Products I Use

Lately I've been using:

Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo(there is a Tea Tree Triple Treat Conditioner also)

Giovanni 50-50 Balanced Hydrating-Calming Conditioner(there is a shampoo to match this also)

Urban Nature "Tua" Hair & Body Butter(this is what they use to re-twist my hair at Urban Nature Salon, I also use it for my scalp in between re-twists)

Side Notes: 

• Giovanni hair products are known for being natural and cruelty-free, and they are quite inexpensive on Amazon.com)
• Tua means soothing in Swahili
• The Tua Urban Nature Hair & Body Butter is made up of: Shea butter, cocoa butter, avocado oil,essential oils of lavender, rosewood, vanilla, and patchouli, vitamin E.

10 Month Loc-aversary!!!!(and a confession)

The last time I got my hair re-twisted I was actually mad because I left my hair products at school and the lady who did my hair used a bunch of "bad" products in my hair, but I wanted that re-twist so badly lol. Also, some shrinkage has been occurring, but they are still growing nevertheless. So the actual date of my 10 months was March 16th, but hey, we're observing it today ;) Anyway, here are are a few recent pics of my locs!

A Book For The Newly Locked!

Hairlocking: Everything You Need To Know by Nekhena Evans

This book is very informative, it actually sits on the book stand in the natural hair place I go to. I read it when I was under the dryer! This book goes through the stages of growth and the importance of "the crown", it's very informative, I recommend new loc'ers to read it!

Re-twist Freaks

So, a lot of people say they want to get locs or dreads, but then when they do get them they are obsessed with them "being neat", and in order to achieve this neatness they go back to the salon almost weekly. If the salon you are going to is allowing you to come back so often, know that they are setting you up and it is less about knowledge and achieving healthy hair for them, and really about the money.

The constant re-twist is like a perm for locked folks. We need to get out of the habit of seeing our own kinky hair as bad hair or something that needs to be tamed, or hidden. Since I am in school right now, I can't sympathize with people with office jobs who say it is unprofessional for them to go too long without a re-twist. However,  when I had an internship with a 9-5 schedule, in an office, in between re-twists I would wear a black head wrap with my professional attire and nothing was unprofessional about it.

I would like to say that this post is not meant to offend anyone, but just to open people's eyes to why we have certain habits and belief,s and to think about where they come from, and why they are perpetuated even when we decide to wear natural hair. I am no expert, nor am I perfect. This is just food for thought.

Rosemary Rinse

So, I too look to the internet for natural hair support, ideas, and knowledge. While I do go to a natural hair salon when I am home, I don't have a great place to go near school. That being said, I came across this all-natural brother who is free-forming his locs, who did a video for an all-natural Rosemary Rinse for locked hair. Even if you aren't free-forming your locs you can still use this Rosemary Rinse, here is the video:

here is the link to his YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/cupidvalentino1

Naturals Should Use Natural Products

Products To Stay Away From

• Parabens
• Beeswax 
• Gels
• Petroleum
• Alcohol (in the form of Isopropyl, propanol, denat, ethanol, and sd alchol)

Some Great Ingredients

• Rosemary
• Lavender
• Pomegranate Seed Oil
• Jojoba
• Coconut Oil

I suggest you do your own research on these products and consult a professional loctician, or natural hair stylist, to get a professional opinion.

My Loc Journey So Far (in Pictures)

These Pictures are from the first day I started my locs, June 16, 2010. I started them at a natural hair salon in my area, with the comb coil method.

Sorry I only have one good picture of how they looked at the first month mark. Here it is

These are my locs at the three month mark. I skipped the second month because there wasn't much growth in between.

This next one is the picture I have from the fourth month it is not groomed! Yay. If you are a re-twist freak you shouldn't be I understand people think it's unprofessional, if that's the case where a nice headwrap to work or that internship you have. New growth is beautiful embrace it!

These next pictures are from the six month I believe. I skipped the months where the growth wasn't noticeable. If you haven't noticed the pattern.

These next ones are from the six and a half mark lol

7 Months!!!!

One good thing to think about before you get your locs is how thick or big you want them. As you can see mine are tiny, I realized afterwards that I want them a bit thicker, so I take much more time in between re-twists just to let the thickness prevail. this isn't a proven method (and I still wash in between salon re-twists.)

8 MONTHS!!!!

Closer To 9 Months(Not Quite)

9 MONTHS!!! 

(Excuse the dirty mirror, and my silly face I was trying to wink lol. Epic fail.)

About My Journey

I've never had a perm a day in my life, thanks to my knowledgeable father, however, I used to mainly rock the press and curl. My press and curl was a "HARD" press, and many people would ask me if I had a perm or if I was mixed and I'd be like "no".

So over the years my hair grew but it also began to lose the natural curl that came when it got washed, and some straight pieces would still be visible at the edges. I had a close friend who would do my flat twists (in beautiful styles, I might add) who noticed my hair was almost torn at the root. So, after some deliberation I decided to cut my hair in the summer before my senior year. I wore individuals with hair added soon after to let it grow some, but the African salon I went to braided entirely too tightly and one of my braids fell out completely. 

The reason it fell out could have been a myriad of things but that was the first time a braid had ever fallen out and I was like uh uh never again. So, I found a natural hair place named Urban Nature in DC, which I absolutely love and would recommend to anyone transitioning or full natural, they also have two locations in MD if I'm not mistaken. When I originally went to Urban Nature I would get flat twist in the front with my deep-conditioned afro out and free in the back. Since the length was short I felt like I couldn't do much with it. I actually went back to pressing twice, and I had weave for my senior prom, which was a cap with and some of my hair in the front, you know how that goes.

I guess I should rewind just a little. I had always admired locs and planned on getting them eventually, but when I realized I did not know how to manage my hair at all without the help of a salon, I decided to get locs much sooner. Soon after I would realize all of the natural hair vlogs and blogs out there I had available to me if I would have kept my fro. That being said, I do not regret my decision to get locs. It is really a journey and a maturation process. Sometimes you'll have those days when you're just like eff this, or "I don't feel pretty", which are the times when you really pull from inside of yourself and see how strong you really are. If you and I stick in there, I'm sure the journey will be worth the destination! :)