Loc Extensions: Introducing Violet

Back in July I had a friend who wanted me to make starter locks for her. I've given her the name "Violet" because she looks great in purple (and for her own privacy). When I first met her a few years ago, she wore a short-afro (a little bigger than a twa) and she looked so beautiful with her kinks and coils. She always wore a S.A. because it was an easy style for her until it grew out a few inches, and then at one point she became tired of her maintenance routine and needed a change. That's when I suggested that she could get locks, because that way she would only worry about maintaining her new growth just once or twice a month. Her face lit up and before you knew it, she had asked me to start her locks for her. I've never put extension locs on anyone's hair before and didn't know how to, so she sent me a y.tube video on how to make locks using the 'wrapping' method. I like a good challenge so I decided to do it for her. After studying the video a bit I was ready to start on her hair. After giving her a mini-consultation of what to expect and the do's and don'ts of locking, and convincing me that she was confident in her decision to lock, I started on her hair.

BEFORE:

(May 2009): This is how she wore her hair before locking and it was approximately 2-3 inches long, kinky/coily/4B virgin hair, soft and fluffy.

AFTER - DAY 1:




(July 2009): This was a meticulous process and it took me 3 days to finish her hair because the wrapping technique is labor-intensive the smaller you make your locks. Anyway, she wanted medium sized locks (larger than a pencil) and this is how I made them: 1) I used the long, kinky hair extensions 2) Braided the root, wrapped part of the ext. around and down the rest of the hair a few inches, made 2 or 3 stitches (braided) then continued wrapping down the lock (just repeat these steps). The bulky parts along each loc are stitches, but it's not that obvious anymore since her hair has been meshing. I layered her locks as I locked them, and as you can see the ends look fat, but we later went back and burned the ends to seal them off and thin them out (photo not posted). Once Violet made her locked-debut, people kept complimenting her left and right from day one, and she's still getting even more compliments! Her locks turned out great, but my body and hands were so sore that I needed a serious massage. I did not use any product in her hair and I carefully inspected each lock to make sure that they didn't unravel. Every few weeks I would ask her about her locks and if she needed me to fix any of them, or, if she had any general questions and concerns. She's such a gem and so gorgeous.

3 MONTHS:

(September 2009): These photos show her 3 month update and I we waited until she had enough new growth to discuss her re-tightening options again. I taught her how to latch her new growth as well as twist it so that she could decide for herself what was best and easiest for her to do. At first she started twisted her new growth and now she's experimenting with latching which is working out great for her. It has been 5 months already (no pic.) and her new growth is nearly half the length of her extension locs! She recently told me that she plans to snip off the ends of her extensions as her new growth comes in, and that once her own locks reach her desired length then she'll cut off the extensions all together. Keeping them shoulder length at the moment works for her and she plans to continue latching using the latch-hook which I showed her how to use. I'm so happy for her because she's been glowing since day one and her maintenance routine is even simpler now. If I must give myself any credit, then I would have to say that I think I did a pretty good job of creating extension locs for the first time. It was time consuming and a lot of work, but well worth it for Violet's happiness.

Please share your comments with her since she's a locked newbie, and i'm sure that she could use your words of inspiration and encouragement along her journey. I'll be sure to give you updates on how she's doing. =D

To be continued.....

School Girl Costume

I missed Halloween for the last 3 years because the weather was too cold the first Halloween, and the last two Halloweens I spent taking a 3 hour exam in class during grad school while everyone else was having fun. This year I made it a point to do something fun, so I dressed up as a school girl. What's ironic is that this costume was similar to the uniform I wore in high school (minus the tie and a different colored skirt). Basically, I bought this awesome vintage skirt (details below) and school girl dress shirt with white knee-highs. I already had my shoes, borrowed one of my dad's old ties and had sewn two red ribbons out of organza fabric to put in my hair, speaking of which.....

