Locks DO Grow!

I found an old pic in one of my folders. I remember this day particularly well. I stood in front of that mirror for the longest time possible and toyed with the idea of cutting my locks..

See, as far as I could tell, they were JUST not growing! It seemed they remained that frustrating length for the longest time possible. I loved my locks, but I just couldn't wait to tie a pony..and guess what? I HAD to wait!!

Fortunately sanity prevailed and I didn't cut them.. this was my first set..but by the time I unlocked it to do microlocks..my hair had tripled in length.

If you're struggling with locks that seem like they are just not growing, hang on in there...and try to forget about your hair. I promise you, you DO wake up one day and realise they have grown...if you hang on long enough, I guarantee it.

Lock luv

Curls with Perm Rods...

I finally tried perm rods... stunning results. My curls survived almost 3 weeks and a few dashes of rain. I kept the rollers overnight(painful!) and I wasn't too consistant with the curling direction..but the curls were forgiving.

The spirals are not as tight as with the pipeclearners, and they are more bouncy, so I think I will alternate between the 2 methods from now on.

Wishing everyone happy holidays..

Trial: NO SHAMPOO for 6 Months

I have mentioned my struggle with a skin condition called rosacea. Basically my skin flares up in a red rash mainly on my forehead and cheeks.

I have been trying without lasting success to resort to natural methods..no more steroids or anything harsh...anyway, in my quest to discover why my skin is not responding positively even though I'm on low-fat vegan diet and drinking 3 litres of pure spring water which I fetch myself, etc etc...I noticed my skin usually calms down a bit but flares up again a few days after I shampoo. This was hard to figure out because my skin is just NEVER fully clear and smooth on any given day.

In my research to find out what I could be reacting to, I found a host shampoo ingredients that are far from ideal, I won't bore you with the details, I'm still struggling to pronounce these chemicals, nevermind their list of long and scary longterm effects - way beyond my skin problem. There's not a single shampoo I could find that does not contain a minimum of 2 of these harmful chemicals - so I have to take drastic measures.

I suppose there's no harm in trying; so for the next 6 months (or forever)I'm off any type of shampoo. I found a host of natural homemade shampoos, which I'm going to experiment with, but for now, this is my hair cleansing routine..

Dissolve about 3 tablespoon of baking soda in just enough water to make a paste. Apply this to your roots only; work it in and let it sit for a minute.

This will stimulate blood flow, clean your pores and get off built up grime, use your finger tips to scrub your scalp.
Next, pour about 6 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a plastic jug and add water. After you rinse the baking soda out, pour the apple cider vinegar over the ends of your locks, let it sit for a minute and then rinse it out. That’s all there is to it! Baking Soda & ACV!!!

I then use a combination of olive oil, hemp oil, and boiled mixture of rosemary, Chamomile Tea & Sage.

The hardest thing about this is to wash my hair & not see foam..but lets see how it goes :-)

Zulu (Masai) Hair Clips

I love these hair clips...they remind me of the traditional Zulu spear & shield, but I got them in Kenya in a Masai Market, so I can't exactly calll them Zulu Clips :-)

Anyways, I have found wonderful ways to hold my hair up for gym/casual styles using these clips...shown in these pics is my fav by far
tie the hair in a single braid as far back as possible..
braid halfway and flip the braid over torwards the top of your head
take 2 parts of the open braid, place the clip on top and fasten..
let the remaining 3rd part of the open braid hang loose in whatever direction...or tuck in, whatever..

There...you're good to go...

Ps: I tried to take pics as I went along but that proved to be mission impossible...hope you can sort of figure out instructions from the pics...I love the way Dewdrop makes all her how-to instructions idiot-proof, but I'm just not that gifted :-)

Spring Garden Wedding

Its been a while... a lot has happened! I had a birthday in August, and joined weight watchers, and went vegan...then almost raw...then I was preparing for a friend's Spring wedding...so yeah, a lot of time was spent googling recipes and testimonials to motivate myself..

I am back...here's a pic I took at the garden wedding (yes I wore a HUGE hat and loved it) :-)

The pleasures of having microlocks...I am not sure if I could have pulled this look with my previous dreadlocks

You'll hear from me soon... I promise..I'm busy googling ways to keep hair strong with drastic diet changes.. I want to health_reform but not at the expense of my hair... so I would like this transition to be as painfree as possible for my locks...if you have tips please share

So long...

