Saturday, March 18, 2006

9 Month Retightened & Trim

This isn't the best picture of me, but you can see my neat retightening, trim and ends. You can also see my hairline gray hairs. I colored my hair one week before locking. The black hair is nine months of new growth. A little something I learned from Maryee. (I took this pic myself. My regular photographer "the ex" is acting like "the ex." So he ain't takin' no mo pics about right now...hehehe.)

My consultant, GiGi trimmed about 1/8 inch of scraggly pieces and little balls off of my ends during my 9 month retightening this week. I was really surprised that the trim made such a big difference in the look of my locks. They are more uniform and look so much neater.

It appears that I am totally locked at nine months. GiGi estimated that I'd be locked by then - boy is she good!

My next appointment will be the retightening class. I was inspired by two things: a picture on Brunsli's web site of her friend Renea who has these beautiful uniform locks that she maintains herself. I thought, now that's how I'd like for my locks to look all the time. I am a neat freak. One of the primariy reasons I chose SL is because of the ability to look neat AND locked. I really dislike my hair when it is fuzzy at the roots. I like the more manicured look of this pic. I wonder if the fuzzy thing will go away or is this just a perpetual characteristics of locks?

My goal was to continue getting retightened until I was fully locked. I was estimating the 12 month mark. But it looks like it's time for me to strike out on my own or at least be able to retighten my hairline. The hairline more than anything drives me crazy when it's all fuzzy.

The second thing: I was really frustrated lately because I washed my hair without b&b and it didn't look neat enough to me (see my "Nine Months to the Day" pic and post - check out my roots compared to this pic.) Gigi couldn't get me in and I felt helpless. I figured, it's time for me to take the class. Afterall, I got Sisterlocks to have hair freedom. Being able to do my own retightenings will mean total freedom.

Leighann really enjoys retightening her own hair. Maryee and LaChanda do their own hair. How many of you retighten your hair and enjoy it? How often do you retighten? Is it difficult to do the back?
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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, Blaqkofi. I have 4 year old sisterlocks and have been self-maintaining since they were 6-months. I go to a consultant about once or twice a year for grooming and just to make sure everything is on the up and up. I love self-maintaining. Even when I was seeing my consultant, I would still keep my hairline tight in between visits. I usually retighten when it's convenient and when I'm comfortable. I don't have a schedule, but I do my entire head every 4-6 weeks. I always keep the hairline done, because my locks lay better that way. I use the hook tool. It seems as though many bloggers don't prefer it, but I absolutely love it. Much like anything, self-retightening takes practice, but I find it to be therapeutic. I'll sit in the front of the t.v., read a book, talk to a friend, or what evers comfortable, and do my hair. I've significantly reduced my time down to one sitting. By the time I get to the back, I may get a little sore, but I know I'm almost finished. Completing your own head also gives you a sense of accomplishment. I wish you luck. You'll also have an opportunity to get very acquanted with your locks. You'll learn a lot about you hair, and even have your favorites. I was retightening my hair before I sent this response:)

Creyole said...

Oh yes Blaqkofi you are right. I do enjoy and retighten my edges about every two weeks and the whole head every three to four four weeks. Not at all difficult to do the back, of course I use the Nappy tool and that is much easier for me than the SL tool.

Creyole said...

Oops I forgot to mention how much I love your sporty look and completely lock babies! See ya Sunday!

Goodnapps said...

Love the look Blaq. They look very locish as well.

Anonymous said...

Hi BlaqKofi -

As always, I luv the look... However, the difference btwn the 2 most recent photos is amazing (well at least to me) The 3/18 photos is looks more mature... is it b/c of the trim?

Veronica

BlaqKofi said...

Veronica, that's what I find so amazing. My consultant clipped my ends and all of a sudden my hair looked like locks! My hair has a whole new feel and look which I'm extremely pleased with. The wonders of Sisterlocks!!!

Detra said...

Hey lady! Your hair is lookin GREAT...Tony the Tiger GREAT! Seriously! oh and when are you taking the class? I will be due in about a month to take the class (With Gigi), maybe we take it together. Let me know!

Naturally Free Hair Studio (678.467.1867) said...

Hey...I retighten my own but my goodness would I love fore someone else to do it though. It's just hard paying the money when I know that I can do it myself.

On another note, I am looking for someone to trim my hair because it just looks blah.

Sister-in-Locks said...

I retighten my own hair. I have been for a few months. You get the hang of it. Everytime I do it I shorten the time. I use the nappy locs tool. I found the SL tools not to be very user friendly. I think I'll go in and let Gigi work on it from time to time because with a one year old, it's hard to find the time to do it.

Unknown said...

Hi BlaqKofi!
Brunsli told me that you were inspired by me to take the retightening class! Awww. I was terrified when I took it at six-months. I felt like a child. I actually asked my consultant if I had done something wrong. I loved the class! Being a perfectionist and a control freak--it was like heaven to learn my pattern and then have complete control over how I did it.
Andrea stole my thunder on maintenance. I keep the front, nape and sides on point and do the other sections at my leisure. I use the hook tool.
I'm such a perfectionist that after I went to someone for a break from retightening...I noticed she stopped at a different point than I do and came home and went over my head again.
Just be patient and take your time. I've been doing my own for 3.5 yrs and just a few nights ago I accidentally connected two. Almost had a cow in here! But I undid it myself, proud to say. That's what I get for not paying attention.
Don't color too often! It's addictive too!

RB Ripley said...

THAT is some FABulous hair!

Maryee said...

Girl, if Gigi were closer and I had the money, I'd gladly pay to have her retighten me every 6-8 weeks. I can get pretty lazy. Besides, I like a professional job, and right now, I'm doing in my opinion a bit of rough shodding here and there. I'll blog about it later. Until then, I have to do it myself, the economical way! Blessings to you!

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