TND Bun Challenge Reflection and Simple Routine for Bunning Natural Hair

Having taken a short break from the majority of social media, I would like to update you all on the TND Bun Challenge that ended yesterday. Since I was taking a break, unfortunately I did not take very many photos. In addition, I didn't really go anywhere besides work, where I see no one, so I threw my hair up into a top knot, no gel, no scarf to slick my edges, I was just trying to make sure the hair was up and I was keeping up with the challenge. Needless to say, this style wasn't exactly photo material. Nevertheless, I did find the challenge to be very effective. My hair was kept stretched and my ends off my shoulders. I did not take a before and after photo, however, being that the challenge was only a few weeks I was not expecting to visually see growth or length retention. I do intend to continue incorporating bunning into my routine, although not consecutively, during the fall and winter seasons. Below is the routine I use when bunning my hair. It is a simple routine that can be done by anyone and modified to fit your specific needs. Hope you find this helpful.

Natural Hair Brunch Affair

As I have been natural for almost 5 years now, I've settled in so much so that I've grown somewhat bored with "natural hair events". I mean, ultimately I'd like us to get to a point where natural hair is so normal that it doesn't have to be talked about so much, but I know that day isn't likely to come anytime soon. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm I've had for the movement has diminished. I love my hair more than ever, but I don't always feel the need to shout that from the rooftops. Mine is a quiet, yet genuine love. And while the product junkie in me always will want to try new things, and I still scour YouTube and Instagram for style ideas, it'd been a while since I'd attended a "natural hair meetup" My good friend Ashley (@deepimpact403) encouraged me to attend the Natural Hair Brunch affair hosted by the sisters behind the Instagram page Natural Hair Does Care. Having followed their page, and never wanting to turn down brunch, I decided to bite the bullet and pay the $45 to attend. I must say that it is was $45 well spent. 

Winter Is Coming...

Winter is coming... and so are cracked skin and dry lips. And while you may be tempted to pull out the Chapstick, there are some alternatives to consider. 

Curls Passion Fruit Curl Control Paste

The #TNDBunChallenge is still going on! Today I'm showcasing one of my FAVORITE products for slicking down your edges. 

TND Bun Challenge Day 1

What If I'm Not Natural?

This challenge is NOT limited to natural hair. #teamrelaxed (and those with naturally straight hair) are welcome. As fall and winter approach and y'all (cuz it ain't cold here lol) pull out the blazers and pea coats, remember how damaging they can be to your hair if it's in between shoulder and arm pit length. Bunning the hair can be beneficial no matter the hair texture because it helps keeps your ends off your shoulders. And if you do live in a colder climate tucking your ends away help them not be subjected to the harsh environment. So this is bit just a #naturalhair challenge it's an #allhair challenge. Let me know in the comments if you'll be joining 

Why is the bun challenge so short?

So you may be asking why is this challenge only 21 days. Wellllllll, the way my ADD is set up... Lol. Seriously. I see 6 month, year long challenges all the time. They seem like good ideas sure. But ain't nobody got time for that. Lol. Just kidding. Hey if it works for you great. I just know myself. I always start things like that and don't finish them. I've learned it's better to set smaller attainable goals and accomplish them and move on to something else. Also, I can get bored with my hair very easily and I can't imagine wearing the same hairstyle over and over for so long. So, I intend to do a series of challenges that range from no more than a month (brace yourselves wearing my hair straight. Yes straight hair can be a protective style. Spare me the naziism. But more about this later) to two months (ex. Braids, Havana twists). I think the best thing about being natural is the versatility. I didn't start wearing my hair in it's natural state to put limits on what I can do with it. Natural hair = freedom 

One more thing... a lot of you mentioned that you already have your hair in another style and won't be able to do it on the dates I provided. Well that's totally ok. You don't have to do those specific dates. You can complete this challenge at any time. Just make sure you do it for at least 21 days. Annnddd be sure to keep me posted on your results! The best way to do this is to post on Instagram and use the official hashtag for the challenge #TNDbunchallenge 

21 day bun challenge!

So despite what my photos on Instagram indicate, because I choose to wear my hair in super curly styles, my hair has grown. To the point that now my twist outs (done without any rods) hang on my shoulders. This is great, however at this point wearing my hair out could lead to breakage as it rests on the shoulders of sweaters and jackets. I really want to see my hair get over this little hump. Furthermore, having colored my hair and seeing my roots grow out but my hair not getting as long as it should I want to really make sure I'm retaining all the length that I can. I actually have 4 colors in my head right now, but this will be key in determining how much my hair is growing and how much I'm retaining. My roots will show the rate at which my hair is growing. The blonde tips, should they "go away" which I am praying they do not, will show me how much length I'm retaining. At no other point in my natural hair journey has length been my focus. The length my hair is now, if it never got any longer that would be ok. In fact, I have lots of hair plans in my future including a second big chop and have contemplated pics. I am honestly just curious to see how long my hair could actually grow. I have never really had "long growing" hair, so it will be interesting to see how that goes. There will be 3 phases to my growth challenge but the first is bunning. To keep this post short (well shorter lol), I will explain why in a future post, but i'd like you all to join me. The challenge isn't just about growth but also low manipulation protective styling. Whatever your goals are, this can benefit you. If you are interested comment below. I'll post other info and rules in the coming days.