Here are some pics for the year I will try to mention them by seasons or at least by month just to give you an idea of when I took them.

Going to chronicle my 2008 results for all to see. Please feel free to check out my links list also.

I have decided that the majority of my the products I use for my hair will products will be Ayurvedic hair products. I have been using some of them since November and I have never had the results I am having with my hair ever in my life.

I guess you could call this my Ayurvedic Products Challenge, anyone care to join?

I am cleaning out my cabinets of almost all the commerical products because they just don't work on my natural very kinky hair like the powders and oils I have been getting from the Indian store, www.hennasooq.com and www.fromnaturewithlove.com. I understand that this is a good place for quality henna and indigo also: www.mehndiskinart.com/hair_henna_dye.htm.

So I am going to be more streamline with what I use. I have decided to create one album on my fotki to doing this while I am on the protective style challenge.

The items I have so far are
oils - Almla, Bhringraj, Vatika
powders - Bhringraj, Amla, Aritha, Shikaki,
Henna and Indigo

When I am in my protective style I am going to brew a tea from the Amla and Bhringraj and put this in my conditioners until they are all gone and use in my daily spritzing of my hair for moisture.

My cleansing agents will be Shikakai or Aritha since that is what they are used for in India on women's hair. I have also found a soap from Qhemets Bilogics call Soap of Alep - (Very good stuff)

When my hair is down from the protective style I will do the following including the baggie method or a twst/twistout:
Washing - Shikaki Soap
Coconut, Amla and Castor Oil - Deep oil treatment
Shikaki Soap until then use Shikaki powder

Mix Shikaki and amla powder
Brew brami powder (because of sticks in it)
Boil bhringraj to a juice (use as water for shikaki powder)
Mix until a paste.
Leave on my hair for 20 minutes to 2 hours or more then rinse completely and either go into the baggie method or back into a protective style

As of August I switched up my wash routine, I am placing a low ph shampoo with low sudsing and amla oil, olive oil or camellia oil with water together shaking it until it foams place it in my hair braid it and then letting that sit on my head under a conditioning cap for at least an hour.

The results have been positive for me. The hair is not stripped of oils and I just rinse it and condition.

I have also combined an oiling routine recommended by Sereca at LHCF. You wash or cowash as usual then place some type of oil in the hair like you are washing it. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes while in the shower or up to 2 hours if not in the shower then rinse and condition like you normally would. I am not sure why this works but it make the hair softer and it cuts down on the detangling. It works for me so I will continue to use it.

These pictures are taken during the winter of '06-'07 of the different styles to give my hair the protection it needs to gain length and strength. I have found my hair type friends on Nappturality.com. It looks like we will call ourselves CNapps as is cotton naps, because that is exactly what my hair looks like "ebony cotton" LOL

Was able to create this and thought it would be good to place it here.

Pictures of growth for the year

Hair growth during this year

Here are some of the tools I have used or am using. This year I am going to be using most of these a lot less except for those items to part my hair during the protective style for this year.

My goal is to get enough length by end of year that I can put my hair in a french bun in the back or place one large tooth hair clamp to grab all of it....sound familiar. Well yes it is. I want enough length to be able to do what Kemi21 has shown in some of her shots.