I so need to do one of these videos. I get a ton of questions about my locs and 90% of the questions are the saaaame questions. And I learned a lot about Chesca's locs.
She doesn't use clips. (I don't either)
She doesn't use product to retwist. (I don't either)
She doesn't get her locs professionally done. (I don't either)
The best thing about growing locs is learning how to simplify. She covers quite a bit. Check it ouuuuut...
Okay, ATL...if you didn't know about it, there is a HUGE natural hair event that Mae from NaturalChica.com and Mimi from MimiJOnline.com will be hosting. Considering it's a a beauty AND natural hair fusion, I am just a little more than jealous that I can't attend.
Buuuut, I'll be there in spirit. The planning team asked me to represent for the loc rockers in their promo video and I was happy to oblige.
The full version will be shown at the event and tickets will be available until Wednesday, October 26th. If you are in Atlanta, you HAVE to make it to this event. Details here.
Y'all already know how much I love Kim Coles. I posted about her here and here. She's back with another video of her transitioning to rocking her beautiful natural hair. I don't know if it was the music (that song was dope) or what but I got a wee bit emotional. I love how she has embraced, supported and shouted out the natural hair community. Has this ever been done before by a celebrity? Maybe. Not on this level.
And I'd love her just the same if a few months or years down the road she decides to rock another hairstyle.
Stay beautiful, Kim Coles. We love you!! And uhhh...if you decide to rock the Maxine Shaw circa '95 locs, you know the Loc Rockin' crew has yo back!
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.
Kim Coles cracks me up so much. I love her. Where are my product junkies at?
Time to check in!!
Oh...and if you know me well enough, you know that I am far too cheap to be a product junkie. Unless it is given to me, I'm not buying a new product until I hit bottom, yo.
Raise your hand if you have WAY too many products.
The visit to my loctician was amazing of course. I'll be back to see her in a few weeks as I plan to do a complete salon feature. You know, interview her, take pictures and maybe do a video. I just found out that she has a Facebook page. I want to wake it up a bit so I'll be bugging Mrs. LaTonya soon about ways I can help her do that. You know...since I do undercover social media marketing and all. *pops collar*
But anyway, I got my locs trimmed and I couldn't be happier. They really feel like a new set of locs and I couldn't thank my loctician enough for recommending the trim. Here's what happened...
I saw this video over at The Kitchen Salon and just had to share it with the Loc Rocker fam. I've never watched a complete episode of The View. Only excerpts from controversial episodes. But I've always been an enormous fan of Whoopi Goldberg. I mean, HUGE!! This is a conscious sista that thinks before she speaks and always has something thought provoking to say.
That said, check out of the following video.
Whoopi brings up good questions. While Sherri Shepard wears weave (Obviously. It looks so freakin' fake and horrendous. Sorry, but it does.), Whoopi questions why so many Black women have to wear straight and super long weave. Shoopi says, "Why isn't it an afro weave?" That's a damn good question.
And then Joy Behar (thanks Google) answers that question with "Well, because when your hair is straighter, you can do more with it."
I gave the Facebook fam a bit of a behind the scenes look of Loc Rocker's facelift but now the site is fully functioning. And it looks absolutely beautiful, uh? Many thanks to Christina over at Visual Luxe for hookin' a sista up with new look. It was a great start to the kick-off celebration.
What do you mean, WHAT celebration? My locs turn 2-years old in a week.
I know, I know. For those of y'all who have been following me since Day 1, I know you can't believe it either. I know I can't. I'm trying to think of how I'll wear the locs to celebrate. With the holiday season all up on my wallet, going to my loctician *tears* isn't an option. So, I think I'll be revisiting...
That's right. Pipe cleaner curls. So what do y'all think? Yay or nay?
P.S.
Why is Chescaleigh so friggin' cool? She is one of the few natural ladies that I can watch on YouTube who won't put me to sleep because she is so entertaining AND informative. Seriously.
Sometimes as a natural hair blogger and enthusiast, I am still always shocked when natural hair makes the news. Be it shown in a good or bad light. And quite frankly, I've seen it more in a negative light than a positive one. Remember the story about homeboy who couldn't go to his homecoming dance because of his locs?
But then there are stories like this one. Either it was a super slow news day in West Palm Beach, Florida or natural hair is really a big deal. You already know what I think.
Watch. And tear up if you're mega sensitive like me.
