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| My Bush is Back!!!!!! |
Okay, so I know I said I wouldn’t do it, but I did it again! I locked my hair for the second time in my life. The first was for 2 years and this time, only one. My hair has this thing that it does, and I am sure others with the same hair type as me will testify. It coils around itself something terrible, so I allowed it to do what it wanted to do.
People always asked what they were… if they were twists or locs. I called them my lumpy locs! I left the front loose so that if I ever needed to blend a wig for a part I could. But even the front would try to loc if I left the twists in for too long.
Fastforward a bit.
I started seeing folks taking their locs down on Youtube and I got the bug! Plus, Nikki turned me on to some incredible products that my hair seems to LOVE with a capital L. Even when I was locked, I could apply some Qhemet Root Butter Cream to my son’s locs and mine and get instant, soft, dreamy locs. I didn’t feel the Twist Butter because of the wax in it. I learned that last time when someone put wax in my first set of locs… I remember trying to wash that gunk out and it was so awful. Plus, the wax left my locs white until they dried. So nix to that… sorry, I do digress.
I found this product called SLIP from Curly Hair Solutions quite by accident one day and ordered it. When it arrived, I sprayed some on one loc, started to comb and was shocked at how easily it started to release. I decided to do 5 locs a day and I was loving feeling each new section. I did it this way so that there was no real pressure. I admit that for each one I removed there was this feeling of, ‘Lord I got to deal with the big bush again‘. There was a wonderful freedom with locs that I’d come to know. Similar to the freedom I experienced the first time I had my head shaved down to the nub. That is the beauty of our hair, it does so many things.
By day 25 or so, they were all out. Some of the really tiny ones were a challenge but armed with SLIP, a rattail comb and a thumb that was getting a little raw from the constant combing out, I survived the loc down. I am loving my big, beautiful bush and am so very happy to see that so many others are joining the Natural Revolution. I feel like we all have this wonderful connection that no one can really copy. Though I don’t like this system of curl pattern typing, I think it makes us again slaves to needing and wanting texture and curls. I was in the braid salon the other day getting some twists which by the way, all twists are not created equal, and this African sister was admiring my hair saying that she wished she could wear her hair that way. I commented, why don’t you? Her response was that I had good hair and she had African hair. I was stupefied, I’m looking at her and in my mind, we were exactly the same. Now I don’t know the gentleman who invented it but I think since it is supposed to be about being all the way natural, us kinky coiled queens should be 1, not 4 and go the other way for once. Let’s finally really celebrate our kinky style!
I love this community. I love this blog for educating us. This article was great on so many levels. Thanks for sharing. Another add to the to do list order Qhemet products.
I love her hair. I also cringe when I hear the term "good hair". It drives me nuts! I think that everyone has good hair because God created it. The hair typing system has made people feel like their hair type isn't good when in fact all hair is beautiful.
Girl thanks for breaking that down for me! Funny you mentioned going back, my hubby suggested going back soon. Jamaica is definitely one of our absolute favorite vacay spots and now our daughter is hooked too! Not glamorous/sexy? Nats I'm with you…if only they knew…….
~Take Care Lady
Qhemet is sold at a BSS near me. Check their store locations list: https://www.qhemetbiologics.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=13
Its a funny thing, the acceptance of natural hair in Jamaica. I am in my early thirties, and I can remember in my teen years or early 20s it was thought that people who had natural hair were probably really into the church scene. Now, there is more of an awakening going on I would say especially among those of us who are more health conscious and concerned with what we put in/on our bodies. The 'wild' look is not really acceptable in the workplace, unless you are a business owner, so you will find naturals here wearing locs, braids,buns, twists or blowing it out and flat ironing. It's slow going but hopefully by the time you come back to Jamaica, you will see lots more natural-heads. I think the girls you come into contact with at the resorts are probably trying to look glamorous and probably to them natural does not equal sexy/glamorous. If they only knew!
