. . Update of sorts. .

I know, I know, I've been gone for a while and I have a good excuse.  My good-for-nothing laptop has just not been in the mood to cooperate lately.  But I've been here, still alive and breathing.

So, in my last post, I was inquiring on the nature of a few of my locs-- given their new appearance.  Come to find out, thanks to my guardian angel Cheleski =) --I AM BUDDING ! I could hardly contain myself when I got the news.  Granted it's only a few of my locs in the back but it is something to look forward to for the remainder of my hair.

Shrinkage is the new name of the game.  I am seeing a lot more of it since I have decided to refrain from setting my hair (only for special occasions) to encourage my locking process.  Everytime I bantu or braidout I stretch out my hair which is setting it against the grain.  I want this process to get on with it already, so I believe it is time that I stop hindering it.  So much so that I've been looking into purchasing the Sisterlock starter shampoo solely because I've heard that it encourages the process. (still looking into it though.)

In other news, I have been experimenting with conditioning my hair with the start of this month.  It has been feeling so straw-like and I am tired of it.  I've come to terms with the fact that my locs are not SLs and I do not necessarily need to treat them as such.  With that being said, I figured 6 months without conditioner is a good enough span of time to wait.  The front of my hair looks no different from when I first started LOL.  I washed my hair last week with my VO5 clarifiying shampoo and followed it up with this conditioner:

I loved how my hair felt afterwards.  LOVED!  It reminded me of my loose natural days.  I never want my hair to feel like straw ever again.  During the week, especially with the weather getting milder, water just doesn't cut it as a sole moisturizer.  So I have been using my old time favorite (again from my loose natural days):

When they say weightless, they mean it.  And my hair has a bounce back after I put it in.  I only used about a quarter size amount on damp hair.

My hair has been doing its thing and I'm trying my best to leave it be and allow it all the time it needs.  Impatience, however is at an all time high.  I try to stay motivated with videos on youtube and blogs from those on the journey with me.  I appreciate every single one of you so much.

Until Next Time,

Lata Lovvies

A little Concerned. . .

BYI shall be meeting my half year milestone in about 5 days and I can honestly say it is still a wonder to me that I have, and plan to continue to, stick with this new journey.

Now on to my concerns. I just recently finished a Re-ti on Wednesday night which only took me two days to complete ¡Woop Woop! \(^.^)/ [shaved off a good two dayd off of my time right there]. Anywho, while I was retightening I decided to attack some holes in my locks towards the back of my hair. I found some really helpful YouTube videos on it here and here. 

Being that I was going through, in great specificity, to inspect my locs I came across a few that really had me concerned. (I'll be attaching pictures).  I have a few locs that seem to be bunching. Now, I'm not very certain of this because these could be the good 'ol buds I've been waiting so long to see but I'm not sure.  If it is bunching, I can say that it is my fault and may be due to the conditioner that I put in my hair after my color.

Now that my hair is dry (I re-ti on damp hair) these 'trouble areas' are a bit firm but some are squishy. They occur somewhere around the middle-end of the loc but definitely where the braided portion/loose ends of the loc are (as opposed to where the interlocked new growth is--i can tell where that starts and ends). I just don't know how to tell if I messed up or if this is what I've been waiting for. So if you guys could help a sister out based on my horrible pics or any other ways of identifying this, PLEASE leave me a comment below.  And if we all deem it bunching I will also needs some helpful solutions. So:

       Calling all those loc'd before me.

       This is a P.S.A.

       I.need.help.

Thanks in advance lovvies. :)

5 months and I Dye'd!

So on Sunday, 8/25 my babies became 5 months old! I still love them as much as the first day and I find myself playing in them more and more lately feeling for changes in textures or some possible budding.  The back is definitely farther ahead in the process compared to the front of my head (where I have looser curls.) A few are pretty firm but I still have my curly ends.

This long period of laying in wait reminds me of my transitioning from relaxed to natural. After about 8 months I began to hate the two textures and decided to big chop. Too bad there's no choice of chopping here or I think I would have been about ready to get those scissors. Either way, I am so very anxious to have these locs mature.

On Monday morning, (yes before work LOL) I decided to color my hair.  It was returning to that ashy black/brown color (which I cant stand) from the frequent washes.  I know some people may say, "you're not suppose to color yet its too early" but I have deemed this MY journey and I didn't see any harm in it.  I used Clairol's Textures and Tones in Silken Black and I only utilized one box.  (I thought about using a rinse but with the amount of times I douse my head with water-- that would have been pointless).  I followed the instructions listed and kept my hair covered in a plastic shower cap for 30 mins to allow the color to process and then I rinsed like mad. I squeezed the locs to make sure all the product was out and then shampooed with my V05 Clarifying shampoo.

Now after the two washes my hair felt like hay-- hard and dry.  So, I used the conditioner that came in the box. Initially, I was skeptical because I haven't used any conditioner and I didn't want slippage.  But I opted to go along with it and I am happy that I did.  My hair felt twenty times better and it still feels just as soft two days later.  Until using the conditioner, I didn't realize how much I've missed using it.  I did have some slippage towards the front of my edges but that happens with or without conditioner. 

