Rod Curls

Just having fun with these pink rods.

Bantu Knot Out! Fun!

ANOTHER STYLE WITH THIS BANTU KNOT OUT! LOVE IT!

AND THEN A YEAR AGO ... WHEN I FIRST GOT MY LOCKS INSTALLED:

Happy Lockversary to Me -- 1 year!

I made it to a year! Will post picks after I take out my Bantu knots in the morning.

Hey, Check out My Bantu Knots!

 

Fool Me Once, Shame on You...Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me

My new consultant did my hair in 4 1/2 hours, it looks great, and she charged me $95. That is a third of what I have been paying. She said my hair was easy to retighten and there was no slippage. Granted, the old consultant may have do e needed repair work. But $45 is way more than *anyone* should pay.

I am an idiot.

She got me.

I believed she was better than the rest and she convinced me anyone else would jack my hair up.

Never again.

Shari

You know you're fat when you can't even get in your "fat clothes"

I know this is a digression from the oh so exciting "how's my hair doing" banter. But it's just on my mind so, there you go. I accepted the new job in Chicago. With that, as I had been working from home for six years, I didn't have much of a wardrobe. So, I bit the bullet and went shopping. To my dismay, wearing sweats and stretch pants for so long had made me less conscious of my weight. I had gained a dress size and I couldn't even pull off the smaller size. So, I took a big gulp and just purchased a bunch of clothes one size up. Now those don't fit and I can't even fake it. I've gained an additional ten pounds from just the stress of the move, eating poorly, and avoiding clothes with buttons. Now, I can only fit into my sweater dresses and expandable waistband clothes. With that said reality, I went back to gym. But what I didn't expect was how much the extra weight made working out so much harder. It could be my age too. Usually, if I've fallen off the workout bandwagon, I can get back on fairly easily. But then again, I never had rolls of fat around my waist like I do now. The elliptical, something I could do regularly last year, was so challenging I had to get off. The only thing I seem to be able to do with some regularity is walk. I am foolishly going to try to do tae bo. Mainly because I've always loved it. If, for some reason, that proves too challenging, I know I've stepped into unchartered territory with my weight and it will be a real struggle to lose it.

Just had to share...not sure why, though.

10 Months

My scalp is killing me. I love the way she does my hair, but am I in pain...and this is after two alleves before I left. Unfortunately, I may have to depart with her as a consultant. Money is beyond tight and I'm not going to be able to afford her. It's a splurge though and I'm not sure it's a necessary splurge.

I call this my sexy, one-eye look!

My hair...I'm finally feeling the length and it's fun. I love my new sexy, one-eye look. It makes me feel kewl. Fresh. Fun. Raw. Natural. Not the 42-year-old lost her mojo mother of two that I am. I can't believe my hair is natural and this long. Never in my life. LOVE it!

Can you believe I went back? 9 months

Yes, I did! I can't believe it myself. But my hair has never felt so good. The sistah charges an arm and a leg, but she's working my "do" and we're down to just under five hours now. If she can get me to four, I'll be back to where I was before and the extra cost won't seem so ridiculous. Okay, well, it still seems ridiculous. BUT ...  to me it feels more manageable and lays down more. I'm having more fun with it. Not sure if I can afford to go back forever, but I'm enjoying this splurge. Given the stress of my new job, frantic kids, and just everyday life,  I'm going to ride this out a few more times before my budget beckons!

Long hair lock envy really getting to me

I didn't realize how important it would be to me to have long hair. I see sisters with the beautifully long locks of all sizes and I just wish that could be me. I will be a year in December and my hair is growing, but the shrinkage means no length. So, I am growing out, not up. Really big out. I've lived more than 40 years longing for long hair...the kind that hangs down your back. I've had weaves and wigs, but it's different, I imagine, when it's your own hair. Well, not sure the point of this post. I guess I am hoping, like so many things, in a few years I'll look back and laugh at how silly I am being.

