Month 26

Recently I've noticed that my new growth is going through its unruly phase and has been quite resistant to locking up even to the extent that some areas in the front have begun to break off so I'm slowly reintroducing regulated retwist maintenance to tidy things up a bit. Having gone for so long without maintenance it's been quite the surprise to see how much my locs appear to have grown. I'm certainly heading towards a healthy 6 inches in length and my styling options have really expanded over the last couple of months. Alas I must be honest, I am still teetering in a love 'em or hate 'em mind set about my locs. As I've noted before, I really had envisioned so much more growth in the first two years of this journey and I'm still holding out for the miraculous "growth spurt" fellow dreadlock-ers rave about after their locs have matured. Though I must be grateful, I need only scroll through old blog posts to see that I've come a long, long way follow my big chop back in January 2012.

And let us not forget that strong healthy hair is the true goal here. Having opted out of a seven year commitment to chemically processed hair, that was never in the best condition I must admit, this journey has certainly taught me how to maintain and nurture my nature afro hair with relative simplicity and maximum affordability.

The weather here in the UK is hotting up but a steady routine of washing with moisturising shampoo and conditioning with raw coconut oil is helping to keep my hair strong and healthy. One thing I much improve for truly healthy hair and scalp is my water intake heading into the warmer months.

Got any tips for keeping your hair moisturised during the summer, share in a comment below. And don't forget to keep an eye out for extra photos added to the NaturaLocs tumblr page.

DREADLOCKS ARE...

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Locs Tag

Short and sweet, I thought I'd try my hand at the classic 20 question locs tag that frequently floats around on Youtube. Enjoy!

1. Do you remember the specific moment you decided you were going to dread your hair? Where were you and how did you feel?

I was probably at home looking at dreadlocked YouTubers and I felt pretty convinced I wanted to do this. I had very vivid visions of me with thick red locs, long and thrown back in a lazy ponytail and that was that. I was ready.

2. What method, if any, did you use to start your dreadlocks?

Finger twists, rubber bands and three-strand-twists were put in by a hair dresser before they were restarted at home with comb coils. Some of my locs were later restarted with two strand twists.

3. How old are your dreadlocks?

My locs are 2 years.

4. What is the length of your longest dread? And shortest?

 My longest dread is 5 inches and the shortest is just over 3 inches.

5. Do you have any dreads that are especially unique, strange, or awesome?

I have few that are just so fat and plump and I love them. I also have a couple of congos (two locs, one base) growing in.

6. How many dreads do you have currently? Is that the same number you started with?

I have 55 locs which is less than half of what I started with.

7. What shampoo or other products do you use on your dreads?

I've been using Cream of Nature's Kiwi & Citrus Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo and raw virgin coconut oil for over a year now.

8. How often do you wash your dreads?

I wash my hair  once every 4-12 days.

9. Do you do any regular maintenance on your dreads?

Maintenance has become quite irregular over the past 5 months. I want my roots to remain thick so I only maintain them on occasion.

10. What are your favourite beads or other decorations?

I occasionally wear silver cuff beads on my dreads.

11. If your dreads had their own personal motto, what would it be?

Haha. I suppose they'd follow my motto in general, as quoted by Usher: " A lady on the street and a freak in the bed".

12. If you could start a new set of dreads, would you do anything differently?

I'd make sure my hair was over 4 inches long before I started and I'd make sure the partings where staggered (brick-lay pattern) so I didn't experience such prominent partings.

13. Is there anything else unique about your appearance other than dreadlocks? (tattoos, piercings, etc).

I have 8 piercings but no tattoos.

14. How many people do you know personally with dreadlocks?

I don't personally know of anyone who has dreadlocks. Apparently my uncle used to have them but I was too young to recall.

15. Have any employers turned you down for having dreads? Any wanted you BECAUSE of your dreads?

I've never been turned down or offered work because of my dreadlocks but I did maintain a job whilst having them.