I may or may not have slowed down my locking process by doing this but I don't think it was moving that fast to begin with. They're all still here and accounted for so I count that a blessing.  Next month makes half a year that I've kept up with this and I am very proud of my own determination and will to stick-wit-it.  I know I'll be extremely happy when its all done. 

Until then,

.Lata Lovvies.

Its a Go!

This post is looongg overdue. I definitely finished my re-ti a week ago. Life has been getting in the way.

Anyway, my retightening did not tske any extra time with the added amount of new growth that I acquired. 4 days either way I look at it--4 weeks v. 6 weeks.

I do like the idea of waiting longer for adequate new growth, and also the fuller looks. So, I'm sticking with the 6 week rotation.  Monday night, after I finished my re-ti, I set my hair with flat twist and bantu knot (or chiney bump) the ends of the twists.  The next day I had a curly 'fro'.  I dont realli know why I pinned up the front but one of co-workers told me I look like a child. Well, Cheers to never growing old! :)

Enjoy the pics.
I'll be back in a few days for my 5 month update \(^.^)/.

Until then,
.Lata Lovvies.

What a Workout!

So I've been on a health kick. And we all know that by kick I mean roaring rollercoaster.  There are so many ups and downs that come with trying to get healthier.  In any event, I think my issue comes moreso from getting bored to easily-- whether it be with food or with exercising.   So I always need something new to try every so often or back to sedentary I go LOL.

While chatting it up with one of my best friends forever, we came across the topic of working out. We spoke of boot camps- but my schedule doesn't permit, and gym memberships- which my wallet doesn't permit. I love doing at home workouts, (with no one there to judge or stare, no one coming over trying to tell you how to lift a dumbell correctly) and I am slowly getting into being into an avid runner (or shall I say jogger).  So, she brings up workout DVDs and I just had to slap myself in the forehead for not thinking of it myself. It fits in perfectly. 

Anyway, she suggested I try any of Denise Austin's DVDs and I thought well why not? She tried it herself and loved both the workout and results. So, being the Queen of Research, as it stands, I went home after our talk and looked up the various workouts that she had to offer,as well as the reviews.  Long story short, I liked what I sae and I was more motivated than ever to get started. I mean I was PUMPED.  But I had slow my horses because in order to get my hands on any, I had to order them and wait for them to ship-- and I know myself enough to know that by then I would be right back in my sedentary funk.

So I took a leap (or what I thought was a leap) and searched for her workouts on YouTube hoping that I would find actually full length workouts and not infomercials or more reviews. And to my surprise, I found lot one but a whole lot of them. 

Today I did the Ultimate Fat Burn Workout . It was a 20 minute workout in a interval circuit with some high intensity parts followed by an active recovery.
One word to describe the 20 minutes I spent with Austin: Awesome. The music was upbeat, she did a great job calling out the moves. It was as if the fellow exercisers(?) in the background weren't even there because they remained quiet and out of the way-- unlike some others I've seen in the past who are just too excited for words and can barely contain themselves. Of course, someone was there to showcase simpler versions of the moves which was helpful. However, all in all, it wasnt bad.  By the end I was dripping sweat which, to me, means mission accomplished.  I would definitely recommend this to anyonenloking for something new to do to stay active. It wasnt CRAZY INTENSE. So for those already fit and looking for a challenge-- ehh not so much. But this was all I needed and then some. I plan to keep this up and make an update on my progress in the months to come.

I tell you no lies, Google and YouTube are God sent. 

Until next time,
.Lata Lovvies.

Re-ti Time

And let the long awaited retightening session begin! So as foretold,  I waited 6 weeks this time around to do my retightening and I think this may be my schedule from here on out. 
Reasons being:

1). Im lazy. Of course this was reason number one LOL. But its true, my life seems to be busier these days which puts my hair on the back burner.

2). I can see growth. A lot of the time when I re-ti in 4 week increments, portions of my hair have not grown enough to do one full rotation. With six weeks I have just enough hair all over to get that done.

3). The fullness. Again with six weeks of growth at the roots, most of my parts are hidden and I get a nice little lift at the roots which accounts for a more fuller look when my hair is down.

4). Not too tight. This kind of goes along with point number two, but again with all the growth that is acquired, I am noticing that I can get one full rotation and then some. However, I am leaving it at just that, one rotation-- thereby, I am not yanking at my roots to get through a really tight second rotation. This helps in keeping a fairly healthier scalp and avoids weakening the base of my locks.

So, 6 weeks it is. I may have to touch up my edges in between because they tend to slip bit that is about it. I've attached pics as usual-- showing the new growth. Stay blessed.

Lata Lovvies.

Loc Puff?

I cant believe it!
I mean I really didnt believe it would happen for a while.
The one thing I thought I would have to give up indefinitely once I crossed over from loose to loc'd natural. But...
NOPE.

So as u can tell, I am super excited that my hair, thanks to these bigger barrel curl, can still be worn in a "Puff". I mean, I'm not sure I can actually call it a puff with locs-- loc puff? Whatever. Either way I was too stoked.  I am beginning to see more of the versatility and realize that im not very limited at all when it comes to my babies. Oh how I love them so.

Well, this was Day 2 of my curls. Of course, while I slept on them during the night, the back and sides were a flattened out mess. That motivated me to give this a go. And BAM! Loved it!

.Lata Lovvies.