Summer Hols, Life and Sisterlocks@ 3 years 2mths

It has been a while, I started this and two other posts long ago but life got in the way, I surprised even myself that the summer break is here and I have written zilch!
I have been extremely tired,  I wasn't ill as is common among the UK school teachers at the end of any school year, but I slept like I was recovering from a severe bout of flu or something! I could do nothing for the first 3 to 5 days ... SUDDENLY the SUN came out, as tired as I was, I left the building as much as I could. Sunshine around here (England) is less common than gold dust ... kmt.

July 30th marked another great year in this life of mine and I have so much gratitude and love for the GOD who I serve who has kept me for so many years, through so many struggles, and headed a multitude of Victories! GOD is GREAT! (this was originally scribed a day before but I didn't complete it!)

Here are some random shots of my recent lock journey ... braid outs are more frequent and one day I even tried pipe cleaners, took a while to put in, but the results were ok.

SUMMER HOLIDAY LOCS.

So here we are one month since schools been out, I spent time away with the family which was fantastic,
Oddly enough though I struggled with my Loc Loving regime. I thought I was prepared but I couldn't exactly bring a vast selection of my fave products so settled for three of the best.  I had not planned for my middle son to shove me in the pool, a head full of chlorine I did not expect!  I added insult to injury by using the Sauna regularly without conditioner, my Locs did not like this, not at all! Sigh ...

Sigh! 

During the maintenace struggle I realised mainly that my Locs are in a growth phase, it was taking me longer to wash it properly and I needed a lot more spritzing to keep it moisturised. not complaining though!

I tried only rinsing my hair in water as opposed to a full wash, thinking that this would be better than applying product too frequently, however, as I frequented the pool/sauna quite a few times I had to make sure I washed out the chlorine.

Dehydrated.

As a result of the Sauna ( I think?) my Locs were dehydrated beyond the norm, even when I used my best product, Kiehls Amino Acid shampoo and Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist. I was thinking that the water may have been different, as in hard/soft, but when I checked that out I found that the water there, was the same as London ... very hard!

Honey Washed. Nearly there ...

To get it back I washed vigourously using Free Trade Honey by LUSH (new) hoping for a moisture boost and a return to the texture I am familiar with, I then mixed/diluted conditioner with water, LUSH American Cream conditioner, applied as a leave-in then melted down some pure coconut oil and applied it as a hot oil treatment. Phew! It was some hard work!!!

I have been using a variety of different products some of which I found affordable and good value for money, I plan to cover those in a later post.

Now thats better!

Today I just want to share pics ...

Images of Locs revived from dehydration and anything else that I may have done!

Hot Coconut Oil revived.

Longer Locs can require a lot more care time and attention. I am not complaining, just something I am learning. I wracked my brain to recall the best conditioning shampoo, and oddly enough the best result was from a NEW product I got from LUSH a week before I went away, It has Honey as its top ingredient and is quite expensive, but it worked! British weather is extreme, we get sunshine but the dry type, without wind or moisture. I am not used to hot sunny weather, neither are my locs, so when it happens its a whole new ball game. Climates matter when cultivating locks, like water types. That's why product results vary across the country even the world. I have tried lots of recommendations from across the water, the best referral was Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist which I have stuck with for the 3 years. I will try to update about my recent product finds asap ... :)

Three years SisterLocked Secrets, I did it my way. Why the products Nai?

Hey all at home today because a visit to the dentist has left me out of action.

I have been thinking about this post for a while and one thing I will cover is my experimenting with products and reveal my top (maybe forever?) products.

Yes I know that having Sislocs is suppose to reduce the need. However, I found that I wanted my locks to be in a certain condition. Ultimately, our hair is still unique and we all need something different.

FIRST, What is it I am looking for, (or why the junkie)?

