22 Months!!

Almost... lol

I'll hit that on Thursday, but I've got time today, so I'm blogging.

Also, on 8/18/2013, I hit 4 years natural!! *snoopy dance*

So yeah... about the retwist and pipecleaner set... didn't happen.  LOL And for once it's not because I got lazy (well only partly.)

If you've been following me for a while, you know that my scalp tends to want to act a fool on occasion. I've actually been rolling along pretty well for a while, which led to me loosening up on my regime. I'm not going to say this was a mistake because I've had a problem-free couple of months, but currently, my scalp is on strike. My dermatitis is flaring up, which requires frequent washing until it calms back down.  Knowing this, there was no way I was about to spend all the time twisting and rolling, only to be washing it out in a few days.

I can't complain because I know there are people with conditions much worse than mine that require medication on top of extra TLC.

My way of dealing with my flare-ups are pretty simple.  (This is not medical advice! This is just what works for me.)

1. Shampoo every couple of days. I don't use a particular brand, whatever I've got in my house is what I use.  Tried to use black soap lately... but I'm stopping because that could be what caused my scalp to act up.  It's the only new thing I've used in the last couple of months.
2. ACV - as needed.  This tends to kill any of the drama happening and calms down the irritation. I don't do the soak though (again... I'm lazy lol). I put 1 part acv to 3 parts water in my bottle, spray it in, let it sit for anywhere from 10-30 minutes, then shampoo my hair.
3. Hot Oil Treatment - I usually slather my hair at night, put a plastic bag on, tie my hair up and go to sleep. In the morning, I rinse it out and keep it moving.
4. Grease scalp - as needed.  Even if I can't find the time to do my whole head, I make sure my problem areas are taken care of. 

With this system, I'm usually clear in about 7-10 days.

The funny thing about this is, before I went natural, this would have been cause for panic.  Flakes in your wrap ain't cute! lol Now with my locs, I'm immediately like "Oh, okay, I know how to handle this."  

That's one of the great things about natural hair... it gives you the time and experience to learn what works for you and what doesn't.

Funny story for my loc'd folks. I usually put my hair up in a ponytail to go to sleep.  I usually don't tie it down, I sleep on a satin pillowcase.  The other night I had an experience my fellow loc'ers will understand.

One of my locs had worked itself free from my ponytail and fallen across my forehead.  In my sleep, I thought it was a bug and slapped the shit out of myself. LOL  I woke up with a handprint on my forehead like WTF just happened!! :)

I took this picture that morning after making sure the handprint had faded LMAO!!

That's all for now.  I hope your hair is growing and flowing!!

*flips locs* Deuces!!

How it was... How it is...

Hey y'all!!

I had some free time today, and I was like "I need to catch up on my blog."

So here I am.

I just counted and realized I'll hit 21 months on Monday. I mean literally counted. lol I don't really ever think about how long I've had them anymore, so when I did the math, I was shocked and had to count it out to make sure. lol

I know I have a couple of new lockers following, so I wanted to do a post that shows how some of the things I worried about when I started locking are going now.

 

• The loc that couldn't -  When I started, I had a loc at the nape of my neck that kept coming undone during my first month.  It was braided at the top and bottom and loose in the middle.  I took it down and rebraided it, then secured the end with a black rubberband. I worried about this poor loc for at least 3 weeks straight. 

1 month, 2 months, 21 months

It's fine now.  All that stress for nothing because it looks just like my other locs.

• Combined locs - In September of 2012, I combined 4 locs into 2. I worried that they would be huge, or that they wouldn't lock together, or that they would be totally noticeable in my hair.

They slimmed down and started locking together. Can't see them unless I look for them.

• How much thicker will they get? - This was a concern even before I started my locs. I wanted relatively slim locs (which is funny to me now, because most of my current fav locs on other people are thick). 

Month 2, Month 21. 

 LOL The first pic is back when I first got these beads. I used to have to pull 3 braids through, now some locs are too thick for them. :) So basically, they got thicker, but not more than I expected.  I ended up with the size I wanted.

• The front won't lock - I worried about this for a long time.  My front locs didn't really get going until months 5-11.  And even then, it was going so slow that I worried they'd all be braids forever and I'd hate them. 