....I went for the Sailor Moon look and made two bunches. I made pony tails out of two old school scrunchies, spread out my locks and covered them with two ouch-less hair bands, then I tied my two red ribbons around each bun. I had attended a costume party and received many compliments on my hair and costume, at times being called a Japanese school girl. One girl at the party couldn't believe that my hair was all mine and so neatly made into two buns.

I have to tell you the story behind my costume: I didn't know what to be for Halloween and I wasn't about to go out and buy a costume either, so I decided to get creative with mine. All I needed was the perfect red and plaid school girl skirt, and what better place to go and find one than at a vintage shop. I found this designer skirt made of 100% wool and it fit me perfectly. The only problem was that the length was so long that it went to my shins...yes it did! So this is how I altered it: 1) I measured how short I wanted it to be with the red ruler pictured below (not too short, but long enough to wear as a regular skirt too), 2) Cut off several inches from the bottom, 3) Hemmed the bottom, 4) Spent nearly 1.5 hours ironing each pleat into place. This particular fabric happens to be quite expensive since the plaid is actually interwoven and my mom nearly cried when she found out that I had cut it because it's so beautiful and so vintage. Hey, I needed a costume, okay?

The night went well because the costume party was held at a restaurant where I had dinner with my friends and mingled with others. I came across several people who had the most awesome costumes like the one below of the Hello-
Kitty-Super-Couple.

Changes In Maintenance

Changing Patterns:

Six months ago I switched my locking pattern from the 4 pt. to the 3 pt. for various reasons. Someone even asked me if I noticed a difference in the size or shape of my locks since then and to be honest with you, nothing has changed. With the 3 pt. my locks still look the same, they're the same size and i'm not sure why. One thing I know for sure is that i'm experiencing more fly-away hair strands and slippage at the roots with surrounding new growth. I'm having more problems with loose strands near my roots ever since I switched, but this is not to say that this is the result if you switch to a 3pt. I figured that if everything about my locks is constant except for the fly-aways, then I might as well just go back to using the 4 pt., and that's exactly what I did last weekend when I tightened my roots.

Changes in my re-tightening schedule:

For several months I was able to tighten my locks for a few hours over a two-day period and that worked fine for me. Now that my locks are getting a little longer I find that it's taking me a little longer too and my arms were getting tired from holding them up, even with breaks. I made a choice to make my re-ti's easier on myself by dividing my schedule. Instead of a 2-day period once a month, i've decided to tighten the front half for a few hours one weekend, and then tighten the back half for a few hours the next weekend. Things have been so much easier ever since I switched to this schedule in August so it's a keeper. I still use my NL tool and my latch-hook is on standby in case I need it for bigger locks.

Changes in lock weight:

Okay, I know that locks become heavy for some people and not at all for others, but I must be honest with you about my locks. I know that my they are thick, dense and growing like crazy and even though they are nearly arm pit length, I will admit that I feel a little bit of weight with them. The weight is felt more when I wear a lock puff/tail or bun and it pulls sometimes, so I limit how often I wear these styles. Now the weight that i'm feeling isn't unbearable or anything, but for me it's an indicator that I will most likely feel more weight if they double in length. Who knows? This is how it feels as of right now. I'm sure this case is different for those with thinner locks growing past their shoulders. Is it? Maybe hair thickness/thin-ness and density play a role in the weight of our locks. Someone please fill me in because i'd like to know. Thanks.

New Night Scarf

Disclaimer: I mean no offense or disrespect to anyone who wears a hi.jab for religious reasons. I'm simply sharing how I use it for my locks.

My locks have out grown my regular night scarves which are shorter, so I am using my new night scarf which i've been holding on to for about a while now knowing that it would be ideal for my locks once they've reached a longer length. When my best friend went to T.ajik.ist.an she brought back two lovely hand made book marks and a silk hi.jab. It's so beautiful and I could use it in so many ways, but I thought it was perfect for protecting my locks at night once they reached a certain length. Well the time has come. It's big, long, silky and perfect so I fold it into a triangle, wrap it around my head like a bandanna, loop the ends underneath past my neck and bring them up and over my head to tie them in a small bow. This hi.jab wraps around my locks like a cocoon and I don't have to worry about getting lint embedded in my locks.

