High Maintenance - No Way!!!

Tammycat said... Hi Leighann, I was just wondering if you consider your locks to be high maintenance? Because i was reading a forum recntly and someone said that their locks are really high maintenance. Thanks a lot!

Hey Tammy! Hope school is going well. This is a tricky question. For me the answer is no, but it's all relative. What I mean is: my hair is soft and it grows fast, so I retighten it myself about every four weeks. I'm okay with that, but someone else might consider a four week schedule high maintenance.

I think people confuse low maintenance with no maintenance, and there's really no such thing. Even if you choose to go bald, you've gotta shave regularly to keep that smooth look. Locks can be low maintenance if you just do the basics: wash, separate, go. But if you want your locks to look a certain way, then you've added to your maintenance. For example:

-- If you want neat locking locks then you're retightening more frequently.

-- If you want curls then you're twisting, braiding, steaming and/or rolling.

-- If you want color then you know that colored locks require extra care: moisturizing and conditioning. You've also committed yourself to keeping up a regular coloring schedule if you want the color of your new growth to match the old.

-- If you want independence then you're retightening your locks yourself, which usually takes longer then if your consultant did it.

My consultant can do my locks in about five hours. It takes me two or three hours a night, over three or four days. That gives me a chance to watch movies and catch up on my favorite TV shows.

Granted some maintenence isn't by choice.

-- If you've got loose, soft, slippage prone hair or even fast growing hair you're going to be retightening a little more often then someone who doesn't.

-- If you've got scalp issues such as excessive dryness, dandruff or medical problems that manifest in the scalp or hair, this too will add to your maintenance. But you'd have to tend to this whether you had locks or not.

Scalp and medical problems aside, it may not be the locks that are high maintenance, but the person and their choices.

I like neat locks and I enjoy styling them. It's not high maintenance for me since I'm willing and able to spend the time. It's nice to know, however, that when I don't want to be bothered I don't have to be. My natural hair before Sisterlocks was much higher maintenance, without nearly as much pay off: great looking, healthy hair. I love my Sisterlocks!

Actually, in the grand scheme of things, my blog about my hair is higher maintenance than my hair!

My Consultant: The Fabulous Khumura!

onyxcherry said... How did you choose a consultant to install your sisterlocks in the beginning? Did you research them or look at their previous work? There are so many talented consultants in the NYC area I do not know how to decide which one will give me the perfect set of sisterlocks.

I think the most important step in finding a consultant is to meet him or her; that's why the consultation is very important. It not only gives the consultant a chance to evaluate your hair and give you test locks, but for you to ask questions and get to know them as well.

When you have a number of consultants to choose from I think it really comes down to who you click with. You'll be spending a lot of time with that person so it's important that you like their work and feel comfortable with them.

When I got my locks in 2001 there were only three consultants in the NYC area and one was completely booked for months! I left a message with the second consultant; she never called me back. The third, who came highly recommended by the Home Office, was and is amazing!

I liked Khumura from our first phone conversation. She was pleasant, professional and patient! At our first meeting she answered all of my questions and told me what she envisioned for my hair type in Sisterlocks. She was open, warm, down to earth and no nonsense. We clicked! She showed me pictures of her work and I even got to meet and talk with one of her clients.

(PHOTO: Khumura and I hanging out last November at the Improv during one of my shows. She's a cutter as in she doesn't hesitate to pick up a pair of scissors to cut her locks down to a length she's happy with.) ADDENDUM: My bad. I should have noted that I achieved the spiral curls in this picture with Soft Spike Curlers. Spritz with water, set, sleep, unroll, don't finger curl out.)

To quote an earlier post:
"My Sisterlocks were put in by the fabulous Khumura Khumnetertauset! I can't say enough about this woman. She is very thorough, professional and a joy to know. I am proud to call her my consultant and my friend. Khumura didn't just put in my locks and retighten them, she monitored my soft and fine hair very closely in that first year, doing grooming and maintenance as necessary to avoid any major problems before they started. She laid a strong foundation so that I could enjoy the healthy and beautiful locks I have now. Khumura taught me how to retighten my hair and took my panicked phone calls when I thought I had "messed it up." She also made time to see me when I inadvertently joined a couple of locks. Her care and attentiveness to detail is unmatched."
I still go to Khumura once or twice a year, and I don't mind the travel. (When we met she lived in Brooklyn, New York and she's now in New Jersey.) She checks my locks to make sure they're "ok" and she does an occassional grooming (trimming lose hairs along the lock). We don't do a lot of that because my locks look fuller when they're ungroomed.

