I had my first hair check up

My consultant said that my hair is doing very well!! No slippage!! She was even more surprised to hear that I had already washed my hair twice since being locked. I am seeing if I can make it a full two weeks without washing my hair. My scalp isn't as itchy since I tried my sisterlock starter / Treseme experiment. Now that worked great.

I recounted my locks again this week, I have 378 +/- and not 315 +/- locks, when I counted them the first time I wrote down how many were in each bundle, I guess I forgot to record a bundle. OOPS!

I also got to see my consultant in action retightening one of her clients. The client wasn't fully locked, she might have been settled. It's amazing to see how each sisterlocked sisters hair textures reacts differently to the sisterlocks. For instance my hair is naturally wavy/curly so that is exactly what my hair is doing now even with the sisterlocks.

My weekend was so relaxing. The family was gone. They went to South Carolina for the Family Reunion. I wanted to go so bad this year, and would have gone too. We normally leave to go in the evening, well at the last minute they decided to depart in the morning. My husband never told me of the schedule changes, so I had already taken off the weekend for my second job, but was still scheduled to come into work at my first job, see my dilemma... I thought I was going to party all weekend, but I needed a relaxing atmosphere and there is no place like home.

I got done some needed fall cleaning, and even took the cats a bath. Per the previous post, did you guess what I did, the very thing us Marylanders love to enjoy...CRABS. Saturday I got a half bushel of crabs and they were yummy! I watched some movies and stayed in the bed.



I just feel so refreshed!

What I am currently reading...

The souls of black folks, by W.E.B Du Bois. This book comes in so many different book covers. Here is a copy of the one that I am currently reading. I particularly like this one because it depicts a black family during that time in history. To me this picture is a perfect example of the "two-ness" that Du Bois writes about in his essay:



"One ever feels his two-ness,—an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder."

I planned on finishing the book while my family was out of town this weekend, instead I got much needed rest and did some fall cleaning.

This weekend I also did what us Marylanders are well known to do...Can you guess? Pic's will be in the next post.

Just for fun

How to make a lakia

Ingredients: 1 part jealousy 5 parts brilliance 3 parts joy

Method: Layer ingredientes in a shot glass. Serve with a slice of sadness and a pinch of salt. Yum!

Username:

Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com

1 week and 3 days... Still loving'em

Second wash

For the first wash I braided my hair in about 6-8 braids, and banded them together. To band them I had used the rubber bands in my starter kit. I knew that for my second wash I desperately needed a new routine. So I braided and banded my hair it four large braids and I was determined not to use those pesky rubber bands ever again. I can't think of the proper name of the bands I used on my head, but you can see below.

Also, I used my treseme shampoo on my scalp, and used the sisterlock starter shampoo on the braids. Cause the first time I used the sisterlock shampoo, my scalp was so itchy. Less itch now. The treseme that I used is a clarifying shampoo, nice and clear to remove residue and build up.

Mahogany or black (part two)

Well needless to say, I did not dye my hair before getting my locks. I just could not decide for the life of me. Anywho, I am loving my hair. I am not styling it per se, mostly I have it free styled or I would put the top half in a loose ponytail and leave the bottom half hanging out. I spritz my hair every morning with water. I have three spritzing bottles, which thus far I have found this to be very helpful.

1. bottle with water and an essential oil.
2. bottle with plain water
3. bottle with water and Witch Hazel.

All in all, I try to keep my hair clean.

The ends of my hair are so curly, but I can see some of the curls drawing up and getting a little tighter. My hair is also very elastic, its only hitting my shoulder right now. But when I pull one of my babies straight, then it hits my bra line (there's all that length, I've been looking for you.) Actually I like the fact that it looks shorter, less hair to worry about right now.

No slippage ladies!! Hooray for me. I am suppose to see my consultant in a week. She wants to just check and see how my hair is holding up. I have to send her some pics, I also want to direct her to my blog.

More pictures to come. I bought me some new earrings to compliment my hair... thinking I'm all cute. Hee Hee.

The hubby is still loving the hair. He keep saying that he is going to grow some locks, but that's not the first time I heard that from him. Just got to wait and see.

Week one has been great. My big sis is dying to see my hair, so is my mom. I will try to make it over both of their houses this weekend. I just been so busy.