Month 5, Month 21

 I've still got one braid that refuses to loc... and I love it. It gives my hair character. People ask me all the time how I got that one to do that and I'm like *kanye shrug* lol Again, I notice it if I look for it, but day to day, I don't even think about it anymore.

Now you see it, now you don't lol

 First pic I held the loc out so the camera could catch it, second pic I let them fall naturally.


My hair isn't growing - It has to shrink to lock. That's a fact. The sooner you deal with it, the easier it will be. It will take you a while to see progress in length if you started with longer hair, because shrinkage is a mofo.  Don't think that because you can't see the growth in the mirror, it's not actually happening.

Top Row: Day 1, Month 10 Bottom Row: Month 17, Month 21

I hate to quote Drake but... Started from the bottom now I'm here!

If I could give one bit of advice to new lockers, it would be:

Patience is the key. Mother Nature will work it all out, so don't worry. 

*flips locs* Deuces!!

15 Month Update...

Yeah so... I was going to update sooner, but the way my attention span is set up... *Kevin Hart voice*


LOL My bad y'all.  Last time I was here I was gearing up for my one year anniversary and now it's 3 months past that.  I've been busy!  It sounds trite, but it's so true. lol  I've got a bunch of stuff going on in my life (good things) and blogging about my hair tends to fall to the side as those things take over.  I'd promise to do better, but we'd all know I was lying. :)

So anyway... let me tell you about my hair.

It's going great.  The front left side has is about 80% locked so I'm almost completely there.  I still have 3 stubborn braids that refuse to give in, but I like them.  They give my hair personality.

I have stopped interlocking and started retwisting.  I used to really want neat roots and since I have to wash my scalp so often, that made twisting out of the question for me when I first started.  Now I couldn't really care less about my roots.  I'm a retwister...when I have something special going on.  For the most part, I just separate when I wash and go on about my day lol  I haven't interlocked since that last post I mentioned it in September.

Don't act like y'all don't see that length!!  Ow!! Get it!!

Style-wise, I usually just wear it down.  Sometimes I do a twistout or an actual style, but for the most part, I just chill and let them hang.  I have also become one of those people who wears a ponytail holder like a bracelet so I can pull them back out of my face if I want to.

Right now I actually have a bantu knot out going.  Bantu knots have always been tricky for me.  They never came out the way that I wanted.  This Sunday, I was watching Walking Dead (that's my show!! lol) and I decided to try again and I love the way they came out.  Plus it only took like 15 minutes to put the knots in.

I have been getting compliments on this left and right.  Like my boss literally came out of his office to come tell me how nice my hair looked.  So that's a win. :)

My routine is still pretty simple... I wash when I feel like it or when my scalp starts acting up.  I've been using a cheap V05 shampoo followed by Aussie Moist shampoo. I have been doing a hot oil treatment every 2 weeks with Hot Six Oil.  Basically I just heat it up, smother my head, put a plastic bag on it, and sit under my dryer for a half hour. That's actually the only time I use my hair dryer.  I let my retwists air dry unless I'm in a rush and I try not to do it when I'm rushing.

Those locs that I combined in September are doing well and I've actually combined a couple more since then (I sewed the newer ones together, then pulled the thread out when they started meshing). I think I'm done with combining.  I've got them all pretty much where I want them now.

So that's what's going on with me.  Hopefully, I'll do better with updating but if not and you just want to keep up with me, you can catch me on Twitter or Instagram. Both of my pages are locked for privacy but if you send me a request, I'll accept. :)

Until the next time folks... Keep it nappy!!

*flips locs* Deuces!!

Random Styles

Guess who's biiizzzaaack!! *insert dope instrumental here* lol

Hey y'all,


I'm about 2 weeks away from one year, but we're not here to talk about that today.  Today I'm just going to show you random styles I've had!


We'll start off with the rollers I told you about last time.  I used strips of paper and curled my hair.

Eh...

I didn't hate it... but I didn't love it.  There are some things I see I'll do different next time, but I'll definitely do it again.


The disappointment from that caused me to do this which I loved!

Thick cornrows

 

 

I love how this came out!

