The Curls to My Roots

I have to be honest, I’m actually very excited about this particular post! A couple of years back, I would have been nervous about what others may have thought about me, but a wonderful thing happens with age and experience…you begin to care less about what people think.

For years, my husband has asked me to loc my hair. Each and every time I would give him the side-eye, like “Do you KNOW who I am? I am NOT locing my hair!” When I turned 40 last year, a shift happened. I felt the need for a major change and my desire to “reinvent” myself became stronger. I didn’t know what I needed to do, or what steps to take but I needed a change. Last month, my husband brought up the idea of locing again for myself and my daughter, and again I immediately I gave him my side-eye and thought, “Do you KNOW who I am? I am NOT locing my hair!” But then, I stepped back, took a pause and decided at that very moment I was going to do it and it needed to happen soon. I decided to get Goddess Locs installed so I could get a sense of how locs might feel and they inspired me to take the next step.

When it comes to hair, we women often rely on our hair to define our beauty. One of the things with my “starter” locs I am learning in these last 3 weeks, is pure, unadulterated self-acceptance. The process of locing is a journey, and this journey is showing me how to let go of my ideal of beauty and being okay with ME at my rawest form. I admit, in the beginning (and I’m sure it won’t be the end) I questioned myself wondering what I had done to myself, but I plan to stick with it. Even during the “awkward” stage so many people who loc talk about.

My locs were installed starting with double strand twists on October 26th by a Loctician I found through a man met (with locs) and talked with at my job.

Outside of the reasons I am locing stated above, below are more simplified reasons behind my locing. Besides, I have done it all. Chunky twists, relaxed hair, lose natural hair, twist outs, bantu knots, colored hair, cut hair…

1. I needed a change. I have been natural since I was 19 years old.

2. I want the low maintenance.

3. I was inspired by my Goddess Locs.

4. I am enjoying the space I am in presently as a woman and want to memorialize it but locing my hair.

5. I have gotten bored with my natural lose hair.

6. I want to limit the amount of time I spend on my hair.

7. I am learning complete self acceptance regardless of how my hair looks and not based on what society believes is beauty.

8. Locing can be considered a protective style and is NOT permanent so if I chose to get rid of them, I could comb them out (Yes, you can comb them out).

9. I’m ready to see my length. Lose natural hair is undermined by shrinkage. For once I would love to see the length of my hair. I have a hair length goal but will share later on.

10. Because I can and because it is only hair.

Week 1 (below) - This photo was taken at the end of week one but I didn’t like the double strand twists. I was so accustomed to wearing my big and the twists were flat. I did however quickly adjust to not having to fuss with my hair…I LOVE IT. No changes, but I wondered if what I had done was the best choice. My ends also remained curly.

Thoughts: “Did I do the right thing?”

Week 2 (below) - My hair started to fluff up a bit. The frizz, OH the frizz was starting to show and my edges were not looking so neat. Surprisingly, my double stranded twists still remained. I seriously can not get enough of the fact that all I have to do is shake my hair out when wake-up. The end of this week the ends of my hair are starting to knot up and my hair is shrinking. This week I started spritzing my hair with rose water. Why? Because other loc bloggers did. :-/ 

Thoughts: “This is good, right?”

Week 3 (below) - Frizz and unruly looking hair was the theme for this week. I can tolerate unruly hair but unkept looking edges…drive me crazy! With my workout schedule, the sweat was wrecking havoc on my edges and I desperately wanted to wash my hair. I am starting to feel a change at the nape of my neck. 

Thoughts: “Is my hair honestly locing and STILL shrinking?”

My first retest (below) - I don’t think I have ever been this excited to get my hair washed. I felt like a brand new woman! This is the start of twisting my new growth. My loctician told me to STOP using rosewater on my hair so I decided to stop and do absolutely nothing. Why is that so hard to do?

Thoughts: “Urgh, this shrinkage is unreal!”

Well, I’m FINALLY out of the loc’d closet and I feel so relieved (pun intended). Welcome to my loc journey! Feel free to send me any feedback or encouragement along the way. I may decide to get back to vlogging on YouTube to share my monthly updates, as long as I can manage not spending so much time on editing.

Model: Ashlee