Well I had fine hair naturally, so locs were not originally voluminous. I mean each strand was thin, Loc pattern 4,  the tightest, to help locking process. We tried pattern 3 but most would slip easily. See earlier posts. Some shampoos exacerbated the thin flat look.

So first off I will talk about why I still use products with SLS in them.


Sodium Laureth Sulphate.

I have used so many prods with and without this chemical, but really I was not that convinced that the results were any better. I was not surprised to read Natural Haven's latest post confirming my suspicions

http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/

Please read for yourselves. She found that not all non SLS substitute chemicals were exactly better than SLS. So it is a case of study to find the best ... I actually knew that it was not as simple as it seemed. Now do not get me wrong, I am not saying I am for SLS I am just not for being conned by these companies is all.

In saying all of that I will announce all my staple products with and without SLS.

 1. Kiehls Amino Acid.

Top of the charts and It is SLS free. What can I say about it? Well it has all the qualities I need, basically does what
It says on the bottle! It's moisturising, gentle, softening and best of all volumising, making my locks look fuller and fluffier and feel lovely. Not cheap, but neither am I! So worth it! The price came down a bit but it was originally £17.50 it lasts a long time, and i wash my locks often.

I believe in the process of alternating shampoos to reap the best results. I found this has worked for me.














2. Bicarbonate of Soda shampoo.

http://ofoslocs.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/baking-soda-shampoo-and-vinegar.html

This is a recipe I got via Ofo's blog. It is a very good one, for me it works really well. I have a bottle sitting on the bathroom window sill. I use it whenever I feel that it needs a clarifying. I can't use too much though as I find it can be drying.



3. DAX Vegetable Oil Shampoo.


If I had not found Kiehls then this would be THE one as for £2.50 it is brilliant! A great softening clarifying shampoo that DOES NOT strip the hair. Really good value for money. Very effective. SLS ...






4. LUSH.

Ok I have tried and loved almost everything LUSH. Why? Because there is something about the way they mix their products that, in my opinion, works perfectly on locked hair, I find it hard to say which I love the most, alternating them as I do they all do what I need them to. Now that I have discovered their solid soaps, I think they are fab! They are very affordable, £5 or £6 pounds but last for up to 80 washes, if you take care of them. Yes SLS, but they feel so gentle, soft and with no irritation.

Top of the solids is Godiva, (yellow solid) shampoo jasmine scented with cocoa butter to condition, instant results! A close second is Karma Komba, green. Smells soo good, so so good!
Both give hair good body!


Note: my method is to use either Bicarbonate shampoo or DAX as a base clarifier first and then one of my faves for the second and or subsequent washes.

CONDITIONERS.

I can't do them! I do not do well with them as I just don't rinse enough or I don't have a strong enough shower hose. Either way, they seem to build up. So another reason for my quest to find suitable products. My search is for a water based conditioning product, non creamy, leave in type. My staple is and was from the start,

1. PAUL MITCHELL AWAPUHI MOISTURE MIST.

From the moment I read a recommendation for this product as a newbie, I knew it was right for me. It is perfect. Again pricey in the eyes of some, circa £15 for 500ml.
But I use this over and over and my Locs drink it like water, even better when I rub a little oil in after. I even spritz in a little before bed in dry areas,




The SisterLock moisturiser is good too but not as effective as the Awapuhi.

I like 2. Arosci leave in conditioner too, but I am suspicious that it has contributed to a rise in whitish specks of build up in my locks. Again though, a great product, very moisturising and softening. I have had to spray it in my hands rub them and then add it to my hair to avoid this possibly negative effect.

COLOUR.

As you can tell, dry locs are not on my desirable list. It's all about moisture and softness. So one thing I did not do over the last 3 years was colour my locks.
I knew that I would have problems with my hair and dryness if I did. I know a lot of people have grey hair they want to cover so I understand, I feel I benefitted over the years to just leave them alone.

WASHING MY LOCKS.

