My Yarn Pin Up Style

Salkis with Yarn Twists

 My new look, what do you think? Yarn braids look kinda cute! He He...


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My Hair in Twists

Salkis with yarn Twists

This is what Im doing now as a protective style for my hair. The chop happened some months ago, and while I did have fun playing around with my hair, I knew I wanted it to grow. I went from sisterlocks, to mohawk to tiny afros and now twist extensions all with  the course of a few months and I am exhausted with it all already.

Salkis With Mohawk

 I did have to think this much about hair when I had my sisterlocks so I miss not having too. The braids are the best way I know of to get back that care free feeling that wearing locs gave me. This is yarn twists and I love them because they keep their shape even with frequent washing, I don't have to sleep with a scarf on my head and I just add oils to my scalp for conditioning.

Salkis with Sisterlocks

Comments? Questions? I'd love to hear your thoughts, please leave them below.

Organic Dred Locs or Manicured DredLocs?

Would you ever consider getting Dredlocks, like Bob Marley style? I have been thinking about doing my hair in organic locs for some time now. I don't ave a traditional 9-5 job so I could get away with doing it. I don't know of anyone who could work corporate looking like this but I am curious to see what my hair would form into.
No parting the hair. Clean lines are out.  The locs do not have to look evenly shaped or even cylindrical either. I have to admit, I used to think that people with locs that looked like this were just unkempt, nasty.

And while I have (as a stylist) met some people who's locs really needed a hazmat team to come hose them down, I truly feel that organic locs can be a very attractive if kept clean.  So how to you get your locs to free-form? Well you just leave it alone and let them loc on there own. I assume you have start with some sort of patten though as I do see some wearers will a  semblance of parted hair. So my advice would be to part them off, maybe in plaits or twists and then nerve groom  them again after that.

Mama Yashi-Fashion Designer

Well I should say never palm roll the hair or twist the hair after the initial set up. I have known some Rastas who have use natural aloe vera from the fresh pant and rubbed it into the dreds and scalp as a conditioning /cleansing treatment but that was pretty much the extent of grooming that they did. I don't know, but I am really thinking about have my next set of locs be more organic, we'll see.






I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

More Styling Options for Dred Locs

There are so many creative options for locs that there really is no reason for you to be bored with them, ever! Wrapp wire around some of your locs. Intertwine strips of fabric into twisted locs or braided locs. You can deconstruct earrings and use them as loc ornaments. I am thinking of buying a drill gun to make some cool loc adornments with metals like copper and brass.




Locs are not just an urban lifestyle, it can be just as high fashion as any couture fashion, you just need to open your mind to the possibilities. Take a trip to the craft store and pic up different thread colors, try some metallic's, what about doing a head scrap made of lace. That would be freakin sick! Micheal's craft store, Joanne's fabric store are heaven for finding new ways to prettify your beautiful hair. You took all this time to grow it, show some appreciation for all the sweat and tears you went through to get them looking hot!




I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

How Long have You Been Naturally Curly?

 I get asked this question alot, and the answer for me is, "I don't know and I don't care" Some women are serious about charting their natural hair journey, and while there is nothing wrong with it, I think some calculations are a bit extreme.

" I am 2 years 3 month a week and four days natural"? Blank Stare: really? Must we chart the days like we are giving birth or getting older. You know the only reason to track time like that is because you expect it to end one day.. you know, like your life!

Why not just enjoy the process of exploring this natural side of you. Why not have kid-like curiosity about your curls, your spongy coils. Why not delight in stretching out a fallen strand of hair to see if it will snap back. If you plan to be  wearing your naturally curly hair forever, then what is really the point of counting the days..Just live your life  for Pete's sake....

Afro coil hair courtesy of 'Back to Retro"

I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

Why do you wear your 4C Natural Hair?