Recently, while retightening, I got a knot in my lock. I was horrified! The Fabulous Khumura was able to undo the knot in under a minute while we were standing and chatting on sidewalk! She never ceases to impress me!

Khumura is now based in New Jersey but travels. While she is no longer with the Sisterlocks company, she now runs Innovative Hair Care Solutions and can be reached at 862-452-1924.

UPDATED INFORMATION: Khumura can now be reached @ 917-650-5544.

FYI: JML @ NWL

I was browsing around National Wholesale Liquidators a few weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised when I saw the much touted Jamaican Mango & Lime hair products!

I treated myself to the Jamaican Mango & Lime Hair N'Cense (for only $3.99). The website describes it as "a fragrant formula that removes odor and leaves hair feeling clean and fresh." I've used it a couple of times (comes in handy after the gym or a smoky show) and I like the scent.

Lock Stalker Strikes Again

Last week I saw a woman with the longest locks I've ever seen (in person). They hit her MID THIGH!!!! I just had to catch up to her and tell how beautiful they were and ask her how long she's had them: 20 years!!!! (She didn't look any older than late 30s!) I didn't get to touch them, but her hair texture seemed quite soft.Very inspirational.

It really made my day, my week and I daresay my quarter! My only regret was I didn't get a photo! GRRR! It feels a little weird asking complete strangers in New York City if I can take a picture of their hair.

Lint (Plus Addendum)

Dee said... i think your locks are beautiful and well maintained. I would like to know if you ever get the odd bit of lint trapped in your locks and how do you deal with getting it out.

(PHOTO: Taken this past Saturday at the Halifax Comedy Festival in Nova Scotia.)

Hi Dee,

I think I've been very fortunate on the lint front for a few reasons.
1. I try not to wear a lot of fabrics that attract lint. I gave away a beautiful hat and scarf set that I got as a gift last year because it was a shaggy/furry material that shed worse than a cat.

2. I use a lint roller on my clothes (when needed) and even have a travel size "lint licker" in my purse.

3. I don't use oily products (grease, butters, waxes, pomades, anything sticky) that create buildup and/or attract lint. Keep it simple.

4. I cover my locks at night with my L.B. Soc.

5. (And this is the most embarrasing to admit.) I suffer from a severe case of "Hands-in-the-hair-itis." I check my locks so much you'd think they were under surveillance. I do get the occassional piece of lint, but through my vanity and vigilance it doesn't get a chance to settle in. This may also be a side bonus to not having thick hair. Fewer locks, means fewer places for lint and debris to hide.

6. Just thought about this one: I have a three-panelled mirror* in my bathroom that when opened allows me to see the sides of my hair. For a back view, I have a hand mirror that I hold up to let me see all angles. If the style doesn't look good coming and going what's the point. (That goes back to the whole vanity thing. :-)

*ADDENDUM (5/3/06): To be more accurate, the mirror in my bathroom is called a Tri View Medicine Cabinet. The one pictured in the link is better than mine, because of the row of lights on top. An even nicer looking mirror can be found at Home Depot.

Welcome to My "Village"

Long time Lockitup members may recall back in September 2003 a fellow member shared her consultant's Village Analogy on the thickness (or thinness) of one's hair:

"... She explained my hair in terms of people: If a square section was parted in my hair that would represent a village. I have a lot of people (individual strands of hair) in my village. But all the people are skinny. So I have a lot of hair, but it's all thin. Thick thin hair."

I've always loved this! However, based on this concept I DON'T have a lot of people in my village (think very small midwestern town), and the people who live there are slim (think anorexic supermodels).

On the down side this means:

-- My locks don't have a lot of body.
-- After a retightening, a little scalp peeks through, even after 4 years.
-- At 320 +/-, I have less than the "average" number of locks, but if my consultant had made them any smaller they'd be the size of a strand of thread!

