Locs update -5 months!

So two days before my 31st birthday, I went and got my locs retwisted. It's been five months since I started my locs. It's been a good transition so far. I'm truly loving it -the whole thing of watching them form and grow. This retwist was a little different. My loctician asked me if I'm ready for a style. I honestly didn't think my locs were long enough to have a style. He told me I got 'hang time'. I told him -ok, give me style, I trust you. He gave me this African crown style and I loved it. I'm not one for updos usually but it looked great. Then after about a week, I took the style down and was really surprised as to how long the locs are. I'm so happy. Next up -color!!! To be continued....

One teeny tiny down side....

I can only find one teeny tiny down side to my locs but it's the same for when I get braids --the itchy itchy. I'm not at the stage where I can wash yet so I just spray it with SeaBreeze like he told me to do. This whole thing is definitely a process though and I am ready for the long haul. Now...if I could just figure out a way to have to less itchy and scratchy, I'd be alright. Until next time...#locnation!

Hair envy...no-not me

I was at work the other day and noticed one of my friends had recently got her hair done. It was noticeable that her hair had grown within the last couple of months and she got a roller wrap. For a second, I went into this ridiculous trance of memories of my long straight hair just leaving the hair salon. I used to get my hair done every two weeks. When money was acting funny, I got it done every couple of months. Nevertheless, I remember feeling so happy seeing my hair bouncy and full of life and shiny. Now granted, I have gained a confidence for myself with going back to natural. I have no regrets at all but I have to admit that I did have a vulnerable moment in thinking "Man, it would be nice to get it straight and have my flowing roller wrap." Then I said nah -you are good. It's been nine months since you went natural and you're doing great! I just needed some encouragement. :) It's all good. #happynatural

Learning to embrace the messy hair

So far within this journey back to natural, I have encountered a couple of things that I want to share. Luckily I have found the very moments in picture form. I know it's a process and it is very comforting that I'm not alone in all of these experiences. It's just funny for something to happen and then see someone else feeling the same way.

Are you on there again?

First it was Myspace. I was on Myspace pretty much every chance I had -constantly changing the design, adding different music and have actually met some great people through it. I wasn't too quick on Facebook but absolutely loved Twitter when I got an account. Still do. Now -I finally got onto Facebook and did the same thing. I'm on Twitter and Facebook everyday. Well, now ladies and gents, I have a new addiction and I have my co-worker to thank for this one. She asked me, damn near couldn't believe it --"So you're not on Pinterest?" When I shook my head, it was an immediate tutorial on how to do Pinterest and what all it can do. As I gradually began creating boards, all kind of thoughts raced through my head.
 "Damn! I wish I would have used this when I was wedding planning!" 
23 boards and 3,747 pins later, I think I get on the site everyday. One thing I will say about Pinterest, in my addiction defense, I have learned a lot of useful tools on there in regard to household tips, decorating, writing ideas and pictures I'm not sure I would ever find. Pinterest has especially helped with my #naturalhair journey. I have found so many different tips on the best oils and moisturizers to use to transitioning tips to hairstyles to inspiration. In case you want to check it out, here's my Natural Hairstyles board. I do have 807 pins on there but each one is worth it. I have a couple of pins where it lists the top 10 natural bloggers to just things that I would have constantly search for and save thousands of bookmarks or favorites on my PC when they are all right there. Just such a wonderful thing --that Pinterest. :) Now if they could just figure out a way to not duplicate a pin. I'm sure in my Natural Hairstyles board alone, I have many duplicated pictures of the same glamorous awesome braid out, locs or Afro. Any ways, thought I'd share something that keeps me distracted. Happy living!