16. Whats the WEIRDEST question you've gotten about your dreads? DUMBEST? FUNNIEST? Most common?

"How do you do your hair like that?" was pretty common in my first year but I rarely get asked about them these days. I notice people tend to comment on the colour more than anything.

17. Have you ever had a freak accident or an embarrassing moment involving your dreads? 

Fortunately not. They're pretty hazard free at this length though every now and then I'll get them caught on either mine or someone else's glasses, especially as don't retwist my roots as often.

18. Do you have any dreaded role models? If so, who?

I've never had a dreaded role model, I  take inspiration from hundreds of loc wearers

19. What dreaded YouTubers could you see yourself hanging out with in real life?

oceangrins and meroekhalia.

20. Who are you going to Tag?

Everyone reading this questionnaire and I'd really like to get a link to your answers too.

DREADLOCKS ARE...

Year 2

Current Hair Stats:

Colour: Dark Red

Big Chop: 5th January 2012

Loc Birthdate: 3rd April 2012

Current Length: 5 inches

Starting Method: Comb coils and two strand twists

Number of Locs: 55

Maintenance Method: Palm-rolling

Current Shampoo: Crème of Nature Kiwi & Citrus Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo


An account so far:

Day 1: I started out with braids, twists and, rubber bands put in at a salon.
Day 3: I removed the rubber bands and installed comb coils.
Months 1-3: My locs started to form.
Month 4: I had an issue with build up (Organic Root Stimulator Loc & Twist gel) and had to trim my ends and combine locs.
Months 6-7: I started the palm-roll method.
Months 8-9: I experienced severe unravelling.
Month 10: I had my locs professionally maintained at a salon.
Months 11-12: I combined more locs.
Months 13-14: I used the crochet method.
Month 15: I coloured my locs.
Month 16: I did no maintenance.
Months 17-20: I started palm-rolling again and reinstalled some of my locs with two strand twists.
Months 21-24: Growth!

The most difficult part of my journey was between months 8 and 12 when my hair really struggled. I've since learnt that locs, and especially the thicker locs I was trying to attain, need regular maintenance to assist with their formation in the first year or so. I realise that  low maintenance locs have their drawbacks, at least in the beginning, such as greater shrinkage and much slower maturation. Nonetheless, my locs did reach maturity around month 18.

I had noticed that around month 20 my locs were slimmer than they had been at around months 12-15 and I did wonder if this is normal condensation. I've since learnt that frequent retwisting will make locs thinner over time. Having cut back on maintenance over the last 4 months they have thickened up to a size I'm really happy with.

In terms of how they feel and behave, currently they don't have any stretch beyond the root (which thankfully limits shrinkage), and they feel dense and compact. They also hang instead of stick up and frizz isn't a problem any more.

Although my two strand twists in the front are completely entwined they behave in a very different way to the older locs. They stick up a lot now and require more maintenance. They're also a lot slimmer and more stretchy. Being only 7 months old now, they'll most likely take another year or so to reach full maturity.

(click to enlarge)

roots grown out since
last July

a little progress with the
ponytail

I cannot wait for the next 12 months of my journey.


Click here to compare with year one.

DREADLOCKS ARE...

**Photography ownership is held with the blog account holder. DO NOT use without permission.**

Month 19

I'm just so pleased with my hair this month. my twists are two months old and have progressed so quickly compared to my comb coils. I've coloured them, styled them and shampooed them as normal and they behave just like the rest of my hair. I'm now palm rolling them to help the buds form nicely.

My locs are doing just fine as well, they're growing steadily. A number of locs have a tiny area near the root that seems to be starting to loc up by itself. From the scalp my hair is just a normal retwist but about half an inch down there's this spongy, puffy section that then merges into the rest of the loc. As I mentioned before, I hope this spongy area is a bud but I'm not really sure how this works. I understand that there will always be an inch or so of roots that are never loc'd at any one time but how does new growth become loc'd? Can anyone explain?

