21

That's the number of  hair and bobby pins I used to hold up the style I posted yesterday.

Loc Updo

Here's a drive by post of the updo style that I randomly created today.   It took me ~20 minutes to do the style.  Initially.  I was just going to do the front and cover the back with a headwrap. The knots you see below were created by creating a twist from several locs, wrapping it around itself, and pinning it down.

Before I decided to create an updo*

I couldn't get the headwrap to look right so I decided to try and basket weave the back.  Before doing that I pulled hair from just over my ears, on both sides of my head, and crossed them beneath the knots.  I then flipped my head over and basket weaved from the nap of my neck up to just before the crossed hair beneath the knots.  After that I just gathered, tucked, and pinned until there were no more loose locs. 

front/top

the knots lean to one side a bit

left side

side/back

right side

Back (note the glaringly obvious black bobby pin)

top

* my friend noted that I was not smiling here.. I had to explain that I look insane when I smile and photograph myself. 

I hope you guys enjoyed the style. 

Guess Who's Featured on IRockLocs.com

It's ME!!!!! I submitted a request to be featured ~ a month ago.  I didn't know if Kim would actually post my interview, so imagine my surprise when I saw this in my Facebook feed this morning.   Thank you for the feature Kim.  As for my other readers, please check out Kim's site IRockLocs. 

If I Didn't Know Better... (Warning Randomness Ahead)

I'd be convinced that my locs have not grown in the last 15 months... Good thing I know better huh?  What bought this on, you may ask.  Well it was a coworker telling me how long my locs were getting.  In my mind I called bullshigitty, then came home and took a pic for proof.  I present the evidence:

Day 1

15 months

See!  No difference.  I understand that this is the loc'ing process, and the lack of length is due to my hair condensing and matting, but dang I just want longer locs some days.  Thankfully my hair dye addiction makes it easy to see the new growth lol.  Seriously, though I'm patient and can appreciate this.... Getting long my ass.

Tender is the Scalp

I intended to write this post at least 2 months ago, but it didn't happen.  I didn't really know how to talk about my tender scalp, but after my trip to the loctician on Friday the topic was fresh on my mind. 
I'm extremely tender-headed.  My scalp has no appreciation for up-dos or tight ponytails.  Heck there are some days where even a roller set isn't an option.  I knew that I was tender headed long before I loc'd my hair, I just had no idea what that would mean for me as I journeyed into the land of locs.  Now I know. 

1. Retightenings are painful to the point of tears at times, and no it's not a matter of who does them, they just hurt, my scalp prefers to be left alone.  That means I only retighten ever 3-6 months. 
2. Styling dry locs hurts.  I have to spritz my locs with water before I even consider trying to pull them in any direction other than the direction they choose to grow (down).  I also cannot pull too tightly or there will be hell to pay in the form of pain.
3. No hair pulling... Period.  It's not funny or cute.  It just hurts, and I have been known to hit those who cause me physical pain.
4. Hairpins, bobby pins, and tight headbands are all implements of torture.  This one is pretty self explanatory.
5. I'm better off just leaving my locs to their own devices.  

I also learned, on Friday, that I am definitely not the only tender headed loc'er out there.  There was a young man getting his locs done.  My loctician gave him an awesome style.  We spoke later and he too had taken his style down, because like me, he enjoyed it but couldn't tolerate the pain.  I do have to wonder why we go through such changes when we already know that we are tender-headed. 

What's this Surprise?

If you hang out on Nappturality in the loc forum, you may already know.  If not, well I had my hair colored professionally for the first time.  I went to my loctician yesterday.  She colored, retightened, and styled my hair.  I admittedly couldn't keep the style because my scalp just wasn't having it.  It is incredibly partial to not being pulled up or back which at this length means that I'm sort of limited in terms of what I can pull off without making my scalp sore or getting a headache.

I chose to go with a red shade, and wanted to obtain it without bleaching. This is the photo I took in as inspiration. It was taken from the web so if it belongs to you, please let me know.

I think she did a great job of getting me similar results that weren't too bright and actually worked with my complexion. 

As for the process well she mixed up the dye concoction, and let it sit for a bit.  In the meantime I was taken to the sink and my hair was rinsed with warm water until the locs were completely saturated with water.  She squeezed out most of it, leaving the locs damp but not soaking wet.  Then came the color.  She put it on and massaged it completely through my locs.  It didn't feel as if she was trying to push the dye all the way through, but I'm not positive. After my locs were completely drenched in the dye solution, she placed a conditioner cap (thin clear shower cap like device) over my locs, and placed me under the dryer. After about 30-35 minutes I came out and my hair was rinsed and shampooed until there was no longer color in the water. 
I do know this much, it was better to have someone else washing and rinsing out dye than it was to do it myself.  It was well worth it in my opinion. 

The last two photos are after a slept on roller set done for a night out. My hair is completely dry unlike the photos taken at my loctician's place.

Surprise

The locs and I have a surprise... Stay tuned *insert dramatic music*