My babies turn 2

I have learnt alot from my locks as they turn 2 today. Here is a list of stuff I learnt.

1. Know the reason why you have locks: people have very many different reasons for having or not having locks. Some for religious reasons, others for beauty, others cause it's the cheapest hairstyle or easiest to maintain while for others it's a sign of the african liberation etc.

2. Realise not everyone has or doesn't have locks for the same reason you do. Just because you think locking is a sign of african liberation doesn't mean everyone who has locks agrees with you. Sometimes there are more "unlocked" people who agree with you than the "locked".

3. Do you want people to respect your reason for locking? Then respect other people's reason for having or not having locks. It saddens me everytime I vist a blog on locks only to find "locked" people cursing and writing trash about all those that are not "locked". For whatever reason you decided to lock, that's great but don't force it down any other person's throat.

4. Your locks are unique and special: Don't try and compare your locks with all the others out there, there are many factors that play a vital role in your hair's texture, colour, weight and even length eg your genes, hormones, climate, hair products you use, age etc. Understand and treat them special they are as unique and special as you are.

5. Too much of anything is poisonous: yes and this applies to all the good remedies you get online too. For anything to work well, it should be used in moderation. Just use enough when you need it but not too much.

6. Excersice patience: It's funny how my locks have taught me how to be patient with other people. I was formerly the most impatient person I knew until I got my locks and I had to wait for 22months before I could hold them in a ponytail and also sit for a little over an hour twisting them myself every fortnight. (All of you, you have locticians, count your blessings)

7. A change is as good as a rest: just because you got "locked" doesn't mean you have to look the same all year round. Change the way you hold your hair once in a while regardless of the length of your locks. If you can braid your locks, even with bought hair ( I aint against enhancing your lock). I have braided my hair twice since I started locking but let me warn you, if you braid your hair after a long time, you scalp will itch like crazy. Maybe for me it was different also cause, I let no one else do my hair so getting "foreign" hands on my head caused the itch.

8. Enjoy every stage of your locking: I guess I was too caught up waiting for my locks to be long enough to hold up and style that I missed their growth. I see pictures of people with short locks well styled and I wonder why didn't I try that when my locks were short?? If any of you is starting their locking or even if you are regrowing your afro, enjoy every single minute of it.

9. Don't use every single product you read about in the blogs, some people are just making money out of you. People do get paid for advertising you know.

10. Keep it simple: stay away from all those compound named chemicals Ammonium lauryl sulphate, dodecahydroxyclohexane, (yes that's one word). Just because it sounds fancy and intelligent doesn't mean it'll help your hair, trust me, I'm a scientist. I use more baby products that adult products. Baby products are usually more expensive, have less intoxicants and contain more pure substances that are less harsh on your skin adult products on the other hand, are usually cheaper than baby products ( to be cheaper it means there is more substitution of pure substances with chemicals) and some can be very harsh on your skin.

11. Locks are just hair don't fuss too much about them: wierd that I'd be the one writing this considering, I call my locks my babies, I take pictures of anything that happens to them and even started a blog for them. Anyway, locks are like any other hairstyle, don't feel guilty for getting tired of having them, it's normal and you are only human. If one day you wake up and want to cut them, feel free to do so. You'll still be welcome at My Dreadlocks. What you feel inside is what matters most, your appearance only enhances but doesn't define the feeling inside.

Sweet Locks the after math

Yesterday I finally decided to try out the Sweet locks. Mad thanx to Juju for the tip. If you haven't done it yet, you better try it. I washed my hair as usual and instead of my usual gel I used honey to twist my locks. I sprayed some virgin oil to the honey and mixed it up before using it. I was kind of sceptical at first, but after the results I will definitely go the sweet way. Considering honey isn't as heavy as the gel I usually use, it took sometime to get used to applying to my hair without sticking. Honey might be viscous but it is not really sticky like gel. The best part is it's not oily, but it gives the scalp a glossy look. I'm really loving the honey on my hair no lie.
Another thing I love about using honey on my hair is that my face doesn't react to it. I usually have a few locks falling on my face and when I use the gel, my forehead forms pimples the first few days after a retouch, but considering honey also moisturrizes the skin, my face is loving the transformation as much as my scalp and hair are...
Anyone out there who has tried it out? Please do share your experience...

My Journey to Hair Locking

My fascination with locks began when I first watched "Sarafina" the movie about Freedom in South Africa. Whoopi Goldberg was the first person I had ever seen with that kind of hairstyle. After the movie I asked my mum what Whoopi had done to her hair and whether I could do that to. At that age and the kind of mentality held against people with dreadlocks, my mother wasn't going to think of doing it to my hair. SO I kept up with the blowdrying, braiding, cornrows and nights when I couldn't sleep cause my head hurt from the tight braiding. Arrggghhh it was all a bother, then I went to high school, and I decided to relax my hair. Relaxing hair is a complex issue and I salute anyone who can maintain beautiful relaxed hair without a hairdresser. Mine with or without the hairdresser was just a problem. It cut and I decided to cut if further, at first it was difficult to see my hair go, but as my mum says, Hair will always grow back. When it regrew, I cut it again and let it remain Afro. After high school I finally decided to lock my hair.
The multitude of opinions concerning dreadlocks made me rethink the idea for a while, but I took the leap of faith and locked it. I love my locks, they are easy to maintain, complex to understand and just fabulous.
Are you still wondering whether to make the BIG Decision or not? Believe me, I love my locks and I do not regret a moment of having them.