Freestyle

I have been lazy again..I have about 6 weeks of growth and I have been retightening about 30 locks per day, not fast enough for my liking. Some month I just have the oomph and zeal to this hair in one day, other times..well...NOT

I went to Franschhoek, a small town off Cape Town with beautiful wine farms, vegetation and good food. It's one of the most attractive wedding destinations in Africa and people there thought I was American with those "other" locks :-)

I am glad people are becoming more aware of locks in general, even if they don't know the specific types...this country has come a long way in recognising and embracing locks.

I'm abusing the freestyle, for once I'm almost finishing a month without curling my hair. I just wake up and go..if only I could learn to be consistent with re-ti's..I'd be a happy woman indeed.

Gerrylocs-versary

Time flies when you're having loc-fun :-) The 29th of June is my locversary and a few days ago I celebrated one year with my beloved locs...

here's a very brief reflection with pictures...

• Locs have grown fuller (much fuller)
• longer too :-)
• the colour has 'settled in' to a more golden blondish colour
• the texture is now soft & feels natural
• I have a year's worth of love for my locs
• The ends (oh those ends!!!) have locked
• the locs are more fluffy  and the cylindrical pattern has diminished & therefore look truly natural

The journey has been worthwhile and I'm so glad I went this route...I love my locs...
PS: I'm tempted to colour (go really dark) my locs - I'm not sure I will keep my promise of at least 2 years with the multi-tones...but that's an entry for another day..

EZ Combs

I bought EZ combs, with the hope of trying the styles as displayed in the picture attached. They are quite easy to use with a reasonable stretch for locks. My problem, however, no matter how much I try to make sure the locks are not stressed and pulled...the combs still feel tight/funny and I can't keep the comb for more than 3 hours at any given time. My tolerance of any kind of tension on my head is pretty low and I'm prone to get a tension headache even from a ponytail, which is why I mostly wear my hair freestyle or with curls.

It looks like they don't poke holes in the locks (rounded ends), however I'm not too certain that kind of tension is good for locks. If you have tried/use EZ combs please let me know your experience with them.

Happy styling...

Pleas feel free to drop your opinion on these combs, even if its just theory and you haven't actually tried them on your locks.

Different Curling Methods - Personal Review

Bendable Curlers - I really liked these curls!!!
Advantages - gorgeous curls, spiral but bigger curls, great for an evening do, bouncy and easy to do front bangs...
Disadvantages - the curlers are really bulky, feels like you've tied a blanket around your head, hair doesn't dry easy as a result, which means curls don't last ..3 days max!

Braidout - my staple :-)
Advantages - love the wavy look, hair becomes nicer as the curls relax, easy get up and go, easy to make, don't need any gadgets - just have to know how to braid, can combine braids with Bantu knots and other curlers or tie hair in a bun..
Disadvantages - hair can become a bit unruly, especially with the Cape Town wind, hair can break off if made too tight..

Pipecleaner curls - these were just too wonderful, same look as bendable curlers but lasted longer (like 2 weeks!!!)
Advantages - easy to do, easy to pull out, curls last forever and become nicer each day, hair appears fuller, can layer the curls (if you're patient)
Disadvantages - can't think of any, sorry!! Oh, difficult to find the pipecleaners in South Africa :-)

On my TO TRY LIST

• Steam Rollers (there's some fancy one's Americans usually blog about)
• Perm Rollers (for the curly ends look)
• Bantu Knots ( without braids, I usually do individual braids first - I must try the other method!)

I'm not so keen to try the hot electric curlers - I really don't miss the smell of burning hair.

Gaps/Holes in Locks

Hi Everyone

OK, I'm stressed...remember the growth I complained about? Retightening it has brought me headaches.

I had to do 4 to 5 full rotations per lock to fully tighten each lock, and given that I have about 300 locks, this took longer than expected to do my hair. In frustration I taught a friend and asked her to do the back section. She seemed to doing it faster than I was doing it, so it was yay-ness for a while (until I discovered the holes in most of the locks at the back).

Basically, my hair is locked very tight to the scalp, for about 1/4 inch, then the rest of my previous growth is soft gaps/holes. I'm worried about the uniformity of my locks after this. I'm also worried that these unlocked bits will cause bulging problems and/or I will find myself with fragile & breaking locks in the parts that are soft and not locked.

