Five Week Loc Update

Oh my gosh! Time has certainly flown since I started my loc journey. It's been five weeks and one day already! I have been so busy with life lately that I haven't had much time to blog. Since my last post, I have had a birthday, my first Deltaversary, and enjoyed Thanksgiving with my family. A lot has happened huh? With all of that going on, my locs have made lots of progress. I believe they are right on the cusp of budding! Heck, maybe they are budding. I am having the most trouble trying to take pictures of the individual babies, so I'll try to describe them.

Let's take this lil boo in the back for example. I think this loc has a lot going for it. It is one of the few locs that is no longer springy and bouncy. It is more compact and does not stretch out anymore. There are also a few areas where I can feel a knot forming. It's like the individual strands are starting to loc, but not just yet. I have plenty of those all over my head. I'm sure its a good sign.

I've been promising pics and they are definitely coming! Unfortunately, I'm an awful photographer, and my camera isn't much better.

Til next time...

My First Wash and Retwist

After three weeks and one day, (Nov. 11)  I shampooed my hair for the first time! I was very, very nervous about my coils unraveling. So many people were telling me that three weeks was too early to wash my hair. I couldn't wait though! I talked about how I wet my hair in my last post with very good results, so I figured everything would work out. I was right! My hair feels nice and clean. I really missed feeling water move through my hair.

To retwist, I used my Jamaican Mango & Lime Locking Gel (Resistant Formula). It took about an hour and a half. My arms were sooo tired after! I was using clips, which I hate. I saw Chescalocs video about how she retwists her hair without clips.

I though my babies were too short, but I figured it was worth a shot. This method definitely worked for me. It was super fast and not using clips was great. The last step, putting them in a ponytail, diiidn't quite work in my favor. Instead of a ponytail, I had two small pineapples. Now my hair is separated in the front and back and kinda weird. It's alright though. I found a method that mostly works. Yay!

I honestly need to put some more pics up here! I'm pretty sure some of my babes are budding. I'm finding tiny knots in some of my smaller locs, while others are getting firm without any signs of buds. I have no clue if that's normal or what. *shrugs* I'm letting them do their thing lol. I like the little knots though. I promise pictures soon!

It's official!

Today was the marker of my third week loc'ing. I'm in love with my hair! I haven't retwisted yet, so my hair is kinda wild. I like it though! In most places, I have about an inch of untwisted hair before the actual coil starts. My hair looks very full. I know a retwist is coming soon though. With my twentieth birthday and Deltaversary next week, I want to look a liiiiitle less all over the place. I'm actually thinking about semi-free forming since I like the more natural look. I will probably be shampooing my hair soon as well. I wet my whole head while in the shower yesterday to see what would happen. Thankfully, all of my coils stayed in place! I love these lil ladies :D

Now the journey ACTUALLY begins...

I'm officially two weeks and one day into my loc journey! The time flew by, even though it hasn't been that long. I feel like I'm actually in my loc journey now. Before I just had some coils. Now people are asking me if I'm loc'ing. I guess they see the roughness and are tryin to figure out what the heck is going on. Oh well! I'm excited that they are starting to look a little rough. That means something is happening and progress is being made.

In other news, I partied like crazy last night! I picked a bad day to actually dance at a party for the first time though. The coily babies at the nape of my neck were soaked from all of the sweat. Gross, I know, but it happened. I was so scared that I would lose all of my coils in one night. Thankfully, I woke up to the same amount of frizzy babies I had before, sporting a lot more frizz than before. I'm okay with that though! I'm happy none completely gave up on me. The few that were startin to firm up are still firm and everything. Yay! No damage done :)

Are my babies 'bout to bud?!

It hasn't even been two whole weeks yet, and I have definitely noticed a change in some of my starter locs. A few random coils are beginning to feel firm near the root. This change makes me excited and cautious simultaneously. I'm not sure why some are making progress while others are unraveling every two seconds. My locs are definitely starting to feel like my own little children. Some are more advanced, coloring in the lines, while others are busy eating the crayons *smh*. I love them all nonetheless.

Anyway...I let the loc'ed duded from the Commons squeeze a couple of my babies. He said that in a couple weeks, the firm locs will be loc'ing all the way down. That is only a little less than a month since their installation. Is that too fast? I know that everyone's hair is unique and different, but dang one month? Maybe this is some weird stage before they begin to bud. From what I've read, the budding stage is full of frizziness, balls of hair at the ends, and a firm ball in the middle. My locs are not frizzy at all and there are no balls at the ends. The firmness is not at the root, but right under it.

I'll be happy if my hair locs fast. My only worry is for the poor stragglers. Some of the coils in the front aren't even coils anymore! They look like loose hair with a twist at the root. I wish I could show you all. Maybe I'll make a video (even though I hate my voice), just so you all can see exactly what I mean.

Until tomorrow...