The Sisterlock Journey in One Word

Designed by Samantha Gregory. All rights reserved.

Over at the Sisterlock facebook page I asked the question, "What one word would you use to describe your Sisterlock journey?"

I got awesome, authentic feedback from over 70 women. The answers ranged from, freedom to empowering.

Each experience is different but the expressions of gratitude and love are pretty much the same. How can a hair style change so many lives? I think it is simply the breaking of chains so many of us have been enslaved to.

The creamy crack aka relaxers are gone. There is hair growth in lengths many of us didn't think was possible. Our natural beauty shines through from the inside out because we are free.

It's the sisterhood we feel when we see another woman with gorgeous locs. It's the confidence we feel because we are not a slave to our hair anymore. The weather doesn't frighten us when it rains or the humidity level is through the roof. We just walk (or dance) in it with joy.

Being Sisterlocked or as I like to call myself, Lady Loc'd, is unlike any other experience in the world. It's not political or an act of defiance for me. It's a rebirth of my essence, strength, and goddess-like energy in the world.

It is my beauty shining forth in a world marred by artificial and external methods to derive self-esteem. My journey is not the only path to feeling beautiful, but it is the catalyst that has transformed me into a more confident and self-aware woman.

What has Sisterlocks done for you?

Happy New Year and Hair Changes

Hi all. It's been too long. Happy New year too!

I am two months from my Sisterlock anniversary. So many changes have happen with my hair, but I am loving every minute of it.

Here is a video of me talking about my length and spiral curls I created with pipe cleaners.

My 2011 Hair Journey

Pictures of my journey over the last year. Hopefully I include everything just to show you how much my hair has changed and grown.

 My daughter and I in late 2010 posing at a movie premiere. My hair looks so black in this picture.

At Disney in Orlando Florida in March 2011. I can put it in a ponytail now!

Still at Disney World back in March

June 2011

Another picture in June. Checking out my length

July 2011 - It's getting a little longer!

September 2011 - Playing around with two-strand twist, flat twist, and a flower

October 2011 - Photo shoot at the park

Another October 2011 photo at the shoot

December 2011 with pipe cleaner spiral curls

January 2012 the spiral curls separated. Can't really see the length but it's thick and beautiful!

I hope you like the photo show chronicling my 2011 hair journey. How is your journey coming along? Have you started yet?

Wrapping My Locks

I've been experimenting with different styles these days. My latest is wrapping light weight scarves around my head. I have a couple different colored scarves that match my shirts. Here are two pictures that showcase my new Sisterlock passtime.

Video Journal of My Sisterlock Journey

Here is a video chronicle of my two-year journey.

My T-shirt Line: No More Crumbs!

A few years ago I began recognizing my pattern of bad relationships and tried to understand why things were not working out for me.

I examined my thoughts and feelings as well as what I had been accepting from men and people in general.

I heard years ago that we teach people how to treat us. We accept positive or negative behavior based on what we think we deserve.

What we think we deserve is rooted in how we were treated as a kid and teen.

The reality is we accept pretty crappy treatment from people. Mostly because that's all we've know and it's familiar. We gravitate to people who are familiar to us.

Those people my treat us with kindness or with contempt. They may be emotionally abusive, physically abusive, or unavailable.

In the big picture the treatment we accept is learned but we can unlearn or reprogram our minds. That's what I did and to help me remember I created t-shirt.

I have proclaimed No More Crumbs. This means I will no longer accept the leftovers or crumbs people want to throw me. I deserve a very large piece of cake!

So check out the t-shirt and let me know you if you want one.

Update After Long Absence

It's been a long minute since I've posted anything on this site. I apologize profusely. Life has literally gotten away from me.

My Sisterlock journey has be progressing very nicely. I am now two years and four months locked and I'm loving every minute of it.

I have just recently started wearing my hair straight. Meaning no braid-outs which is my standard hair style.



I've been swimming this week so I didn't want to put a lot of effort into my hair. It's just easier to do a quick shampoo after I get out of the swimming pool and letting it air dry.

I spritz my hair with essential oil and water mix or Nature's Shine. I love that this last product has a coconut oil base.

I'm a little more carefree with my locks now that they are longer. It's just easier to not fuss over them.

They are growing so fast now. I am happy about that but with all this heat I hate all that hair on my neck.



The up-do pictured is simple to achieve. I found elastic comfort fit headbands made by Goody's that I double then put on my hair.

I have to bend over to arrange all my hair on the top of my head, then I pull all the hair through the elastic.

I tighten as needed to get the look I want. I put a flower in for the finished look.

How to Be Lovely

When I was a little girl my parents enrolled me in an etiquette class. My teacher was Ms. Paige and she was an exquisite lady; very poised and graceful. Because of this lady I learned how to be a lady full of poise and grace.

Since I started so early, the habits of loveliness I have now are ingrained in my mind. I simply cannot be any other way.

Today I came across this list on The Elegant Woman blog and wanted to share it with you. Not only did it bring back all my lessons from long ago but it also brought me back to my center and the recognition that I am truly a lovely lady.

She who is altogether lovely...

#is generous with her smile
#is kind
#is on time, if not a little early.
#believes others come first.
#is disciplined in her mind and heart.
#is impeccable in appearance.
#has a good work ethic.
#has a balanced life with her values intact
#loves.
#never lets herself believe that anybody is different from anybody.
#is gracious.
#is authentic and never puts on pretenses.
#is a giver.

New Hairstyles

I've been experimenting with a new hair style or two. I like them pretty well.

