Wrap-A-Loc Results...II

Ok...You all wanted a review and a comparison. Friday I had somewhere to go and I didn't think the whole "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" look was what I wanted to go with...So I separated the coils. It is now Sunday and they are still quite nice. I have been wearing a sleep cap at night.

As I said before, I really like the Wrap-A-Loc results. It did take longer than soft spikes. Which makes sense because they are much, much, much smaller. On the website, there are people wearing the tool itself as a style. I would only do this over the weekend, not to work or anything. But that's just me...I slept with them in and they weren't terribly uncomfortable. If you don't like sleeping with anything bothering your head, it might be annoying.

The most obvious difference between soft spike rollers and the wrap-a-loc tool is the size of the curl. As the pictures show...you can get a very good set on either product. It been awhile since I used the soft spikes but if I remember correctly the curls gently fell over the course of a few days. If you separated the coils or as they relaxed, you be left with a very wavy, loose curl.

As the pictures show, the wrap-locs left me with coils about the diameter of a pencil. When I separated them, I was left with distinct spirals. They were so tight I wanted to sing Donna Summer songs for a minute. I tied them back for awhile. Yesterday-Saturday- they were very pretty. That's when I took the pictures above. I remembered my five-head and pulled a few forward.

The option of wearing wrap-a-locs as a style may be appealing to some. You can't go anywhere with a head full of soft spikes.

I was able to teach myself how to properly use the wrap-a-loc tool. Even though I had the wrong size--see earlier post--they were very forgiving and I got an excellent set. The size description on the site helps you choose the right size. Don't be like me and second guess it. The only thing that confused me was the wording...that it would take up half the length of my hair. I interpreted that to mean that the tool should be half the length of my hair. If I would have gone solely with the length suggestion, I would have been less confused.

As I said before, I think using a hair dryer had a LOT to do with my good outcome. I never used a dryer with the soft spikes...I didn't have one...and it took forever to dry. I couldn't guess how long it would have taken my hair to airdry on the wrap-a-locs.

Not for nothing, I have been setting my hair on some kind of rollers since I was 12. And because I'm type A, it always looked like someone else had done it for me. I am an excellent hair setter! I say that not just to brag, but as a disclaimer. Both soft spikes and wrap-a-locs can be time-consuming, but the wrap-a-locs didn't take an unreasonable amount of time to use. It would have gone much quicker if I wasn't forcing my hair onto 'too small' rollers. If I could go back I would have gotten one set of medium--for the front-- and three or four long. The instructions for traditional locks are to use one tool per lock, for Sisterlocks I used about four each but I wasn't obsessive about it...some may have had more.

For hold, with both products, I would use a maximum hold mousse or diluted Lottabody in a spray bottle.

Wrap-A-Loc Results...

OK...So Monday morning I took down the Wrap-A-Loc set. Here's the results. They are very tight. After work Monday, I put them in a cap while I was at exercise class. They were just as tightly coiled on Tuesday.

I think the set was successful because I sat under the dryer. I used a little diluted Lottabody. But I was not very consistent about applying it. I probably didn't put any on the back.
If it weren't for the heat of the dryer, my hair wouldn't have dried uniformly...and certainly not in time for me to go to sleep at a decent hour. So once again, I love my new hair dryer.
We can track how long the curls last together, ok?

Today--because I was too lame to actually wear a costume--I stuffed my hair in a knit hat and wore lots of make-up....Spooky. I told anyone who asked I was a smooth criminal.

Really I just wanted an excuse to try blacking my eyes out. I have all these MAC paints that I never use and eyeshadow colors that I never really experiment with...So today I did. I used Fluidline liner in black, Carbon and Tuxedo shadow with a thin dusting of Vellum over the top. It was fun. If I was still in high school, I might totally go Goth for awhile...But I'm not in high school. So really, it's just about time for me to wash my face.

Roots...The Next Generation

I haven't posted in a loooonnng time. Sigh. Life has been a little too much to blog. Lately it's taken all my mental energy just to get from Monday to Friday, then on weekends I just decompress. But life has been busy...

So last Saturday, I went to the beauty supply store. Like most black women I know, I think beauty supply stores are magical places. Even though I don't need many products, I find myself leaving with armloads of things anyway. So last Saturday I had bandannas, crocheted caps and a snood. And then I looked up... Now that the weather is getting cooler, I can't just wash my hair in the shower and go on my way. And now that my hair is longer it takes forever to dry. If I don't wash my hair pretty early in the day, it won't be dry before bedtime. Wet hair and pillowcases don't mix...wet hair and damp rollers makes a funny smell that usually requires a vinegar soak to remove....so what's a girl to do. I have a blow dryer and a diffuser. But I am too lazy to stand around waving it at my head and it's useless if I want to set my hair with rollers. I got one of those soft bonnet style dryers but the blower part fried out. I tried attaching it to the blow dryer but it got way too hot and it was so noisy I couldn't take it. So I started fantasizing about the salon-style dryers I saw in the beauty supply store window. Sigh. I even priced them out on Ebay.

So I'm in the beauty supply store... I look up, see the hair dryers and remember that I want a new one. I left with my bandannas and a firm resolve. So it seemed kismet when I went to the beauty supply store right up the street from me...looked down...and saw two salon style dryers, both around the same prices I saw online. But I had no money so no dice. I've been thinking about it all week and today I went back and got one!