Natural hair and rain

One day last week, I was really happy about how my knot out came out. It was puffed just right and felt good about good going to work. I walk out the door and it's raining. The car (of course) is parked across the street. I immediately went back to my "relaxer brain" and went back into the house. Cant find my umbrella. I have a hat but it won't fit my head full of hair. (It fit when I bought it but my hair was also flat ironed at the time). Glance at my watch and I literally don't have time to really think about this. Just run to the car and deal. I mean -my hair is in its natural state. My hair needs moisture. Rain is water which is moisture, right? The rain will just make my hair puff out more than it is but that's ok. I'm not worried about it. So I sprinted for the car, got in, took a quick look in the mirror and sped off. Then I had the thought -natural hair and rain.  How do women that have been natural for a long time deal with rain? Do they at all? I just watched a Youtube vid (gotta love Youtube and the many women posting videos of their journey. I'm truly grateful) of a female who said that she had flat ironed her hair, it looked great and she left. She got to school and it turned into a huge puff ball. She said it looked like a disaster. I personally thought it looked great but it wasn't my hair so it's all good. Some women say that the rain and cold weather will not affect natural hair as long as the hair is well moisturized. I'm thinking that it just depends on the person's hair. Just like the first lesson I learned last week: everybody's hair is different. BTW -the day I ran out in the rain, by 11a, my hair was a little more puffy and bigger than it was when I left but I liked it. Will that happen all the time? Not sure but I will just accept it. #naturalhairrocks

Lesson learned

Lesson number one: Just because I watch a Youtube video of a woman with natural hair and she shows step by step how to do a particular style and I follow it to the T, does not mean that my hair will come out like hers. Every head is different from texture, length and stages. I twisted my hair last night with the intent to let the twists out in the morning and go to work. Basically I wanted this look.

Yeah...it didn't come out like that. Because I am early transitioning -super early that the top of the hair looked like this but my edges were really straight. So curly and then straight. My initial reaction was "Wowwwww!" After that, I told myself hey -being natural doesn't mean I have to wear it down all the time. I found a clip, pinned it up, bobby pinned some stray hairs in the back and left a small section as a side bang. A couple of years ago, I would have stayed home from work, went and got my hair done and came back to work smiling because hell yeah- I just got my hair done. A couple of years ago, not knowing any better, would have been upset that it didn't come out exactly like the girl in the video. As I read and research and learn the way my hair is and grows, I feel stronger with my hair.

Last two days

For the last two days, I've done Bantu Knot-Outs and loved each day. Going to work on Monday was interesting for me because my thought process wasn't the usual for me. I am very self conscious and I spend more time with the people I work with than family and my husband. I also work with some critical people. However, I told myself when I made the decision to go back to natural, I would have to embrace it, not to worry about what anybody thinks. The most important thing is what I felt and what I thought. I loved it. I loved how my hair turned out. The style did come out bigger than the first time I tried it. It was cool though.

 That night, when I was twisting and moisturizing, my husband wanted to help. It was interesting to see us both in the bathroom in the mirror while he's helping me do my hair. It let me know he was supportive and how important it was for me to feel comfortable with this transition. It wasn't anything about looking for anyone's approval. Just knowing that he is open minded and helping me go through the journey brings a smile to my face. :)

First try with Bantu Knot Out

Last night I tried Bantu Knots for the first time. I think that it went well. I was nervous because on the honest tip, I was scared of doing my own hair. I didn't know how to really. I remember washing my hair at home and it would become this big fro and because I didn't know how to manage, I would immediately want to go the hair salon. I would get the relaxer or the iron out and feel better with my straight silky hair. I loved it. Not going to front. So last night was the first time that I not only washed it and conditioned (always went to the salon even when I started going natural) but decided to try the Bantu Knots. I think what really pushed me is I keep talking about me going back to natural-I need to embrace whatever happens. I will say that I had a 2 second freak out the shower. As soon as the water hit, I bit my lip. But you know what though. I made this decision and what happens happen. I did the two strands and twisted up and kept them secure with a bobby pin. I was watching You tube videos all night. Went to bed and woke up several times. I finally got up at 9, anxious to see what it looked like. A few were still wet but for the most part, they were definitely curly. I do like it but like doing anything for the first time, I need to figure out to avoid the frizz and want to do when some don't curl at some. Next time I will make bigger knots. I couldn't tell you how many I had but we will see for next time. My next mission for this finding out the maintenance for tonight. What do I do tonight and tomorrow morning. I will find out. Posting pics below (no make up or anything-just me) What do you think? First time. #naturalhairrocks