I would love to have more and bigger people in my village, but we play the hand we are dealt. I am also learning from my fellow bloggers who have the big hair I so desire, that big hair can come with big problems. So, I try to focus on the positive things about my little village:

-- Faster retightening
-- Faster hair drying
-- Ease of styling

Overall, I really do love my Sisterlocks. They have allowed me to do more with less, so to speak. They make my little village seem like an exclusive resort! ;-)

Locks in Balance

Tra said... Leighann, I wanted to know more about the unevenness of your locs. Do you mean that one side is longer than the other or do you mean that you have shorter locs through out your head in different places...sort of a layered look.

Both actually. I started with 5 - 7 inches of all natural hair; the front being shorter than the back. Also, my hair on the right side seems to grow slightly faster than the left. Not dramatically different, perhaps an 1/8 of an inch. The back grows faster than the front. I also seem to have one lock in the back kitchen area that is trying to grow "down to there" all by itself.

I didn't trim or even up my hair before getting my locks since my consultant is a big fan of the layered look. She believes layers give you more dimension, body and style. I agree in theory. I don't have thick hair and so I'll take all the body I can get. However I really do I like a balanced finished look. I can get that -- or the illusion of it -- when my hair is curled.

Now this picture is a bit of an exaggeration. My left shoulder is my handbag carrying shoulder, so I always flip most of my locks back behind me so as not to get them caught up in the bag straps. On top of that, I also seem to have a penchant for tilting my head to the side. I guess I'm trying to be cute.

My Hair Care Regime

Charis said... Your SL's are so beautiful. They seem so shiny and healthy. Do you really just shampoo and go? I've been SL'd for almost 2 years, retightening myself, etc. I was considering using oils, hot oil treatments, etc., but your hair is making me reconsider some things. What is your hair care regime?

Much thanks! All of you have left such uplifting compliments!

I did a post back in February (my how time flies) about Daily Care in the Beginning. But I guess I should give a current "state of the union" on what I actually do now.

(These are my freshly washed, unstyled Sisterlocks. I used Nature's Gate Herbal Shampoo and lightly blow dried my locks. I did not use the SL Moisturizer I've become fond of.)

It's worth noting:

• I've had SLs for 4.9 years
• My locks are small/micro and number about 320 +/-
• Retighten myself
• My hair is soft and fine
• I have at least two different textures

Washing -- How Often?
I wash my hair once a week in the shower (sometimes twice). I have one of those removeable, snake armed shower heads. Although I don't have to, I still braid (but don't band) my hair into four sections because it's easier to manage.

Shampoos?
Right now I alternate between:

• Aveda Hair Detoxifier (about once a month, in a spray bottle diluted with water)
• Aveda Sap Moss Shampoo (used only occassionally because it feels as though it tangles my locks.
• Carol's Daughter Tui Herbal Shampoo & Nature's Gate Herbal Shampoo. I combine these last two in a spray bottle, diluted with water. This one is my favorite concoction of the moment. I love how they smell together.

I wet my locks under the shower than spray each section with shampoo. When I feel like I need a really "good" shampoo, I'll unbraid each section one at a time and spray on more shampoo; squeezing, not rubbing. Even if I don't do this, I will unbraid each section to rinse -- VERY thoroughly.

Moisturizing
I have only recently begun using the Sisterlocks Moisturizer. Between the winter cold and the indoor heat, I felt like my locks needed a little something. I like the product, but I don't think I need to use it all the time. When I do, I apply it to my locks before they dry, as directed.

Drying
I gently squeeze my locks to get out excess water and then wrap them up in a Turbie Twist. You can get these at almost any major drug store chain or the Aquis brand at Bed Bath & Beyond.

I like to let my locks air dry, which they do dry rather quickly. (A benefit of not having thick hair?) Sometimes, if I'm in a hurry, I'll speed the process along with a light blow drying.

Styling
I could stop right here if I'm wearing my locks freestyle. But alas, now that I have styling options I use them: Soft Spikes, Caruso Steam Rollers or a regular old braid or twist out. I like having fun with my hair.