Salkis Re- 4C hair type

I remember when I first not relaxing and pressing my hair, I was about 15 years old and deep into African History. I wanted to represent my ancestors, the kings and Queens of ole and having natural hair made me feel more connected. At that time there wasn't many options as far as styling natural hair so I had to wing it. Luckily for me was was a budding hairstylist in the making so my creativity helped me out when I didn't see any references to inspire me.

Many women today wear natural hair, at least to me, for health. I think people are more health conscious these days and what to live a more 'green' lifestyle: better diets, meditation, positive relationships. I don't hear to much about the impact of African history being the catalyst for going natural. natural hair is in right now, and for those ladies who have curly textured  hair like the 3A, 3B 3C curl pattern girls, the transitions seems to be easier.

But for the curly girls like myself who have 4C hair its, a harder climb finding representation even though natural hair is trending so fiercely right now. We have the 'issues' of shrinkage, moisture, shine and growth among other things, so keeping our course hair looking styled is a beast. But for me, I am no longer obsessed with hair growth as I once was. Long hair doesn't symbolize femininity for me so F that!
I will pimp my TWA till the wheels fall off!

No excuses, no shame, no back seat for me. By the way in the picture above I used a product called "Gorilla Snot". I got it from Target next to the Shea Moisture. Most of the wording is in Spanish because the product comes from Mexico. Most Hispanics use it to spike the hair and I been seeing it in the shopping carts of White people has well.This product is dirt cheap and you get so much for the price. First I rub some shea butter on my hair my damp hair, then a apply the gel to my hair and rub my hair with the palm of my hand in circular motions until I see curl definition. I love the smell of this, it doesn't flake and it hold your hair in place even if you sweat. I have even woken up the next day with my hair still in place.

For me, since it started as a sort of spiritual ancestor worship event, I would never be swayed by the trends. Permed hair just as no place in my mind or my soul. I would love to hear some of the reasons why you ladies have gone natural and how your journey has been.






I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

Do you like your Locs long or short?

"Saturn" courtesy of http://haitianhunny.blogspot.com

 I think we all go through a stage with our locs when we wished there were short again, especially when they start getting heavy and difficult to style. You tend to miss the fluffiness or new locs, the big hair, the way it held a curl and how easy it was to wash them, Then as time goes on you start rocking different styles and you think you long locs are just the cutest thing. But then it reaches a length and a time when you feel you've tried every style, your tired from them scraping the back of your neck and how it takes to dry. yup I think that's the natural progression of lock life.

 You are frustrated with them, you like them, you love them then your ready to let them go and start a new set of locs. When I cut mined a few month ago, so many people were disappointing, I got emails and calls from total strangers that have followed my blogs for a few years and there were devastated that I cut my locs off. I didn't realize how many people were attached to my locs that didn't even know me, lol. But I understand how personal it is, and much of a family we are as loc wearers. Its like your in an unspoken club of sorts, passing each other by in the streets and giving a head nod secret approval to all who are in the loc family. Share your thoughts, do u like your locs now or better back then..



I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

What size should I make my locs?

Small locs on thin/medium hair

Ok, so your thinking of locing your hair and you are not sure of the size you should get, the first thing I woud say is to look at the thickness of your hair. Is your natural hair thin, thick? As a rule, if your natural hair is thin you would want to go with a smaller size loc pattern to give the illusion of fullness. Medium or thick hair can be loc'd in any size pattern, but know that with thicker hair, the smaller you go with you loc pattern the more work it will be to maintain them.

sisterlocks(tm)

 Another thing to consider is the texture of your hair, Wiry hair tends to poof and bunch, especially as your locs get older, so you what ever size you choose, know that they will look bigger as they mature.

Big Dred Locs on thick hair

Be careful not to go too small around the hairline, usually when locs start to thin and break it happens at the hairline first  usually because your attention is placed where you can see it, which is the front of your hair, it gets all the stress from styling and products etc..

So with that said, should based on thickness and texture, Length is really a non factor and if anyone tells you that you need to cut your natural first to start locs, I would be suspect of there expertise, they just sound like a lazy loctician to me.