Retightening Session from Hell: Part 2

So, I squirmed through three more hours of torture this morning. But honestly, I see the difference. She does rock. I'll give her that. Even my husband noticed the difference. Less bushy hair. Tighter locks. More together look.

I'm really grappling now. I don't know if I can swing $45/hr. I mean, that's nuts. But on the other hand, she worked it. My hair really looks so much better...and I didn't think it looked bad before. Here are before and after photos. You be the judge:

BEFORE: JUNE 28

SIX WEEKS LATER: AUGUST 9 -- NOTICE THE WAY IT LAYS...NOT SO BUSHY

Retightening Session from Hell -- at 8 months

So, I'm in Chicago now. Found a consultant with "to die for" sisterlocks. I should have known it was going to be a long day when she saw me and laughed when I told her my retights never went longer than 4 hours. Generally, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. She said, "You've got a lot of hair..." So, I show up this morning at 8:30 a.m., my appointment time. She's only 15 minutes late, but things happen. Anyhow, as she dives into my hair, she tells me what horrible condition it's in. Now mind you, I've been going to my appointments methodically -- two weeks late at the most. She says my consultant used the wrong pattern and she'll need to do a lot of repair work. She says my hair has a three pattern and it should have had a four pattern. That's why I have so much slippage. That, and the fact that I don't wash it enough. I LOVED my consultant, so this is disturbing news. My birthday is on Saturday, but I had planned this to be a "just for me" day. I took the day off and had all sorts of plans for how to spend it. In fact, I thought I had almost lost my "personal" day when my husband got wind of what I was doing and asked if we could have lunch and spend the afternoon together instead. I love my hubby, but I really, REALLY wanted this "me" day.  I reluctantly agreed, thinking I might be able to slip out later. But as my new consultant got going, the chatter got worse and worse about the condition of my hair. "You've got so much slippage...You've got tons of lint... I don't think she did your entire head at one sitting...there's just no way...Look at these ends!" Hour after hour lapped by. Slowly my "just for me" day turned into a "just for my hair" day. I thought I'd be finished around noon...at 2:45 p.m. I broke down requesting a break. We had been going at it solid. I had starbursts and cheetos for lunch because I was afraid I wouldn't have enough cash to pay her if I ordered in. She's $45 an hour...so with each hour, I'm counting the cash I'm going to have to lay out. I left at 6:45 p.m. ... and she wasn't finished! She says I have three more hours to go. My hair looks jacked. My birthday is on Saturday. I'm feeling incredibly crabby. We decided to meet on Thursday morning at 6 a.m. so I'll look nice for my birthday, but I'm still crabby. I paid soooo much money. She's telling me my retights are going to fall in the 5-6 hour category. Geez! My hair may be jacked, but I still loved my old consultant better. I'm debating on whether I need to keep looking for a new consultant...one that isn't scared off by so much hair, is $10/hr cheaper, and can do me in under four hours. Chime in if you have any suggestions or thoughts. I agree that my hair seemed a bit out of sorts...she showed me the proof. I'm just not convinced I need to pay $45/hr to fix it.

I have my first sisterlocks ponytail!!!

Oh, here's a moment. My hair fits into a ponytail! Hallelujah! And not a moment too soon! It's 90 degrees outside and I couldn't be more thrilled. It's up in a scrunchie. Very soft on the hair. I also tried a new shampoo. I ran out of the sisterlocks shampoo. I had been through the intro bottle and a second bottle. I went searching for the Nizoral, but it was sold out at Walgreens and not available at my local Rite Aid. I landed at the beauty supply place and picked up Dr. Bonners per recommendations on the lockitup board. I found the Dr. Bonners to be MUCH better than the sisterlocks shampoo. I had to dilute it, but my hair feels great and no slippage at all from what I can tell so far. I'll try the Nizoral after this runs out.

I will never straighten my hair again...

I gave away my curling iron. Dumped my hot curlers. Pitched my last remnants of fake hair.

And so help me, I will never, ever, EVER straighten my hair again.

Ah, I feel better now.

Back to Hot Salons and Three Heads Ahead of Me...

