i am enjoying them and wishing i had done this long ago when i first thought about doing it. sometimes i have to hem and haw over something for years before i get the guts up to do it...and then i kick myself for not doing it sooner....note to self: listen to your intuition!!!!
i did a salt water rinse on wednesday which seemed to help out a lot with getting them to hold. i also use the aloe vera gel every 3-4 days as well. it's hard to see the individual dreads below, and they definitely get less attention than the ones above. i need to sweet talk greg into palm rolling them for me because it's hard for me to do.
i had my first experience with the public comments a few days ago...i was at aldi and an older woman, of average dress approached me and said "i love your hair!" i smiled and said thanks and she replied "it reminds me of new york!" lol whatever that's supposed to mean!
yesterday at the library, a younger girl, maybe late teens/early twenties was giving me the hairy eye ball, lol. that made me want to laugh out loud....
8 comments:
Dreads are cool looking, but I don't get it. Seems like at least as much work, so what's the point?
That aside, your hair looks really cool.
Cheers,
Afriendof B.
alan, really once they are established they are not any work at all. and for me, who has hair that constantly tangles, dread management is a piece of cake compared to constantly combing, pulling, etc. to get it tangle free. i'd rather rub them in my hands once or twice a day for a few months and then not deal with them any more than to have to spend an hour a day for the rest of my life combing and detangling. :)
for some, it IS more work, especially those who have stick straight, never tangles hair. :) they would have to spend a lot of effort to get them to stay in. and then, i guess the point would be just they like that hairstyle. or spiritual since dreads are rooted to several different religious beliefs...sufis, rastafarians, etc.
some people just go straight for the 'never gonna brush again and see what happens' mindset which can take years and is unpredictable.
I think mine would dread nicely, I hesitate simply because of my current job (insurance agent with a nose piercing) and that I've heard it is difficult to keep them clean - is it? You make it look sooo easy.
annette, actually it is not hard to keep them clean. you have to be careful what type of product you use on them but really, they only need to be washed 1-2 times a week (i doubt i'll even wash them that much because i generally only washed my hair every 7-10 days). i've only washed them once since i started them and that was really only a salt water rinse.
as for products, no conditioner is needed. in fact, conditioner will sometimes make them fall out. most people use the apple cider vinegar/baking soda aka no poo method, dr. bronners or a shampoo bar specifically made for dreads. i'll most likely stick to the no poo that i've used for years off and on mixed with my own bar soap and dr. bronner's which is how i washed my hair before...
i may be biased but i like the smaller dreads and think they look really great when put up in a bun or other up-doo type and have seen lots of people wear them professionally. also wraps are good for covering them up and are lots of fun!
i'm having lots of fun making copper decorations and adding beads...so much more fun than plain hair that always looked like a rat's nest anyway! lol i've gotten greg involved in working on them every night and they are shaping up quickly for me.
So how did you get started; the friend who braided your hair?
actually, the braid step is only necessary if you have stick straight hair...i didn't need to do it but my friend just did it that way and we found out after the fact...
having a friend is VERY helpful though...section off your hair to the size you want your dreads. start at the back/bottom and work your way up and forward. you can either section off everything first and rubber band them to separate or just do one at a time as you go...but then you need a fine toothed comb and some aloe vera gel is helpful too but not necessary....back comb a section and then palm roll it, using the aloe for this step to help hold it together. continue on and on and on until they are all done....for the top, if you want a part down the center then do either side otherwise, have the friend go all the way across the top from one side to the other. if you want to have some bangs or wispies around the face, leave those out...
there are several websites and videos out there such as knottyboy.com and dreadheadhq.com...they all will talk about using wax...i didn't choose to use wax because i've read a lot of bad stuff about it and lots of regrets from using it and since my hair is naturally curly, it didn't need to extra hold together for the beginning.
if you do it, post pictures and let me know!! :)
i should have read that closer...i took out the braids and started backcombing the sections and palm rolled them using aloe vera....that helped them to start locking a lot.
I am excited about the possibilities. It is a definite option once I finish massage therapy classes (12/8/10). Wonder what my hubby will have to say!
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