Y'ALL SEE THOSE LOCS!!! Yeah, I know I said it on the caption, but it feels so damn epic I had to say it again!! LMAO  I looked at that picture and I was like "Whoa, I've got locs!" :)

Y'ALL SEE THOSE LOCS!!

My girl NaturaLocs asked for a pic of my jacket I talked about in my last post, so I'll leave you with some of those.  If you haven't been to her blog, you need to go check it out.  She just had a post on baby locs and working out that is ON POINT!

The next time we talk, my locs will be one year old.  I'm excited!!  I can't say that I'm going to update on my exact anniversary, but I'll definitely take pics so you can see where I was and what it looks like on that day.

I love this jacket.

*flips locs* Deuces!!

11 Month Anniversary!!

I'm back in (barely) under a month lol

Not much has really been going on with my hair and I haven't been styling it that much until this week, so I haven't had much to talk about.  But since my anniversary was 9/29, I decided to stop in and show you what it's like right now.

Hi!!

So this week, I decided to get off my arse and do something cute with my hair.  I got some new products last week and after using them I decided to make my hair look as good as it felt lol.  This was the way I wore it for a couple of days.  It's a zipper braid and it looks so much thicker now than it did the last time I did one.

March 2012 (4 months) and October 2012 (11 months)

I don't really see my progress when I look in the mirror, but I can't deny it in a picture.  Yay!!


As I mentioned earlier, I tried some new products this week.  I tried the  Flower Power teapoo bar and herbal rinse from Earthbalisms.  The rinse is like a tea of flowers!  It smells like a meadow and it made my hair so soft!  I brewed it then put it in a spray bottle in the refrigerator.  I sprayed it in my hair daily for a week, then I poured the rest over my hair.  The teapoo bar made my locs tighten up and feel so soft... and again it smells like a meadow!  Not to mention, they are reasonably priced at about $5.50 each.  I'm already planning what to buy next.

Random, but today it was kind of chilly so I grabbed my fav leather jacket.  I pulled it on and flipped my locs over the collar (which felt powerful) then looked in the mirror.  I looked BADASS!! ♥♥♥


That's all for now.  I'll have another post this week as I've got rollers in my hair right now.  Whatever this turns into, I'll take pictures and post. And then of course, my 1 year anniversary is only a few weeks away!!

Talk to you soon.  Keep it nappy y'all!!

*Flips locs.*  Deuces!!

A Very Merry UnBirthday!! Pt. 1

Hey y'all!!

I have decided that it's stupid to think I will be able to post an update on whatever anniversary I am currently at; I need to start updating whenever I get a moment and tell you what it's like at that moment.  Damn... that was the longest sentence ever. You'll have to forgive me. I'm excited about my hair! lol

To my Alice in Wonderland fans... Welcome to my tea party!!     

1. Frizz - I thought my hair was frizzy back at in month 2.  To that I say Ha!! It was a little fuzzy back then, it is frizzy now.  There is thick luscious frizz that makes my hair looks full and smooths down beautifully in a twistout.  I never thought the frizz would be something I like, but I love how it looks now.  I look exotic and wild.
2. I'm still not exactly sure how they are going to turn out - I don't know what they'll look like months from now.  I can't predict it because this wasn't what I thought they would look like 6 months ago. They are completely mine, flaws and all. They have my DNA stamped all over them, from the thick bottoms (lol), to the the random spirals cutting through, to the lumps, and even to the color.  I love the way the red grows out and gives me an ombre look.  I got that color thinking I was getting perfectly sized sisterlocks and I would keep the roots done.  I have ended up with randomly sized braidlocks that haven't been colored since installation and probably won't be any time soon.
3.  I love a 2-for hairstyle - I love styles that can be worn 2 ways like twists into a twist out.  I don't like the way just braids or twists look on my hair yet, so when setting my hair, I put it into an updo for several days, then wear it loose for the rest of the week. 
4. I've definitely calmed down - I'm not going to say that I don't still spend time talking about and looking at my hair.  I still take a lots of pics, but not as many as I did at the start.  I've really gotten into food and home blogs and have been considering putting together a blog about my other interests.  It's a thought, y'all see how long it took me to actually post a youtube video though. LOL
5. The front has finally started locking - Well, at least one side has.  It's still got about 3 that haven't but the right side is mostly locking now.  The left side...is still stubbornly protesting any type of change. :) If you look at the tri-fold pic you can see the progress.  But hey 2/3rd means I'm almost there right?
6. Bright accessories - I have always loved bright hair clips in the summer.  Now I've got lock jewelry, and clips, and headbands.  I usually have an accessory in daily.  There's so much pretty stuff that looks fab in locs. I've been eyeballing  these bobby pins from Target next. 

