Create Your Own Length-Check Shirt!

Creativity is in my blood, and I truly believe that it runs on both sides of my family. A huge part of my love for crafting is the fact that I have the ability to make certain things instead of spending money to get them. I was not willing to spend money on a length check shirt simply because there are better things I could use that money for and, I really just wanted to make my own. 😁

The other day, I was going over some old clothes that I planned to add to the "Goodwill" bag to donate, and I came across a tie-dye shirt I designed in 2014 at the daycare I used to work at. It was my first time ever doing tie-dye and my co-workers and I had fun creating our own shirts as well as shirts for the kiddies.

This was right after it dried in the sun. The colors were so vibrant!

As you can see, the tie-dye had faded considerably since then. I didn't want to donate the shirt because it reminded me of the amazing experiences I had while working at the daycare, and that's when I decided that it would be perfect for a DIY length check shirt. There's always a variety of craft items in my house at any given time, so I did not have to go out to buy any supplies. If you're planning on doing this yourself, you'll need a t-shirt, a ruler, masking tape, acrylic paint, some cosmetic sponges and of course, paint brushes. 

I created the measuring tool on the back of the shirt according to the average length check chart. In order to get the most accurate measurement, I had my sister help me mark my armpit, my bra strap, the middle of my back, my waist, my tailbone and my hip.

Before you paint anything, make sure to put a piece of cardboard in between the shirt to prevent the paint from bleeding onto the front of the shirt. I forgot while doing the first application but the bleeding isn't too visible on the front. I then used masking tape as a stencil for the lines. I made sure that the edges were as smooth as possible to prevent the paint from seeping underneath the tape, and I used the cosmetic sponge to paint each line. Two coats were enough for me since I used black paint.

Next came the best part: peeling off the tape. Look at those crisp lines!  

Instead of painting the acronyms for each measurement, I decided at the last minute to apply some rhinestone letters for a more glamorous look. 

Although I consider myself to be a perfectionist, I was surprisingly excited to paint my own designs and motivational messages by hand. I also did it by hand because I didn't have letter stencils. So the perfectionist in me said...

Here's the final product!

As for the front of the shirt, I'll be using the blank space to mark my progress each month as well as my length in inches. Since I've recently hit collarbone length, I marked the month and length. This progress is amazing considering I was past armpit length with my relaxed hair not too long ago. I'll regain that length and more in no time!

This DIY was so much fun to do and I can't wait to track my hair growth until I hit hip length one day. Getting there will take years to accomplish but I'm determined to grow healthy natural hair and enjoy the results of my hard work.

Thank you so much for reading and let me know if you plan to create your own length check shirt. Take a picture and post it to my Facebook page or to Instagram using the hashtag hairhealthandheart so that I can see your awesome creations. ¡Adiós, chicas!

Rice Water Rinse Update

Welcome to April, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend and I'm wishing you an awesome week ahead. If you saw my update on Facebook and Instagram, you'll know that I took an unexpected hiatus last week. I've been very busy with school and work, and as much as I would like to shell out a post every day that's just not possible with my daily schedule. But it is what it is. 

I am so excited to give you my thoughts on using the rice water rinse because of the amazing benefits I've been noticing so far. I added this to my hair regimen almost two months ago after stumbling upon an article about the Yao women of Huangluo Hongyao village in China, who use fermented rice water to aid hair growth and to keep their hair manageable and black well into their octogenarian years. You can read more about their interesting traditions here. 

Although I was amazed that all these women had hair that touched the floor, I was honestly very skeptical. So I did more research on the benefits of using fermented rice water on the hair. Rice water has amazing benefits for both the hair and skin, full of antioxidants, minerals; and it is known to restore damaged hair, protect it from further damage and improves elasticity. But what rice water contains most importantly, is the carbohydrate Inositol, which has long-lasting effects on the hair even after rinsing. 

Since I've been rinsing with rice water, I've noticed a huge difference in manageability and softness. Guys, my hair is so soft! And it no longer feels dry when I wear my hair in twists for the week. I've also recently noticed that the shine in my hair has been slowly restored. While everyone does their own rice water recipe differently, here's the recipe that I custom made for myself. 

Now, I just don't use any old cheap rice that you pick up at the store. I chose to buy this organic brown rice from my local bulk store because I know that I'll be using it for my hair. 

I don't want to use just any rice that may contain pesticides, but it may be more economical to use the cheaper kind if you're just using it for your hair. I typically start the process the day before wash day to allow the mixture to ferment. Some people may choose to let it ferment for two days but one day is good enough for me. I use probably a 3/4 cup of rice, which I give a proper rinse in a strainer before adding it to my 64 oz glass jar. Having a glass container is important because there will be some deep fermentation happening in there. Then I add about a cup and a half of water, screw on the lid and leave it in a dark corner for 24 hours. 

This is what you'll end up with the following day. 

Before I use the rice water on my hair, I strain the rice in an old strainer and add the water into a pot and allow it to boil. 

Boiling the mixture stops the fermentation process. If you try this, expect your kitchen to smell like a wet dog. But you can add a few drops of essential oil into the water so that it doesn't smell too bad. Let the hot water cool either until it's warm or cooled completely.  

I tend to use rice water to rinse out either deep conditioner or a protein treatment before the final cold water rinse. It is not advised to use rice water as a final rinse because it may leave behind a residue in your hair. I repeat the process twice by pouring the water on my hair, making sure that it lands in a bowl below my head to catch what is left. I massage my scalp for about a minute, pour the mixture over my hair one last time and massage for another minute before thoroughly rinsing my hair and scalp with cold water. 

I rinse with rice water at every week, leaving out the last week of the month for an ACV rinse. It's also important to mention that you'll see the benefits of this rinse much quicker with a proper diet. A double whammy is what will kickstart the growth. For me, it took probably two weeks before I noticed how soft, shiny and strong my hair had become, and I hope that if you try this rinse, you'll see those benefits as well. 

I finally hit collarbone length! I should probably do an official length check soon. 😁

Let me know if you will add rice water into your hair or skin regimen because you won't be disappointed. I hope you enjoyed reading today and have a great Monday!