I have been trying to fix the holes by passing the locks through the holes, but for my smaller locks, the extension part is straining my hair as the locks get stuck as I attempt to pull them through the gaps.

If you have any advice, or can direct me to anyone who has blogged about this, I will appreciate it. I'm kind of stressing and can't stop touching the holes in thorough frustration...

Help please! Anyone????!!!

Stylish Blogger Award

I've been nominated for a stylish blogger award by my blog shero, the informative DIYer of the century, dewdrop herself! My gratitude to her and all of you that read my blog.

1. Thank and link back to the person that awarded you this award

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award



7 Things about myself:

1. I tear easily, I cry at weddings, funerals, movies, and anything remotely sentimental or emotional.

2. Embarrassingly enough, I can't ride a bicycle.

3. I have a (selective) photographic memory.

4. I'm not approachable, but for some odd reason, friends and strangers alike find it easy to confide in me.

5. I love babies, and I fear this is an understatement.

6. I read and therefore suffer from insomnia, or the other way round.

7. God has the final Word in my life.



I would like to nominate:

Mrs Mac - I like the way you write, and you're very supportive, keep up the good work.

rmcandlelight - Your blog is REALLY stylish, and whenever you blog, its always a worthwhile read!

anthia-ofo -  I just like your blog, very encouraging and informative.

Uganda Trip

I just came back from a 2 week visit in Uganda (Kampala), very hot, great organic food, hair GREW from all that sweating, no Internet, riots, interesting culture, bad bad roads, beautiful scenery (especially at the source of the majestic Nile River in Jinja just outside of Kampala), million types of bananas, friendly people, sad reminders of the war, hectic education system, highest life expectancy I've seen in Africa so far....

In all, I had a memorable time, special thanks to Doreen, my friend, for inviting me to her native land.

that's my excuse for MIA for so long...

I have soooo much growth its not funny at all. its like my hair has not been retouched in 3 months...all from just 2 weeks of equatorial weather???  Maybe I should relocate :-)

I mean to say, I'm back to the blog land...

Curls with pipecleaners

 I have to admit, before I started blogging I had never heard of pipecleaners, and judging by the blank looks I got while searching for them in the shops, not many South Africans know what they are :-)

Anyways, many tobacco, art and craft shops later, I finally found them ( only sold in a multi-coloured pack!) and getting enough black ones meant I had to BEG the shop assistant to transfer black ones from other packs to mine :-)

I immediately went to work and I kept them for 2 nights and a full day in between...on that day I had to take a Ugandan friend for a Robin Island tour and both tourists and locals looked at my hair with curiosity but I really couldn't be bothered. PS: I took one one out just to see if it was worth running around with pipecleaners while I waited for my hair to set properly, don't know if you can see the undone one in the pic above.

This was the result when I finally took them out.

5 days later, my curls have dropped a bit but still look gorgeous, in fact I like them more now. I will post some more pics on how they look now as soon as I can take pics with a proper camera.

I think this is going to be my regular curl of choice. I have been using bendable curlers but the curls don't last as long and it is just not possible to go out in public with them, unlike pipecleaners, which I can keep on a relaxed day like Sunday and still manage casual visits and an trip to the shop.

I just hope they last at least a few sets before they get worn out.

More pic later and cheers for now...

Reflections on My Napptural Journey

I like these pictures, they remind me how far I have come on my natural journey...it has been a long 6 years of embracing my natural hair...from afro to dreadlocks to microlocks.

I'm not sure how long I will keep my locks, but I do know I will never put chemicals on my hair again.
I'm in this for life :-)

Aloe Ferox - The Master Plant

Most people are familiar with aloe vera and it's medicinal properties, but few people know about aloe ferox and it's elevated and diverse uses. Aloe ferox is the most potent of all 360 varieties of the aloe family. When compared to aloe vera, the aloe ferox tree is 22 times more potent. The aloe ferox plant is indigenous to one province in South Africa, and nowhere else on earth! Unlike most aloe vera products, aloe ferox never has to be filtered and thus retain all the natural present active ingredients. Aloe ferox is neither irrigated nor treated with pesticides or insecticides. This plant is so strong that it survival is sustained through the strength of its own immune system.