It's worth noting that my hair seems to shine more when I do a braid or twist out. I don't know why. I don't use any setting lotion other than water. Perhaps its just a trick of the light.

In between washes I'll spritz my locks with plain old water with a drop of my favorite scented oil, or diluted rose water for fragrance.

At Night
I also cover my locks at night with my L.B. Soc. I started off with the original (in black of course) but out grew it; so Denise sent me a really long one. If I outgrow that, I'll have locks "down to there". LOL.

Thanks to Ms. Brunsli, I ordered the Dread Sock. (Okay, I won't blame Brunsli for this one. I guess I'm a sucker for eye candy. Check out the instructional video on the site and you'll know what I mean.)

To be honest though, I don't like the Dread Sock as much as the L.B. Soc. The L.B. Soc is open on the bottom (Dread Sock completely encloses the locks) and I prefer to let my locks breathe. I want to protect without suffocating.

Happy Easter!

Transition to Sisterlocks

Pnk-e Asked: What I am looking for now are stories of women who transitioned from natural hair to SLs and why they feel there is a benefit (or the opposite) to being locked as opposed to being natural.

You know, I never thought of it as transitioning, but I guess it really was. I’d worn my hair natural for years. I was fiercely proud of my natural (sometimes to the point of zealotry; thankfully I know better now) and the fact that I did my hair myself. Admittedly there were some bad hair days, but that’s what hats and headbands were for! (PHOTO: Old headshot circa 1998 with what was then my signature two strand twists. I know now that I could have just started locking this way, but I have NO regrets that I chose Sisterlocks.)

When I discovered Sisterlocks I knew they were for me. Learned about them in May 2001; had them by July. The benefits?

Reduced maintenance and reliance on products.
I retighten my own hair and don’t really NEED anything but a good shampoo, and occasional conditioner and a spritz.

The ability to wash my hair without it being an all day project.
I did my hair every two weeks on a Sunday. And it took ALL DAY to comb out the twists, wash it, blow dry it out (mistake) and retwist it. I’m tired just thinking about it.

True versatility and freedom!
Freestyling, curling, walking in the rain, going swimming, (theoretically) working out ... My hair does not stop me.

Actually seeing my hair grow and knowing it's MY hair!
Before locks my hair it seemed to get to a certain length and stop. Now I know it wasn’t some predetermined genetic code, but all the combing, blow drying and product slathering.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved my hair before locks. It was empowering and I consider it a crucial step in my personal development. I sorely needed to know the feel of my natural hair, and how to maintain it with no chemical alterations or added hair. [I wore braids for a long time, (another step in the process) but after a while – to quote Ntozake Shange – "I was missing something. Something so important."] Locks have deepened my love, knowledge and appreciation of natural hair. I wish I had done it sooner, but nothing comes before it's time.

Dear OB (Original Blogger)... Shrinkage?

Tammycat said...
....I shall hopefully be getting my locks in July and i can't wait!! I was wondering if you would be able to explain what your hair has gone through(from the beginning right up to the present). There are some things i don't understand such as "shrinkage". How and why does that happen?

Hi Tommycat,

Thank you so much for reading my blog! I'm glad you like it. I must say I am very impressed with YOU! To already know what you want and to have the patience and courage to go after it at your age is wonderful! I'm looking forward to you getting your Sisterlocks too and checking in on YOUR blog.

Brunsli was right (Thank you, Brunsli), you can find out more about my early SL journey in the archives. In particular go to July 2001 through August 2003, but if you still have questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

To answer your shrinkage question, I'd like to defer to a true hair expert, Pamela Ferrell. She is the author of one of my favorite books, Let's Talk Hair, and is the owner of the Washington DC salon, Cornrows & Company.

I discovered this book early on in my natural hair care journey and found it very helpful. I even had the pleasure of meeting Pamela in 1999 when she did a book signing and hair care demonstration at Macy's Herald Square.

The book she was promoting at that time was Kids Talk Hair and she demonstrated the proper way to comb a child's hair. I remember being pleasantly surprised to see that this event was well attended by caucasian Moms with biracial (bi-ethnic?) children, looking for help with their hair.

But I digress.

