It's time to dye. Agaiiiin!

Sooooo, I colored my hair again! Weeeee! It's been a few months since I've done some color. I think the last time I did a dye job was in April. That's almost 6 months ago. Wowsers!

So yeah...it was time.

I battled between doing it myself and going to my loctician but honestly, y'all...I save SO much money doing my own hair. And yeah, a loctician can do it better but whatev...I'm not that bad. Despite not distributing the color as well as I would have liked to, I still think this is by far the best color job I've done. My hair was left ridiculously soft and the color took better than I expected.

 Here's what I used...

The Truth Behind Bleaching Your Hair

My coming across this video could not have come at a greater time. I've been getting a TON of emails from loc rockin' ladies who are interested in dyeing their locs for the first time. My first suggestion is to ALWAYS consult with a professional. Even though I've done dye jobs at home, a GOOD colorist can do 10x of a better job than we can.

And secondly, I always tell folx to be very weary about bleaching their hair. I've done it to a few locs and will NEVER do it again. At least not at home. After a cosmetology friend explained to me what happens when we bleach our hair, I've been a little weary about wanting to risk the health of my hair by doing it. This sucks as I LOVE playing around with hair color but bleaching? Even I have to take a step back from that. 

What's your take on bleaching the locs?

I accidentally colored my hair. Again.

Well, not really. I didn't WANT to color them. Well, that's a lie too. I DID want to color them but knew I shouldn't. But there's something about summer-like weather that makes me feel like I should go lighter. Dark brown hair is just...I don't know. Expected and boring on me.

Bad Hair Color, Good Attitude

Welp, I'm done pouting. Extended pouting ain't in me. I'm the oldest of 4 girls and haven't been babied since I was...gee, I don't know...5. And I'm a thug. And us thugs don't stay down for long.

Hahaaaa!!! I'm kidding but really what I mean is, the color isn't bothering me AS much anymore. I mean, I still don't like it but you all's advice was a HUGE help in that. I mean, HUGE! I was thisclose to either bleaching or going darker up top. I am not going to do either right now. I'm going to keep my locs moisturized and in good condition and not do anything for a month. I told my REAL loctician what happened and I could hear the sorrow in her voice. I'll be seeing her as soon as I get back from the Blogalicious conference. But thank you guys SO much for the confidence and advice. A sista was really down.

In the meantime, to make myself feel better, I did a hair do and wore an obnoxiously big bow.

That bow and bangles are by Quelley Rue Designs. They go hard, uh? If you order from her, tell her B sent you. Me + Supporting Etsy stores=all day.

The style was simple. 2 flat twists and bam....

And is it sheer irony that the world's best loctician colorist Thierry Baptist just HAPPENED to appear in my Facebook suggestions yesterday? Who knows.

I'm late on responding to emails due to traveling but I see them and I'm on it!

Love y'all!

My BAD Professional Dye Job

Since I've been natural (almost 6 years), I've dyed my hair over a dozen times. It's been a way of life for me. Some girls like shoes, others like purses, I like hair color. Now I'm either lucky or know what I'm doing because of ALL of the dye jobs I've done, my hair has never thinned, broken off. Not once. I've always felt comfortable doing my own dye jobs and a lot of that has to do with me being in control of doing my own hair...and me being cheap. If I can save $100 by doing something myself, then dammit, I'm going to do it.

Welllllssssss, this professional dye job was the pits. I could have done a better job. I know this because I've dyed my locs several times with success. While I will not bash the girl or the salon (not publicly, at least), I will never be returning. Even though I told her what I was going for, she went another route. She did something that I abhor when it comes to my hair...

...dyed it darker. I mean, WTF!!!!! I've never liked darker hair on me. I always want to go lighter. I thought I made this clear to her. I said,

"I'd like to go lighter all over--just a notch. At the top, I'd like to have highlights of golden brown and red." Period.

So why then...when I looked in the mirror was my 3/4 of my hair DARKER than my natural hair color? Just tragic.