I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

How do you style short dred locs ?

Short dred locs

 When my locs were in its sort stage I had a hard time creating an attractive look. I wanted my hair to be down my back like yesterday so it was a hurdle. When my locs here short I did several things to carry me through that in between stage.
Some of the products i used was :

• xsmall sponge rollers
• sewn-in weaves
• twist extensions 

The first thing i did was roller sets with the smallest sponge rollers, I would mix water with a little hair spray and mist each section of hair before rolling it, I would roll my locs into crop looks with the sides and back set tighter than the top, usually I'd sleep in my rollers and style my locs the next morning.

I also did sewn-in weaves with curly textured hair extensions., Most people are under an impression that you can weave your hair with locs in it and that's simply not true. You can cornrow your locs  and sew the extensions on top of the locs.

Depending on the size of your locs twist extensions can work too. I did mine with kinky hair and sometimes with yarn or kinky braiding hair, this technique works very well on sisterlocks(tm) and small locs. Just take a bout 4 locs(if your locs are micro size)make 2 sections and add the extension hair and twist. I try to take an even number of loc section so one side won't have bulk.
You can also do mini twist outs if you have enough length to cornrow it for the set.

Aside from these methods, you will just have to be patient and let your locs grow, but the reward for patience is a beautiful head of locs, so chin up!





I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

Who u like better Rasta Man locs or Neat Locs

rasta man

Gregory Isaacs

Bob Marley

Now, I love a guy with well groomed locs, after all Im a natural hair stylist so that would couter productive for me not too. But I if your were to ask me what I was attracted too, I'd say the Rasta Man. See, the Rasta man Im speaking of takes good care of himself, he eats right, exercises, washes his hair natural soap and aloes. He just all round swag to me, I think its that bad boy thing im infatuated with.

 Don't get me wrong, a dude with well groomed locs can have a much swag as the bobo loc man but for me, I like man who doesn't have to fuss with his hair as much as me.  I thin its  delicate line between no so groomed and then over doing it like the ladies do. Its just not sexy to do that much primping. What say u ladies?

Groomed Locs

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Salkis Re, Sisterlocks for-Comb My Hair.com

 This was me when I had my sisterlocks, I stayed in a pretty red auburn color with black underneath. I love my hair like this, but after 9 years it was time to let it go. I never had length this long with my natural hair so it was pretty amazing to see my hair grow past my shoulders. Now the challende is for me to get that length with my natural hair but we'll see.

As for getting length with locs, its really about less product and more care. As my hair got longer, it was easy to put them into ponytails as a way of getting them out of my face but my locs suffered the price of that continued stress from tight ponytails. My hairline became weak and my locs started to thin out too.

Be careful when using products, anything that is not water soluble really isn't good for locs and can weight the hair down overtime. Waxes and gels do not wash completely out and year at year, they build up on your locs and can cause breakage too. That 'smooth' look you crave comes with a price and that price is rotting, mildew locs, scalp thinning and hair loss.

Keep styling for special occasion or if you must have a fierce look, make sure it is not uncomfortable to wear. Any style that is too tight with pull on your hair follicles and lead to breakage.
 So in a nutshell, if you want long healthy locs, leave them alone and love them as they are.


I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

How to Color my Locs Blonde

Blonde Colored Dred Locs

 Coloring locs blonde is a great way to bring a fresh new look to your locs, especially if you've been feeling ho-hum about them lately. To get your locs to blonde safely, it really should be done in stages so because bleaching and lighteners can stripe the hair down to nothing leaving your locs starved for protein and strength.

When using gentle hair color, I really like "Nutritint" brand hair color, it only lightens the hair 3 levels at a time and doesn't have ammonia in it either, so you have better control as to how light you go. Each time you color the hair will light another 3 levels, just stop when you've reached the desired shade. I would say space out your color services to about every 2 months, so you don't over process your hair.