Pam has a passage in Let's Talk Hair on shrinkage:

"There are some things you can expect African American hair textures to do — curl, swell, frizz and shrink. Because there is a strong resilient curl and crinkle, certain climate conditions may encourage the hair to do any of these things. Any kind of moisture will make the hair shrink and frizz. Heat and humidity will cause the hair to swell and expand, more noticeably for curly hair. Heat makes hair swell and puff; cold makes it contract and feel inflexible. The hair strands inconsistent crinkle and curl is what makes natural hair appear frizzy. Frizz is simply a mass of curls and crinkles that give the hair a wrinkle effect." (p. 79)

"Your hair’s weight and curl size determine how much it will coil and shrink. Thin hair with small curls shrinks more than heavy hair with large curls. The shrinkage is judged y measuring the difference in the length of wet hair compared to when it is blown dry smooth or stretched out. If you were to blow dry the hair smooth or stretch a piece of wet hair outward, you would be able to see its entire length. For example, wet natural hair may appear to be five inches long but once the hair is blown smooth, it is 12 inches long. Blown dry smooth is like uncoiling the natural hair; except the hair still maintains some texture and crinkle." (p. 79)

"On average, African-American hair will shrink between 20-80%. The greater the shrinkage, the tighter and shorter the hair is when wet. You can measure your hair’s shrinkage on blow dried hair or stretch the hair while it is wet." (p. 80)

Tommycat, I hope this helps; and again I am looking forward to your journey!

My Hair Color

I forgot to mention that I've been using the Sisterlocks Moisturize Treatment for about two months now. It felt like my hair needed a little somethin'-somethin' this winter between the seesaw weather outside and the indoor heat.

Loc'd Yet Free said... Your hair color is beautiful- Born with it? Maybe it's Maybelline? Please share.

This is my natural hair color; if only I knew what that was. (LOL) For simplicity sake I say "brown" but if you see my locks up close you can tell I've got a bit of a rainbow thing going on. The lower third of my locks are a lighter color than the top. And the edges are off in their own little world. Luckily this doesn't bother me.

I was born with what appeared to be jet black hair, which quickly lightened to a sandy reddish color and then gradually darkened again as I got older. Go figure. I'm sure it'll get even more interesting when the gray comes in.

Perhaps those with more hair knowledge can tell me why my lower locks are lighter than the top. Just natural hair color? Too much exposure to the sun? Hard water? (PHOTO: Me at age 3 or 4, and our beloved dog, Buttsie!)

As far as professional coloring goes, I am way to chicken! I'll leave that to the folks with stronger nerves than mine. Now I can "hear" some of you asking: "Aren't you going to color when you start to go gray?"

Although, as a woman, I reserve the right to change my mind about this issue, at the moment the answer is a resounding no. My Mom was born with gray hair; a little patch in the middle of her head. Consequently, I've always thought of gray hair as regal and beautiful. One time, back when I used to get my hair braided, I had a few strands of gray braided in as sort of a tribute to her. No special reason; me and Mom are just tight like that.

Quiet as it's kept, I've already got a few strands of gray. Three to be exact. Nobody sees them but me, but I know they're there. I got them the year I got married! I tease my husband and say he caused them. But then he points to his gray filled beard and says "That's all you!" Well, I never claimed to be a low maintenance woman, but he knew what he was getting in to. :-)

In the Studio

On Monday, I was in the studio taping a national radio commercial for Elexa Condoms. The campaign is set to begin ASAP and, from what I'm told, will be heard nation wide in mid April. Yeah, let's be careful out there!

The hair? Freshly washed and sporting a braidout. I'm even (GASP) wearing makeup! Not for the voice over, of course, but for an on-camera audition I had later that day. (Fingers crossed!)

Ladies & Gentlemen... Wali Collins

The photo is a tad blurry but I'd like to introduce comedian extraordinaire, Wali Collins! He is one of my fellow performers on Souled Out Comedy, a weekly show we do every Thursday night at the NY Improv.