It was a horrible experience to say the least. She was so ungentle with my hair. I was shocked that several loc'd ladies referred me to her because she didn't seem to know how to "handle" loc'd hair. My scalp is in pain from the way she washed my hair.

So rough. I hated the products that were used. I had to go home and re-wash my hair with my own organic-y and natural smelling shampoos because that Design Essentials crap that's used on relaxed hair made me sick to my stomach.

And look at my roots...

Why are some still dark? Just awful. Granted, I kinda dig the top of the head.

It's not SO bad. Even though I only have a good FIVE red locs. And it's only on the tips. I wanted the entire loc colored....not just the tips. Why girl, why? But it's the back that really bothers me. Not that I work in corporate America, but I do have to be professional on the job and this obvious color separation in my hair just looks....unprofessional and tacky. I've always disliked the super light hair up top and darker at the bottom.

It's just bad. And some of y'all are going to say, "B...it doesn't look THAT bad." Well, I know I could rock it but that's not the point. This look is not what I wanted and I'm pissed.

It's not staying like this. I want to get rid of that dark dye ASAP. My fear is that I will have to pull (bleach) my hair to lighten it. But I don't have much of a choice because how else can you come from dark color? I'm tempted to do something tonight. I hate the idea of over-processing my locs but I refuse to walk around looking some chick who got a bad color job. Which, uh....that's what I look like right now.

It's my fault really. I should have just gone to my primary loctician. Her nonavailability/prices and my eagerness resulted in a bad bad color job. So I blame myself. That's what I get for trying to be cheap. I wasn't rude to the stylist. I just told her that I thought we agreed on something. She said that maybe we had a misunderstanding, blah blah blah....I just ran out of there with a wet head.

Oh well, we live and learn. What should I do now, darlings? Maybe I can go bankrupt and beg my loctician to do something by tonight since I'm off to a conference tomorrow. Or maybe I can just lighten it myself. Learn from me--stick with who you know.

Now excuse me while I go pout for the rest of the day.

Guess whaaaaat?

I'm gettin' my hair colored tonight. I can not freakin' wait. It's been close to a year since I've done a permanent color. My roots are darker than I'd like and a sista is just craving some color. My goal is to go lighter all over (think honey brown) and to highlight a few locs with red/orange dye. This is my first time going to a professional and I'm freakin' out. Sooo hoping that it comes out exactly like how I want it.

Stay tuned for the pics, y'all!

Coloring Your Locs: Great video!

This is SUCH a good video. I learned a lot and wish I had seen this before I colored my hair.

OMG....I LOVE her. She just has a wonderful spirit and it radiates so beautifully on YouTube. I want to meet her in real life and give her a hug. Which sounds psycho crazy but y'all know what I mean. LOL!! Her YouTube name is Nialanas and she has a lot of great loc videos. AND make-up vids. As if I needed another reason to love her. ;)





I've been getting a lot of emails about natural ways to color the locs and aside from henna, I just don't know. To be quite honest, and I know it's not healthy for the locs but I don't NEED natural hair coloring. Henna "tints" and does not lighten the hair. When I color, I look to go for a permanent lighter color. Just my preference. And although I'm done semi and perm colors myself, I still highly recommend going to a loctician.

Purple yarn locs...THIS IS IT!!

I was strolling Entwine Naturalle Couture and look what I found...

*faints* 

That's the look I was trying to go for when I wanted some purple in my locs. This is gorgeous. I need to find some yarn like this. Like now. Any one have any idea where I can find it?

How To: Colorful locs with yarn

Who knew something so little could instantly make me love my locs even more? This was so needed because I was in some kind of rut with these bad boys. These colorful locs were inspired by a middle school friend of mine. I swear I haven't seen chick since we were in the 7th grade. But thanks to Facebook, we've reunited and I've been strolling through her loc photo album. She had several colorful locs and of course I told her I was going to try the same thing. It's super easy, y'all.

Purchase some thread/yarn. Any color and brand is fine.

