Year Kinkaversary!

Wow! I can't believe how slowly and quickly this year of natural hair growth has gone by. Here are the second 6 months of my journey. In all, I blew out of my 1/2-inch TWA to well past collarbone length in just a few months.
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·8y
By
Shaune Arnold
1 Year Natural Hair Journey 4a: Big Chop, Length Check; Homage to the YT Naturalista - YouTube Natural Hair Journey, Big Chop, Hair Growth, Nature, Length Check, 1st Year, Natural Hair Growth, Hair Journey, Hair Goals
Natural Hair Journey
Big Chop
Hair Growth
Nature
Length Check
1st Year
Natural Hair Growth
Hair Journey
Hair Goals
1 Year Natural Hair Journey 3c/4a: Big Chop, Length Check
1 Year Natural Hair Journey 4a: Big Chop, Length Check; Homage to the YT Naturalista - YouTube
...aaaaand we're bringin' it home again...This is early November, just a couple of weeks before my First Kinkaversary. It's been an amazing journey and I can't wait to see Dorothy grown all the way out! Compare the size of this November wash-n-go with the August blowout. Also, peek back at the first pic on this board from June. Dorothy is shaped completely differently now. Growth!!!! 2016, here we come!! Wash N Go, Home Again, I Can't Wait, Cute Couple Pictures, Couple Pictures
Wash N Go
Home Again
I Can't Wait
Cute Couple Pictures
Couple Pictures
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...aaaaand we're bringin' it home again...This is early November, just a couple of weeks before my First Kinkaversary. It's been an amazing journey and I can't wait to see Dorothy grown all the way out! Compare the size of this November wash-n-go with the August blowout. Also, peek back at the first pic on this board from June. Dorothy is shaped completely differently now. Growth!!!! 2016, here we come!!
Whew! I was able to save this roller set in the nick of time! This is early September 2015, 10 months post-BC. You know, I've snapped more headbands in half than you can imagine. They just can't handle the job. Slackers! Hair, Natural Hair, Roller Set, Natural Hair Styles
Hair
Natural Hair
Roller Set
Natural Hair Styles
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Whew! I was able to save this roller set in the nick of time! This is early September 2015, 10 months post-BC. You know, I've snapped more headbands in half than you can imagine. They just can't handle the job. Slackers!
This is what it looked like when I took the bands out in early August 2015. Banding is the only way I can blow it out because it curls so riotously at the tips. The roots never mat. Just the tips! I remember looking at YouTube vids on finger-ONLY detangling. I ran to the mirror and cried, "Hey, Yeah!" My hair glared back at me and snarled, "Try me!!" Hey. Yeah. I've got a wide-toothed comb, and I'm not afraid to use it. This is some thick stuff! Try Me, Wide Tooth Comb, The Roots, Not Afraid, The Mirror
Try Me
Wide Tooth Comb
The Roots
Not Afraid
The Mirror
Entrepreneur Kickstarter Business Mastery Series
This is what it looked like when I took the bands out in early August 2015. Banding is the only way I can blow it out because it curls so riotously at the tips. The roots never mat. Just the tips! I remember looking at YouTube vids on finger-ONLY detangling. I ran to the mirror and cried, "Hey, Yeah!" My hair glared back at me and snarled, "Try me!!" Hey. Yeah. I've got a wide-toothed comb, and I'm not afraid to use it. This is some thick stuff!
I stretch Dorothy (yes, that's her name...as in Surrender, Dorothy!) perhaps once per month, just cuz she needs it. This was early August 2015 (9 months post-BC). Super gentle combing and banding feels so good...from my humming scalp all the way down to my toes. Is that weird? I feel like, for whatever reason, I'm CALLED to be natural at this time. Surrender Dorothy, Be Natural
Surrender Dorothy
Be Natural
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I stretch Dorothy (yes, that's her name...as in Surrender, Dorothy!) perhaps once per month, just cuz she needs it. This was early August 2015 (9 months post-BC). Super gentle combing and banding feels so good...from my humming scalp all the way down to my toes. Is that weird? I feel like, for whatever reason, I'm CALLED to be natural at this time.
August 1st, and I'm just over 9 months natural. The shrinkage is real, y'all. August 1st
August 1st
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August 1st, and I'm just over 9 months natural. The shrinkage is real, y'all.
Ooooooh! I recently upgraded my phone (notice the October pix are clearer??). I happened to look in the old phone and found the missing images from August and September (that's progress in the hands of an amateur, Honey!). I pinned those images above. Please forgive me for taking you backward to take you forward. This is July 12, 2015. I love my twists as an extended style, but this was much too short for my comfort. When they dried, they looked like little sticks. These lasted about a week. Hair Growth Progress, Please Forgive Me, Old Phone, July 12, Forgive Me
Hair Growth Progress
Please Forgive Me
Old Phone
July 12
Forgive Me
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Ooooooh! I recently upgraded my phone (notice the October pix are clearer??). I happened to look in the old phone and found the missing images from August and September (that's progress in the hands of an amateur, Honey!). I pinned those images above. Please forgive me for taking you backward to take you forward. This is July 12, 2015. I love my twists as an extended style, but this was much too short for my comfort. When they dried, they looked like little sticks. These lasted about a week.
