The contrast of different hands

Usually I do not let anyone get too deep into my hair when touching it, but after experiencing someone really caress my hair and like it, I may not be so quick to not allow this in future. I was slightly shocked as guys are not usually good with touching afro hair in my my experience Lol.

Anyways onto a different scenario, I felt my hair was dry today, so knowing my Gran would have a really honest funny reaction I asked her to tell me if she felt my hair was dry. Oh how I wish I never asked as she immediately grabbed a big bunch of my hair and began scrunching away roughly. Her verdict was my hair was way too crispy so I put some spritz in it. I doubt I'll ask my Gran to touch my hair anytime soon, it brought me right back to the days when she used to do my hair - ouch Lol.
Not only did she say my hair was too dry but she started saying why can I see partings in your hair and that I better not be losing my hair. I did reassure her by saying that I recently retightened my hair and that due to my hair texture at the front the partings are most likely to show!

Oh please ignore the dates on the actual pictures - they are wrong and will be corrected for future pics.

Pic showing my hair looking a bit dishevelled after moisturizing it:

Pics showing my new baby locks inserted by platting them and then to assure they do not come out putting some thick elastic bands around them. I know this may lead to a longer locking process, but I will be retightening these weekly so that they do not tangle with the elastic bands.

Pic showing the front partings of my hair:

Pics showing the front of my hair - the front two locks where one was the result of twisting a broken lock around another healthier one (the one on your right):


Random pics:

2 year anniversary

I actually didn't take pictures on the exact day of my 2 year anniversary - I forgot! I took pictures on 28 July - technically 1 day early. Why you may ask? Well I was having too much fun at Rotterdam Carnival and well by the time I got back the time just flew by, but hey 1 day early is better than 1 day late LOL.



I took too many pictures of the costumes, but I really like the fact that I have an ok angle on these two pics:


Whilst eating breakfast I had another lady comment positively on my hair after explaining what sisterlocks was - briefly (I was enjoying breakfast way too much) and jotting down the website I felt I had done a good deed Lol. I felt for her as she stated that she could not find anyone in Rotterdam to handle her afro hair so got it texturized.

This picture shows some of the handy-work I had to do at the front - three becomes two! I lost a lock to the front so have basically twisted the a little bit of the half fallen out lock onto the strong lock and in doing so have tried to maintain a centre parting (the twisting is not quite complete in this pic):

Hot summer days + one wash = goodbye new baby locks

Today I washed my hair and braided and banded the few new locks I have at the back of my hair. The hot days have pretty much loosened them up but this wash was all it took to undo the baby locks.

Here are the photos before and after the wash:

I visited my consultant today

The last time I visited my consultant was to take the retightening class and since then with university, the distance and lack of money I haven't been back. But today I wanted to go for a maintenance appointment and to ask a few questions.

My consultant gave me feedback on my hair and I managed to get the answers I needed to continue doing my hair myself. I was slightly taken by surprise that she didn't think my hair was as fab as I thought (and still think lol). In our session she retightened more than half my hair, started a few new locks at the back of my hair. I left with most of my hair retightened and I did the rest of my hair a day or so later.

My consultant gave me the following straight up feedback:
1. My hair is not as she would expect it to be and she can tell I have been maintaining it myself
2. Each lock is not uniform and cylinder like in appearance, some of them being a little bit raggedy
3. A few of my partings have gotten bigger and some locks are not in the original uniform parting pattern (she found a diamond like parting for one of my lock's)

My main questions and answers given my consultant were quite helpful:
1. What could have caused some of my locks to thin in places?
Following the fact that I admitted to not retightening regularly and sometimes have gone 10 weeks, she said that this was the most likely problem. If I retighten regularly the new growth is less likely to start to lock by itself. This seemed to be what my hair has been doing - the new growth locking itself and then when I push the tool through I am not pushing it all the way down into the new growth. She also said that using the nappylocks tool is not the problem, as she saw that some of my locks were cylinder like.

2. What can I change about what my routine to put my hair back in a better condition?
Retighten more often - at least every 3 weeks. This is based on the fact that at 4 weeks I sometimes have to do 2 complete rotations - my hair growing quite quickly. Even better if I have the time to retighten weekly and push the tool through once or twice on each lock this will save time and make errors less likely. In addition I was told to make return regular visits every 6 months so that she could check over my hair.
3. What can I do about the lint in my hair?
I was not told to dye my hair as an excuse to get rid of lint, she suggested picking it out and that my lint is not that noticeable.
4. When should I groom my hair?
A.S.A.P. I was told that my hair needed grooming as I have stray hairs sticking out of most of my locks. She suggested I see herself or at least a trainee sisterlocks consultant and not do this myself as there have been clients who have lost locks due to being a bit too snappy with the scissors.
5. What are your final tips?
Do not spend all day doing your hair, fit it around your life and maintain it regularly. Most of all do not worry so much about your hair (I am guilty of worrying about my hair allot).
6. What would you say if I said I cannot see anything majorly wrong with my hair?
Although your hair isn't in the condition I would have it if you came to me, as long as you are happy with it then that is the main thing. As you are self-maintaining your hair you are more at risk of mistakes happening.

What is my feedback on the feedback:
I really appreciated my consultant's honest feedback but I will still continue to maintain my hair myself, however I will see her for a check-up once in a while. I continue to love my hair and have made a pledge to retighten my hair every 3 weeks.

I washed my hair the same day of my appointment and these are pictures following my hair wash:

Only one

I took only one picture in May, in this pic my hair was due a retightening.

New Hits Counter added

I left this quite late but I decided today to see if there are people who really visit my blog LOL. It helps to know you’re out there; I am guilty of silently lurking on blogs on occasion. If you’re out there, feel free to comment :)

My hair is not perfect

Love:
1. My hair has transitioned from being thin to thick as my locks have developed. I just now need the thickness to develop into length.
2. That I have become less worried about how my hair will turn out and mistakes that I make when retightening including putting holes in a few locks.
3. That I can spritz shake and go if I cannot be bothered to style my hair.
4. That my hair is unique to me and that I do not have to think as I once did before going natural of new looks to not look like everyone else.
5. That my hair is stronger and my each individual hair strand is thicker and less prone to breakage.
6. That I do not own a comb, but a piece of metal - the Nappylocs Tool which is the only thing I use to retighten my hair. I began with the micro Nappylocs tool for the front parts of my hair but now use the small tool all over my hair due to the thickness of it.
7. That family and friends now understand that my sisterlocks are here to stay and are not just yet another one of my hairstyle phase.
8. That I do not have to worry about the price of human hair anymore.

9. That I only have to use the small nappylocks tool, instead of alternating between the micro and small size when I first began self-retightening.

Dislike:
1. That some of my locks have come out at the back meaning that the length at the back does not look as long as it should be. I have about 4 locks missing in the back. I think I need to get some kinky hair to put in the back, as re-attaching an already damaged lock does not appeal and having a baby lock would make my hair length look very funny. For now I have let the hair grow free until I decide whether I will do this myself or go back to my consultant.
2. Some locks are thin in places, one currently being a lock at the front and near the root. This makes my thinning locks hang differently.
3. One or two locks have a lump that needs to be cut off - this was due to me retightening in a hurry and not being able to smooth them out.
4. I have a few thin locks that I have married together that need the ends cut off.
5. Dandruff being a pain to get out and is attached in some of my locks

I intend to solve some of my hair problems myself or by visiting my consultant for a maintenance check-up.

Although my hair has a few imperfections, this does not compare to how happy I am with how my hair is progressing!