I'm featuring Mr. Collins because he's had his hair in traditional locks since 1994!!!! Theoretically they should be down his back, but he keeps cutting them (grrrrr!) as you can see from the extremely close up photo on left.
To be honest he was a little uncomfortable with me taking a photo of the back of his head. "You have a blog about ... [puzzled silence] hair?" It does sound weird when you explain it out loud to people who aren't in the blogosphere or obsessed with natural hair. But since I'm "in the arts" folks are generally more willing to over look eccentric behavior.

It's worth noting that we are both big fans of another locked comic, the incomparable Franklyn Ajaye.

Close to Home

Regarding my What Are You Going To Do With Your Hair? Post

Anonymous said...
Were you are the Rib Shack by chance?

Clearly Anonymous knows the neighborhood! Hello Neighbor! Alas, no I wasn't at the Rib Shack. Good food, but the Fish House gives you bigger portions. I can get two meals out of one Fish House dinner! Three if I'm not being greedy. And don't get me started on the Sweet Potato Pie.... and the mini meat patties that you can get on their catering menu.... uh oh... now I'm hungry!

What Are You Going To Do With Your Hair?

ADDENDUM: The photo credit for this picture goes to my Husband who was riding the train with me. Call me a cynical New Yorker, but I can't just up and trust my digital camera to just any old random body.

I was on line at our local soul food take out joint picking up an order of cholesterol for a late lunch, early dinner when this question came up.

I was eyeing the baked fish – the “being good part of the meal” – and wondering why the lady wasn’t dishing it up so we could move on to the “being bad part of the meal:” collard greens and potato salad.

She was absent mindedly moving the fish around with the serving spoon, but steady looking at my head. Normally, I would have picked up on this, but hunger had lowered my defenses and her question too me off guard.

“What are you going to do with your hair?”

That was what she said out loud, but her tone and body language seemed to say: “What the hell are you doing to your hair? Are you gonna fix that?”

I thought, “What am I going to do with my hair? Love it. Style it. Take if for long walks in the park, tell it how much it means to me, and ask it where it’s been all my life.” I settled for the less sarcastic, “What?”

She said, “Aren’t those small braids? What are you going to do with them?”
“They’re dreadlocks?”
“So small?”
“Yes.”
“I thought they were braids.”
“No, they’re dreadlocks.”
“How do you get them so small?”
“They’re a type of lock called Sisterlocks and they’re done with a tool, that’s why their so small.”
“Oh, I thought they were braids and you were just gonna let them grow into locks.”
“Well, actually, you can do that too.”
“Oh.”

At this point, I’d say my food was getting cold, but I still didn’t have any. It felt as though answering her questions were a precondition to sustenance. Normally I wouldn’t have minded the inquiry. I can talk about natural hair and locks all day long, but I guess I was a bit put off by her confrontational tone and the fact that no one else on the LONG line behind me - including my husband - seemed particularly interested in a hair lesson.

If only I’d brought along my new Sisterlocks Journal! But then again, I know everybody in the place would have wanted to see it, and I’m not ready to share until I’ve finished reading it cover to cover.

As you can see in the photo, I did have it on the train today and when I reached my stop, I slipped it right back in the plastic.

I Got It!

After several days on the road, or rather at sea, doing shows for Carnival Cruise Lines, I returned home today to find a very pleasant surprise: MY SISTERLOCKS MAGAZINE! As you can see, I was too excited to even take it out of the plastic. My Dad, who I asked to take the picture, was baffled. "Don't you want to take it out of the plastic?" Not yet! I want to savor every moment. I plan to cut the wrapper in such a way that I can carefully slip the magazine back in when I'm done!
It's worth noting, that my Mom actually took this picture. My Dad, for some reason, couldn't get past the plastic. My Mom, in great Mom fashion, asked no questions. She just snapped the photo and kept on steppin'. She did take a moment to look at the cover and say, "Humph, I might have to get me some Sisterlocks."

Welcome to the Famiily!

Monique said... Leighann, I get my lock put in tommorow and your site is so useful! I love the "hot" links throughout your text and your comments. I will check back in since I also intend to document my experience on the web. It was also helpful to see the finished product on someone with soft hair. That has been my number one concern! Thank you SO much for sharing. Question also: I live in Michigan ( I am also going to email Sandy) and my scalp is REALLY dry as in dandruff dry, is there anything I can use in the beginning to help?Thanks!

