4 Years

I am celebrating because it is 4 years since the birth of my Sisterlocks(TM) If only I knew then what I know now. Just how easy it is to have long hair that I know how to care for myself instead of being a prisoner of the latest hair dresser who promises so much but lets me down every time. The wasted hours spent sitting in a chair whilst a few people put their hands in my hair not knowing who if anyone was qualified to do so and finally leaving either with a style that looked lovely until I slept on it and could not re create it or going home to get the scissors out to start cutting and shaping my style into something I felt comfortable going outside in. Anyway all that is behind me now and back to the present I am celebrating 4 years of total freedom.

As usual I am trying out some new styles. Below are freshly washed locks left straight, sides and front pinned back using long hair pins and leaving a side fringe.

Back of the same style. I know there is a name for this but cant remember it now. Hair was taken from each side to make a large braid to the nape and fastened with elastic. Next time I will use something more fancy.
I have settled into a routine of tightening the front of my hair every 4 weeks as my hair has a loose curl it stays neater if I keep to this routine, then tighten the whole head every 8 weeks.

In terms of washing, during the summer I wash weekly and during the winter if it is cold then I wash monthly yes you heard me right I am back to my old habits lol If it is not too cold then I wash fortnightly.

I never use a hair dryer on my hair.

I am still using Aiken shampoo, conditioner and hair mask for coloured hair as I like the way they make my locks feel.

Below is my favourite, sides loosely pinned up on freshly washed and curly locks.  I braided my locks when damp the night before.

Back view showing the diamante pins used to hold back my locks.  These pins are too short now and my locks tend to push them out.  I need to investigate some longer ones or I just might make my own.

Now I am into year 4 I don't know if it is my imagination but my locks went through a phase where they retracted and seemed slim and now they appear to be swelling again. I think this is unusual as we are in winter here in England but it is very mild so this might have something to do with it.

Any way I am ready with the wraps and hats for when the weather becomes colder. I wont get caught out like last year when we had the worst snow in over 100 years.  This cost me some breakage to my locks. Its funny I can never find the pieces when they break, I wonder where they go?

I hope that year 4 continues to bring lots and lots of healthy hair and more growth.

I would also like to thank you all for visiting and for your support and comments, long may it continue.

Until next time Kittylocks x

47 Months

Hi all as you know I love to try out new hair styles but I must say that the up do is my favourite.

This is the front section of my do.  My hair needs a retightening and also a color but some how I always create my best styles when my hair needs doing.  I have lengthened the time in between colouring and I notice that my regrowth is jet black.  I have never had jet black hair in my life, must be something to do with my new eating pattern, much more fruit, vegetables, water, fish and little red meat.

 The front 2 sections were tucked and rolled and secured using 2 large hair pins.

Top Section .

I left a side bit out as a fringe or bang.  I would usually curl this using rods but I could not be bothered, I just wanted a quick and easy style, my hair had been braided days before.
Close up side view below.

This style took a maximum of 10 minutes to do in the morning before work.  

I did a large basket weave at the back, and I did this first.  You can really see how dark my roots are, love the two tone look lol

I promise next time to do this on freshly tightened and coloured hair.

I wore this style for 2 days and nights and went to the sauna, gym and swam all without taking it out.

Many compliments were given. Two people thought I had gone to a salon to be styled. I was told it looked like a fifties vamp look.
Hope you liked these.

Kittylocks x

Client Feature, Orchid

Now you have not seen Orchid for a while so here is her update. I did her install last year 2010 Christmas week and here she is.

This is her finished and she went from this...

To this in under a year.  She has very dense hair and had thinning at the sides, this has now filled in and her hair has swollen and she has gained a lot of length.

Her hair was retightened and cornrowed on the sides and the top was secured with a hair pin to make a little crown.  The back was left out and straight this time.

I count myself blessed to be in the company of such beautiful women...

Until next time.

Kittylocks x

Client Feature: Butterfly and Rosehip

One thing I love about Sisterlocks(TM) is that they always look different but are easily recognised for their uniformity. 

 Here you can see the fullness of Butterfly's locks.

 Freshly retightened hair with a large side roll and the rest was left loose.

 Above is Rosehips freshly retightened hair showing the back, coils were created using large braids spritzed with spring water then undone and loosely parted.

 Side view showing corn rows over the crown of her head and ended with chiny bumps.

front view showing her crown.

Wow and don't they both look regal?

Hope you enjoyed these, until next time

Kittylocks x

Natural November

Hi there this was a great event I am really pleased that I attended. There were some great stalls selling natural hair products, smoothies , books, hand made African inspired clothing, wraps, bags and jewelry. I saw some familiar faces from the blog world as well as from other events.
There were a series of workshops focusing on natural hair removal, healthy eating , self development, hair growth and guess who attended the head wrap session? I used a scarf that I had around my neck to create this head wrap.

The event was over subscribed so the organiser will definitely need a larger space next year.

If you missed it this year don't forget it for next time as it was a huge success and proves the hunger that is out there for all things natural.