I'm still moisturising with 100% virgin raw coconut oil after every wash and I retwist my hair two or three times a month. Ponytails and hats are my go-to styling options nowadays as the twists in the front are starting to stick up more and more. By comparison I'm really noticing how tame and flexible my locs are in the back. 

They actually move now!

Remember to check out the naturalocs tumblr page for extra loc photos.

DREADLOCKS ARE...

**Photography ownership is held with the blog account holder. DO NOT use without permission**

Month 18

So my last post was pretty full and really deserved to be a topic all on its own so I reserve this one for my eighteen month old locs. Not a lot to report. They're thick and becoming less unruly all the time (aside from the bottom rows that remains curled and crooked). I see the length in my ponytails but I still can't wait for them all too reach my neck/jaw. Getting a lot of loose hair (about 2" long) at the nape line, is that normal?

Really enjoying this colour, especially as the roots have grown in properly. If you want to colour your I really recommend semi-permanent, no ammonia, no alcohol, hair dyes as I personally vouch for how low risk and non-damaging they are even if used three times a month.

I'm back to retwisting twice a month for now and my hair is in great condition in the cooler more humid weather.  I have a feeling shrinkage has come to end (past the roots), so it'll be length, length, length from here on out.

 

DREALOCKS ARE...

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Update: Locs After Swimming

Hey everyone, I recently responded to a question from a dear pen pal of mine, oceangrins. She wrote:

"So, I gotta ask, how did the sea water treat your hair? Did sand get stuck in your dreads? Was it easy to wash the sand and sea salt out?"

So yeah this month I went swimming in the ocean for the first time with locs. I'm pleased to say I seem to have suffered no adverse effects from the week I spent splashing around. I rinsed my hair after each session and left it in a half basket weave style until I got home.

During the week my hair was feeling particularly soft instead of dry like I'd expected and even the debris I was expecting didn't cause an issue. I imagine this was due to the fact that we only swam near rocky coastlines, avoiding sandy beaches completely, and aside from the water in that region being naturally clear to begin with, I think the lack of conventional products like gels or waxes enabled the residual salt to wash away more easily.

When I got home I decided to give my hair a good deep cleanse just to be safe. After rinsing my hair thoroughly I went on to spray it with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and baking soda (approx. 200ml : 1/4 tsp) and sat with a shower cap for around three hours before washing it all out with Cream of Nature's Kiwi and Citrus Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo. I then decided to re-colour my hair (temporary dye) and condition it with raw virgin coconut oil before letting it air dry.

My scalp and roots felt better immediately though it took a day or two for softness to come back due to the acidity of the apple cider vinegar.

Here I'd just taken out my style some days after getting back from my trip:

Apple cider vinegar and baking soda solution applied:

Quick clip of me washing my locs:

 

  

Rinsed thoroughly and shampooed in hot water with Cream of Nature shampoo:



Hair clean and lightly towel dried ready to be re-dyed:

Finished results - I decided to retwist just to get more length after all that shrinkage though I fell asleep in the clips (-__-) and they all ended up swooped to one side:

before

after

DREADLOCKS ARE...

**Photography and video ownership is held with the blog account holder. DO NOT use without permission**

Red Locs: The Whole (messy) Process + Pics

Hi everyone, this post may seem a little scattered as it initially served as a rough to do list for my own use but I've decided to share it for anyone wanting a general description of the procedure.


Things I will need:

1. latex gloves (7prs £1.50 Superdrug)
2. glass bowl
3. tinting brush
4. paper towels
5. bin
6. mirror (or two)
7. timer
8. old t-shirt
9. plastic caps
10. old dark towel

Products:

1. Lightener - Dark & Lovely 384
2. developer 9 % 30 vol (If your hair is black/brown I don't recommend the developer that comes with the lightener it's not strong enough)

ALWAYS PERFORM A SKIN ALLERGY TEST BEFORE USE.