My mastercard commercial

Sisterlocks Consultation..... $25.00

Sisterlocks Installation...... $800.00

Not ever having to comb my mop again ....

priceless..............

There are somethings that money can't buy... for everything else there is MasterCard.

OMG who new shampooing would be so easy

OMG, I washed my hair today with my freshly new locks. Let me tell you... on the weekend I gets no sleep. Today I was able to go home before going to my other job, and I wanted to wash my hair. So during my long car ride home, I braided and banded my hair. I counted my locks and I have roughly 315 locks. Not bad for a pea head.

I used the sisterlocks shampoo, squeezed dried from top to bottom, wrapped a towel around my head, took out the braid, finger comb while using the blow dryer. Then I was done!

I did all of that in 15 minutes! Say what.... not my normal 2.5 to 3 hours. I even made a head wrap to rock my locks in and went to sleep. I should have taken pictures, but it all went so fast! LOL!!

3 day experience...

I just been freshly locked. My sisterlocks installation took 3 days which was a total of 24 hours. A number "4" pattern was used on my head. My consultant will use a reverse 4 if she finds that my hair will have a lot of slippage. My consultant said that I was the longest hair that she has locked. Whoa! I felt like I was on vacation, I work so much... I never have time for just me. So the whole time I relaxed in my consultants chair. Watched TV and slept, it was a very peaceful and calming experience.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

This style was obtained by cornrowing the hair back and small rods on the ends for a curl. It felt good waking up in the morning running my fingers through my hair and straight out the door.

The hubby is loving the hair, I keep catching glimpses of him looking at me and smiling. That makes me feel good, because brotherman was kinda' worry when I told him that I was going to lock my hair. I can't wait to continue this journey. Today I am feeling very confident about my new look. I know locking is a patient process, and I am curious to see how my hair reacts to the sisterlocks. Staytuned for more photos to come

final wash

Below is a pic of the last time I washed my loose hair, tomorrow is sisterlocking day 1

Modeling

When I was in high school I started modeling at the age of 14. I have been in runway shows and have posed for photographers.

I lead such a busy life that I can never get seriously into it. One of my initial concerns that I had was "will I ever continue once I get my locks in"... Yeah, why not, once my locks set in I will definitely continue with it. Modeling has always been a passion of mines, just like dance. Life is too short, and I want to do it all !
*** Photo Credits - Keston Duke 2007

Mahogany or black?

Mahogany or black? I want to color my hair, usually its black... well it has been black for atleast for 6 months. I can see some reddish brown in my hair from the summer time sun rays. When my hair is black, I like it to be pitch black and nothing in between. I was also thinking that because I am getting my locks, my hair will naturally lighten, so... what about a brown. I was in the beauty supply store, yet again (second day in row), and saw a mahogany henna and bought it.

Since this past Sunday my hair has been in a pony tail without anything in it, just streaky clean because I have not decided what color to dye my hair or if I should dye it at all. It may sound silly but this is a very very hard decision for me to make. Stay tuned to see what I decide....

Saying Goodbye

I have virtually 4 days left before my sisterlocks installation. I have decided to rummage through what I call my "hair box".




My hair box is filled with all types of hair oils, carrot oils, vitamin E oils, tea tree oils, olive oils all natural herbal oils, just about ever type of oil that I could find in the beauty supply store, I needed these so that I could wear my hair naturally curly longer without having to wash my hair everyday. My hair tends to dry easily, my hair will matt-up with a quickness!

I also have thousands of rollers for when I blow my hair out. Flexi rollers, and a million metal clamps. I have a lot of setting lotions, and blue magic grease, ya know, the dollar store grease. I grew up using this stuff and I now use it on my daughters head.

I have done my research, I know that I can not use petroleum, pomade's, or mineral oil on my locks, which will cause them to unravel. I have been doing a lot of sisterlocks homework!

Most of this stuff will be donated to my daughter for her hair and to her beloved dolls. It is a good and charitable cause.

Acceptance

I think my husband has finally accepted the fact that I am getting my locks put in on Monday. At first he did not accept the idea, but he knows that I am very strong minded and he will embrace my change. I feel better about getting them now with his blessings.

For years I have been wanting him to lock his hair. I love my baby and to me, he is drop dead gorgeous. I have started locks on his head maybe 3 times out the 11 years we have been together, and each time he washes them out.