Loreal is good for at home color and so is Softsheen Carson line too.
 If you use regular commercial color then you have to look at the number levels on the packaging, this will tell you how many shades lighter you will be going.

If you are a very dark brown, which is a level 1, then to get your hair to a level 9 which is a golden blonde, you need to think about simple adding (level 1+ level 9 = 10).
So your color level actually needs to be a 10 to get you to the  level 9 that you want.

Honey Blonde Colored Locs

Tip: VERY IMPORTANT!!!!When coloring locs you always want to apply the hair color at the most resistant part of the loc first: The Middle

Why?
 Because the ends of your locs are the most porous and will grab color quickly, The roots will also grab color and lighten quickly because of body heat from your scalp, that said, color the middle of your locs first, then the ends , then the roots so you can even distribution of color.

Protein treatment to strengthen hair

Make sure you condition your locs with a protein re constructor like Ultra Sheen Duo Tex. It full of collagen and it will strengthen your locs wonderfully after a color service.

I love this because it watery and goes into your locs easily washes out clean, you can follow up with a good leave in conditioner and please wash the color completely out or you might run the risk of weak     straw-like locs.
 Going blonde should really be done by a professional stylist, there are too many variables that can mess up your hair. But if your patient and brave you can do it at home with good results.



I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

Locs Styles for Long Dredlocks

  Long Loc Style

 Long locs can be difficult to style because of the weight and length but it doesn't have to be. The best thing to do do is to divide the hair into sections and work on each each at a time, kinda like making a grid and molding the hair into place, Use rubber bands on the ends to keep twists in place while you pin the hair down and try to style them when the hair is damp because it reduces the volume of each loc and makes them easier to bend and shape into place. Tie the locs together instead of  trying to use pins it will be more secure that way.



I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

Is it Time to Cut My Dread Locs and Start Over?

Dread Locs

 They say that need to cut dread locs off starts at the 7th year. They call it the "7 year itch" but I had my itch coming around the 5th year. I think at that point it was at a length were I basically did every style I could imagine, they were getting heavy and just felt like more of a burden than a joy after a while. They say locs hold energy and if that's true, I had a lot of grief and disappointment held in my hair. Relationship issues, financial woes, lost loved ones, just a lot of things that weighed me down emotionally. It was just time be 'reborn' to start fresh.

If you haven't had any major emotional issues over the course of having your loc but still feel like you need to part with them, maybe its because they are not looking the way you want them to. I would advice a CUT for anyone experiencing:

• thinning edges
• bad smell that you can;t get rid of
• loc degeneration(pulling apart like straw)

I experience some degeneration of my locs after years of hair color abuse. My hair was fried, and the locs so weak that I could literally pull some of them apart like pulling a ball of cotton. The hair had no life and the only way t save what I had was to reinforce with extension hair but the extra weight can pose another problem over time too.

Thinning edges is a common problem which usually stems from over styling or too much palm rolling. I have some clients that don't like to see any fuzz around their hair line and for that reason they really overdue it with the maintenance. Its not necessary to retwist every week. Give your new growth a chance to come in so you have something to maintain.

Now in my last post I talked about getting your locs clean doo-doo free, so if you missed my tips check it out. But if you've tried everything and you locs still have a bowel movement smell, it might be time to say bye-bye and start over.
But this time try to stay away from waxes like bee's wax and use more water soluble products. Actually honey is the best for twisting hair. It is naturally antibacterial properties and holds the hair in place better than any gel I have ever used and washes out completely.


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How to get Product Build Up out of Dread Locs

Clean Dread Locs

 Ok, so you Dread locs have product build up in them and its freaking you out,right? Your pillows are dirty your smelling up the room with the ass-crack smell of your locs, or at least that is what your girlfriend calls them and whats worse is that she is threatening to cut them of while you sleep. So what do you do ladies/gents about this problem.

