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  1. #1
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    Default Different Journeys, Different Outcomes, Same Person

    So, now that I'm headed toward my 4th year of locking, with my second set of locks, I finally feel I'm on familiar territory.

    For those that don't know, my first journey were with Braidlocks (2006-2012)
    My second journey installed with Sisterlocks (2013-now)

    It was not until around year 2.5 that I embraced my SLs. As a researcher, I chose this journey because I wanted to understand what the 'magic' was about SLs. I became my own guinea pig, except I chose to maintain my locks myself. My personality just would never be able to deal with turning over my journey to another persons schedule, nor sitting still for hours during maintenance. I get nervous just thinking about it typing, lol.

    I had two AIMS:
    1)Can SLs be successfully maintained DIY
    2)What about SLs makes them locks (or not), how does the maturity differ from more traditional locks
    I have my answers and I'm downloading/analyzing the outcomes-will share on some platform once complete.

    I say all this to say-it was not until year 2.5 that I felt in sync with my journey. Prior to this milestone, they were foreigners in my head. I was anxious about them. They behaved differently than my previous locks, looked differently and I just was not feelin' them. Yet, I was committed to the journey due to my financial installation investment. And, I really wanted to know. And, what I knew from my BL journey was my locks did not seem to reach maturity (gaining length, tightening, soft) until atleast the two year mark, so I had to persist.

    One thing I've learned about my hair's preferences is that I do need to wash 2/month or my scalp gets really crunchy and nasty. But, I only have to wash once with soap. My first journey I dealt with build up a lot -for a lot of reasons, mostly learning, experimentation etc. This journey, once a month I soak my locks in the kitchen sink, add a capful of shampoo (sls/sles free), add some Listerine, some AVJ, few drops of peppermint or rosemary and let them soak for 30min. Then, I rinse out until water runs clear and round out with an ACV rinse, rinse with water again, then seal the deal with some chamomile or peppermint tea for condish treatment. I use a face brush from health food store to scrub my scalp and work the water through, releasing any dirt/debris from my scalp and locks. Two weeks later, I brush and rinse only with water.

    It's been kind of cool to learn this way because I observed that my hair gets 'smokey' with a grey film when I shampoo twice a month-even with that much of a dilution!! So imagine what 'we' are leaving behind in our locks when shampoo is directly applied to the locks (which i did at the beginning of my first journey, yikes). Now that my in-between 'wash' is water only, my scalp is happy to get fed the water and my locs shine and pop. I've done it for about a year, so I feel good about sharing the outcomes to help others.


    I wanted to share a thread that discussed touches upon differences in journeys so we can all learn. There are so many lock formations -coils, freeform, two strand twists, 3 strand twists, braids, twists/braids released after 2-3 months, backcombing, latching, Sisterlocks, organic-free formed locks....and these are just a few. If you've taken more than 1 journey with locks, what's a new experience you'e had in the care or formation of your locks?


    Ashe (ah-shay)

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Different Journeys, Different Outcomes, Same Person

    Hello. I'm still on my first set of locs (coils, 8 years) and I need a better way to clear my locs post shampoo and I think you are on to something. Thanks for sharing your update. I'll watch to see other comments.

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  5. #3
    Join Date
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    Randallstown, MD
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    Default Re: Different Journeys, Different Outcomes, Same Person

    I'll be starting my second set of locs later this month. My first set were mostly freeform and I was in my early twenties . I'm going to be 30 this year, and I'm going to have someone start them with comb coils. I'm not sure how I'll maintain them, I'm just going to go with what feels right.

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  7. #4
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    Default Re: Different Journeys, Different Outcomes, Same Person

    Let me know how it works for you!? @4DeperJoy
    OOOOO @MN I can't wait to see this journey! Good for you!

  8. #5
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    Default Re: Different Journeys, Different Outcomes, Same Person

    Can I ask, what does the listerine provide for you in the soak? I've never heard of that before!

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