Locked Up!

It's official  - my hair is locked. What a great birthday present?  Plus, now I can color my hair.  Something to look forward to.

Two-Loc Twist Out

After four days with mt two-loc twists, I decided to take them out.  My apologies for the shots, my phoyographer was out of town.

Two-Loc Twist

Here is my variation on a two strand twist.  Trying to keep up with my semi freeform styling options even though I'm going to the shop this week.

I'll post pictures when I do the twist out.

Head Wrapped for Church

After the wash and go which followed my bantu knot curls, my hair needed some help looking decent for church.  I didn't feel like doing anything to it so I planned my outfit around a scarf I purchased specifically to wrap my hair:

Don't mind the spots.  I didn't cover my hair in the shower.

Considering this was only my time trying to wrap it, I think I did a pretty good job.

Valerie June You Tube Interview

Last year, The Coil Review did a You Tube interview of Valerie June, a musician who freeforms her locs.  There were lots of great points made in the interview, but two stood out for me more than others:

1. "Don't try to make your crop look like someone else's."  You are not like anyone else, why would your hair be?  Truth!  I need to remind myself of this everyday.  I like being different.  I didn't loc sooner because I felt like everyone else was doing it.  Why am I surprised that my locs don't look like someone else's?  I need to let go of what "nice" locs are supposed to look like.  I need to let go of what other people expect my hair to look like.

2. Draw a picture of what you want your hair to look like in 10 years.  According to Valerie, this will help keep you focused on the goal and stop you from giving up.  I need to do this ASAP.  I've been frustrated so many times already.  I know how long I want them to be (just below my boobs), but I never really thought about how I wanted them to look.

One maintenance step she does is oil her hair the day before washing them to help moisturize them.  Ha!  I knew I was on to something.  I been toying with this idea, but didn't want to deal with the greasy pillowcase again.  Now though it is definitely going to be tried out.  Since I figured out how to wrap my hair I think I can managing keeping it covered for a day out.

What's Semi Freeforming?

I guess I put it out there, I have to post a follow up to my semi freeform desire post.

Here's some background information:  I have traditional locs which were started with coils.  I try to retwist every two weeks.  Quite frankly, that is a lot for me to do.  My hair is more work now that I'm locking than it has ever been.  I like the texture of my hair and enjoy playing with the new growth - something I did even when I was relaxed.  Retwisting takes a lot of time and I fear that I may be doing it too tight.  Enter semi freeforming.

Semi freeforming is a cross between traditional locs and letting the locs just freeform (a post will eventually come on those methods).  When semi freeforming, one may go extended periods of time without retwisting.  It is key to separate the locs though.  This will prevent locs from joining together at the base. All the same maintenance still applies - washing, moisturizing, etc - but there is less manipulation of the hair. 

One of the more popular freefromers is Valerie June:

I did try this method and must admit it did not last long.  My hair shrinks so much! I did it for about three weeks.  I wanted to go longer, but got frustrated.  I did bantu knots/curls for a bit and then just did a wash and go.  I love being able to wash and walk out the house, but I couldn't style it as I wanted.  I really wanted to be able to pull the top back into a ponytail, but that did not work and it really frustrated me since I could when it is retwisted regularly.

So I've decided to come up with my own method of semi freeforming.  The plan is to alternate between a style and a wash and go.  I'm excited to get started.

Bantu Knots to Curls

I'm tired of retwisting my hair.  I decided that I need to try styling it in ways that wouldn't require retwisting.  I decided to put some bantu knots in since I could wear them for at least a week.

Don't judge my just woke up face.

My husband was not impressed.  He felt they looked like do-do balls on my head.   When I took them out though he did like the final product:

I was able to rock the curls for three days - church, a birthday party and to work.  By the second day of work, I had do something with the front.

I settled on flat twists in the front.  That lasted two days I think.  So the Thursday I put to top and front in a ponytail and wore rest out.

Yay! I made it a full work week.  I was please that I survived.  I think that I made the knots too tight the first day because my scalp was not pleased.  To make them last, I would re-knot them at night - as long as I wasn't being lazy:

Time for bed.

What I learned from this experience was that I didn't have to retwist my hair to have a cute style, but I did need to ignore the folk that love me the most.  My husband didn't like the do-do balls look.  My mom thought it was cute, but that my hair is long enough to "look better." Really?  Oh well.  As long as I'm pleased, the world will be ok.

Just a Pic - March 14, 2012

A real post is coming soon. I promise.