My guilty pleasure, from the start. I stated my penchant for water running over my scalp,
I'm a washing addict, actually it's a whole bath, shower, swimming, water thing. It chills me out, especially though washing my hair.
Of course that encourages me to add to the experience by introducing different scents and sensations. So I am an addict, a true beauty addict. It's not just my hair but I do all things skincare, did I ever mention that I qualified as a beautician?
So there you have it. The motives behind my madness. I think I found
What I need for now, but it is difficult because I live in the UK and our weather system and atmosphere means that some things work seasonally so again I need to alternate.

Nai ... LOVING this locked life ... x

ReTi, 2 years and 7 months

Original Post written Wednesday 29 December 2011.

Consultant Reti Day was yesterday, my head still sore, nobodies fault, just my issue.  Loving this stage, even though it took 3 hours to reti me, I knew there was a LOT of regrowth, especially as I do not reti  'tight' when I DIY.

A drastic mistake ...

.... had to wash my locs on Tuesday in time for reti first thing Wednesday, BUT I had a few friends around and we stayed up until 3am, hair washed ok, but I still had conditioner in it, and could not face washing it out! (slaps head) so I went to bed, with a view to washing it out in the morning.
WELL, my locks were DRY, I had to shampoo the conditioner out, no time to check the head,  I rushed off for my 10am appointment.

Reti style looked lovely, but underneath I had horrid evidence of left in conditioner, where I had not over rinsed, SIGH! I was not gonna wash my whole head again. so gathered the top clear portion in a bun, and mixed my concoction of shampoo and bicarbonate, THEN added vinegar. It frothed up and I applied it direct. I rinsed it out over the bath section by section, not a smple task but do-able. It worked!

 




















Today 4/1/12.

I washed my locs last night, using I Love Juicy. As Antiphilitron is no longer available from LUSH, I am in need of a clarifier that I notice deep cleans AND leaves the locs fluffy and full. As these products are drying I have decided to first wash with clarifiers and second n third wash with a

hydrating/moisturising shampoo. I am rubbish at rinsing, so have decided to avoid conditioners for a while, or at least take Ofo's advise and water them down before applying!
I will try to add Bicarb soda to I Love Juicy to see if it is as effective as the Anti Phil on removing build up. I have posted previously recommending ILJ as a great loc shampoo because it leaves them looking lovely! So lovely that I have not been able to keep my hands out of my head!
I want to alternate Deep Cleanse Clarifying to every other wash, but I do it more consistently if I choose to use a conditioner.
Also, I need another type of head wrap to sleep in, my locs are getting long, I have had to put them up in a bun for baths and shower, and even a couple of times to go to sleep.

30 Months, Sisterlocks, My Way ... (Build Up Removal and Conditioning)

Me again!

I don't really consider myself as a product junkie,  just a woman who loves water and has a passion for great skin and hair care. For too many years I struggled using soap based products as I consistently had bad reactions.  Today greater choice exists, so now I have a lot of options.  I go the extra mile and buy quality products as I found that they consistently did/do not create or accelerate any allergic reaction. The best generally means sulphate, paraben and other crap, free.

The last 30 months have been the best in my Hairstory. Never a bad hair day, and even so, I would remedy the problem by simply shampooing! No drama!

I have said it many times, I love these locks, and they are worth all I put into them, they are a part of me. I have thought about coloring them, especially in the beginning. But I feel that bleaching them would only weaken them, and I dont want to do that. My locks are not very thick, my hair naturally is fine. Having 4 children was a contributing factor also. So I am concerned about drying them out too much while my routine still requires effort  and fine tuning during the colder months here in the UK.

My quest has fundamentally been to find a great moisturising shampoo, not necessarily a conditioner now, as I found that most do build up in my loc type. I have found a recipe though that helps to REALLY cleanse and remove build up. However I found out today that the main ingredient that works so well for me is no longer available, Antiphilitron by LUSH.

Build up.

