6 Month reflections

I made it through the first 6 months!!! I say that with great excitement as I am not known to sticking to one thing for too long! It's had it's ups and downs but all in all I love my locs.

Notice the picture on the computer screen, that was my hair last month, growth already!!

Ignore the lighting on this one my skin is really playing as well but you get the idea!

The slight wave you see is the result of a flat twist out that I done on Saturday evening after I washed my hair. It turned out alright I think but will look even better with some more length.

Reflection

-After 6 months on loc down it seems as though my hair is starting to loc, I am also noticing that it is growing as well.

- I am enjoying the freestyling of my locs although I wish the length was more uniform. I have done a braid out,a flat twist out and 2 cornrow styles in 6 months!

- My consultants chair is really uncomfortable and I am starting to "dread" my retight appointments as I end up suffering back pains anything up to 2 weeks after

- I have realised that the mountain of "grease" I used to apply to my hair was not needed to keep my hair moisturised, but that I do still need something...just haven't figured out what as my hair is quite dry and the ends break due to this

- I still get plenty of curious looks when out and about

My Routine

- I still braid and band when  washing

- I sleep on a satin headscarf tied to my pillow as wearing one directly makes me too hot at night

- I spritz with water sometimes!!

- Daily styling is running my hands through my hair...simples! lol

Pro's

- Freedom baby!!

- Save a ton on the "latest" product

- Not constantly worrying about my next weave!

Con's

- My mother  when talking to me, avoids looking at the top of my head

- Shampooing! I hate braiding and banding! I lost my sisterlocks starter shampoo and my consultant hasn't got any more. I have been having a hard time finding a good shampoo. I find that after I have shampoo'ed my hair that t looks grey in colour and that there is build up in my hair which as I don't use products, I have no idea where it stems from.

- My scalp itches from dry scalp

All in all it's been a great experience and I am looking forward to the next 6 months xx

Braid out on short hair

This was kind of an accident! I braided my hair on Friday with the intension of washing later that night. Unfortunately I have been really unwell so decided not to let water touch my head. My retight appointment has been rescheduled for next friday but I thought I would go ahead and wash anyways. So last night I washed my hair with the same braids in and sat under a hooded dryer to keep the cold from getting to my head. This morning I undone my braids for work and this is what I was left with. As my hair is quite uneven I had to tuck it up and under a little to create eveness.

Can't wait to try this out when I have some more length, this will probably be my everyday style as I have always loved curls!!

5 Months...the joys of!

Hey everyone well I have just passed 5 months and this last month has been an experience! On the previous 2 visits to my consultant she discovered build up in my back row so after some research she suggested I try an ACV rinse. So...braided and banded I go to the bathroom and carry out the nesesities. Mr Mac inspected and said that there still seems to be some left although not as much as before BUT low and behold for the 1st time since having my locs there was major slippage! Considering that my locs were retightened two weeks before I could fit a pinky and sometimes his bredren between my roots and the locked section of my hair! I was horrified. The ones around the front all but slipped out.

Decisions had to be made... so armed with my NL tool off I went to work. Now considering that I had only retightened a few in the back row and maintained the 6 babies at the front...this was gonna be a mamouth task! So I spent all of half an hour watching my fav youtube diy'ers and begun..It took me two evenings but I fixed the problems and my locs were once again defined. I felt a great sence of accomplishment and then came the realisation that I only have 3 weeks left before my retight! So i prayed lol Thank God I now have another inch regrowth in that time and am due for a reight this weekend.

Whilst I was up in my head I also had a look at some of those combined ones that was causing me concern with my partings and after watching another video seperated them and re combined them along a different line so that the partings at the front are more defined again.

Anyhows, here are some random pics of my hair in month 5, I still cannot do much in the way of styling but that is ok, although I am having a few nervous moments as my one year wedding anniversary is coming up and I need to look my best.

Moral of the story, is that when it looks as though you cannot do a thing...wait until your back up is against the wall. Of course I was terribfied that I mess something up, but it all worked out ok. Oh..pics are not after my retight! x

My Partings...

As you know I've been looking into the partings situation and identifying any possible problems that I may have so that I can rectify them sooner rather than later and here are the pics...what do you think am I being anal?

Center part...take one

Center part take two...trying a different angle, dunno if you can see it but the front two to the left are actually in the center part

Until next time x

Happy New Year!!

Wishing all my readers a very Happy and Prosperous New Year for 2011, I hope all your dreams and wishes are achieved.

Well, it has been a busy holiday season with both sets of parents coming around for our first Christmas dinner at home...can you imagine...I aint never cooked so much food in my life lol and the last thing I wanted to worry about was my hair. Thank God for sisterlocks! I decided I would go and get another canerow style after my retightening and my little one practically begged to let her do the canerows, now I must admit I was apprehensive, not that I dont believe that she could do it, just was worried that it wouldnt be what I expected. With a hairdresser you can tell them you dont like it...with a 12 year old you gotta be more diplomatic!