My plan was to retighten, wash and try my new Wrap-A-Locs (yes, I bought those too). But when I looked in the mirror, I realized I had another dilemma... You all know I dabble in the dark art of hair-coloring. But I've been good and haven't touched the stuff for months. The proof is that I have over an inch of uncolored growth. I don't like it. Luckily I'm prepared. I have two boxes of the color I usually apply and one of the brown shade of Feria I tried when I decided I wanted to go a shade darker. I'm wondering though if I should hold off on the color until closer to Thanksgiving so it'll be fresh for the holidays. Decisions, decisions....I didn't have an answer after I finished assembling my new dryer, so all I finished was the retightening. One thing I know, two-tone hair is not my thing. So I am either going to use one of the colors I have or make my whole head something closer to my natural color. Given that my natural color is a depressing shade of dark brown that does absolutely nothing for me, I predict this time tomorrow my hair will be copper again. If it's too much of a jolt, I'll cover it with the brown in a couple of weeks to tone it down...

I did it...

I cut the sorriest fringe of a bang....pictures coming. What I really want is the kind of action Aisha Tyler has going, but I haven't worked up enough nerve to cut that far back.
I haven't met any stylists familiar with cutting Sisterlocks...perhaps it's time I found one...

Look who's got a new do...

Helga commented about the dust-up when Brad Pitt--trying to give Carol's Daughter a thumbs-up-- rubbed some people the wrong way because he said he didn't know what to do with his daughter Zaharah's hair. I thought people took it the wrong way. Just yesterday I was talking with a black woman who said she was glad she had a son because she 'couldn't deal' with doing hair.

Anyway...guess the Hair Milk is working...Z's got a cute new do...Check it out!

**I don't know why the photo didn't make it the first time. The post doesn't make any sense without it!**

The Sublime and The Ridiculous--A Sisterlock Story

So I was whining about my hair earlier this week. Aggravated with myself because I can't bring myself to hack in and cut myself some bangs. Despite the fact that it would look better, despite the fact that it's good to shake it up every so often, despite the fact that I really don't want to fall into any kind of rut about how I look. And Sunsail asked for some pictures...So even though I go off on tangents, I figured I'd circle back around and come back to my hair for a minute.

I know there are some of you checking out blogs to get an idea of how Sisterlocks will turn out over time. So let me clarify, I love my hair. I am completely tongue-in-cheek about complaining it's 'too long.' It really isn't much of a problem at all. I want to take full advantage of the possibilities for styling my hair though.

To bring you up to date, I've had Sisterlocks since Spring 2002 and I've been maintaining them myself since Winter 2002. Except for one visit to a SL consultant last year when I was in Virginia, I have done every single retightening since I took the class. I have colored my hair...several times. Ahem. I do not recommend it, but if you want to do it...wait until your SLs are completely settled in, be prepared for some breakage, and do not attempt anything crazy...like going more than one or two shades darker or lighter than your natural color. Pick a color and stick with it. Black over blonde or red makes green, remember that. But I'm talking about styles now...

The consequence of my hair having reached this length is, on the one hand, roller sets don't last because my curls fall by their own weight. But on the other, it means I can make all kinds of interesting styles by arranging my own hair. So...

In a couple of these pictures you can see me making like Cousin It...somewhat for comedy, I admit. My point is that there's lots of room to jazz things up and let SLs fit your personality.

In the others, you can see the fruits of my creativity. I'm convinced I made up this hairstyle, so when you copy it give me respect...lol. It should be possible with medium to long SLs. I did it without pins but a few hairpins would do the trick. And it was very easy. I did it in about five minutes while I was watching the Today show. It is basically a cluster of bantu knots. After gathering my hair in a ponytail with a loose band, I took small sections of hair, twisted them like a candy cane and then wrapped the twist into little buns right next to each other. And they lasted all day without pins...cause my hair is too long (smile). I am starting to think updos are easier for the office. Wearing it down and uncurled, especially in a ponytail seems a little casual to me. And I'm trying to polish up after all.

Sorry about the glare, the only way I could take the pics is in the bathroom mirror over my own shoulder...And I still cannot figure out how to get the pictures to go where I want them...

Five Words I never thought I'd say...

My hair is too long!

This has been coming on for a while. At first it was little things...my curls drooped. Then it got more serious... my locks all tangled in the neck of my shirt. Then it was code red...ponytails everyday.

I don't want to do anything drastic. But I think, given my face shape, I'm going to have to do some cutting. I really need some bangs. Really. Nothing severe. But I need a shorter layer to soften this fivehead I've got going. Not even a real bang...a one-row fringe just below my nose so that I could swoop it over to the side.

Here's the problem. Every time I go to the mirror with the scissors, I chicken out. This has happened three times this month already. Whenever I go to snip, I hear all these voices saying "How can you cut all that hair off!" The 'trim' would take four or five inches off. But it's just one row. Why am I being such a chicken? It's six or seven locks. Cause I'm too chicken to go more than one row.

I'm going to end up on the Maury show...you know how they bring those sorry women out who haven't cut their hair since Ford was in office. Their hair trails sorrily behind them. They have on those elastic waist pants and knit tops. Sigh.

Help me. Tell me to stop being a wimp and cut the six locks. It's just hair. It will look better. And if it doesn't, it's just one row and I can hide the dirty deed.