Sunshine Sisterlocks

Don't Call It A Comeback :-D New Style

2010-05-02T23:49:00.007-03:00

Flat twist style! Look at how my locks are growing up!!! ^_^

If you have some time, check out my YouTube video...showcasing my locks progression over these 15 months!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQu3VyDBQgw

Enjoy!

~SunshineSisterlocks
@BahSun on Twitter

Regimen change...AGAIN!!!

2010-05-02T23:37:00.003-03:00

So you ladies were RIGHT...too much shampooing helped me at first, but REALLY screwed me in the long run. The kind of dry scalp that I got was indescribable! The best word I can come up with is torturous. Seriously! So now I've decided to...

* wash my hair every 2 weeks,
* OIL MY SCALP and locks [first time ever doing this with locks in] when needed and
* continue with spritzing my locks w/ water if needed.

I've started to do this and there is a marked difference in my scalp. I haven't had to scratch once. Plus, my locks are so soft.:D

Shampoo: Tresemme Naturals Moisturizing Shampoo
Oil: Razac bend of oils
Water spritz: water w/ a few drops of peppermint oil

~SunshineSisterlocks
@BahSun on Twitter

Quick Update - regimen change :D

2009-12-15T15:36:00.003-04:00

Hello! New regimen!

So, I've joined the gym & hired a trainer two weeks ago. Because of this, I pretty much sweat my butt off 5 days a week. The salt/sweat has increased my dandruff tremendously. Shampooing once a week was NOT cutting it for me anymore. To keep my scalp issues at bay, I've resorted to washing my hair nightly - after each workout. I shampoo, shake, separate, wrap in a towel to catch excess water, then let them air-dry before I tie them up for bed.

I know it sounds intense, but it is definitely working for me! All of the crazy scratching has been subdued. I also find that the frequent washing keeps my locs soft (I focus the shampoo more on my scalp than the locs, so the locs just benefit from water/moisture), as well as promotes the maturing process. My locs look more and more like locs and less like twists each month :D

I'm due for a tightening before Christmas. Time is running away from me & it will take a while to complete my entire head. When I do, I'll style them & take some pics to share with you all. :-)

p.s. I celebrated my 24th birthday on Sunday past. I'm alive and God has been/still is so good to me!!!

xoxoxoxo

SunshineSisterlocks

So much has changed! :D

2009-11-10T16:03:00.006-04:00

Hello SL family!!!

First off, let me apologize for my absence these last few months.
I've been very busy re-adjusting to life @ home, thus neglecting this blog, my fotki hair album, as well as my Youtube channel. I don't take disappearing & reappearing lightly, as I have made some really good friends all over the internet :). Anyways, I'm hopping back on the hog and thanking all who have left kind comments while I was gone. *MUAH* [did you feel that? :)]

Soooo much has changed with my locks! First things first, I've taken over re-tightening my own locks...yes, the whole head, by myself. lol. It's a challenge but also a great feeling.

Secondly, I've had to change my tool from the plastic children's needle to a paper clip because my locks are now too thick to fit through that small hole (see a pic of that needle from last post). I personally recommend all newbies (with thin locks) to practice with that needle or something similar if they're thinking about self-retightening one day.

Thirdly, my regimen has changed - more on that later.

Finally, the majority of my Sisterlocks have buds. The rest of my hair is condensing and there are only 3 or 4 curly ends on my head. My locks have really thickened up too. Wow! What a transformation! I've been taking pics the entire time. I plan to make a video to celebrate my first anniversary with SLs. I can't believe I've been a loc-head for over 10 months!!! This time last year, I was so anxious about flying home to get my test locks installed! Where has the time gone?! :)

Check out some pics below. It's a progression from untightened->tightened->bantu knots->knot-out. More to come later!

Desperate times call for Desperate Measures...Self-Retightening!!

2009-05-25T16:07:00.005-03:00

Hello SL Fam! Well, it's been a few weeks since my last post and I have yet to find the money for a re-tightening session. What's a girl to do with loads of new growth while on a trip? Take a whack @ re-tightening! I wanted at least the front to look neat, so that was my challenge.

I went to Walmart and purchased a small, plastic children's needle from the Craft section (pack of 4 for 99 cents) and got to work. It took me 3 evenings just to finish the front of my hair. LOL. I know it's because I was being extra careful, so I took my slow time. I used a simple 4 point pattern, cuz I know nothing else.