That being said, I must admit, she doen a pretty good job! not perfect but better than I expected. The style is simple canerow with a plaited ponytail for variety! Now I know the use of external hair might no be for some, but for me making my own ponytail adds to my styling and besides, it was a special occassion!

Overall the process of my hair has been good, it is growing and forming nicely. I am still braiding and banding which gets on my nerves but I understand why so will stick with it. The sisterlocks shampoo, I am not o thrilled with. It leaves me with a very dry scalp which itches for days after. I also have been told that in my back row I have...BUILD UP! I dont use products on my hair only occassional water but I am what you call an oily person and sweat all the time including winter so oftern times my scalp is hot and sweaty...hence a build up of all. I have found that the shampoo is not shifting this oil only drying the scalp so I am looking on various blogs to see if there are any other recommendations.

I am becoming more and moer frustrated with the parting structure and am thinking I need a second opinion. I think i blogged before about the ones at the front being really small and I was concerned about the partings then. Now nearly half of the front ones have been combined which further changed the partings and it is hard to find anything resembling a straight one. I wouldn't mind so much as I want healthy roots at my locs but what is frustrating is that when I mention it, I feel as though I am being dismissed and told "that is just how it is". I think my next post will show what I am talking about and maybe anyone reading can advise me whether to seek a second opinion. If it is dodgy then I have to have it rectified asap. For now here is a pic with my hair out and as promised a pic from the Dinner Dance in November x

Been Missing for a while but still here!

Hey ya'll I haven't posted in a while but as the title says, I am still here!!

Since my last post I have had 2 retightenings and am currently attempting to create a style for my Work Dinner Dance black tie event this weekend. My first style took ten minutes I got it done yesterday and oh my days it really itches like crazy!! It is a simple canerowed updo and I am trying to get some sort of bun going on up there...with the addition of fake hair (GASP...yep I said it...weave onnnnnnn lol). Not saying that my natural hair wouldn't be enough to style, but for the weekend not the style I want lol (dont be rolling your eyes at me!!)

Anyhows, I will try not to ramble too much, my hair has changed quite a bit since last posting, there are two pics showing a change in the back as well as the style and a glimse of the one I am trying to create. After the dance I will post pics from the night and after I take down the canerow pics of my hair in it's own state. lol

Back In September

October

Trying a ting...Dont laugh!!

My consultant has said that she is pleased with the way my hair is coming along and feels that it wont take no time to lock up. I feel it is settling in well, my only gripe is that the locks at the front are really tiny and I have asked to combine them but she feels that they are the right size. Even after having a retight they join themselves back together and just look like one big mess, the medium sized ones are doing well and some of the small in the crown of my head have been combined. I might not know what I am talking about but I wish I had stuck to my gut instinct about them being medium instead of small in area's cause not even 3 months in and I dont think there is a straight line goingthrough my head!! May have to get someone to look at it for me...

Anyway, till after the dance...x

The ugly duckling...

I am writting this post with a very heavy heart today. I vowed to write this blog when things come up to show anyone out there who might be reading the good and bad of being/becoming a natural headed sista. The story behing this post is as follows. 


Mr Mac has been trying to get a new job for over a year and during that time filled out countless applications. A few weeks ago he got the job offer of his dreams and he arranged to take me out on a "date" to say thanks for helping with the forms, suit, interview techniques etc. so we booked the grandparents to keep DD1 and DD2 overnight on Saturday whilst I would be dined and wined. We booked a fabolous italian resturaunt which we vowed to go back to and I got my frock 3 weeks ago with acessories for the occassions. Throughout the week I had been becoming even more concious of my hair and stares but battled with the mirror to achieve a simple freestyle with headband, put on my face, earrings, necklace and frock. With Mr Mac on my arm, I felt on top of the world! So...

Off we go to drop off the kids and my mother turns to me and says "I don't like your hair, it looks horrible, it makes you look ugly, you look like dem rasta" at which point DD1 chirped in to try and save the day "nanny that is not very nice, mummy looks pretty" to which my mother replies "well I dont like it, it looks horrible!"

So after some cuffling with my frock I tried to fight back the tears but gave in when Mr Mac asked me what was wrong. My dad got involved  and I broke down right there in the house. It turned into a big family debate about my mother hating dreadlocks (two of my brothers were rastafarian and she disowned them) and how she will never comment on my hair again. I dried my tears and we went to the car and I just broke down.

Needless to say my night was ruined, my self esteem is in tatters and I just feel, wel...ugly. I tried so hard to look nice for myself and Mr Mac and the evening was planned 4 weeks ahead. Mr Mac says maybe if they were longer she would be more accepting and I have thought about extending them, I have thought about maybe just being natural. I dunno, just blah! I know I shouldn't take on board what my mum sais, but it hurts so much. I never locked my hair to be an advocate or black educator, I just simply wanted to be me, but it seems that being "me" will cause major problems in my own family.

On another note, I had my hair retightened yesterday after a wash. I'm sure you'll understand my picture less post right now. Just thought I would put this post up for anyone that might stop by and read. x