Potential colours (semi-permanent):

Ion Color Brilliance Brights - Red

Pravana - Red

AlfaParf Jeans Color - Chili Red

Fudge Paintbox - Red Corvette

Colorful Professional Protein Filler

Step by step process:

PRODUCTS CAN BURN, ALWAYS USE GLOVES AND AVOID CONTACT WITH SKIN.

1. Make sure hair is clean (within 3 days) and that roots are loose and untwisted.
2. Grease the hair line, ears, forehead and neck.
3. Section hair into small groups.
4. Put on gloves.
5. Mix 1 part lightener and 2 parts developer til smooth and completely blended.
6. Set timer for 50 minutes.
7. Working quickly, start at the crown and work forward then back.
8. Apply lightener 1 inch away from the root.
9. Apply a shower cap and wait for 50 minutes (Checking EVERY 10 minutes).
10. Remove shower cap and apply lightener 1/8 inch away from scalp.
11. Reapply shower cap and wait for 20 minutes (Checking EVERY 5 minutes).
12. Make sure all hair has turned evenly (use a blow dryer on low for 2 minutes if needed)
13. Remove bands used for sectioning and wash hair in cool water squeezing through until all product is removed (minimum 10 minutes).
14. Do a final rinse in warm water.
15. Lightly squeeze hair in a towel until damp but not dripping.
16. Place clean shower cap on and leave for 10 minutes using a blow dryer on low to create steam.
17. Remove shower cap and begin applying temp hair dye.
18. Saturate all of the locs to be coloured but avoid the scalp.
19. Reapply one final coat of colour before placing hair into a shower cap.
20. Wait 20 minutes following the instructions from your colouring product.
21. Wash hair thoroughly in cool-cold water until water runs clear all over. Be sure to repeatedly squeeze water through each loc (root to tip) as well as to rinse behind ears.
22. Saturate hair in warm water and apply coconut oil. Squeeze out excess water with your hands until they stop dripping and place a shower on for 20-40 minutes before finally rinsing in cool water. The same can be done with diluted conditioner if you prefer (only for mature locs).
23. Pat dry and leave to air dry completely.

Link to slide show: http://www.photosnack.com/BD5D897EFB5/ph98wi39


And that's pretty much how I did it. If you're going to try it yourself the process will vary depending on the results you want to achieve and what exact products you use but be confident in your own judgement and don't be afraid to ask for help. When mixing the developer try to add slightly more developer than required so that the mixture is a tad weaker, especially advisable if you only need a brown or golden colour rather than yellowy-blond. For individual locs or tips place each loc in foil instead of using a shower cap. For two tone colour always start with the darkest colour first.

In the end I used two boxes of lightener and around 200ml of developer to do my whole head though I only needed 125ml of colour. I highly recommend using semi-permanent colours as you'll not know the true result until it's on so better to have something that fades than something that's permanent.

After my first attempt which appeared blotchy I then repeated the process which resulted in a red that was too bright and a touch too brassy/orange. I did a little research into how to tone down bright red hair and was surprised to find that many people have tried using brewed cold coffee. I didn't quite get around to trying it for myself but I did go out and get a reddish-brown colour (Adore 78 Rich Amber) and mixed it with the chili red I already had before applying it to my hair. It came out much richer and darker and really compliments my skin, eyes and glasses. It's funny because in all my research I never envisioned a brown/red combination but I'm in love with the results.

It was a lengthy process, far more complex than I could have foreseen. There were no guarantees and I had to be prepared for the worst, but all in all it worked out.

I'll update soon. Any questions, comments, please leave them below.

DREADLOCKS ARE...

**Photography ownership is held with the blog account holder. DO NOT use without permission. Slideshow created with Photosnack**

Red Locs

Eeek! My locs are red!