Hair Progress

I'm approaching the one year mark soon and I'm so excited! I had my retightening a couple weeks ago and my loctician says my locs are doing well.  The other day I measured to see how long my Sisterlocks are. They range from 4-7 inches. My shortest locs are because I had damage from my relaxer. Parts of my hair were badly broken.

These pictures were taken after I shampooed it.

 

  

 

10 Months SisterLocked

Wow! I can't believe it's been 10 months already! I've enjoyed every minute of this journey, even the frustrating parts. My hair is growing like crazy and my babies are maturing. I've taken some close up shots that shows more detail.

Most of my relaxed ends are gone. I had them clipped and the rest seems to be shedding. I love this process and the fact my hair is growing so much.

My daughter has braidlocks and they are growing like crazy as well. Here is a picture of her locks now. (She will kill me for putting this picture online. So don't pay attention to her expression, just the hair, LOL.)

At this point my locks are feeling ragged in some places but I know that is the locking process. To clean my hair I pretreat my scalp by spraying a mixture of ACV and water on it. Then I shampoo with a mixture of baking soda and cleansing shampoo followed by the sisterlock shampoo (yes I still use it at my loctician's recommendation).

I typically braid my locs in small sections after I shampoo for a cute, wavy look. The waves stay in until I shampoo again in 2-3 weeks. I use my hot rods to curl when my hair goes flat, especially in the back.

My routine is pretty simple, which is what I love.

8 Months Sisterlocked!

I've been Sisterlocked for 8 months now. This is a cool milestone for me. I hear that at this point the hair growth really takes off. I'm looking forward to that. I think it's already starting to happen because I just got retightened a couple weeks ago and I already feel new growth.

Here are a few pics I took this morning. I did a front twist of sorts. Not really caring about neatness, just something different to pull the hair out of my face. I couldn't get a good clear picture but I think you get the idea.

I looked in the mirror this morning and had to smile because I am a beautiful, natural woman. I never thought I would be at this point but I'm here and it's awesome! The time has flown but with each new day I feel blessed to have Sisterlocks. I really love my hair! I love my life and wouldn't trade it for the world.

Yesterday I had a pretty mindless Sunday. I rarely do that, but it made this Monday morning quite bearable. I'm not a Monday morning person because it seems to take everything in me to get started. But I have a new attitude and am loving my life.

I am toying around with learning how to maintain my own hair. I've always done it and have been pretty successful, but Sisterlocks may be an entirely different story. My main concern it aching arms, shoulders, and back. I suppose I could do a little at a time or just bribe my 13 year old daughter to do it for me. She has no interest whatsoever in doing hair so that might be a major feat.

Well I thought I would share my progress and pictures of my current state of hair affairs. Until next time be blessed and continue to enjoy your Sisterlock sister journey.

Retightened

I got retightened this weekend and can see some growth. I am loving the wavy look because I don't have to do anything to it but shake out and go. I like the length too...very "corporate" or professional. I got this look by plaiting my hair in small sections and sleeping in them. I blend the hair with my fingers after I take it down. I don't re-plait but just sleep on a satin pillowcase.

Here are a few more shots from different angles. The side profile is not the greatest because I can see how flat it can be when I don't do anything extra. I have to fluff it out more in the future or throughout the day.

I've noticed that I love playing in my hair. It feels good and I can see it's changing. Everytime I see a picture of mature locks I get excited because I know that's how mine will look pretty soon.

My sisterloctician said when people reach the 8-10 month range their hair begins to grow like crazy. I'm almost there. In two weeks I'll be 8 months sisterlocked. So my journey continues and I'm loving every minute of it!

Sisterlocked for 7 months now

My Sisterlock journey through the last 7 months. I finally cut most of my relaxed ends off and I'm loving it. I feel more authentic, if that makes sense.

The picture of me in green is one I took today. I shampooed and plaited it for the wavy look last Sunday. It's lasted all week. This morning I curled the ends and this was the result. I really like it.

I want my locs to mature faster. I suppose everyone feels that way when the locs are still babies. I've been reading that salt water will help them lock faster so I will start spraying them with salt water. I'll post pictures of the changes.

It's Been Toooooo Long!

I am now 5 months Sisterlocked and I am still loving the journey and my hair. It's grown a lot and the locking process it coming along nicely. I don't do much to my hair because I want it to go ahead and lock. My Sisterloctician says that it is doing well and I'm doing a good job taking care of it.

My routine is to shampoo every three weeks (for now), plait it up, and rod it with my hot curlers. I like the curly look so I don't deviate much. I sleep on a satin pillow so I don't have breakage or lint from a pillow case. I've ventured to do a couple of cute styles but the curly look is my standard. I have been going without a headband for about a month now that it's grown out more.

I still have my relaxed ends but I've been itching to cut them off. Shawn, my loctician, keeps telling me to wait another month. I reluctantly say okay but I know it's probably for the best. The natural locking part of my hair is about an index finger long, which is pretty good. The rest is relaxed but it blends well because I curl it.

My daughter says I shouldn't cut it, but I'm sure when I do get it cut it will grow like crazy. I've been working on my daughters braidlocs and they are doing well. I know how to retighten in the 4-point pattern so it's looking good. Her hair is curly so it's going to take a while for it to begin locking. We just keep it shampooed and plaited for a nice wavy pattern.

I remember when she was younger I'd do a two-strand twist all over her head. I'd leave it like that for a while and it would try to lock up after a couple of weeks. It was a beast to untwist. The braidlocs are a different story. Maybe she should shampoo more. I don't know. I'm not worrying about it but will just let it do it's thing.

Well that's all for now. I'll try not to wait so long to write and post pictures next time.