Because the aloe ferox plant has a greater concentration of biologically active compounds, its healing properties are much more powerful than those of the aloe vera plant. Aloe ferox products and their uses include:

• Aloe bitter crystals - The main ingredient in aloe bitter crystals is aloin, which is a strong laxative that aids detoxification and helps improve digestion.
• Aloe bitter powder - One of the most popular African remedies, aloe bitter powder can be used to relieve hay fever and sinus problems. You can also rub it into the coats of animals to combat external parasites.
• Aloe drinks - The juice of the aloe ferox is rich with soluble dietary fiber, while the aloe gel contained in aloe drinks helps sooth mucus membranes and can relieve symptoms of heartburn and stomach discomfort. Aloe drinks are also terrific energy boosters, as they contain high levels of metabolic minerals. Tea formulations can also enhance health and healing.
• Aloe gel - An extract of the aloe ferox leaf, aloe gel can help boost your skin's natural moisture levels - but its benefits don't stop there. Aloe gel also helps to reduce inflammation and increase cell growth, and has an antibacterial effect. Aloe gel is also an effective anti-aging product, since it increases soluble collagen compounds and increases cell regeneration. So, whether you need to treat a sunburn, an insect bite, eczema, or any of a variety of skin ailments, it's always good to have a supply of aloe gel handy.
• Skin Care - Aloe ferox can be a powerful tool in your skin care regimen. From cleansing foams and make-up removers to skin toners and sunscreens, aloe can help ensure that your skin will stay supple and healthy.
• Hair Care - There are aloe ferox based hair products from shampoo to hair repair that supposedly do wonders for hair, especially for people who have thinning hair or post cancer patients. I haven't tried any hair products from the aloe family myself, but I will, soon.
• The list goes on...and on...and on...including prostate cancer and the likes, I'm just blogging about the uses of this plant that affect me.

I personally suffer from rosacea and a super lazy digestive system (which is improving with my recent vegan diet) and a long list of allergies, and I am on week 3 of using the gel and making the tea... my skin has improved tenfold, I feel so alert and alive...and yes, my cholesterol is finally at 4 (from 5.9 or something), which is a huge improvement for me.

Don't take my word for it though, do your own research and you will find that God has a fully equipped superior pharmacy right there, in the fields.

Natural hair, natural remedies, natural me.

Triple Bun

This is my first attempt of a triple bun inspired by Dewdrop's attempt of Fuesha's double bun :-) I'm sure my second attempt will even be better.

I tried to follow Fuesha's tutorial but I struggled, so I improvised. I found it easier for me to start with the innermost bun and work my way outwards rather than the instructions as per the tutorial, which is outward bun first then inner bun.

Depending on the length of your hair, I suppose even four layers are possible; but for me, the triple bun works best.

I'm not good with step-by-step instructions, but here's what I did :-

• Start with the centre smaller bun, tie hair with whatever works for you and twist the hair anticlockwise as you would with a regular bun.
• Add another layer and tie it at the base of centre bun and repeat process (careful as inner bun tends to protrude upwards).
• Tie the remaining hair (or another layer if you are making more layers) into the base of the middle bun and repeat again.
• I added a few beaded pins and a string of pearls around the outer bun just for a bit of colour and fun!
• The pictures below are not the greatest but I hope they make my instructions clearer.

Cornrows...experiment :-)

I attempted cornrows with my locks, however I think my locks are a little bit too long for this hairstyle, or the downward plait wasn't tight enough... but whatever the case, although I got a lot of compliments, I felt something wasn't quite right.

Too much of a rooster effect? not sure...

I'm still going to try a few more styles..at least 2 every month, I'm loving the freestyle so much I'm bordering on downright laziness!!!

PS: not sure if this sort of 'cornrows' hairstyle doesn't break the hair, I didn't keep it long enough to find out...I'm somehow paranoid with anything that pulls my front locks as I feel they are too thin to handle the pressure.. need to get over it soonest!

Wrap-A-Loc the African Way

Meet ButtaPhly

ButtaPhly is a friend of mine from church, lovely human being with a beautiful soul and rich dense hair :-) She started 2 strand twist sometime early last year, and when I came back from the US with my gerrylocks she volunteered her hair for me to practise on, with the tool (I think there was a bit of pressure from my side as well, can't remember).