Dying my dreadlocks was a new experience but I'm relieved and impressed with the initial results. My hair feels quite soft (after conditioning with coconut oil) and perfectly healthy which was always my main concern.

It's been almost a year but I'm glad I waited. My locs needed to reach a good stage of maturity to endure DIY colouring. Through my experimentation I developed a clearer idea of how I wanted my locs to be as well as how I definitely didn't want them to turn be. My biggest concern of late was where and how to apply the ligthener/dye so that the colour worked with my complexion. I decided to use a semi-permanent colour because double processing (lightening, then dying) increases the risk of damage and I'm not an expert. I decided to place the dye quite away from my roots to help with the contrast and this way my new growth will hopefully blend better. The semi-permanent dye causes absolutely no damage and delivers bright results meaning I didn't have to lift my own hair colour very far. The downside of course is that it's not permanent. In fact this brand doesn't last long all. Washing my hair once a week is only an option if I'm willing to reapply colour very frequently but for now I happy to do it as it's much safer than a permanent dye.

The products I used:

And here's how it came out:

Now as far as this being my final colour I have to say I'm not 100% keen on how it turned out and here's why. When I lightened my hair I avoided squeezing the product in after reading into the debate for and against how much damage may be caused [to the effect of; bleach/dye can become trapped inside dreads causing shedding, breakage and hair loss in the future, therefore only coating the outer dread is advisable]. That said my results seem blotchy. I think with thicker dreads a lot more of the original colour can show through giving a sort of two tone effect:



By comparison some of the locs I'd dyed several times before (as above) are a more vibrant red. The others look almost burgundy/black.

I'm also not so sure this shade of red suites me in the first place but the best thing about semi-permanent dye is that in a few weeks it'll fade and I can try a different shade.

I am planning to go back over with the lightener just to even out the tones and also to redo my roots at the crown which didn't take so well because I ran out of product. Another plus for using a box lightener instead of bleach is that once the two components (lightener and developer) are mixed together, the chemical compound is designed to stop processing after a certain length of time. Sadly bleach (powder or liquid) will keep processing until there's nothing left so washing itr all out is vital.

TIP: As mentioned before in a previous post, to achieve the lightened colour (pics in next post) I did not use the bleach booster packet provided in the Dark & Lovely product above, so for anyone wanting to try it themselves, don't use it. You'll get great results and less damage without it and it's only really needed if you want to get to a true blonde. If you're throwing any other colour on top leave the bleach packet out.

Other than that I am super grateful that it worked out, I recommend those products to anyone with healthy hair and I'm so so excited to have red locs!

Next post goes into more detail about how I got these results and shows the results of me re-doing the process to get a even look. I took plenty of photos at various points during the transformation - Red Locs: The Whole (messy) Process.

Commenta welcome below.

DREADLOCKS ARE...

**Photography ownership is held with the blog account holder. DO NOT use without permission**

Tips: Moisture Vs. Buildup

Following my previous post where I mentioned steaming my locs and returning to coconut oil, I'd like to throw a few lessons or quick tips about oil, water, moisture and buildup out there for anyone who might need them.


I've learnt that;