There are several methods I've tried throughout the years to get rid of product build up in locs, some of them are:

• Alcohol

• laundry detergent

• baking soda

• ammonia

• apple cider vinegar

Now, none of these are sex products to use, and most of them are not even suppose to touch the skin, let alone the scalp, but when you have YEARS of build up, it sometime requires industrial strength help to get that build up out.

Dread loc styles

Here are 2 steps method that are not common, and do work .

1. Boiling your Dread Locs
2. Using Heated Shampoo
3. Dawn Degrease Dish washing Liquid

Ok, So let's tackle the first method. OF course this will only work for dread locs that are at least longer than shoulder length. The idea here is to loosen up the trapped wax in your locs by melting it down so it will drain to the surface to be shampooed away.

If you have a big enough crock pot boil some water high enough to get a good submerge of your locs (PLEASE ASK SOMEONE TO HELP YOU), when the water has come to a boil, place the locs in one by one very carefully so as to not cause splashing of hot water everywhere, ( you should do this at a shampoo bowl so your head can rest back comfortably) leave your locs in the hot water preferably for 1-5 minutes when you start seeing the water get grimy you know the waxes are melting out.

***You can add apple cider vinegar to boiling water to increase the grease removal power of the water itself. have someone wrap your locs in a towel as you slowly come out of the boiled water and give each lock a good squeeze to help the gunk come up outa there! Now your ready for the second step.

Dr Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap

Now that your dreads locs are prepped and all the grease is nice and runny and hopefully half way gone, you can now shampoo. I love Dr Bronner's Peppermint Castile Liquid soap. It really cleans locs like a wiz just be careful, if you have color in your locs, this soap with strip it, especially the red tones. But the key step is to heat the shampoo first!
Why Heat?
 Well heating thins out shampoo and it will penetrate your locs better and faster , getting right into the core of your locs were all that funk is, the locs will drink up the shampoo and lift the already loosen grime outa there.
Just make sure to heat the shampoo about as hot as a cup of tea (that you sip on) I would say. How much to use id determined by how thick you hair is and how much buildup is there. Just be careful to coat each loc with a generous amount of cleanser. Squeeze and

Dread loc product buildup

After you've done these two steps just go and do whatever maintenance methods you prefer. But be careful of adding back the waxes you just cleaned from your hair. In my next post I will discuss products that do not leave build up in dread locs.

If you have a question or maybe some tips of your own please share them with us.
















I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

Carnival Hair Held up All Day!

My TWA at the Carnival Parade in LA

 I went to LA's first Caribbean carnival, I looked a sweaty mess but my TBA stayed in place with this very helpful product called "Gorilla Snot". This product in dirt cheap, around $4 bucks and you can get it at Target.

Curl Definer for 4C type hair

Its a tacky gel-like formula, no smell, dries quick and NO FLAKES! I have 4C type hair and have never been able to get definition like this with any other product and yesterday was the true test, My hair stayed put all day.

 I have to say it was so freakin fun! I was up on the stage dancing and singing, sweating. Let me tell you ladies, you have to enjoy your life






I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!

How do you Moisturize your locs without causing buildup?

Dred Locs

I saw this post on 'The Coil Review" website and it got me to thinking about other products that would be good for loc moisture. 

She butter is a great moisturizer for natural hair but for locs, you have to be careful not to overuse it because it can cause build up. I do like liquid shea butter for this reason and I always mix the shea with other oils because straight  shea butter is just to thick by itself. 

As for other products I've used with success, glycerin, evening primrose oil, coconut oil and even VO5 hot oil works really well. If you use shea butter for loc maintenance you'd be better off using a tried and true honey/aloe mixture. I use this on my clients and it works wonders for moisture and superb holding power.  The mixture is totally water soluble so there is no build up at all. I use ratios of 3 parts pure aloe vera gel and one part honey.

You can read more about what 'The Coil review" thinks are great alternatives to shea butter for locs click here:

What are Alternatives to Shea Butter for my Locs? 

I love natural hair and Loc pictures and advice and I hope u do too. Thanks for reading and share your thoughts!