Vacation Hair Styles

Q: How do you style your hair when you go on vacation?

I went to L.as V.egas with my parents and had a blast. We spent most of our time viewing artwork, exploring little eateries, visiting other hotels and going to the L.ion K.ing musical which I was totally thrilled about because it was my first show ever!

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There is a tea house at the B.ellag.io and they have this delectable quiche dish. We ordered a meat dish and vegetarian dish with a large cup of tea. Those tea cups are huge so don't let the size in this photo fool you. Their quiche dish is incredibly delicious, makes a great afternoon snack is very filling.

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The last few times my parents went to L.as V.egas they stayed at the B.ellagio and the W.ynn. They wanted a different scene so this time we stayed at the Monte Carlo as VIP guests, so getting access to events, discounts etc. was quite exciting! My favorite character from the Lion King musical was S.car F.ace and the show was incredible! The music, acting and costumes just overwhelmed my soul and I was tearing up at the beginning and the end. Please go see it if you haven't yet. Later on, my mom kept talking about this chocolate waterfall on display and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it. I also took pictures of some amazing cakes and desserts on display that would make anyone say 'wow'.

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Then of course, there is my favorite artist, Dale Chihuly, and he is known for creating beautiful and colorful glass art. I have a collection of post cards showing his work, but to actually see his art in person is breathtaking. I was so excited and snapped a few pictures of his work inside his store, and left with a huge smile on my face. Maybe one day I will own a piece of his art.

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Q: So Dewdrop, what about your hair?

Since I didn't want to be bothered with styling my hair while relaxing on my vacation, I chose to wear a braidout because I knew that I could get at least three days out of this style. The night before my trip I washed and cornrowed my hair, let it air dry over night and un-braided it the next morning. My crinkles held up very well, even when I went swimming, so I was pleased. The photo with my locks pulled up into a high bun was the day when I went to the pool, and my goal was to keep my head above water....LOL! Look, I don't mind getting my hair wet when going for a dip, but not when I perfectly styled it the day before, okay? I'm sure that you can understand how much work I put into setting this style, so I wasn't about to ruin it in a few minutes. At night I made sure to wear my satin scarf which I always carry with me on trips, because sleeping on white cotton pillowcases is no joke. I prefer to keep my locks lint-free at bedtime as much as possible when I sleep in hotel beds.

Video: Hair color

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BEFORE



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AFTER

I know I said that I wouldn't color my hair anytime soon, but this was on the spur of the moment. I thought about it this morning while looking at my roots and thought, I have lots of new growth so maybe I should color it. I looked through my coloring kit and had forgotten that I purchased extra bottles of hair dye (that's a coloring addict for you). My last coloring was in January and decided to color my 8 months of new growth with a mixture. I really don't like box colors anymore and i've been using individuals bottles and my own creme developer instead to get the colors that I want. This time I mixed sparkling sherry with HL blonde (it's like platinum blonde and the lighter you go, the more drying or damaging your hair can be).
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Disclaimer: How I color my hair does not guarantee that you'll get the same results, and i'm not responsible for you choices. ;-) Now with that being said, this is what how I colored my hair:
I mixed a 2 oz. bottle of one color with 1/2 oz. of another color and 3 oz. of 30 vol. creme developer, saturated my roots for 30+ minutes, went out in the sun so that the heat would speed up the process, washed out the dye, used some left over tube of creme conditioner which I happen to find lying around in my hair bucket, washed it out, towel dried it and made a video about the whole thing. LOL! That's it.
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I was hesitant to color my roots again at first only because last time it took so much time, effort and four bottles to get it done, but this time I only used 1.5 bottles and was able to get the job done the same way. To top that off, the back of my locks took the color! This is exciting news for me because my hair is so stubborn with taking hair color, especially in the back, and i've tried everything to get the back to color. This time I must say that something different happened and it took the dye. I was only planning to do the front half of my head, but since I had extra dye left in my bottle I went ahead and did the back. This color is so pretty and I am very pleased with the results. The color will lighten with more washes so i'm looking forward to this.