...and this was me 1 day post Big Chop (November 23, 2014). You can see how I really gouged my hair at the front hairline (hence, the big bow in the other picture. I was trying to figure it out), and I had NO CLUE I had curly hair (can you imagine?...at my age?). This was truly an emotional Big Chop (you may recall my father died the day before). What a mess this was! I had more forehead, ears and nose than hair!! Father Died, Ayurvedic Hair, How To Get Thick, November 23
Father Died
Ayurvedic Hair
How To Get Thick
November 23
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...and this was me 1 day post Big Chop (November 23, 2014). You can see how I really gouged my hair at the front hairline (hence, the big bow in the other picture. I was trying to figure it out), and I had NO CLUE I had curly hair (can you imagine?...at my age?). This was truly an emotional Big Chop (you may recall my father died the day before). What a mess this was! I had more forehead, ears and nose than hair!!
Here's a throwback picture for perspective on my journey. This was Thanksgiving Day, 2014, EXACTLY 1 year to the day prior to my high puff picture. My bow was bigger than my 1-inch hair (it shrank down to a 1/2-inch TWA)! It grew about 8 inches during my first year as a Naturalista...with trims, on my Kinkaversary Day, it was about 7 1/2 inches long all over. I trimmed about 1 1/2 inches over the course of the year. High Puff, Throwback Pictures, My First Year, First Year
High Puff
Throwback Pictures
My First Year
First Year
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Here's a throwback picture for perspective on my journey. This was Thanksgiving Day, 2014, EXACTLY 1 year to the day prior to my high puff picture. My bow was bigger than my 1-inch hair (it shrank down to a 1/2-inch TWA)! It grew about 8 inches during my first year as a Naturalista...with trims, on my Kinkaversary Day, it was about 7 1/2 inches long all over. I trimmed about 1 1/2 inches over the course of the year.
Well, it took a year, but I finally achieved a real, true high puff. My hair grew so fast this year that I didn't bother to update my social media and website pictures. If I blow-dry and flat iron my hair (which I won't as I'm 1 1/2 years into a 3 year no heat journey), it's already back at my shoulders again. I'm REALLY excited to begin my second year as a naturalista. This is such an amazing journey, and I thank you for sharing it with me! Happy Kinkaversary (November 22, 2015)! Website Pictures, No Heat, I Thank You, Blow Dry
Website Pictures
No Heat
I Thank You
Blow Dry
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Well, it took a year, but I finally achieved a real, true high puff. My hair grew so fast this year that I didn't bother to update my social media and website pictures. If I blow-dry and flat iron my hair (which I won't as I'm 1 1/2 years into a 3 year no heat journey), it's already back at my shoulders again. I'm REALLY excited to begin my second year as a naturalista. This is such an amazing journey, and I thank you for sharing it with me! Happy Kinkaversary (November 22, 2015)!
Here are my kinks and curls, completely dry in mid-November 2015. It's funny how the top and sides of my hair have very little shrinkage (looser curls), and yet the back shrinks up by almost 70% (tight curls). It's the same length all over my head (about an inch from arm-pit length), and yet it's shaped like a mushroom. You know, as time passes, more and more...this is my mother's face! Loose Curls, Tight Curls, It's Funny, More And More, My Hair
Loose Curls
Tight Curls
It's Funny
More And More
My Hair
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Here are my kinks and curls, completely dry in mid-November 2015. It's funny how the top and sides of my hair have very little shrinkage (looser curls), and yet the back shrinks up by almost 70% (tight curls). It's the same length all over my head (about an inch from arm-pit length), and yet it's shaped like a mushroom. You know, as time passes, more and more...this is my mother's face!
Yep! My wash n go's are neat and predictable. I know that looks like a glop of product in my hair. It's actually a jeweled hair clip. Jeweled Hair, Hair Clip
Jeweled Hair
Hair Clip
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Yep! My wash n go's are neat and predictable. I know that looks like a glop of product in my hair. It's actually a jeweled hair clip.
THIS is why you never see me in twist outs. They always come out looking CRAZY! This unfortunate incident occurred on November 1, 2015. It became my first true high puff. Twist Outs, November 1, See Me
Twist Outs
November 1
See Me
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THIS is why you never see me in twist outs. They always come out looking CRAZY! This unfortunate incident occurred on November 1, 2015. It became my first true high puff.
Yay! We got this stuff up into ONE SINGLE PONY PUFFER by the end of October! This is pure excitement!! The End, Puffer
The End
Puffer
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Yay! We got this stuff up into ONE SINGLE PONY PUFFER by the end of October! This is pure excitement!!
Yikes! All of my images from August and September corrupted as I uploaded them from my phone, so I have just 2 pics here from June and July, then flash forward to October 2015...so here I am in early October 2015. This stuff is really starting to fill out. And July, My Phone, My Images
And July
My Phone
My Images
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Yikes! All of my images from August and September corrupted as I uploaded them from my phone, so I have just 2 pics here from June and July, then flash forward to October 2015...so here I am in early October 2015. This stuff is really starting to fill out.