Her hair was already locking, so for a full afternoon, I pulled her twists apart (making 2 locks for each locking twist) and crocheted her 3 inch growth.  I must admit she had a lot of faith in me because I really didn't have a clue what I was doing, I was just using common sense and determination to master using the tool :-)

Our experiment worked out rather well, today was her 4th retightening (from August) and her hair is thick, bouncy, fluffy and gorgeous! The tool maintained part and the rest of locks from the twist have blended rather well, I was afraid the parts done with the nappylocks tool would be thinner. She has no grid as her original twists were free-formed, but her hair is too thick anyway, I doubt the grid would show.

I didn't have time to style her today, but her hair stretches and is long enough to plait unto a nice style.

Our next project is to trim the fluff around each lock for a more professional look, but I'm weary to experiment with the scissors until I have read enough to know what I'm doing. If any of you is familiar with trimming locks, and have blogged about it, please direct me to the blog-links.

I thank God for all the friends who have allowed me to learn-as-I-go on their heads...I know how fussy I am with my own hair, so I know how much love and faith it must take to allow someone to 'experiment' on your hair..:-)

So long...
Keep on spreading the loc-love..

Acceptance

I've pretty much accepted the fact, I don't have eyes at the back  :-( It took me a while not to stress about every single lock. I have messed quite a few (by that I mean they are thinner than my average lock size) and some have stray hair all around where I had to snap off a few strands because I had hooked 2 locks together *deep sigh*...

With me in the pic is Lithabo (a friend's daughter whom I also locked with my tool 2 months ago), after retightening her locks she offered to learn and help me...and I agreed. It was so much fun listening to her recite 'top-bottom, left-right, bottom-up, right-left' in her baby efforts not to mess up my rotation pattern... don't know if she got it right in all the locks she helped me with, but I really don't care much. It is OK if I have a few locks not perfectly rotated, hopefully the size won't be significantly different with minor variations in rotation pattern.

I have not lost any locks so far, so I figure it must be pretty difficult to mess up a lock to the point of loosing it because I have messed up big time! I take of my hat to all the sisters out there with +400 locks who do their own hair without messing up..I really don't know how you guys do it...Lord knows I've tried

I am a pro by now at doing other people's hair, just not mine, and especially not the back. It's either I let whoever is around, as long as they are somewhat good with hair..to help me; or I really hunt down the elusive Thandi and let her fix my back locks every couple of months.

On a brighter note...can't wait to see how Lithabo's micro locks will turn up, her mom is green with envy and she's now growing natural hair so she can have locks as well...

I guess no one can accuse me of not spreading the loc-love...:-)
Tomorrow I am retightening ButtaPhly's hair...her locks are stunning :-)

Wedding Updo

I went to East Africa over the December holidays, and my hosts had to attend a wedding of their childhood friend who lives in the United States; and they dragged me along :-) Nairobi is pretty hot in December so I pulled my hair into a nice updo off my shoulders.

It turned out nice, I think... I have always been creative with hair, especially braided hair, and I'm finding it pretty easy to style my locs on the few-and-far-inbetween days when I actually make an effort. I never really think of taking pictures, but since I'm turning over a new blog leaf this year I suppose I'll have to make an effort. The plan is to have a page dedicated to hairstyles, so that whoever wants can get ideas on what to do with their hair can do so. I must say I have found some pretty nice hairstyles on blogs and it is only fair that I share whatever I can to add to the pool f ideas out there :-)

Anyway, nothing fancy here really, I wanted the different colours on my hair to show, so I decided to have a bit of hair hanging loose. I held a small portion of the hair with my hand, and with the other kept wrapping and tucking small sections of hair around the small pony. I sectioned the hair in front to the side...that's all really...

Here's a back view, it is not very clear since I cropped it from a full picture with other people, but I hope you get the idea...

Thank you to those who noticed and commented on my different layout. I'm still struggling with minor details like getting my slideshow to upload properly...but I suppose I'm getting there slowly!

A blessed day to you all :-)

Compliments of the new year people :-)

Yeah, you guessed right, the Prodical Daughter is back.

All is well in my land, although my hair has been neglected, somewhat!

I was so excited when I got my locks I looked forward to the next wash, style, curl, blog... now I'm sort of getting used to it (not a bad thing) but I'm not too impressed with myself for somehow defaulting on taking good care of my hair as a rule :-(

I've micro-locked 3 people so far...ButtaPhly, Crax & a friend's daughter (in the pic with me, her mom braided her over the locs for holidays) More pics to follow...

PS: I still love my locks, which is why I'm gonna get over my laziness & wash my hair today..

Peace to you all