Be sure to choose some that is lint-free.

I can't remember the brand of this yarn but it works perfectly! Although I do wish it had a bit more shine to it.

There is no real strategy or technique when twisting the yarn on your locs. Do know this: it takes a LONG time. It took me a good 10 minutes per loc. And if you feel the need to completely hide the entire loc, well...it may take longer. I didn't mind my hair popping through in this one.

 Or this one...

Start off by tying a knot at the base of a loc. Or in the middle. Begin tying the yarn around and around the loc. It's simple! It's almost as if you are 2-strand twisting your hair. But instead of with another piece of  hair, it's with thread.

The end is tricky. You should be able to tie a knot at the end but I can't seem to do that so I've got some string just hanging. If all else fails, you can use a rubber band at the end. Or add a loc adornment.

Tis all, darlings! This does not damage the locs in any way. In fact, I think it helps assist with the meshing of my combined locs. Removing is simple. Pull on the end of the thread and is unravels right before your eyes. Yeeeep, it's like magic! The thread I selected is also pretty malleable. I can twirl it around my finger to create a curl or tug on it to keep it straight. Loves. this!

I'm on the hunt for more unique colors and finishes of thread. Let me know if you've tried this or will try it!

Me + My Locs=?

Well y'all, this may be the last post I do about my hair in a while. I'm just in one big rut and I'm going to have to stay there and sulk silently. And I'm not even being all dramatic this time around. I'm really not digging the locs too much right now.

But don't worry...I'm not going to cut them off. I did the one thing that always makes me feel better about my hair.

That's right dammit. I promised myself that I wouldn't color them until the married locs completely loc'd but whatever. And it's not like I went out and got this color. I received a sample of it to review for Clumps of Mascara and that box kept staring at me, y'all. Aaaand, I haven't done an all over color since what? October? Come on...that's pretty good for a color-obsessed fool like myself.

I know I said I wanted to go red but hmmmm....not really. Red all over? Hmm...yeah. But I was desperate for some action in my hair so I applied the color. It got red FAST. Fast, y'all. I took my girl Ness' advice and did an herbal rinses. I grow herbs but don't grow rosemary so imagine my surprise when I found out that my grocery store sells herbs. They ain't fresh, locally grown or organic but they'll do.

Brewed 'em and threw in some lavender drops, let it chill and used it as my last rinse. It.was.amazing! Will be doing these rinseses a lot often.


Check out this new growth!!

Mind you I re-twisted a good two weeks ago. Craziness! And what is this?

LOL! It's straight hair. So funny. I decided not to re-twist. The red is okay. I'm not in LOVE with it but it'll do. I still plan to go lighter and do some streaking but my loctician will be doing all that. In the meantime, this will work.

My face says it all. I've got like 2 inches of afro hair all over. It's just...funky and I don't know if I like it.

These rubber bands freak me out. But not more than the 2-strand twist lookin' locs. However, this weekend they didn't bother me too much. It feels good to be re-acquainted with the loose natural hair at the roots. If I wanted to BC right now, I'd have a nice sized TWA to work with. The freeform look is refreshing. I kinda like it. But then again, during the weekend, I am completely boho chic. I think I'll have to re-twist the front for work.


I've also divorced a lot of my married locs. Some were larger than I liked. And now I've got a head full of thin locs and thick locs. Crazy. But I don't care. Goodbye uniformity. Hello un-decisiveness. I'm not diggin' the thin locs but the larger locs aren't making me happy either.

Whatev. I need to sit down somewhere, leave my hair alone and call it a day.

Like Mrs. Honey Dip says, "Who says hair isn't emotional?" It is, y'all. But like everything in life, you have to learn to take it in stride and do what makes you happy.

Say goodbye to pics of my locs for awhile. The next few posts, we're going to focus on other thangs.

Stay tuned! And as always, thanks for the love and unconditional support. Loc Rocker is supposed to be helpin' y'all but your comments and emails have REALLY been helping me too. Awww...*group hug*

My corny self..lol!

