First Retightening

Had my first retightening yesterday. Took a total of about 3 hours including retightening (actually that part took about an hour,) shampooing and sitting under the dryer. Being as it was only two weeks, there wasn't much new growth, but enough.

Shannon (my consultant) tightened first and then washed. It felt soooooo good to have someone else shampoo my hair. I missed that luxury since I stopped going to the shop. I used to have my hair professionally shampooed every few months as a treat because I love it so much, but most beauticians would try to talk me into some perm or under a pressing comb, so I just said forget it.

I actually packed my own shampoo (Dr. Bronners mix of peppermint, eucalyptus and lavendar shampoos with some water,) just in case she was going to use the Sisterlocks shampoo. Nothing against Dr. C, but I don't want ANY chemicals on my scalp period. As a matter of fact, when I DO get the green light to color, I more than likely will only color the tips of my hair, not the root. But I digress.

Shannon does use Dr. Bronners for the same reason I do its natural, affordable and does the trick. After shampooing, she put a light oil on my scalp and a bit of shea butter conditioner and set me under the dryer.

At first, I was disappointed because I was like, man everyone else gets rollers before they get under the dryer, why didn't I? Well when I was done I saw, my hair has a natural crinkle and GASP, my ends have started developing curly-q's whooo hooo..

So my next retightening appt is March 17, which is a little shy from three weeks. More info to come.

I Did it!!!

Sisterlocks all installed whooo hoooo. A total of 26 hours totalling 404 micro and small sized sisterlocks. The install, while long, was worth it knowing I never have to sit for that long again!! My loctician Shannon Scott, was awesome and patient for putting up with all this hair, standing on her feet for that many hours five months pregenant. She never sacraficed or took short cuts. The parting is impeccible and the tension and sizes of the locks consistant. She rents space in at Doubletake Salon at 21st and Broadway in Sacramento. Shannon now has 51 Sisterlock clients as well as many traditional locked clients. I chose Shannon not only because she comes highly recommended by locked sisters in the Sacramento area, but because she believes in all aspects of organic and natural care. Her styling products are all created by a local african american esty using organic ingredients. Having lupus, it was important to me that my loctician understand that I favored a more holistic lifestyle in general.

I also chose her due to her care of her clients. For the first 6 months, she likes to see her new clients every two to three weeks to monitor their progress. The biweekly visits include washing, styling, retightening and overall assessments of lock progress. Talk about full service, I don't have to braid and band because she will do it for me!!!! AWESOME.
But enough about Shannon, I will share more about her as well as pics of her beautiful, healthy traditional locks after my next retightening.

As far as the look, well it doesn't look quite as I expected. I thought that it would be much fuller, but I know that Sisterlocks are very chameleon like and will shape shift quite a bit throughout this journey. I will make it a priority to post updated pics at least biweekly after my salon visits for the first 6 months. I know that some changes can be subtle and I don't want to miss any phases.

My scalp is a bit dry and itchy, which is common for me after braiding. I just applied a bit of rosehip oil mixed with clove and peppermint oil, which seemed to solve the issue so far. I did make a spritz of spring water that I heated and seeped with nettle, chamomile, flax seed, horsetail, rose, calendula, clove and lavender in a cheese cloth. I then added some sweet orange, rosemary and GSE to preserve it. I was considering adding some veggie glycerine, but it can make hair hard and brittle in the cold months, so I decided against it. I did make another smaller spritz bottle with the same solution but added a bit of jojoba oil (20%) mixed with rosehip (50%) and sweet almond oil (30%) for those dry scalp days. I chose a majority of rosehip oil as it absorbs into the scalp almost immediately, so no build up.

Here is the one pic of the final outcome, more pics of the parting etc to come, I am just still really drained.

It Feels LIke Christmas Eve!!!

Tomorrow is day one of my install. I am so excited, I can hardly sleep... I know it is going to take a long time, lots of sitting, sore butts and all. I packed my lunch like its the first day of school. The macbook is charged, I have a few dvd's and my school books ready to go for the morning. Pics to come!!!!

Set Back in my Journey

Ok NYE on my mini casino vacation, while sitting at the pai gow table, I get a call from my consultant. Being as my appointment is on January 6 and 7, I figured it was just my confirmation call. It started out that way when I heard my consultants sweet voice asking if I still wanted my SL's done and I eagerly stated yes as I am super excited to get started. Then she dropped a bombshell.  She stated that her schedule was much too busy to hold out 2 days just for one client next week and she would be booked until the second week in Feb.

Oh, my little nappy heart sank, I looked so distraught, people at the poker table that I had stepped away from to take the call asked me if I was ok. I waved them off and choked back tears. I had made this appointment on December 1st, it was supposed to be my milestone b-day present to myself. A 10 year journey to my next milestone b-day. My appointment is 10 weeks after my b day. Then as I was making the appointment date, all I could think was, what if she calls 3 days before my appointment and reschedules again? I am getting installed 3 days before Valentine's Day, which means I'm going to have that plucked chicken look, but I guess that is the least of my worries. 

My consultant is the only certified consultant in the Sacramento Area. So, I went the trainee route, only 3 were listed, left a message for one, one stated she would call me back this am (its now noon, I love CPT, but not when it comes to my hair,) and the others number was disconnected. 

So, back to the certified consultant list I go...The closest certified consultant to me is in Oakland California. With as much hair as I have, I KNOW its gonna take at LEAST 24-30 hrs to twist me up, which means a hotel room, gas money, breakfast, lunch AND dinner in another city overnight. 

After a night of uneasiness, I contacted my consultant to see if she could refer me to anyone else. She stated well, it depended on what type of atmosphere I wanted as all the people she knew, worked out of their home. Being as I really prefer a shop environment after getting my hair braided with Kings of Comedy or Young and the Restless blaring on the TV while trying to keep children out of my pocketbook, from using me as a climbing post and endless breaks to get the baby something to eat, answer the phone, door, run to the store, pick up my husband from work etc, etc, those were a turn off. *DISCLAIMER not saying any of the SL consultants or trainees in the Sacramento area run this kind of ship in any way, just has been my experience more oft than not while getting my hair braided.*

She then sweetly asked "You don't want to wait, I am really excited to do your hair as I haven't locked a full heard of long natural hair before, only transitioning hair." to which I replied "I am really eager to get started and I really don't want to have another month go by and end up with my appointment pushed back again. I don't want to be waiting on my SL's until June!!"

She then explained, which would have actually set my mind at ease if she had stated this in the beginning, "With the holidays being during the week this year, I wasn't able to see a lot of my clients on a regular basis and got overbooked and neglected SL's mean more work in the long run."

Makes more sense, I was still butt hurt, diva's don't like being put on the back burner, but at least I have some time to cover up this resistant grey hair at my temples that I laughed at my last dye job.