Front

Back

Questions & Research

So with anything that I do whether it's getting married or going on a cruise, I try to research as much as I can. I try to read anything I can read so I can a little prepared. Just a little. I know that anything can happen and you can't be prepared for everything, but I do like to have some knowledge of what I'm about to do. Going back to natural is definitely no different. Like other women going through the big chop or transitioning (like me), I've been watching a lot of Youtube videos about their journeys and what they use and different regiments. I'm slowly learning different terms and now know when people say certain things. I am noticing more and more women that are natural. It's almost been like they've all came out of nowhere and it's wonderful to see it. It's probably because it's on the brain so I'm seeing natural hair everywhere. My main focus right now is products. What to use, what is the best, what is good for black hair. As long as I can remember, I have not been able to find a good shampoo that will help my hair. My hair has always grown and always been thick but I could never find something to keep the moisture and not soft. So that is what I am working on now. In the last two days, I've bought two different products and not sure which one to use but we will see. A little nervous, I must admit but we will see. This is a journey. Peace & love.

Finally on my journey

What's up my people. It has been a long time that I've blogged but I figure now is as good as any other. Dec 29 - I will be turning 30. For the last couple of months, I've been secretly and loudly freaking about turning 30. I never really thought about it before now but now that it's getting closer, I'm tripping. I can't believe how much I'm tripping but to ease this freaking out, I've given my list of things I want to do before I turn 30. Yes I know that in two days, it'll be November which means I don't have much time but I have three things that I want to or start by my wonderful soul day. I say wonderful easier in typing form. I'm working on it saying it out loud. 1. I want to lose 10 lbs. I think it's reachable. I just have to remember that this is for a good cause. 2. I want to learn a new language, particularly Italian. I'm not saying master the language of course but if I can say key phrases, that will make me feel happy. 3. Finally move forward with going natural and get the locs that I've been wanting for a long time. Number 3 is definitely something that has always been in the back of my mind but now I can say I can and am. I have thick hair. Super thick. When I was in high school, my mother would let me get my hair done every two weeks. I would get my relaxers and always loved to do the flip of the hair over my shoulder like they did in the commercials. When my hair was done, I was happy. When it wasn't done, I wasn't the happiest person to be around. I found myself saying things like "I hate my hair!" or "I hate that it's so thick!". I never would say nappy. Didn't think of it as nappy but just thick. As I got older, the need to have my hair done all the time was still high but now I was paying for my hair appointments and it was getting expensive. Plus I was doing all of the typical things: I wouldn't want anyone, mainly the guy I would be dating to touch my hair, I would try to avoid the rain at all cost. When I would get my hair done, I slept in the chair or raised up on my elbow. I did all of that. I was the queen of the stiff neck. Then a couple of years ago, I met a lot of writers and poets (shout out to the Writer's Bloc family!) and was surrounded by people had locs and afros and kinky twists and cuts and I loved all of it. It was just beautiful to me and I thought to myself -why am I not natural? What is holding me back? It fits my personality (as far as I can tell). I love my people so why am I not embracing the hair of my people? I kept asking myself this and the only answer I could come up with was I didn't know how to manage my natural hair. I was and still am very uneducated on the right products. That one answer kept me in the dark for awhile. Finally a month ago, I decided it was time. I want a change for my 30th birthday and why not this? I'm growing more and more into my own as a woman and feel like that I am rock my locs and not worry about what people think and more importantly, the fears that I once had. I just took my microbraids a couple of days ago so I'm going to have my hair breathe. In a couple of weeks, I will be getting loc extensions. I'm really excited about it. My family, who knows me as very Afrocentric and proud, are supportive. My husband is very supportive as well. I never thought he wouldn't be but I'm glad that he understands why I'm doing it. Now it is official. No more chemicals. No more of the constant burden or "need" to get my hair done like I used to. Beauty will not be constituted by how a once perceived picture that I had with my hair.