Reader Nikki reminded me a lot of myself back when the locs were young. She was all frustrated about her 7-week old babies. Those of y'all who have been around since when my locs were just kids remember me and all of my dramatics. Hang in there, Nikki! We were all there at one point.
This video popped up in my RSS feeder via Black Girl with Long Hair. I seriously thought it was a joke.
You mean to tell me this sister's childhood was ruined because of her hair? What a bunch of bull. And I won't even get started on this "Natural organic hair system". How vague is that? You would think the brand would give a little more information about the products. I smell a rat.
Love sista girl's videos! I just wish I could learn to embrace my 2-headed dragons the way she's embraced hers but I doubt that will ever happen.
I'm starting to think that most if not all loc'ers at some point combine, especially around the edges. Have any of y'all not so newbie loc rockers combined?
Veteran Loc Rocker readers know that I have an issue with weave. I usually keep my thoughts about weave silent as to not offend others but it's really one of those things that I vehemently dislike. I don't care who is wearing it, 9 times out of 10, it looks fake and I find that women who wear weaves on a regular have a complex; whether they like to admit it or not.
At the end of the day, I could care less how others where their hair, but I've never worn a weave and never will. And if I can help it, neither will my kids. What should simply be a hairstyle is really a complex. And exactly how can you break that when it starts as young as 3?
Pay no mind to the channel where I got this embedded video. This YouTube channel seems to be full of videos bashing Black women (surprise, surprise) and talking about what we ain't doing, shouldn't be doing as if we are a monolithic group. But I'll save that rant for my personal blog.
What do y'all think? Any former weave wearers feel that they had a complex about their hair and image? Did you feel more attractive with longer hair? I understand that this is an issue among girls of all backgrounds. Anyone ever catch those make-overs on America's Next Top Model. Just about every season, there was a white girl screaming bloody murder over the thought of having her hair cut. For some reason, women in general associate longer hair with femininity. Why is that?
Last week I tried my hardest to record a video that would showcase at least 5 of my favorite and quick loc'styles.
But for whatever reason, I just couldn't get it right. And so, all I did was 2 styles under 4 minutes. HA!!
I'm not sure of what other videos to do so if y'all have recommendations, please let me know. I feel that there are so many wonderful loc'd gurus on YouTube and I sho ain't tryna re-invent the wheel.
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.
I can't stress this enough--loc'ing is a journey. It ain't all cupcakes and sprinkles and that's okay. The good news is, I'm kinda liking my locs again. Not head over heels in love with them like I was before but I now know how to take a "Your locs are gorgeous" compliment without scoffing.
I'm figuring out that less is more. I know, I know...I should have known that a looooong time ago. Loc'ing is about simplifying and I've just made the whole process a lot harder than it needed to be. Typical B. I don't have any regrets though, only learned lessons and the desire to share them with y'all.
Soooo, for the first time in a while, I re-twisted. Since I've been swimming a lot, I haven't been re-twisting more than the first two rows of locs.
I finally took out all of the rubber bands and the locs are still looking like 2-strand twists but I've gotten over it. This girl took a look at my locs the other day and was like, "They're looking good. How old are they? 6...7 months?" #agefail And I still want some color but I'll wait a few months for that.
Came up with a new hair style! I call this Dino. It's 4 flat twists in the front and a loose basketweave in the back.
I'm diggin' this updo. And it only took 5 bobby pins! I'm getting better. And I did a video on how I re-twist my locs.
I kinda suck at the YouTube thing. I'll go on there to post my own vids, respond to messages/comments and leave. Which is kinda lame. The only time I will watch a video is if one is embedded in a blog or whatnot.
But last night I went on YouTube to respond to some messages and ran into her video.
Goodbye!! Her locs are soooooo beautiful. They are luscious and thick and just true beauty.
I am really developing a serious passion for natural hair. I mean, granted I've had it for as long as I've been natural but I am really falling in love with it all over again.
A reader sent me this video.
At the end, my mouth was literally hanging open. Comb coils are amazing! I know, I know...my locs were started off with comb coils but I never actually saw the process. I just saw the end result. I think they are absolutely beautiful and I should have considered this as a look when I was a short fro-wearin' natural.
My decision to start my locs off with comb coils was not really MY decision. My locitcian took a look at my hair texture and figured that comb coils would be the best route for me. She was right because within a month, some of my comb coils were budding. A itchy mess, but budding nonetheless.
Comb coils is just another style that makes me love the things that natural hair can do. Yaaaaay!