That's all for now...talk to you soon.

Keep it nappy!!

*flips locks* Deuces!!

My Routine

Hello all,


I got a message on my youtube channel a couple of weeks ago asking how often I wash my hair.  I realized I've never posted my routine on my blog.  Now is definitely the time to do that because I finally have one that works!  It took a couple of months of trial and error but it was worth it. It's pretty simple and it's all I shall be doing until my hair tells me it needs something else.

• I wash or rinse when my scalp feels like it needs it.  I don't have to use a particular shampoo, I can use anything sulfate or non-sulfate.  My favorite is Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle... but I'll use whatever's at hand. I actually just washed tonight.  I sprayed my scalp with half water half acv, sprayed my hair, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then I shampooed with this:

  

• I moisturize with Qhemet Biologics Olive & Honey Hydrating Balm. It's the consistency of honey.  I only use it right after a shampoo or a rinse on damp hair. 

• I seal with Jamaican Black Castor Oil.  I love it!!  It makes my hair feel like little velvet ropes! :) I use this after the balm or on other days I spritz with plain water, then rub with JBCO. 

That's it y'all!!  3 steps and 3 products... that's all I do.  I stopped conditioning my hair when I realized that the Qhemet and JBCO combo makes my hair soft and moisturized without it.

I really want a steamer, but that's going to have to wait until my birthday in August.


What's your routine?

*flips locks* Deuces!!

7 Months...almost :)

Hi everyone,

I haven't been updating like I should have been.  No, this is not one of those instances where you follow a blog and then the person just disappears for 2 years!!  I'm actually getting ready to move in 2 weeks so things have been a little crazy.  I've been working overtime to get everything caught up before I'm off and I've been packing (which I hate!)


My 7 Month anniversary is in a few days and I had some time to update now so I decided to use it!  This is going to be just a short photo post to show you where I'm at now.  I promise to give you the update you deserve once I'm all moved and settled.

Half pony on a hot day!!

The back!!  Still have a couple braids that refuse to give in LOL
                                          











 

As you can see, some of the front has finally started to lock!! *snoopy dance*  














I latched my hair yesterday.  It had been 6 weeks since the last time I latched.  My new growth ranged from:

                





This...          

....to this!  Yeah... I know crazy right!













That's all I got for now.  I'll be back once I get moved.  In the mean time, keep it nappy y'all!!

*Flips locks* Deuces!!

5 Golden Months!!!

4 random locks,
3 ponytails,
2 sprouts and buds
and a baby lock with no rubberbands!!!  :)


Hello everyone!

I hit my 5th month and I'm still loving my hair. I pretty much like the way I look every single day. I haven't had a day where I've felt my hair looked bad.  I've had some styles I've had to adjust, but even with its locking craziness.... my hair is fly y'all!!

The back is definitely deep into the locking process.  They are stiff and the ends are heavy.  They are either swollen and full the entire length of the lock, or they are in several places along them.

The back!  I love the texture in this pic.

The front and sides.... not so much. They still look like braids all the way until you get to the part where I've latched. They are definitely thicker than they were 5 months ago, but most of them still look  brand new.  Not really sure how that will turn out, but I like how it looks now. *shrug* Hopefully it will get with the program, but if not, it'll grow out in a few years anyway.

Still looking like braids!!

I've got a style post and a product post coming up this month.  My hair has been super dry lately so I'm cutting back on the shampooing and I ordered Qhemet Biologics Olive & Honey Hydrating Balm and the Burdock Root Butter. The OHHB was one of my fav products with loose hair, so I'm thinking it might be helpful here. I was a little worried about build up but I contacted the company and they assured me it would be okay.


Here's another pic!  I'm out!!

*flips locks* Deuces!!