loose natural hair phase II

Proof! I Have A Fro Now!!!

Nicky19 Comments

Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments and support on my last post.   A few of you — cough … Sam and Tanya — said you needed proof … so here it is.  I’m usually super hesitant to share pics since (1) I’m not photogenic and (2) the internet’s full of crazies.  But I’m going to go ahead and put myself out there …  all in the name of hair!  LOLOL!  😀

Hair Collage

  1. Baby locs — this was when they were about 7 months old
  2. 2 year old locs.  They were done in some kinda crinkly style so I could rock a bob hairstyle.  I don’t have any more pics showing the length they were when I took them down.  At the time I unpicked them, they were in the middle of my back, some of them just above my bra-strap.  At the time I took them down, I had them for 3.5 years.
  3. Fro after take-down.  I was still suffering from the flu.  To hide my sick eyes, I wore sunglasses!  LOLOL!  What?!!!  😛
  4. Twist-out.  I twisted my hair (like this) then pulled them apart.  By day three, the pattern became looser and my hair bigger.  Here I am all gussied up with lipstick and the like.  😳

twist image source: kelkev photobucket hair album

Changes

Nicky18 Comments

Natural hair timeline:

  • Hair journey — loose hair Phase I —  started: July 1st 2002
  • Loc journey started: Sept 1st 2009
  • Loose hair Phase II: March 17th 2013

After 3.5 years of locs, I have my chunky fro back.  I took them down primarily because I was having some hairline issues (caused by stress),  but I’m not going to lie, I wanted a change — for many reasons.  It took me 7 weeks to take down 132 locs.  If I ever loc my hair again, then wanted to get rid of them, I’d cut them off.  This time around, I just didn’t want to start my second loose hair journey with a very short fro.  But with 2 bouts of a cold virus in between the take down and an actual take down time of one loc being 30 – 45 mins, I will NEVER go this route again. 

But for now, it’s done — as at 4 mins ago.  Time to rock the fro again!  I can’t wait to wash my hair tomorrow.   I figure, if I want the look of locs again, I can always do individual braids to mimic the look.

It took copious amounts of conditioner, a rat-tail comb, a crochet hook and LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of patience.  I trimmed my hair as I went along so I shouldn’t have too much of that to do tomorrow.

Locs were convenient in the sense that I could style them then leave them alone.  Loose natural hair as abundant as mine is another animal.  After not messing with loose hair for so long, I have to get back to the every day care of it that I didn’t have to deal with while having locs.  I already went ahead and bought my staples:

All from my favourite natural hair product vendor: Oyin Handmade.   I got:

  • Shine and Define — a styling creme
  • Honey Hemp — a conditioner.  I’m going to use this in addition to Jane Carter’s Conditioning Shampoo.
  • Greg Juice — a leave in conditioner that I can also use as a daily spritz.

With natural hair, I believe less is more and I also believe in using the most natural ingredients I could find.  My hair loved these in the past so I figured I’d start with what I know.  

It’ll be an interesting to see the reactions of my co-workers on Tuesday when I do go back to work.