September has been a month of lazy high buns and hair coloring missteps.

I wore makeup of maybe three occasions this month, just feeling it.

This is what lack of sleep looks like the morning after.

Window shopping selfie.

Basking in the sun.

Saturday mornings.

Detox mask.

Lunchtime selfie.

• Tuesday, September 22, 2015
• Selfie

Chronic Selfie Disorder: September

September has been a month of lazy high buns and hair coloring missteps.

I wore makeup of maybe three occasions this month, just feeling it.

This is what lack of sleep looks like the morning after.

Window shopping selfie.

Basking in the sun.

Saturday mornings.

Detox mask.

Lunchtime selfie.

Read more

What are Locs (aka Dreadlocks or Dreads)?

Locs are gathered strands of hair that has intentionally matted over time. The level of maintenance and cost will vary by type of loc.

Types

Free-Form Dreadlocs

Often referred to as the original dreads, these are formed by simply under-maintaining the hair. Simply wash your hair and leave it alone. These do not form the most precise or uniform looking locs. The size will vary on each lock and they often are quite large, even the size of a large man's wrist. Free Formed locks can be cleansed, but are harder to keep clean due to size and the lack of grooming. Free Forming has long been associated with Rastafarians for religious reasons.

These can be started and maintained for little to no cost.

(Folk singer Valerie June)

Traditional Locs

Traditional locs can be started by using finger coils or comb curls. This can be done at home or by a professional for a more uniform look. These are often maintained by applying a twisting and/or loc gel, twisting at the root, and securing in place with a metal clip. You also have the option of interlocking your hair subsequently.

Prices will vary depending on hair length and thickness, but it tends to be less than $100 to start in my experience.

A photo posted by loccrush (@loccrush) on Aug 15, 2015 at 7:27am PDT

Braidlocs
Started with "micro" sized to large braids, the key to this method is that a latch hook ($2.00) or nappyloc ($25) tool that is used in maintenance. The braid pattern may take some time to disappear.

These can be $100(more or less) to start and maintenanced at home or for about $50 - $75 in a salon.

Bun & Cheese

Interlocs

Great for smaller locs, hair is parted and then “locked” by starting at the very end of the hair by tying it in a knot. Then you slide your finger from the scalp down, separating the hair into two sections. Grab the end of the hair and pull it through each loop you create from the bottom to the top. You work your way up the section of hair until it looks like it has been crocheted, you can also use a latch hook to perform this method. Here is a good video showing how.

These can be started for free at home. Otherwise $150-200 to start and an average of $75 to retighten.

(Patience_Edet)

Sisterlocks

Created by Dr. JoAnne Cornwell, sisterlocks are often the smallest of the available loc options, at times the size of micro braids! The the size can range (see brotherlocks), but they are not usually very large in size. Hundreds of locks are installed on natural or relaxed/chemically treated hair, and maintained utilizing a specialized tool and method.

These are also the most expensive, often starting at $500 to begin with re-tigthenings starting at $25/hour or a flat fee averaging $125.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samantha Sophia (@sisterlocked) on Sep 1, 2017 at 4:22pm PDT

There are so many options for beginning and maintaining locs. Cost and time should definitely be considered when making a final decision.

• Sunday, September 13, 2015
• interlocks

Types of Locs and Costs

What are Locs (aka Dreadlocks or Dreads)?

Locs are gathered strands of hair that has intentionally matted over time. The level of maintenance and cost will vary by type of loc.

Types

Free-Form Dreadlocs

Often referred to as the original dreads, these are formed by simply under-maintaining the hair. Simply wash your hair and leave it alone. These do not form the most precise or uniform looking locs. The size will vary on each lock and they often are quite large, even the size of a large man's wrist. Free Formed locks can be cleansed, but are harder to keep clean due to size and the lack of grooming. Free Forming has long been associated with Rastafarians for religious reasons.

These can be started and maintained for little to no cost.