I don't know about this latching thing....

Well, it's been almost a month since I've latched my hair. The first row of locs get re-twisted every time I wash but the rest of them bad boys have afro-roots. From far away it doesn't look too bad but when you pull some locs up and take a look at the roots...


Bay bay! Somehow I don't mind it. My scalp is getting a break and it feels good to not have latched in a while. It has given me some time to really think about some things.

I really don't like the way my latched locs look. And I think it's because I've screwed up quite a few locs. Like this one...


And this one...


Oh, and this one too...


I'm sure there are a few more. And even the ones that have turned out okay...I don't really like. They are thinner than palm rolled locs, have more of a box-y shape and don't have that "traditional" loc look that I really desire. Like this...



That is a fuzzy and hard loc. I love it and it is my preference. I'm so torn. I mean I LOVE latching because it allows me to work out without worrying that my hair will slip. I love it because I can swim this summer with freedom. But latching also takes entirely too long to do. And it is quite clear that I haven't gotten the technique down. And if you mess up a loc, it is hell trying to undo it. IF you undo it which I don't because I don't even know where to start.

Can I even go back to palm rolling? Will my locs look all funny with the palm roll-latch-palm roll thing going on? I don't know. I have a lot of questions for my loctician. I hope she tells me I can go back to palm rolling. I mean, yeah....there will be a good inch of my locs that look all crazy but that's a risk I'm willing to take. We shall seee....

Oh, I forgot to post this. I dyed this loc purple too.


Now THAT is purple. 'Scuse the bra strap.

'Til next time....

Purple/lavender locs?

I've been wanting them forever. Not all over....just 3-5 locs that pop out. These locs will probably be covered by other locs. I still want to go to work, church and social functions without people going,

"OMG, she's got purple locs!!!!! Does she smoke meth with her rocker boyfriend? Oh wait...is she a lesbian goth? Does she know she can't have a professional job with purple locs? OMG!!!!!"

And I ain't hardly exaggerating. Y'all know people think crazy things about a) people with locs and b) Black people with crazy hair color. Not that I care but I don't want to have to pop off on anyone and end up in jail. HA!!

Anywhoovers....I kinda want to do this after I go to my loctician next week. I just know she'll discourage me from doing it. She'll scare me with horror stories. Wait....how do you even bleach hair? I'm soooo afraid to do that. Never mind that I was using developer like I took a cosmetology class on hair color. Technically, I shouldn't even be afraid.

But still....I don't want to be running on the treadmill one day and one of my locs go sliding. Wouldn't that be hilariously awful? So yeah. I gotta call my professional hair friend and see if this is even possible.

I blame Chescaleigh. I was finally over the hair color obsession and then she had to go and post this.






Granted she posted it several moons ago but still. I blame her for being so fabulous and awesome and making me not feel out of place for wanted purple locs. And did she really have to respond to my tweet with suggestions? I hope I don't find any "How to bleach your locs" tutorials on YouTube. Because if I do....

I don't know', y'all...I'm kinda hoping this idea goes away. Or maybe I should just do one loc. Or the tips of one loc. What's the worst that could happen?

Dun dun duuuuun!!

Red locs, hmmmm?

So I was playing around with my photo editing program and er uh....look!!



Of course now I want red locs. But I won't dye them again just yet. Although bringing in the New Year and my birthday (Jan 2nd) with red locs might be pretty awesome.

Maybe I'll do a rinse.

And maybe I should just rename this blog 'Memoirs of a Hair Color Addict' because I ca-learly can't leave the stuff alone. Ahhh!!!

Blonde Tips and Vow to no more coloring

How dope is this photo?

I know....totally random and a fluke on my camera's behalf. My tips looks blonde. Totally cool!