This past retightening was the last with my New Jersey consultant. She was awesome! I'm really, truly going to miss her. Not only is she talented and a great sisterlocks consultant...she is organized...has online scheduling...a clean salon...tv...free wifi...Now, as I head out to Chicago, I most certainly am going back to what I'm used to experiencing for most of my life -- three heads ahead of me, a hot salon with a big fan in the corner, several people talking in French or an African language I can't understand, a cell phone constantly ringing. Or, it's someone's basement or garage they've turned into a salon. I know you know. You've been there.  I admit it ... I've been pampered. Spoiled. It's hard to go back. But I have no choice. There aren't a lot of choices in Chicago. Heck, there aren't a lot of choices in New Jersey. Tiny, hot salon with poor customer service ... here I come!

ugh.

New pic:

Sisterlocks Sightings

There is something about seeing another woman with sisterlocks that just makes me smile. It's like we have this secret bond even though we don't even know each other. I saw a woman in the airport just now -- I'm waiting for my delayed plane -- and her sisterlocks were beyond gorgeous. Seriously. They were down her back and curled on the ends. *REALLY* bad case of sisterlocks envy. I have wanted long hair my entire life. I'm still skeptical that my locks will grow as long as everyone else's. However, when I compare my six-month photo to my current photo, the growth is obvious. But her hair. I could tell she's had hers for more than five years...It was that kind of growth.

Ah, one day. :)

Itchy Scalp Options

My scalp itches, but in a normal way. I can see the dandruff, which is annoying. So, I started scouring the Web for options. I can't endorse any of these methods as I haven't tried them all, but here's what I found:

Sisterlocks Anti-Itch Daily Spray

Dry Itchy Scalp

Fighting Itchy Scalp with Sisterlocks

Relief for Itchy Scalp Sisterlocks

Nearly Six Months Retightening!

Oh the pain! That's what happens when you wait 6 weeks before getting your hair retightened. My head is so sore from all the pulling and tugging. My consultant had a trainee with her and they were both up in my head and I am in pain. It took five and a half hours!!! My hair has grown and I just waiting too long to go back to the salon. Lesson learned. Snap!

Second Try: Braid Out

Hey, so I needed a *change* to my do and decided to take another stab at the braid out. I really like the way it turned out. Nice and fun zig zag waves for the springtime. Take a look!

Five and a half months

My hair feels longer, but it doesn't look much longer. I can't wait until it's down my back. I went to a baby shower recently and every woman in the room had hair down to the middle of her back. None were African American like me, but I would have loved to have my sisterlocks swinging down my back as well. I can't wait until that day, which feels like three years away, unfortunately.

Here are my latest pics.

Four Months

I've officially had these sisterlocks longer than my first set. Today I had a retightening.They are taking much longer now. Before, she did it in 3 hours flat. Then, 3 hours and 15 minutes. Today it took 3 1/2 hours. But my hair is getting longer so that is to be expected. Still beats the 10 hours for extensions. We're moving to Chicago so I will be losing my beloved consultant. Very down about that. Hopefully, I will find someone marvelous in Chicago too.

One thing I've also noticed is the texture. My locks are starting to "settle" and just the ends have those cute curls. See below for a comparison from Day 1. The length may not show as much here, but I went through a shrinkage stage. But you can definitely see the texture difference. They are starting to look more like locks.

Day 1

Two Months: Second Retightening

It's really growing. I've never been able to get the front of my hair to grow as long as the sides...until now. It's at my chin.

5 Weeks!

I had my first retightening today. Ah, it felt good. My hair growth is more noticeable. Exciting!

Getting Rid of the Fake Hair!

So, I'm doing a bit of organizing and come across like $50 worth of synthetic hair and a package of the human hair that used to cost me $55 a pop. Ouch. It's hard to throw money away. The packages aren't even used. I put out word on my Facebook page in case someone wants it. But I must admit, feels rather nice to ditch the fake hair. New Year, New me.

I go to my first retightening on Tuesday. I'm eager. My hair has grown a lot in just four weeks. It's keeping up great, though.