(Folk singer Valerie June)

Traditional Locs

Traditional locs can be started by using finger coils or comb curls. This can be done at home or by a professional for a more uniform look. These are often maintained by applying a twisting and/or loc gel, twisting at the root, and securing in place with a metal clip. You also have the option of interlocking your hair subsequently.

Prices will vary depending on hair length and thickness, but it tends to be less than $100 to start in my experience.

A photo posted by loccrush (@loccrush) on Aug 15, 2015 at 7:27am PDT

Braidlocs
Started with "micro" sized to large braids, the key to this method is that a latch hook ($2.00) or nappyloc ($25) tool that is used in maintenance. The braid pattern may take some time to disappear.

These can be $100(more or less) to start and maintenanced at home or for about $50 - $75 in a salon.

Bun & Cheese

Interlocs

Great for smaller locs, hair is parted and then “locked” by starting at the very end of the hair by tying it in a knot. Then you slide your finger from the scalp down, separating the hair into two sections. Grab the end of the hair and pull it through each loop you create from the bottom to the top. You work your way up the section of hair until it looks like it has been crocheted, you can also use a latch hook to perform this method. Here is a good video showing how.

These can be started for free at home. Otherwise $150-200 to start and an average of $75 to retighten.

(Patience_Edet)

Sisterlocks

Created by Dr. JoAnne Cornwell, sisterlocks are often the smallest of the available loc options, at times the size of micro braids! The the size can range (see brotherlocks), but they are not usually very large in size. Hundreds of locks are installed on natural or relaxed/chemically treated hair, and maintained utilizing a specialized tool and method.

These are also the most expensive, often starting at $500 to begin with re-tigthenings starting at $25/hour or a flat fee averaging $125.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samantha Sophia (@sisterlocked) on Sep 1, 2017 at 4:22pm PDT

There are so many options for beginning and maintaining locs. Cost and time should definitely be considered when making a final decision.

Read more

(Post Sponsored by Cantu)

No makeup, high messy bun, and random scab on my nose from a killer white head.

My daughter started school for the first time this month. The experience was emotional to say the least. When we moved to California, we chose to live in the city where my new company is located. We did so despite its lack of literal and figurative color (black population is less than 2% and redundant expensive cookie cutter sub-divisions) because the kids weren’t yet school aged and the commute was nice.

During orientation, I looked around and saw not one other child in her class was black, in fact the school was mostly made up of two ethnic groups. I grew up in South Florida, in a sea of cultural, language, skin and hair diversity. There were girls that looked similar to and nothing like me as well. I was able to grow both a strong sense of self and a strong respect/understanding for those who were different. I came to understand there was a unique and diverse definition of beauty.

Now I know that my daughter will not be in this school district long-term, I wouldn’t dare subject her to being “othered” through puberty, which is a fragile time for all. But dealing with a kindergartner who was already aware enough to start asking why no one else has brown skin and why her hair doesn’t  lay flat and straight like the other girls, has made Cantu’s Be You Own Beautiful (#BYOBeautiful) campaign resonate even more!

(See my little girl's hair-care regime here)

I’ve spoken about selfies on more than one occasion and how they can be a tool of confidence but they can also be a mechanism that drives negative comparison and unrealistic standards of daily hair and makeup beauty.

My sister had a set of self installed Marley twists that were a few weeks old, she decided to cleanse her hair with the Cantu Cleansing Cream Shampoo without removing them and refresh the edges with the Twist & Lock Gel. She found that the shampoo thoroughly cleansed her hair without drying and that the Twist & Lock Gel really helped to maintain moisture and shine.The combination of these two products could really yield a soft and defined twist-out.

So I thought about what my own definition of #BYOBeautiful was as I combed my daughter’s hair with the Cantu Coconut Curling Cream for school and helped my sister refresh her DIY kinky twists at home with the Twist and Lock Gel. For me, it was going makeup free if I felt like it. For my daughter to not feel like an alien because her hair was tightly coiled, and for my sister to be able to try whatever hairstyle that tickles her fancy. These were the true definitions of being your own beautiful in my family circle.