But what's not is the lesson I learned on coloring my hair. I hate that I didn't consult with my friend Shannon prior to coloring my hair. Chick is a licensed cosmetology. She specializes in....um, color. She told me all kinds of bad news about the developer and hair bonds breaking and not being replaced and how essentially coloring is worse than perming and how their is no way to repair the hair bonds that have been broken from color etcetera etcetera.

What a nightmare. I knew coloring was bad but now I feel awful. I love color SO much but healthy hair is more important. So I guess I'm done. Frickty frack. No more color for me. Unless I manage to tweak Kool-Aid's formula and figure out how to make it permanent--the natural way. I probably need to talk to a chemist.

I'm jivin' y'all.

Kinda.

The dye job, part III

That color is killer!

Oh, how I love it! I just need some streaks to really give the hair personality and then...I'll be done with coloring for a awhile.

It's crazy how much BETTER I feel with color. I look in the mirror and I just feel...more attractive. Lightening the hair, I think, compliments my skintone. Dark brown hair can be so harsh and just....expected. And can I be honest? Boring. And when it comes to my hair, I am anything but that.

I used Clairol's Miss. Clairol in Sunberry.



I didn't even mean to choose this color! I thought I picked up a brown but it wasn't until I had this stuff on my head and it started turning red until I realized, "Opps...I dun picked up the WRONG one."

I wasn't too upset about it..I wanted to go brown but red wouldn't kill me.

I did my research on how to mix the permanent hair dye and developer. I was kinda nervous about this because I have never done it before. They say you should only go to professionals for stuff like that but I don't know what it is about me...I never mind experimenting with color on my hair. Which is a both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because my hair always comes out alright and a curse because one day it may not.

But we digress. The developer.....


I learned a lot in this permanent dye experience. The number at the bottom of the developer means how much PULL you want from the dye. Does that make sense? The numbers range from 10-40 (I think) with 10 meaning you don't want your hair to change THAT much. The lady at Sally's Beauty Supply told me 10 should be okay for me.

And no offense to her expertise but she was a White girl with straight hair she even admitted to me that she wasn't too knowledgeable about "natural hair". So I took her advice with a grain of salt and got the 30.

Besides, I'm a rebel anyway and following rules make me nauseous. ;)

I measured the developer and the color and put it in a bottle...



Put that mess all over and donned a shower cap on top. I probably could have gone with TWO bottles of color and you'll see why in a minute.

I let the color sit for a good hour and checked it every 10 minutes or so. I washed it out and it wasn't until then I realized....I didn't have any CONDITIONER!

You ever want to curse yourself out? Yeahhh.....that was me. Then I remembered I had that good ole' Trader's Joe conditioner (yes, Amina I still have it and LOVE it). I rinsed thoroughly and washed with castile soap. I don't think this was the best selection simply because my hair was already dry from the dye and we all know how CLEAN castile soap can get the hair and body. But it ended up working well. After conditioning for a good 30 minutes I did minor re-twisting with palm rolling. This took NO time because a lot of my roots are latched so I just palm rolled the loc for neatness.

And I braided them down to get the crinkly effect. Which worked this time! But that mess takes 10 years to do and 10 years to take out so er uhh....won't be doing that often. Even though I LOVED the way it looks. And 3 days later and the crinkles are still gorgeous.


See how brown my hair is?



But because I'm NOT a professional I was remiss in distributing the dye evenly all over. So some of the back locs are still dark brown/black.


Boo. But whatev. I am still oh so satisfied. Next month I think I'll dye a few locs in the front just for the funky factor and I PROMISE, I'm done.

Do I recommend doing this?

You know your comfort zone. Some people feel comfortable dyeing their own hair. Some don't. If you have any reservations then you should definitely get it done professionally. I've been dyeing my natural hair for quite some time now so I felt as if I had done enough research and planning to do it. And I have zero regrets.

Color is my locs' best friend.

....and I would like to add that my hair isn't dry in the least. Not one bit. Moisture is the key when it comes to hair color so I have to come up with a regime that will ensure that my locs aren't a dry and crispy mess.

Stay tuned for that....

Peace and loc've