nervous about my first post

I want to blog about my locs journey because I want to chronicle each stage for my own benefit as well as, if I gain the courage, for others who are starting out and are looking for trends in the experience. I'm nervous because I'm really shy and even though this is much easier for me than YouTube, I'm still apprehensive about being out there. However, it's day 25 and so I'm very behind and I better get started.
I got my baby locs installed on 7/14 by none other than Mr. Damian Walter. It was love at first sight, with the locs, and I'm continuing to love them through what I'm hoping is the ugly stage. Tell me it doesn't get uglier! I have an appointment for my first retwist on Sunday and cannot way to get my hair shampooed. That's really been the hardest thing the last 3.5 weeks. By day one of week two, I started seeing brown specks on my hair. Dandruff? Dry scalp? Debris? I was desperate for a shampoo but my loctician was clear about keeping the shampoo and water at bay until he saw me again and being obedient me, I spent hours on YouTube and blogs looking for alternative solutions. My first attempt at solving the dirty scalp issue was Sea Breeze and q-tips. I did not like the smell but I felt better since I could see that my efforts resulted in fewer to no specks. However, the next day, they were back in full effect. I decided to try water. I alternated between q-tips and cotton rounds, dampened or soaked depending on how maniacal I was feeling at the moment and dabbed away the dirt. I only did my crown area as the sides and back were not an issue. As I was generous with the water, I got my roots fairly wet and decided it was best to blow dry on cool. That done, I felt even more relief than the previous night. But alas, by the end of next day, I felt like I was back to square one with the scalp situation. After more research, I decided to go with Tea Tree Oil with water on q-tips. I was less liberal with the water and managed to keep my roots dry and get my scalp feeling amazing. Yeah, Tea Tree Oil! After this particular scalp treatment, I felt like I could leave my scalp alone for a few days. My scalp was in good shape but I still noticed stuff on my hair. This was discouraging to me until I read this:

10.Dreads do collect dust. I think it collects about the same amount as loose hair. But the difference is with loose hair, you can comb and brush the dust out several times, every day. With dreads, you cannot. So, I’ve been shaking my dreads to get rid of some of the accumulated dust. The best way to do this is to point your head towards the ground and shake your hands through your dreads.

from oceangrins . Thank you! Now I know what's going on and knowing is half the battle. I am able to get my baby locs to look presentable (enough for me) and not walk around in shame because of the collecting dust/lint etc. just by doing the shake over my sink when I get ready in the morning. A daily shake and a Tea Tree Oil + Water q-tip scalp cleanse every 3 days has gotten me through the 2nd half of my first month of my loc journey. That and some fun accessories from Claires & Target. Alright, so enough about all that. Time for some pics. Ultimately, I'm loving this journey and I trust it will only get better!

Starring left, one of my favorite protective styles during "creamy crack" days. J/k. Just wanted to use that term but I don't want to sound anti-perm. I'd do it again without hesitation. I'm just currently in a locs phase! In the center, fresh from the salon after some highlights and curls. On the right, a pic shortly before I decided I was tired of the perm. I had gotten it as long as it seemed it would go (mid bra strap), cut it into a couple of different bobs, done a few different highlights... what next? I wanted braids! During the perm, when I was doing "right" by my hair, I decided I had to stay away from braids. So with 2013 came the inspiration to grow out my perm and have fun with some braidz!

First up: Kinky twists. Could this be why I started thinking locs were in my future?

After the kinky twists had served their term as my reintroduction into braids, I had the opportunity to deal with the reality of transitioning. I tried bantu knots - pic on the left, then I trimmed it and straightened it - pic on the right. I was impressing myself with all the DIY-ing but while I was committed to giving my hair 2 weeks of breathing time between braid terms, I was slowly realizing that I didn't have the patience for it.

Loved, loved, loved this look. I'll go ahead and plug the salon that handled this for me in 5 hours with their own hair! Shalom Hair Braiding, Silver Spring, MD... I'm guessing they don't mind the press :) During this set, my desire for locs deepened. To me, dreadlocks represented a permanent set of braids that I could maintain easier than my natural hair... Time will tell:D

After removing this set (pic on left), I was frustrated with the two textures - carpet topped with silk threads. So, I thought, cut off the silk threads... and there my friends, is how I blindly walked into my self imposed Big Chop. My hair was straight when I did the chop so all seemed manageable... then I shampooed and my carpet's true color's were unveiled. Mamma mia - let the kinky curly drama begin!

I won't bother describing this much... I had another do scheduled two weeks out so I waited by begging and pleading with my coils as the collage suggests. I was a good sport about it but I wasn't having fun. I made the best of it but I was longing for a happier place. Knowing how much effort and creativity was involved with maintaining a TWA after having permed hair for the better part of 20 years, I knew it was locs sooner than later for me. I also rediscovered that hair loss is a big risk with braids and so I wasn't going to keep doing that.

Anyway, my sister hooked me up with this freebie. It was so much fun albeit confusing for those who thought I was on a natural hair journey :) While I looked as cute as ever, my scalp was tortured. OMG, weaves can be itchy. Was aiming for 6-8 weeks but only lasted 5!

Post weave: Okay, it would be wrong of me not to show that I have learned to manage my kinky curly coils and can actually make them look relatively presentable with minimal effort. Progress is law, init? :P

And now... drum roll! Soon after removal of the weave, I scheduled a couple of appointments with local locticians in an effort to find "the one" for me. Neither stylist impressed me and in conversation with a friend, I discovered that Damian Walter, who I had been following on YouTube all year and who I considered a yard stick for locticians was in the DMV once a month! I thought, OMG!! Scheduled that appointment right away and got my starters two looooong weeks later. Woot, woot! 1st (from left to right) - comb coils from a local salon with product that was flaking while I was in the salon - ew. 2nd - 2 strand twists from a decent salon but just not the look/spacing I wanted. 3rd - my beautiful babies, installed on 7-14!