A Year Later

I re-tightened yesterday and just realized as I was uploading these pictures that it has been about a year since I braided my hair up and started the re-locking journey! Wow!

In that time I have contemplated taking them out and starting over, changing the re-tightening method, going to larger locks, and even shaving my head. I've been really frustrated with the time it took to do my hair, after having traditional locks for so long that only took me an hour to re-tighten. I have also experimented with some different products--wax, loc butter, gel, etc.


I have also cut my hair at least three times because I've gotten fed up with frizzy ends and unraveling braids. And I combined most of my locs, because I was really tired of spending 8-10 hours on my hair, even if it was only once every 6-8 weeks (on average, though I have experimented with timing of re-tightenings too).


All that to say that despite all the trial and error, I am happy with my hair. I have found what works for me as far as maintenance of my locs. You will too. Just keep the faith and don't give up on your natural hair journey!


Here is what I did for this re-tightening:

1. I washed my hair with Suave Clarifying Shampoo, then used a deep conditioner. I know there are folks who say not to do this, but I have found that I really need to. The beauty of black hair is that we are all unique--keep experimenting and find out what works for you!
   
2. Then I interlocked the new growth by hand. I have found this to be faster than using the Nappy Loc Tool for me. I don't interlock as tightly as I could because that really gives me a headache for a couple of days (and I am not tender-headed). Instead, I twist the small amount of hair at the root. I have found that this just makes for a "neater" looking loc. Yes, I prefer the "groomed" look. I use some Lock n Twist Gel, along with Loc Butter by Carol's Daughter for the interlocking/twisting.
3. I finish with some Carol's Daughter Lisa's Hair Elixer and Black Vanilla Leave-In Conditioner. When my ends get too frizzy (they are still "open"), I use either Carol's Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey or Hair Milk, depending on how bad it is!

My hair is locking very nicely. The size of each lock is good, and I have gotten the re-tightening down to 4 hours. I can live with that! My hair still grows pretty fast, but I don't think I'll cut it again for awhile. I'd like to get some length to see what I can do with it. Stay tuned!!

August Hair Update

It has been so long since I posted pictures of my hair! I just finished tightening it up and took these a few minutes ago. At the end of June, I got fed up with my loose ends and cut about 2 inches off. It is growing back--y'all have seen previous posts where I talk about how fast it grows--but still not as long as it was at my last hair post. A couple of things have developed regarding my hair.

The first is that I decided to join some of my locks. They were just too small and I was spending too much time on my hair for re-tightenings, despite getting faster at doing it. Even with fewer to tighten, this session took 5 hours.

Another thing is that I do have some bunching that I am just leaving alone. Because of the texture of my hair, even with braiding and banding, some of my locks would bunch. I am tired of picking them out. Plus, once I am locked up good, I will be cutting off the braided part anyway. As you can see by the pics, it doesn't look too bad.

One other thing is that my Nappyloc tool is too small now! Between joining some and others swelling--like locks do when they start to mature--I can't fit the ends into the tool. Guess I should order another one.


Update on my daughter: we've had ups and downs. Overall she is doing much better emotionally, although we did have a few bad days right before school started. She was really stressing about some things and ended up having a meltdown on the first day. She spent her study hall with the counselor and came home in a much better mood than when she left. As far as her hair, she has been working on taking out all the little braids I put in her hair. She has changed her mind again! I told her when I put them in that if she decided to take them out she was on her own--I spent 14 hours putting them in!!

My progress on the tenure track was derailed for a few months. I told one of my mentors the other day that I went through this period of feeling like none of this academic stuff mattered. I mean, by the time I get tenure, my youngest will be almost done with high school. I can't turn back time. I have to make them my priority. When I am at home I need to be able to be a mom, not a professor. So, this week I started making the most of my time in the office so that when I am home I don't have to worry about reading an article or writing another page.

And I am working on making time to write every day. I did pretty good this week. I wrote something every day, but didn't always do it for at least 30 minutes. As the alcoholics say, "One day at a time."

April re-tightening--series 4

And more....

April re-tightening--series 3

April re-tightening--series 2

More pictures...

April Re-tightening pictures--series 1

I took these today, but re-tightened last weekend. Still growing like crazy! I am posting these in batches--blogspot is acting wonky and won't let me upload more than 3 at a time....

Hair Texture and Impatience

Well, my daughter is waffling now--a typical teenager. Now she says she just wants braids. I told her I am NOT spending an entire weekend braiding her hair, just for her to take it down in 6-8 weeks....

I like my hair a lot. It is growing fast. One of my friends commented just yesterday on how fast it is growing. It covers my ears now--which is good because it is so cold outside!

I actually have a couple of locks in the back--yes already! I think I mentioned that in a previous post. But this is unusual because of the texture of my hair. My hair is so loosely coiled that I am sure it will be another 4-6 months before it starts to lock. I wish my hair wasn't so resistant to locking! I am so impatient, I know.

With my first set of locks, most of my hair was so not wanting to lock that I had to do what some of our "white" family have to do when they want locks--back comb my roots! I only had to do it once though. After that I twisted with gel, using clips to hold my twists down until they dried.

I am happy that with this method I can avoid the back combing!