Concert Crinkles

I really enjoy the creative and performing arts as many of my friends know, and on Sunday evening I was in the ensemble of a mini community musical called T.he.W.iz. Since my character was suppose to be this flashy/stylish/urban.chic diva with a mini-solo, I was trying to think of a cute style that would compliment my character but not draw too much attention to myself on stage. I was pressed for time and resorted to my basic cornrow braid-out style and left a few rows braided on the side. I wore white slacks, a black dress shirt with a white tank top underneath and some fashionable jewelry....talk about looking classic, chic and fly!

I was in a rush to make it to my call time and didn't even begin styling my hair, so I did what I had to do and unbraid my cornrows in the car while driving a manual car....not an easy thing to do at the same time. One hand was over my head unbraiding while the other hand was shifting gears and steering. Let's just say that I had literally 5 minutes to show up looking half decent before walking through the doors. My back up plan was to leave one side out and the other side braided, but it seemed like a bad idea after thinking about it so I kept unbraiding my hair determined to get each row out. I know that this style would have lasted me at least two weeks, but my seb. derm. doesn't allow me to get past one week without washing.

My concert performance was great and I couldn't be happier! I look forward to participating in more performances as they come.

Twist-out Flop

Twist-out Flop

I tried two strand twisting my locks for the first time while expecting the results to meet my expectations, but I was wrong. I lightly spritzed my hair with H20, twisted them up in sections and allowed them to air dry. They were too loose and wouldn't keep the twists so I wrapped them into loose bantu-knots thinking that this would create tighter twists. I don't know what I was thinking, but all I know is that when I took them out the next day, the style looked like a two week old loose braid-out. :-\ This style only lasted for a day and even though I was kind of disappointed with the results I did my best to wear them stylishly. I guess it's back to the drawing board because I really would like to wear a better twist out one day.

Lock Inspection

This picture was taken during my re-tightening and I wanted to inspect my lock progression. I don't really have much to say aside from the fact that they're growing, they look kind of uniform (not that it matters to me), the size is consistent in specified areas of my head where the locks are thicker or thinner, and I have lots of new growth. At this length, I can only imagine how they will look when they are twice the length they are now.

Video: Crinkles

This is by far one of my most favorite hair styles. This is a style which I tried my best to emulate years ago using extension braids while not realize that my own beautiful nappy hair could achieve the same look. I made medium sized plaits in my hair this time to create a more crinkly braidout as opposed to cornrows. This is my very simple routine to achieve this look: The night before I lightly spritz my dry locs with H20, I don't use any other products, plait my hair in sections and then allow them to air dry over night. The next morning I unbraid them to get some awesome crinkles! What's your routine?

Video: How to Fix Holes In Your Locs

This video is based on this post except I focused on fixing the hole in the middle of my lock instead. This particular lock is the same one from this other post when I took down my locks to check the length and decide whether or not to keep locking my hair or become a loose nappy again. After I decided to keep my locs I made a plait (or BL) with this particular loc. Two months later I had some terrible bunching along the shaft because one strand had been accidentally pulled in the middle and bunched up the lock, causing the middle to hang on for dear life with a big hole and just a few strands to support it. I had no choice but to fix it or else risk losing it later on from weakness and breakage in the middle.

In this video I picked out half of the lock and interlocked it from the tip to the middle only because I had crazy bunching going on. It's not necessary to do what I did in order to seal up your hole, and you could easily interlock the loc's shaft right where the hole is.