Hair

Take Back Your Hair Challenge: 2011 Edition
Subscriber Results

June 1st marked the end of this year's Take Back Your Hair Challenge. I shared my results in the TBYHC 2011 Edition Wrap Up post. Well ladies and gents, today is the day I'm going to share the results achieved by some of my subbies who participated this time around.

First up, we have the lovely Ebony, who is rocking a thick, gorgeous fro. Here are her before and after photos, followed by a description of her experience, as told in her own words:

Before

After

"The day you announced the challenge I had just done a blowout/braidout, so I counted that as my first heat use. My goal for the challenge was to work more with my curls because I wear a lot of twistouts and braidouts. I also wanted to get more disciplined with my regimen.

I took the first challenge in 2009 when I was 2 months into my transition and it was seamless. I think because I was so excited about the transition it was fun, but I feel you this time about those deep conditioning treatments. It was so much harder for me this time to factor them in. I can also see some growth around the edges! I was wearing a bonnet with an elastic band on it and it was too small for my head, so I think it was rubbing against my edges and causing breakage. I purchased a larger bonnet with the thick cloth band and it really helped.

I ended the challenge the same way I began: with a blowout/braidout! Thank you so much for these challenges! It's good to know that somewhere someone's on the exact same journey you're on. Keep 'em coming!!!"

Next up, we have Ursula_c. You can keep up with her fabulous curls on her YouTube channel under the screenname Yuh8nme1982. Below are her comparison photos and a description of her results:

"Thank you so much for having this challenge. It was a 'real' challenge. I had so much fun. This challenge has really gotten me into researching different essential oils and deep conditioners. Besides the no heat challenge, I also started taking more vitamins and doing scalp massages. Although this wasn't part of the challenge, I also started exercising again and watching my diet. With this combo I have gained a little bit of length and some motivation that had left me for a minute to just get my health game back on track. Thank you so much for the challenge.

P.S. Did I mention I trimmed my hair for the first time (me, myself, and I) in the after photos. not too shabby. I took some pointers from one of your videos and added my own lil' twist."

And last but not least, we have the fabulous tweety67454. This young diva used this challenge as an opportunity to get her hair back on a healthy track and complete her transition from relaxed to natural. Get the deets after viewing these before and after photos:

Before

After

"On May 21, 2010, I decided that would be my last relaxer. I wanted to transition instead of doing the big chop. In the first picture, which was taken on March 1st, the first day of the challenge, I put my hair in a bun. The 2nd picture is what my hair looked like after I straightened it for a date. After wearing the straight style for 3 weeks, I washed it and was tired of looking at my stringy relaxed ends.

I cut all of my relaxed ends on April 26, 2011. I'm rocking a twistout in the third and fourth pictures, and on May 6, 2011, I straightened it. So just like you, my mini hair journey was not about length but rather the health of my hair."

So, that's it for this year's TBYHC. I know that a lot more of you out there participated, based on comments left under the "Take Back Your Hair" Challenge: 2011 Edition video, but apparently there were only three souls brave enough to share their results. It's all good though. I just hope that those of you who did participate achieved the results you desired. Until the next challenge...

XOXO