Recipe;

1 dessertspoon Antiphilitron

1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 

1 bottle of Cider Vinegar (ACV) prepped in a 100ml bottle

(this mix may work with any clarifying shampoo, the next similar brand in make up is I Love Juicy by LUSH.)

Method.

1. Mix ingredients in a plastic cup/beaker. Apply to wet hair focusing on problem area's. apply liberally and rinse thoroughly.

2. Liberally squirt ACV (undiluted) over wet hair squeezing through the locks. Leave in for a few minutes.

3. I used a squirt of Hydrating Shampoo, rinsed and then applied a liberal amount of Moisture Maniac (TIGI). I left this in for 30 minutes or maybe less. Rinsed well.

This REALLY worked well, as I had used Hair One, and this left spots of white all over my locks! It is difficult to get a good shot of build up. trust me though, I was not happy, it did not look good.

After Clarifying.

This recipe is a major winner for me. An added advantage is the condition my locks are in once I have clarified, they are fuller, kind of puffy and healthy shiny.They feel amazing! Really happy with the results. Think I might do this one each month. But will need to  experiment with I Love Juicy and Bicarb, as once Antiphilitron is done, its done!

Stylish Blogger Award ... part one!

Bajan Lily ... you are a star! Thank you for nominating me for this award! 


Unfortunately a day or so later, NO internet access!! Until now! Last night I wrote 2 blog articles which have now disappeared! I am not impressed!
Please bear with me ... to be continued. 

Escapades ...

I wanted to write loads over the last few weeks on lots of topics, however, no internet, back to work and other matters.  I have passed/missed my 23rd Loc milestone and am almost at my second anniversay! Time really does fly! But this is a quick update.

This is I Love Juicy by LUSH. 

Well I DO! 

I LOVE JUICY! This is a fruity product which I consider to be slightly clarifying but  volumising too. My locks are clearly fuller, shiny and feel soft. Clean, but not dried out, of all my natural oils. I have not suffered any real scalp issues but have noticed that occasionally after a shampoo my scalp had been itchy during the night. Using ILJ, that never happens! I would go as far as saying that this is a perfect 'Locks' shampoo. The ingredients, again however, contain ALS. 

Water (Aqua), Sodium Alkyl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamide MEA, Propylene Glycol, Perfume, Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Freshly Juiced Papaya (Carica papaya), Fine Sea Salt, Carrageenan Extract (Chondrus crispus), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Fresh Pineapple Juice (Ananas sativus), Fresh Kiwi Juice (Actinidia chinensis), Fresh Mango Juice (Mangifera indica), *Citral, *Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben. * Occurs naturally in essential oils Vegan

In my hunt for the 'best for my locks' I have tried SLS and no SLS. I have found that LUSH's products are very effective and I get the desired results I want for my hair type. Some do contain the dreaded SLS/ALS/SAS. Sorry, but they work and I love the results sooo ... I am happy to continue to use them.

Do you remember Curly Wurly by Lush? The lovliest Coconut  and Vanilla scent with TONS of dessicated coconut pieces that look like maggots in the head? Well, where there is a will ...

I FOUND a WAY!

Only took a few minutes, one tea strainer and a pestle! Voila! smooth shampoo paste. Very moisturising and a lovely scent. I am happy!!

Curly Wurly
Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Desiccated Coconut (Cocos nucifera), Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Water (Aqua), Fresh Organic Lemon Juice (Citrus limonum), Glyceryl Stearate & PEG 100 Stearate, Perfume, Linseed Infusion (Linum usitatissimum), Fresh Papaya (Carica papaya), Lauryl Betaine, Fresh Free Range Eggs, Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Avocado Butter (Persea gratissima), Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Vetivert Oil (Vetiveria zizanoides), Benzoin Resinoid (Styrax tonkinensis pierre), Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Alkanet Extract (Alkanna tinctoria), Lanolin, Cetrimonium Bromide, *Coumarin * Occurs naturally in essential oils Vegetarian


I can hear my regular readers now ... 'Ok Nai,  whatever! YOU love a new shampoo every week!'
But that's not quite true ... I have used I love Juicy a few times before, but it was not good for my locks in the first year. At this stage though, it is the best. BIG is great, but not for every week, the salt is a great clarifier but drying. I Love Juicy is great for the bi - weekly wash. So far I have used it continuously for the last 6 weeks ... seee! told you I was committed!