Hi Monique!

Congratulations on joining the Sisterlocks family! As I post this, you're locks are probably already in, so I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures and reading about your journey.

You're absolutely right, documenting your progress is very helpful for yourself and others. I am amazed at my progress so far and never would have believed it was possible. Check out my post on 4/20/05 Sisterlocks Overview to see the side by side comparison.

On the dry scalp/dandruff issue, I do believe this is a good question for Sandy. You may even want to post the question in Lockitup and check the files. What you can do is tempered by the fact that your locks are new. But lots of people have dealt with this issue. I've been able to get away with spritzing with water when my scalp is a little parched.

Congrats!

How Long Did It Take To Lock?

lisa said... Leighann- Great blog.. I have learned a lot from it and you have beautiful SL's. I am just curious about your locking experience, when would you say you began locking? When did it finally lock from "root" to end? Thanks, again beautiful hair!

*************

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for the compliments! You have no idea how much I appreciate it.

Good thing you put "root" in quotes. As you know our roots, always being the new growth, are never fully locked. But to answer your question, since my hair is really soft and fine, I'm in the Took Forever to Lock category. My Sisterlocks looked like little braids for the longest! I'd say my locks finally started to look like locks at around the two year mark. (I'm at four and a half now.) Even now, I still have a few curly q's on the ends of my locks. Not a lot, but a few.

To be honest, a few folks will ask, "Are those braids?" But I can tell by they way they're asking, they know they're not braids, but just can't quite believe they're seeing such small locks.

No Oil? How Do You Moisturize?

AFunkyKindaGlow said...
... No oil what do you use to moisturise? did I miss something?

Good question. In the early days of Sisterlocks (until they settle) we're instructed not to use any oils as it might inhibit the locking process. Sounds weird, I know, but it worked. Luckily, my scalp produced enough oil naturally, when allowed to breathe.

Nowawdays, if my locks or scalp feel a little dry I'll spray them with little water; sometimes with a little rose water mixed in.

Lately I've been using the Sisterlocks Moisture Treatment. So far, I like it.

Daily Care In The Beginning

In my favorite locks group, Hermie recently posted:

I would like to put together a document on the lock-it-up database for sisters who are new to Sisterlocks. With the popularity of Sisterlocks, many of us are going to consultants who are trainees (because they are the only ones in our area), but who lack in-depth information on care for our new locks. I have been searching in vain for 'daily hair care' information to understand what I should do to my sisterlocks. (Lockitup Message #37262)

I think in the beginning it's hard to wrap our minds around the simplicity of care for our new Sisterlocks. "What do you mean no oil? I grew up on grease and now it's bad? Blasphemy!"

But Hermie's project/request did get me reminiscing. I started with 5 - 7 inches of all natural very soft hair. I had a great consultant and for the most part, I followed her instructions:

What I Did: The Good

• I washed once a week with the Starter Shampoo (only) for one year, then began using Dr. Bronners Liquid Soap: Peppermint (diluted).

• I braided and banded for a year and half. Actually I still braid my hair into four big braids and wash my hair in sections when I shower. It's easier to handle that way.

• I covered my locks when I slept or did house work. (Still do, although I will alternate between a head covering -- the L.B. Soc -- and a satin pillow case.)

• I used NO oils or other products. NONE.
  
  
  

What I Did: The Bad

• I never separated my locks after washing. I still don't. I know that's a big no-no, and I have no excuse except that it just didn't seem all that necessary.

• I didn't do a lot of freestyling. I suffered from the "plucked chicken" look as you can see in the above photo; lots of spaces. My locks were also a very awkward length. They didn't hang straight or point up, but stuck out. (Think Bozo The Clown.) To compensate I styled on a weekly basis alternating between braid outs, twist outs and Caruso Steam Rollers.

Many folks say the best thing to do in the beginning is to leave your locks alone; minimal styling lest you inhibit or slow down the locking process, and they're right. But I tried to find the happy medium. We all want to look our best, at least to our own eyes. So, I styled to camouflage the spaces. Fake it till you make it.

So, those early days, challenging? Yes. Worth it? Oh yeah!!