For those interested, Cantu is holding a Beautiful campaign and Giveaway that will be running from 9/1/15 to 9/31/15. They are encouraging people to share what #BYOBeautiful means to them (their photos of what makes them uniquely beautiful) using the hashtag and @cantubeauty for a chance to be featured in their posts and to win a deluxe gift box including Cleansing Cream Shampoo (Ebony 2014 Award Winner), Hydrating Creme Conditioner (Curlbox 2015 "Best Conditioner" Award winner), Coconut Curling Cream (Naturally Curly "Best of the Best" 2013) and Twist & Lock Gel (Naturally Curly 2015 Editor's Choice). So please do share what your own definitions of beautiful are.

Be Your Own Beautiful with Cantu! Share your look at @cantubeauty #BYOBeautiful on Instagram and Twitter.

• Thursday, September 10, 2015
• natural hair

Being Your Own Beautiful

(Post Sponsored by Cantu)

No makeup, high messy bun, and random scab on my nose from a killer white head.

My daughter started school for the first time this month. The experience was emotional to say the least. When we moved to California, we chose to live in the city where my new company is located. We did so despite its lack of literal and figurative color (black population is less than 2% and redundant expensive cookie cutter sub-divisions) because the kids weren’t yet school aged and the commute was nice.

During orientation, I looked around and saw not one other child in her class was black, in fact the school was mostly made up of two ethnic groups. I grew up in South Florida, in a sea of cultural, language, skin and hair diversity. There were girls that looked similar to and nothing like me as well. I was able to grow both a strong sense of self and a strong respect/understanding for those who were different. I came to understand there was a unique and diverse definition of beauty.

Now I know that my daughter will not be in this school district long-term, I wouldn’t dare subject her to being “othered” through puberty, which is a fragile time for all. But dealing with a kindergartner who was already aware enough to start asking why no one else has brown skin and why her hair doesn’t  lay flat and straight like the other girls, has made Cantu’s Be You Own Beautiful (#BYOBeautiful) campaign resonate even more!

(See my little girl's hair-care regime here)

I’ve spoken about selfies on more than one occasion and how they can be a tool of confidence but they can also be a mechanism that drives negative comparison and unrealistic standards of daily hair and makeup beauty.

My sister had a set of self installed Marley twists that were a few weeks old, she decided to cleanse her hair with the Cantu Cleansing Cream Shampoo without removing them and refresh the edges with the Twist & Lock Gel. She found that the shampoo thoroughly cleansed her hair without drying and that the Twist & Lock Gel really helped to maintain moisture and shine.The combination of these two products could really yield a soft and defined twist-out.

So I thought about what my own definition of #BYOBeautiful was as I combed my daughter’s hair with the Cantu Coconut Curling Cream for school and helped my sister refresh her DIY kinky twists at home with the Twist and Lock Gel. For me, it was going makeup free if I felt like it. For my daughter to not feel like an alien because her hair was tightly coiled, and for my sister to be able to try whatever hairstyle that tickles her fancy. These were the true definitions of being your own beautiful in my family circle.

For those interested, Cantu is holding a Beautiful campaign and Giveaway that will be running from 9/1/15 to 9/31/15. They are encouraging people to share what #BYOBeautiful means to them (their photos of what makes them uniquely beautiful) using the hashtag and @cantubeauty for a chance to be featured in their posts and to win a deluxe gift box including Cleansing Cream Shampoo (Ebony 2014 Award Winner), Hydrating Creme Conditioner (Curlbox 2015 "Best Conditioner" Award winner), Coconut Curling Cream (Naturally Curly "Best of the Best" 2013) and Twist & Lock Gel (Naturally Curly 2015 Editor's Choice). So please do share what your own definitions of beautiful are.

Be Your Own Beautiful with Cantu! Share your look at @cantubeauty #BYOBeautiful on Instagram and Twitter.

Read more