Until next time Kittylocks x

Natural Hair Event in London

Natural November

a natural cultural hair, health & beauty event

taking place at The Africa Centre, Covent Garden,

on Sunday 20th November, from 11-7pm

A special selection of stalls & seminars, featuring

Caroline Shola Arewa, Dr Derin Bepo & Sherry Ann Dixon

tickets start from £12.50, children under 16 free (ID required),

1st 100 tickets purchased online will receive a VIP goody bag

for more information, go to www.naturalnovember.com

43 Months

Hi all here are  a selection of styles worn over the last few months. This is the back of my hair showing flat twists to the crown followed by large single braids tucked under and secured with a see through elastic band.

This is a good choice for working out in the gym and I can rinse and or wash my hair in this style and let my hair air dry.

 Side view.

I made a fringe using medium sized perm rods left in over night.

 Side view with the back braids taken out to leave my usual curly look.

I decided to experiment with a wrap or roll. This one is more to the left side of my head.

Centre wrap look.  I wore this to work and it created quite a stir.

I am still enjoying having locks and the fact that each one is different, reflecting my individuality.

Hope you enjoyed these, let me know you are there and comment.

Kittylocks xx

Product Review

I decided to try out a new shampoo, conditioner and hair mask (sorry no picture of this) by A'Kin and have been using them for about 2 months now.

I shampoo, condition and use the hair mask every fortnight and or just rinse and condition.


The products are sulphate and paraben free and contain pure active botanics.

They can be purchased from http://www.mypure.com which offers 24 hour free dispatch in the UK and free gifts depending on the amount you order.

They cost £10.49 each for 225ml.

The shampoo contains Ylang Ylang and is for coloured hair.  It does not make lots of lather but my hair feels clean afterwards and not stripped.

The conditioner contains avocado and calendula and is for dry and long hair.  It smells gorgeous and there is a tingly feeling on my scalp when I use it. I can smell it for days after using this.

Finally the hair mask  contains ginkgo and jojoba and is described as a vitamin masque for hair that needs extra care. I usually use this last and leave it on for about 30 minutes without heat and use a shower cap.

My hair seems to really like this as when I use it I can feel my hair lapping it up and expanding and it is left fluffy, soft and hydrated.

Until next time Kittylocks x

Sisterlocks (TM) Take Down?

Hi all what have I been doing in the time that I last wrote a post?.

I confess that I had a funny moment. 

A moment when I wanted to run a comb through my hair, feel my fingers truly running through my hair and scalp. 

Why and why now? I asked myself.  After 3 1/2 years of having beautiful, glorious Sisterlocks(TM.)

One of the reasons why I started locks in the first place was to run away from the comb.  I knew that cultivated locks are not care free and they still have to be looked after but no combing would be involved.

I used to have to beg and plead my Mum to do my hair because I could not manage it.  She would grudgingly give in muttering under her breath " I don't know why you put this false hair in your head" and she would conk the back of my hand if I put my hand in my hair before she had undone the latest hairstyle, braids, weave, kinky twists... 

On other occasions she enjoyed herself so much that my scalp would be sore afterwards.

This feeling was odd because I love the feel of my soft locks brushing my shoulders and back.

And yet still I watched blogs dedicated to loose, natural hair care.

I fantasised about what it would be like to have loose hair again and the styles that I could do.

I told myself that now that I know so much more about hair care I would never make the same mistakes as before.

I read blogs where women had taken down their locks and started again.

In the past I could never understand why after years of growing locks women would take them down only to start again or not.

Now I understood.

Note the past tense as this moment has gone as quickly as it came and before I could do anything (that I might regret) about it.

My Sisterlocks(TM) remain intact.

As I march onwards to my fourth year in December.

Happy reading Kittylocks x.

Client Feature, Peaches

Here is peaches again sporting a lock hawk.

I am on a quest to demonstrate that many styles may be created on short to medium length locks.

After re tightening side locks were lightly flat twisted up to the centre and rubber bands were used to secure them. I made 2 ponytails at the back secured by rubber bands.

Front view showing her fringe and this very sophisticated style.


Enjoy xx Kittylocks

Client Feature

Hi there I have been busy doing what I love as you can see below.

Enter Rosehip...

 Rosehips hair has been natural for over 15 years and was in good condition prior to the installation.

Her Sisterlocks(TM) were born with lots of chat, laughter, a few films, lunch and nearly 16 hours later.

 We were too tired to count sorry.

Locks were lightly spritzed with distilled water, braided and taken out to reveal this crinkly look.

wow another beauty left with a happy smile on her face.

4 week pics will follow.

Enjoy

Kittylocks x

Client Feature

I love to give my clients names which signify their beauty so this is "Flower" 8 weeks post installation.

6 months later and you can see how her hair has really swelled up nicely. Some times all we need is a little patience.

This is "Peaches" sporting 5 flat twists to the left side. Her locks are just over 1 year and her hair is changing very quickly.

Peaches told me that her hair was too short to do any style and as you can see by the lovely smile on her face I proved her wrong.  Not sure if you can see the detail of the front of her hair which had 2 large flat rolls which I pinned either side of a fringe.

This is the back of her hair which I did in a french roll using longer length pins.  She left my house to go and show off her new hair style to her Sister!

I think I am really getting into the styling of locks and luckily my clients enjoy it too.

I never know what I am going to do as it just flows from my mind.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks for your comments Ofo and Msfullroller for your question above are the pins used.  I find that even in shorter hair if I use short pins they don't remain in place as the hair pushes them out so I use these extra long ones.
Kittylocks xx