                                                            I AM SATISFIED! (grin)

I had purchased a tube/bottle of TIGI Bedhead Superstar. WHY? Protein, moisture and the promise of 'big massive hair' yeah its ok, nice smell. its ok. Ilove J is BETTER! But Superstar is good as a treatment shampoo and SLS free.

Ok, off to reconstruct my previous posts, and to honour my award! back soon!

Nai ... x

Why am I a Serial Product Junkie?

Truthfully I cannot pinpoint what the heck is going on with me! However, it might be coming to an end as finally, I have found it! Yep and it is BIG! more on that later ...

My product lust has a lot to do with my history of years taking care of fine hair. I paid any amount to keep, maintain and improve its quality.

Although, some products may have had some effect, looking back now I know that once the damage was done (chemically) there was not much I could do except STOP processing. 

My locked hair has thickened up a lot, but some shots taken of the top show a bit of scalp.
However, as I compare the density of my hair today to almost 19 months ago, It is amazing how locking has transformed it tremendously. I am not just grateful, but happy.

Today, I simply want to find the product that is the very best for the health of my hair. I couldn't do much before, but with education, I can certainly improve its quality now.

Lockers beware, Sisterlocking can and will drastically increase hair-esteem, hence, loads of pics!

Latest Shampoo ... ;)

Have I found it at last? My perfect shampoo? ...

YES! its BIG by LUSH ... and it really is BIG!
I ... think it is soo good, I have used it twice in a row ( and that is a BIG thing for me ... )
I like it so much, I am considering (risking) washing my hair again, briefly, in the morning!

YES! I'm a washaholic!

(if you think my shampoo fetish is bad you should take a peak at my entire skin care range ... ;)SNM!






What's so BIG about it ... ? It is clarifying, which is a big plus for me. Also I read that sea salt was/is a major locking aid.

Well, here is the the ingredient list. (below)

Sea Salt (Sodium Chloride), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Fresh Organic Lemon Infusion (Citrus limonum), Fresh Sea Water (Aqua), Toothed Wrack Seaweed Infusion (Fucus serratus), Cocamide DEA, Lauryl Betaine, Fresh Organic Lime Juice (Citrus aurantifolia), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Neroli Oil (Citrus amara), Mandarin Oil (Citrus nobilis), Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Orris Absolute (Iris florentina), *Limonene, *Linalool, *Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Perfume.

OK, so yes it has SLS but the other top 5 ingredients are natural.
Some have complained that it is drying, but that may have to do with using too much. So far I have only used the residue bits off the lid, applied it to wet hair and rubbed it in until I had a massive foam which I circulated all over my locks.

Oh and I am forgetting ... it has this scent that has simply got me! I can't describe it, it is lovely!
But I am complimented on it, and thats a plus.
Not like other shampoos that fade after a few hours, I mean it lasts for 2 or 3 days!
The top picture was taken after my first Big experience, Loc's felt so soft and full. I recommend it! No it is not as cheap as some, £9.50. But worth every penny. It will last quite a long time too because you only need  a teaspoon full and just rub! I will certainly be using this regularly, 10/10!

Oh! Its Christmas Eve. For those that celebrate, seasons greetings. I am not into the hype of what christmas represents today. But My family and I will be celebrating Jesus without all that does not concern him. Stay blessed and love and care for each other, enjoy yourself whatever you do.

God Bless, Nai ... x N'joi'ing naturally... x