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!