Head wraps

So today is my first day back at work and I'm not really ready to reveal my new style just yet. So we are going down the head wrapping path. On the day of my starter locs I bought 3 head scarves in the market different colours same style. I spent late last night looking at videos on YouTube on wearing wraps and how you can do it. I found some really good videos and were really useful. I had a go this morning and the result is attached. Still need some practice and will try other styles also. The link for the videos are below. Happy wrapping.

http://youtu.be/sspRAXGnmLw

http://youtu.be/sk4dgs93biE

My hair deserves locs

So I did it yesterday and I love them. Yes they cut my hair boy did they cut it it was more than I could deal with seeing but less than I thought they would cut I still have a generous length it's not that big chop length. So after the mini chop she washed it and boy did she anyone would think I've never washed my hair EVER. After the scalp annihilation she then trimmed more I was like enough already leave me with something. Then the coiling begun I was asked the size I wanted and I was hell bent from day 1 I wanted small locs there was a big discussion about the size of the base affects how long you can grow them etc etc but I stuck with small and she went to town God knows how many locs I have I will get someone to count them. I was very pleased with the end result as I truly believed I would have small popcorn stubs of hair but I don't.
Today I woke up feeling so free, liberated in the fact never will I abuse my hair with combing, chemicals, stupid products, heat and what not. Now my regime is to oil my hair and scalp couple times a week I can shampoo whenever I want once I bud. While I was having my hair done all the ladies in the salon were asking if it was just a style or starting locs then they all started reminiscing when they made the decision to loc everyone started welling up. Having dreadlocks is a sisterhood I never knew about and I am so glad I am a member honestly my hair deserves locs and I embrace this journey we will go on for as long as it lasts.

It's not that serious

So after crying to any one who would listen about my hair getting cut I turned to good old YouTube. I was looking for videos about washing starter locs and found a couple. Damian washes them from about 2 months which was encouraging I am still not keen on this dry shampoo nonsense but we'll hash that out when it comes to it. I then stumbled upon a video called "don't cry about your short dreadlocks" (it's as if she knew) the young lady herself had short dreads and said she turned her hate to indifference and was like its not a big deal its dead anyway it will grow and as I intend to she wore scarves and head wraps so I just felt its really not a big deal let them cut what they need to no one other than my kids and husband are gonna see them so let's do this. In the the words of DW "it is not that serious!".

My lovely hair

They wan' cut my hair!!!!

So today was the day i had my consultation at Adornement lovely salon so strange its in a department store plus its smaller than i imagined. They were very cordial saw to me on time offered me a drink i need it. The stylist gave me a questionnaire to fill out it asked things like my personal details even my religion i even looked r the place they would ask for my marital status it didn't but did ask about my exercise regime if i drank enough water etc etc. After that she unraveled my hair and had a feel due that damn texturizer some of my ends are straighter than the rest of my hair so they will need trimming. I'm so upset i love length so I accepted my fate and called my husband who i really thought would be horrified but was like if it needs doing cut it, it will look fine. I spoke to my comrade of a sister who reassured me that i should wrap it up as that was she planned to do. The only thing that concerned us was the lack of washing involved in the first few months i am horrified they will dry shampoo and retwist for God knows how long that information floored us both but we'll see.

Why locs?

I stopped relaxing my hair when I got pregnant in 2008 from then on I braided and weaved my hair for years I hardly ever had my own natural hair on display. My natural hair is thick long and a lot of it I am the bain of many hairdressers but what else can i do. In 2011 i dabbled with lace wigs which at the time i thought were brilliant an instant glamorous look with minimal effort and i rocked my several wigs for just over a year but just like every thing else before i just got bored. A lot of the challenges were trying to remain feminine and looking a certain way for my husband he liked the weaves braids and even the wigs but when i decided to stop all of those and style my own hair he did not like it all of the time on one occasion he told me i looked 'unkept' thats his opinion and he was entitled to it. I however loved the freedom of styling my own hair but soon got into a jam. My natural thick hair with a sensitive scalp the two just could not get along so i thought lets comb some texturizer in that yes its a chemical but it will make my hair manageable or so i thought. It did make it softer but after a couple months its as if the texturizer just 'washed' out. Sounds ridiculous but the effects of the chemical just never lasted. On one occasion the stylist who usually did my hair apologised profusely for it 'not working' the following day i just went to get my hair braided and the stylist then commented on the denseness of my hair and proceeded to blow dry the heck out of it to make it soft enough to braid. Don't get me wrong my hair is not a brilo pad its lovely the texture is nice but there is just so much of it plus i have a good size head what to do eh. Over the years i have always loved and hated dreadlocs some people just cherish their hair and it looks beautiful other good God what a state they leave it in. After a friend and colleague mentioned she wanted to do sister locs i thought let me look into locing my hair. I ruled out sister locs immediately it just did not appeal to me. Like always i turned to youtube for advice and information and quickly ran in to Damian Walter a loctitian from Houston. He is just amazing he's not just a stylist he's a real advocate for caring for your hair. He not only shows he's techniques on how to start and maintain locs but he educates on the importance of good shampooing. Good shampooing you ask yes a good shampoo and deep conditioning is the key to healthy hair check him out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9WDIfW4dXs.
So after much self educating i had a chat with my sister that i was thinking of locing and she too had the same thoughts so we decided to take the plunge together. We then looked and read reviews on hairdressers and loctitians in London there aren't that many online that we could find. Anyway after lot of positive reviews we are going to a salon in Brixton who pride themselves on caring for dreadlocks and natural hair they have a Facebook page and we have studied them for a while. We are booked in for next week and we cannot wait we both have to consultations prior to the bookings my sister will go this weekend i will go end of next week so will update our journey.