What have I learnt from the experience?
- re-tightening requires loads of patience and arm strength. lol
- once you get the hang of it, you don't need to re-tighten locks with a mirror (watching movies kept me awake and entertained)
- I'll leave the re-tightening to the pros...LOL...at least for the time-being. I felt very liberated and proud of myself for doing this, but I'll wait at least a full year or so before I completely take over with self-maintenance.

Here are some pics of the finished work in the front:

Extreme shrinkage following my first wash since re-tightening:

As for the rest of my hair, I'll schedule a re-tightening session with my lovely consultant Mrs. Whymns [after pay day]. lol. Oh the stories I have to tell her...she's gonna laugh her head off, I'm sure. :)

xoxoxoxox
SunshineSisterlocks

My Second Attempt @ a Braid-out

2009-05-25T14:59:00.004-03:00

<- two and a half months of growth!

For this braidout, I used Pantene Pro-V's Relaxed and Natural Holding Spray on my SLs, then cornrowed them. They were released 2 days later. This really helped to make the thick roots more manageable.

xoxoxox
SunshineSisterlocks

Checking In about Checking Out!

2009-05-04T21:48:00.005-03:00

Hey SL Fam! Just checking in! Things have been really busy!!!
I'm done with university life! I just moved back home for good to sunny Bahamas.
Things are really busy around here. Not only am I unpacking, sorting things, finalizing a job, etc. but I'm trying to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Surprise, surprise - I've done no styling or anything special at all to my locks. I really haven't had the time! I counted and realized that it's been a full 50 days since my last re-tightening session. My roots definitely show it! I have no idea when I'll be able to get my hair re-tightened because I'm flat broke at the moment. lol. But seeing as it's summer, I'll use headbands and pretty scarves to help me bide the time.

In non-SL updates, My bro and I were doing errands on Saturday and decided to take a load off. :) Here I am on one of our beaches last weekend. It's called the Western Esplenade and we have great views of the Nassau Harbour and all cruise ships that come into port. It's also next to Arawak Cay aka "Da Fish Fry" where we bought some nice daiquiris and conch fritters. Mmmmmm!!! Glad to be home!

Have a great week!

xoxoxoxoxo
SunshineSisterlocks

Curled Up and Twisted Out!!

2009-04-15T20:00:00.003-03:00

Hey SL Fam!!! My last post was word-heavy, so I decided that my next one would be pic-heavy. lol
I'm really having fun with my hair. I've been styling it more and more as well. Below are pics from the last 2 weeks. First, I used LockLoops to create some really cute curls. And this week, I did two-strand twists on dry hair then rocked a twist-out this week. :)

LockLoops Curls:

Twist-out:

Have fun with your hair!

xoxoxoxo
SunshineSisterlocks

The Issue of Lock Imperfection

2009-04-09T13:19:00.003-03:00

Hello SL Fam!

Like many other Sisterlocks enthusiasts, I'm a part of the Lock-It-Up group. There was a certain topic that struck a chord with me...being unhappy with how Sls look. I think because we invest so much money, we may at times seek perfection in our locks, but like a poster so point-of-factly stated, there are no perfect locks. I waited many months and researched for a long time before I was 100% certain that this was the route I wanted my hair to take. The final step was for me to accept my hair no matter how it turned out, and to realize that no, it will not look like my favourite heads of hair on these blogs. Why is that? Because each head of sisterlocks is different and I'd be doing myself a disservice to become frustrated with my own hair if it didn't resemble someone else's.

This has absolutely nothing to do with unprofessional or shoddy work done by uncaring locticians. Your locs should be installed properly [according to your hair type] and your personal preference. If you get less than the quality service you deserve, yes, you should speak up, have it corrected and/or find a new loctician.But please, ladies...don't nitpick or stress out over your hair! Patience is key! I am a witness to the fact that locks change so quickly with each month, and the time you spend complaining and looking for hair issues, you could be enjoying and learning how your hair reacts during this lock journey.

So yeah, that's just my encouragement. At a little over 3 months, my locks are frizzy, bumpy and a few of them still experience slippage. Also, a handful of them have 'pockets' in them. And you know what? I LOVE MY HAIR.

How about we all just grow along with our hair...grow to accept how it looks now and how it will change in the future.

Below are close-up pics of my bumpy, frizzy, imperfect, wonderful sisterlocks.

My Attempts @ Styling...don't laugh!

2009-03-23T22:32:00.007-03:00

Month 3 = crazy thickness!

2009-03-23T22:22:00.003-03:00

Well, the end of this month will make it 3 months that I've been sisterlocked.