I told him about brotherlocks, and he sounds so interested in them. I'm going to show him some pictures of them. He also sings, I think locks will do great for his image.

Queens

I was at Borders today and found this book called "Queens". The Arthur's of this book are Michael Cunningham and George Alexander. It is a book that depicts "portraits of black women and their fabulous hair". This book is almost like the books "Dreads", full of pictures and personal narratives. I highly recommend this book to any woman or girl that has insecurities about their hair, afraid of self expression, or who feels as though their appearance has to conform with society. Well I am going to continue on reading this marvelous book with all of its pictures.... Meanwhile, I am still counting down, two more weeks until I get my sisterlocks installed. I am trying to complete my audit reports for the month of September early so that I can be care free this up and coming October 8th, 9th, and 10th.

It's, my birthday

I have had mixed feelings about turning 27. I am glad that it is my birthday, but at the same time I feel as if I did not live 26 to the fullest. I wish I can press rewind and turn 26 again. I can't believe that I am close to turning 30. I mean 30, the big 3-0. I used to think it was an insult for people to mistaken me for 16, they would think that my children are my younger siblings. Now I guess it I can take it as a compliment.

At the age of 27, I am going to turn over a new leaf. I've decided not to put up with nonsense, and not allow anyone to try to take me out of my character. 27 will be my year, 7 is a number of completion, and so it shall be.

Death to the starter locks

OK,... yesterday I went to get my hair blown out for the last time and my birthday is tomorrow (happy birthday to me!). I normally go to this Dominican place in Silver Spring, those girls know how to work a round brush.

I had my two starter locks in and they were forming fine, I even had a lot of new growth. They were just put in on August 18th.

When I went to get shampooed, I show the shampooer the locks so that she would not comb it. She said OK, and started combing it any way. GRRRR. I had to constantly tell her to stop! Then I went to get my rollers put in, I showed her too, and told her do not comb it out, just roll it in with the rollers. She said OK, then she took this fine tooth comb and kept combing them. I told her not to, and that I was suppose to keep them in, she says OK, and started combing again. I kept telling her that I want to keep them for my locks, she then said that it was a knots in my hair and proceeded to comb. At this point I had to brace myself from not knocking her out. She said that dreads will damage my hair and my hair was too pretty for them, by this time she had the first one out. She then said that she will stop combing them.

I took a look at my hair when I got home and there is one half of a lock left. This lady ripped my hair out of my head, you can see the hair from where it came out from the root. The side of my head is aching like all hell.

This experience has helped me reaffirm that I definitely want to have my sisterlocks. She was blasting that dreads will ruin my hair, but yet for a simple wash and set, this lady has ripped my hair out from the root, now that is damage. October 8, 9, and 10 HERE I COME!!

3 weeks and counting

OK, I am at 3 weeks and counting. I am still excited and still nervous, I have a lot of emotions running through me. On another note, I was asked a very good question this weekend... "Would I let my daughter get sisterlocks as well?"
My daughter went with me last year when I had my first consultation. She also went with me this year. I normally keep her hair in cornrows, two strand twists, and in just your average 8 year old hair styles. She also likes to mimic my styles, which is an act of bonding that I love to enjoy.

As her mother, I think she definitely would not be ready for that type of transformation. She is only 8, and she may not want to keep her hair like that for a week, month, year, etc... Also, I think it would be different if she was younger, around 3 or 4. At her age, she is still accepting herself, and her peers are still accepting her as an individual. She still has to have a lot of confidence building, and to be able to accept what life brings at her.

When she is a little older, and she thinks that she would like to have locs, and I feel as though she will be able to accept the many transformations that she will experience while blossoming as a beautiful flower, then I will let her get them.

Thoughts of hair

I am amazed of the growth that I am experiencing already. So hopefully when I get my complete SL installation my scalp will disappear sooner. Which I often wonder, how would I look with this forehead of mine. Oh lawd! we will soon find out. I am still counting down the time. It is now a little less than four weeks until the big day.



I was also thinking about talking to my consultant about dying my hair before the installation, but I think I want to hold off on coloring my hair. I normally try to keep my hair black because it is so healthy for my hair. Every now and again I get an itch and dye my hair a lighter color, the color would look great on me, but my hair would just break off and the split ends. EEK! So for the sake of healthy hair, I will keep my hair color just the way it is...

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