Riding Shotgun & Wearing Spit-up: February 2016

To loc or not to loc…

Well that was the question. I have since answered, loc! I have a love, hate relationship with the phrase “natural hair journey.” Afterall, I am not my hair, and all that. Truth be told I have not devoted half of the effort I probably should have to cultivating the gorgeous, bouncy curls I am almost certain my hair is capable of achieving. Nevertheless, I have decided to embark on, what for me has always been, an inevitable experience – dread locs. I have gone natural (chemical-free) four separate times. Each time I was lured from the virgin hair path by the promise of creamy crack. Each time the long, silky mane I had envisioned manifested instead as brittle hair with insane breakage.

This time around I have been natural for 2 years and I’m going strong. In these last couple years I’ve only pressed (straightened) my hair twice. (I’m still not quite sure why this is an accolade worth mentioning in the natural hair community, but I digress) My 4A hair has been good to me and I’m excited to set it free. No more products. No more fuss. While I don’t have the courage to go full tilt with free form dreads, I am ready to take the leap. It’s really not quite as dramatic as it sounds. It’s actually less of a leap and more of a vertical shoulder shimmy into a new division of the natural hair club. This is a fairly permanent transition and rightfully so, I am obsessed with loc size. There is no way to anticipate how my hair will swell as it locs so I am anxious to see how it responds to this process. If you are looking for some super sweet locs @Patience_edet will have you salivating over her red tresses.

Photo cred: @Patience_edet

So here are the deets. I’m starting this set of locs using two-strand twists because my hair is past shoulder length. They will be installed by a professional loctician because I am completely paranoid about having a fantastic grid and I want uniform parts. I did some moderate research and found a local shop with good reviews and loads of client images to look at. After visiting the shop and having a consultation I was sold. So here we go. I will be sharing updates from my loc journey (le sigh, there it is again) monthly. I will post pics after the installation. Check on my progress and watch as I pursue a life shaped by that age-old proverb, long hair, don’t care.