Terrific post. I am so glad that Janet is doing well, and she is thoroughly loving the life back into her hair. Go Janet! And Go Nikki as you continue to influence all of us who need a 'go-to girl' for our natural hair needs.
Mental note:
• Add Qhemet products and SLIP to next Junkie splurge. 🙂
@Miss Nats ~ thanks for replying! I'm glad to hear from someone actually from Jamaica! The two experiences I've had were with employees at the resorts I stayed at while vacationing there. It was so interesting to me to see only one or two ladies here and there who wore there hair natural and here I was walking around free and wild. I'm so curious and outspoken that I engaged several employees in conversations about natural hair. YOU Hit The Nail On The Head! Comments about 'good hair' came up in almost every conversation.
Do you find wearing your hair in it's natural state is less common for women who work at the resorts and often find themselves in the company of more "straight-haired" ladies?
I have the same type of coily hair – I call it 4z. The strands coil around each other something fierce – my twists look like locs, and only moisturizing every night and retwisting keeps it from locing. I'm going to order some of the detanging ghee today!!!
I am a natural from Jamaica and have quite a few natural friends and yes it's true that many people do have the 'good hair' syndrome, but I think that mindset is changing, albeit slowly. It is unfair to say 'we' (Americans) as if ALL African Americans are on the same page or of the same mindset when it comes to natural hair. In the U.S. you can find people both for and against natural hair, it is quite the same in Jamaica. We who celebrate our natural hair just have to continue to do so with pride and hope that we can inspire others.
I heard nothing but good things about Qhemet products, but have not seen them in stores yet. Her hair looks so soft and moisturized that shine is banana's
You may want to visit more areas of the world… or educate yourself, there are many informative blogs online if you can understand other languages. I lived in the US (until 2011) and wasn't impressed by the natural movement there because being natural is not a big deal where I come from. However, I heard about ''good hair'' (and worst) just like anywhere else. I wonder what you mean by ''to arrive at where we (Americans) are'' .
The only thing interesting was hair products, which didn't even come as a surprise.
do u mean the mouse like consistency one in the jar or liquid in the bottle because it seems to have changed
I’ve heard about people pursuing a loc down… The task seemed daunting and I was convinced that I wouldn’t have much hair left once the process was completed. So I just went for the big chop.
i've been reading that some people have experienced a bit more dryness with the detangling ghee in the relabeled pump bottles.
wow! are you going to loc again?
another great article! but geesh 25 days to unloc your locs is a celebratory occasion! Kudos Janet!
I'm so glad that people are now able to see that you don't have to cut all your hair off if you decide you no longer want your hair to be loc'd!
WOOAAH SHE STILL LOOKS GOOD.! HOW OLD IS SHE ?
I like the QB AOHC. I want to try some of the other products. I' ve always been a fan of locs.
I just took down my 8 year old locs!
Yeah, I need to re-up my stash that is gone. I figure any product I actually finish, and the list is not long sadly, is a keeper. And I finished aaaallll of my Cocoa Tree Ghee. It smells divine.
Janet's hair is looking good. I love some QB products. Just wish I could get it on the ground.
Anybody that's dealing with dryness, especially dry, crackly ends should at least visit the Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee… I use it on Boogie a lot and it leaves her hair soft and supple for days. I only use it on her dry or damp hair.
I love her hair & she's such a beautiful person, great read.
I have and will continue to sing the praises of Qhemet Biologics products, particularly the AOHC and BRBC. I'm definitely a faithful customer, so glad Janet discovered them as well and that they work wonderfully for her too.
I just discovered last year that Locs can be taken down. I've always thought they had to be cut off. Sounds like Janet found an excellent product combo to aide in the process with minimal hair loss/breakage.
Wow, when are we gonna get past typing someone with supposed "good hair". Interesting and sad at the same time. I experienced this while vacationing in Jamaica. It's taking a bit longer for other people of color from other areas of the world to arrive at where "we" (Americans) are in our natural movement.
She has some crazy coils in coils! And they all came out… Jane, your hair is fab loced or bushy! Celebrating it for sure!!!