Yep, I definitely need to get a trim!

Good morning there y'all. I trust everyone had a good weekend. I envy everyone that was on vacation during December. I was part of the dreaded skeleton staff and thus, although it is only February, I am exhausted, drained and not very motivated about anything in my life right now because I am simply too bloody tired. I haven't had any true time off since December 2012 and 2013 was a tough year in general. I can't wait for the weekend of 21 March. 21 March is our Independence day and thus a public holiday, which to us means a lovely 3 day weekend!! And I NEED it! 

Regardless, being on my hair journey, I know that I should not be neglecting my hair just because I'm in need of some R&R, so yesterday I did a wash day which included a length check, and people, I am going to get a trim, very very soon. (I just need to work it into my calendar and my budget) My hair feels nice, but my ends need to be evened out, otherwise I am never going to hit BSL by the end of this year. Right now I am grazing APL, ever ever so slightly. So any trim is going to take my back to barely collar bone length, but I can see that if I don't do it, my raggedy ends will not allow me to reach APL in the first place. 

Okay, so here's the recount of my wash day yesterday:

1. Pree-poo/dry deep condition - I mixed up Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Conditioner and Amla oil and applied it to my dry, detangled hair, in a total of six sections. I twisted each section after applying the mix to prevent any tangling while I work. I then covered my hair with a plastic cap and left it on for a good 4 hours. Yep, FOUR hours!! Which is why it ended up being a prepoo and deep condition combo. 
2. Shampooed with Tresemme Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo. I lathered up twice, making sure to concentrate on my scalp and not the length of my hair. This shampoo is definitely a staple, and I will need to repurchase soon, I think I only have about two uses left in that bottle (which I bought more than four months ago!! Talk about value for money!)
3. Instant conditioned and finger detangled with TCB Bone Straight. This conditioner is a jack of all trades. It works as an instant conditioner, a deep conditioner and a leave in. It is an amazing product and CHEAP, costing less than N$30 (about US$3) for a 500ml bottle. 
4. Wrapped my hair in my softest towel for a few minutes before applying my leave ins of Avon Moisture IQ Leave In Treatment and MoroccanOil Treatment, and then proceeded to rollerset. Whilst I was rollersetting I realised that the last 3 inches of my hair is extremely highly porous. I had to constantly spray it with my waterspritz (water, a little bit of Dark&Lovely Moisturizing Spritz and a little bit of Tresemme Naturals Conditioner) because it dried really fast, AS I'm busy rolling in my hair. I then also realised that it is the hair that I STARTED with when I began this journey and thus the oldest, least healthy, most damaged hair on my head. It is THEN that my hair actually screamed to me - CUT THOSE ENDS OFF!
5. I let my hair air dry in the rollers as I planned to whip out the flat iron because I wanted to do a proper length check, as my hair journey turn two years old last week, the 5th of February. (forgot to do an anniversary post, last week was quite busy at work, and when I got home from the gym in the evenings I would be so exhausted that I would pass out straight after dinner.)
6. I took out the rollers and then proceeded to flat iron. Luckily both my leave ins are also heat protectants. Regardless I flat ironed in small sections to ensure that I just do one quick pass on each section with the iron. 
7. After taking a pic of my hair I saw that its general state is healthy and shiny, but my ends need help. A good friend of mine's sister in law goes to a stylist that is NOT scissor happy, according to her accounts. This stylist is apparently also more concerned with the health of your hair than the styling of it. I am going to get this lady's number and make an appointment for a trim to simply even out the back. Anyhoo, after taking the pic, I cross wrapped my hair and put on my satin scarf and went to bed after a mini Pirates of the Caribbean marathon (Curse of the Black Pearl and Dead Man's Chest. I LOVE me some Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in these movies! Savvy?!)

So...here's where I am now ladies. Longer than CBL, barely (though not quite quite) grazing APL, and the ends (about half an inch to an inch, I refuse to lose more than an inch at this time) has to go!!

I must mention though - I never thought I would see the day that my hair is so long that it completely covers my tattoo!! (I love my ink though! I just never thought I would have hair that actually covers it!)

Anyway, I'm hoping to get that trim by this coming weekend (because then I will have my car back!!!! And I can move around much more freely! I really am not the biggest fan of cabs. As Sandra Bullock said in Speed whilst taking the bus, before the bomb was armed - "I love my car. I MISS my car!") Once I get that done I will update everyone on exactly where I stand. In the meantime, I am going to UP the moisturizing, baggying my ends every night (they NEED it) and protective styling. Any other advice ladies?

Hope everyone has a good Monday, with no blues, and a terrific week to come!

Blessed week everyone, and happy growing.