My locks look nothing like they did when I first got them. They're blossoming so well you guys! I never expected them to get thick and swollen like this. Love it!!!

I can see that they are preparing to lock, as they are forming complete coils. They're also very frizzy and fuzzy. My loctician offered to "groom" my locs, but I'm not yet comfortable with that idea. I just wanna leave it alone and let it do what it wants. It's not perfect-looking, but it's mine and I'm so proud of my babies! I love that my locs have 'character' and I'm enjoying watching them find their own way. Personalized journeys are always the best.

Retightened Glory

2009-03-23T22:15:00.003-03:00

---->

Hello SL Fam!

I got my hair retightened on Sunday, March 15th.

What a difference a tool and a few rotations can make!

She did a great job on redoing a few of my babies up front that completely unraveled.

xoxoxox

SunshineSisterlocks

Grrrrrrrrrrrr

2009-03-08T01:01:00.006-04:00

Well, this coming Tuesday will make 7 weeks without getting a re-tightening. Yes. One week shy of 2 months. Grrrrrr. So not happy with that. Hopefully it will be done soon, cuz I'd hate for my locs to mature bumpy-looking due to unintentionally lengthy stretches between sessions. If I'm unable to get it done by next week, then screw it (lol), I'll be attempting to do it myself with a paper clip (thanks to a youtube vid I saw a while back). Let us pray. LOL

Anyway, take a look at the thickness and the mini afro growing underneath in the following pics. A couple of my babies in the front have unraveled (about 4), so that's not too bad. Some days they don't even look like Sisterlocks cuz of how much thicker they've gotten. I LOVE it. :)

Til next time,

SunshineSisterlocks

Month 2! Busy, but still an easy, awesome SL month :)

2009-02-26T00:02:00.005-04:00

Helloooooo! It's been a while, hasn't it? :)

I had to come out of hiding to celebrate my second month with Sisterlocks!

My how the time has flown by!

I accomplished one mini goal for month 2.

* I've been using hair accessories (TTwists, flowers, tams and scarves)

Other than that, I've been too busy to style my hair. Lucky thing is - I didn't need to!

Shower, shake and go is still a good look for me at this baby stage of my locks.

GOOD NEWS!!! My locks are starting to bud on the end...already! This isn't happening on all of them, but quite a few are creating balls on the ends. And as I run my fingers along those locks, I can feel the difference! :)

Presently, it's been 4 weeks and a day since my last re-twist. I'll be getting my hair re-twisted next week...meaning that I've made my goal for 5 weeks in between tightening sessions.

I have a mini-fro going on under the locks...LOL...but that's where headbands, scarves and tams come in!

xoxoxoxoxo

SunshineSisterlocks

<~ an example of my little buds. My locks are growing up! *tear* LOL

Tomoka's Twists! Love 'Em!

2009-02-03T14:52:00.007-04:00

Hey guys! Got my 2 Tomoka's Twists (Goldie Locks & DNatural) this morning! Above are some pics I took and below is a YouTube vid I made while having fun with my new twisties! [I'm only showcasing the Goldie Locks because the color stands out more.] Enjoy!

p.s. whenever you have some time, please check out my other vids and show some love!

Youtube channel: BahamianSunflower

And check out Carmen's products: Tomoka's Twists

One Month-versary!!!

2009-01-28T15:36:00.006-04:00

<~~~~Shrinkage in Full Effect

I'VE BEEN LOCKED FOR ONE FULL MONTH YA'LL!!!

You guys, I can hardly believe this! Time just flew by. I thought that this journey would be a long, painstaking one, but it's been fun and really, REALLY easy. I seriously just wake up, take a shower and go. I don't have to comb or style my hair and I don't have to use any products. Welcome to the good life!!!

This is definitely a personalized journey. I haven't done everything according to the letter in terms of what new Sisterlockers should do. Here's a list of all the rules I've broken:

"B&B" Braid and Band the hair before washing...X -> Strands of hair would pull out and my scalp was not fully cleansed. I wash my locks loose with minimal issues.

Wash with Sisterlocks Starter Shampoo...X -> I have very dry scalp and shampoo will aggravate it even more. I haven't use shampoo in ages. I cleanse with Listerine. See my week 1 post for more information.

Separate each lock after washing...X -> This was too time-consuming and somewhat unnecessary due to the method I used to dry my hair. See below.