1. Products need not be used on a daily basis as is popular with a lot of us.
2. Loc'd, braided or plaited hair holds products between the intertwined hair strands very easily. Have you ever removed cornrows or braids after 6 weeks and found that all sorts of debris was trapped too?
3. Only water moisturises our hair. It's makeup (hydrogen, oxygen and some natural minerals) is able to seep into open cuticles in the hair shaft. Heated water and steam are the most common ways to open the cuticles.
4. Virtually all products can seal in moisture by lying over the cuticles of damp hair just like a sealant would over a crack. But like a sealant they also seal out moisture. Thicker products like leave-in conditioners, waxes, pomades and some gels, will also seal out oxygen. When these products are reapplied daily it leads to buildup and eventually weakened hair. Once the buildup is there it's removability is entirely dependent on the type and quantity of the products used and how mature your locs are.
5. When we find a product that really works, it should work for more than a day. Applying products once a week or once a fortnight will decrease the chances of buildup.
6. At different times throughout the year your hair will need more moisture but not necessarily more oil (or product). Increasing usage of a spritz solution to get more moisture increases the risk of buildup by reapplication of product without shampooing. If you try using oil and water separately you can control how much of each is going onto your hair.
7. Sometimes the scalp becomes dry and some oils are known to help treat it. If oil and water is used separately you can apply oils exclusively to the scalp without over saturating your hair and risking buildup. In reverse, you can apply oil to damp hair without creating a greasy scalp. Harder to do when the two are sprayed together.
8. Other ways to retain moisture include, covering hair with satin or silk and avoiding contact with other fabrics, protecting hair from extreme temperatures, using shampoos with lower amounts of sulphate (choosing specifically "moisturising" shampoos should help), minimising "clarifying" shampoos to once or twice a year (incl. apple cider vinegar and lemon juice), and drinking as much water as possible everyday.

£3.99 from DolphinFitness.co.uk

In my experience:

Going from starter locs through to my first year, my views on the popular oil and water spritz combinations and moisture vs. buildup have changed and developed. You can never really know exactly what your locs are going to do in your climate until you go through all the seasons and experience it for yourselves.

For me I'm finding I get better results when I use oil and water separately rather than together. At first it felt like the spritz idea was working great but throughout the previous winter it just didn't help at all. I became frustrated with having to spray my hair three or more times a day just to make it feel soft. It felt like my hair was either dry or constantly damp.

I've come to the conclusion that as oil and water don't mix (even when agitated) it's not possible to get an even spritz of oil and water every time I use it. In reality some locs will get more oil or water than others if any at all. So unlike commercial solutions it's a little hit and miss. When I apply coconut oil on already damp hair with my hands it reacts differently. I find that the distribution is more even and the effects last longer. I use less and I don't get buildup or a greasy feeling.

Even if they aren't visible, oils will stay in your hair until they're washed out with shampoo (sulphates are known for stripping oil). Since my shampoo is specifically moisturising (lower on sulphate too) my method is: oil or shampoo, not both. If I've rinsed without shampoo I will use oil. If I've washed with shampoo I won't use oil. Obviously if it were a standard shampoo or a clarifying shampoo like Head & shoulders, Dr. Bonner's or Suave, the oils would be necessary.

 

DREADLOCKS ARE...

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Update: Progress

Just a quick one....

I've recently started using coconut oil again having finally replaced last year's purchase with a different brand that is 100% raw and unrefined. The scent has really grown on me and now that I'm comfortable with the shampoo I'm using (always diluted), I feel confident using the oil without fear of buildup, though I use it sparingly as I've become accustom to how light and clear my locs feel.

Link to quick tips regarding oils, water, moisturising, and buildup in my next post.

Today I returned to the steam room and sauna I visited last year and decided to steam my hair using the coconut oil and a shower cap. I steamed for about 3hrs before putting on the oil and cap. After another hour I rinsed thoroughly, first in warm water then cold water before towel drying. Tonight my locs feel baby soft and smell lovely. To read last year's entry click here.

 

My locs are coming along. The ends are starting to seal and their density is increasing. I'm not sure why it is exactly but I can tell my locs are changing. In the last week or so they're beginning, just beginning to behave a little better. The back half doesn't stick up as brutally as before and it appears more 'styled' in the mornings. For the past few days I feel like I can just about get up and go.

I'm washing my hair a few times a week to keep them fresh between workouts but of course this year they hold their own with ease. The only thing is I think the frequent moisture is preventing the inch towards the roots from loc'ing up but I'm not fighting with it this time just as long as they keep growing. They'll pick up eventually.


That's all for now.



DREADLOCKS ARE...

**photography ownership is held with the blog account holder. DO NOT use without permission**