Use a towel to dry locks...X -> I don't have a micro-fiber towel and I don't want to use a t-shirt, so drying with a regular towel was my only option that was sure to give me lots of lint in my locks. Therefore, I literally shake all of the water from my hair. It takes five minutes for it to stop dripping and my hair gets completely air-dried in about 20 minutes.

Limit washing to once a week or once every two weeks...X -> No can do. My scalp would go crazy. I wash my hair as often as it needs (sometimes 2x a week). Plus, I rinse my hair in the shower everyday...whether I wash it or not. Water is a natural girl's best friend. My sisterlocks are so soft because of it!

Now, I'm not suggesting to anyone out there to do what I have done.

But my advice to "extra newbies"...lol...(i.e. those with only test sisterlocks and women with sisterlocks only a few days old) is to research/find out what your hair likes/dislikes. The suggestions passed down from Consultants and other veteran/longtime sisterlockers are valuable, but may not always apply to you. Every head of sisterlocks is different. Do you.

What I Accomplished in Month 1:

Learned what worked for my dry scalp in terms of itchiness
Did not over-style my baby locks
Did not add any oil or conditioner to my hair
Did not have sisterlocks envy and did not accept any negative energy toward my own locks from other people
Prevented pesky lint from getting into my locks
Appreciated the look and shrunken length of my hair. Acceptance is important.

Some Goals for Month 2:

Do a flat twist style
Curl my locks
Recreate two-strand twists
Do a Cornrow style
Do a donut bun
Create elegant updos
Do a French braid (hair may not be long enough for it, so this will be on every goal list until I am able to do it! LOL)
Rock accessories (flowers/beads/jewels/scarves/hair ties, etc)
Create a scented water spritz (water + fragrant essential oil) to keep my hair smelling awesome 24/7

Below are just some pics I took today to showcase my month-old locks. Nothing special...no cute style...but the pics do highlight the fact that my hair has gotten so much thicker in just one month. I've reached my shrinkage length (it won't shrink any shorter). Right now I'm just eager for my lock babies to mature. I'm only a few months away!

Follow-up session @ Week 3, and..........PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

2009-01-20T18:40:00.014-04:00

<~~ My Great Sisterlocks Consultant,

Mrs. Beulah Whymns

Well, well, well. Today makes 3 weeks with my Sisterlocks and my lovely consultant (B. Whymns) gave me a follow-up session. It was great seeing her again. This was needed because a few of my 'babies' (the shortest locks in the very center of my head) had unraveled and I maintained them by finger-twisting. The retightening session lasted for 2 1/2 hours. She told me it's best for me to re-tighten every 4-5 weeks, but to not go beyond 6 weeks. I think I'll stretch to every 5 weeks.

........................................................................

Congrats America on your new President!!! I've been crying ALL DAY. I wish you guys peace, prosperity and security in the coming years. What an awesome day. Not only is he intelligent, cool and confident, but, YOUR PRESIDENT IS BLACK!!! LOL. How exciting. What a blessing it is to be alive to witness history...not just for Americans, but for African descendants around the world. January 20, 2009... a day for the history books! God bless! Take care and enjoy the festivities tonight! From tomorrow on, there's work to be done!!!!

xoxoxoxo

Sunshine Sisterlocks

Time out...I've Been Tagged!

2009-01-19T22:28:00.003-04:00

1.Link to the person that tagged you ~~~~> Sereni-T

2.Post the rules on your blog

3.Share 6 non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself that have not been shared already

Six things you may not know about me:

* I'm a coffee-addict

* I'm legally blind

* I once was extremely shy, but now I'm a social butterfly

* I watch/check the news 24/7. It's always playing in the background on my laptop

* I scratch my back when I'm bored...even if it's not itching.

* I have a thing for guys with foreign accents. lol

xoxoxox

Sunshine Sisterlocks

Fun First 2 Weeks

2009-01-14T23:59:00.002-04:00

Week 1 and the itchies!!! I found the solution!//SLs in motion Video

2009-01-09T15:59:00.005-04:00

Hello world and all who inhabit it! :)

So my scalp is famous for being extra dry and flaky for no reason. I don't have dandruff, surprisingly, just loads of dryness. I was told that I can't use conditioner as well as oils, because it would prolong the locking process.

I immediately hit the "innanets" to find a solution and boy did I ever! LISTERINE! It was suggested to use only the amber-colored original version, so that's what I did. I filled up a spray bottle of undiluted Listerine and spray it on my scalp in the shower whenever necessary. IT WORKS! Just be sure to rinse thoroughly. My itchies have totally subsided and I am forever indebted to whoever first found this golden nugget of information and shared it with the world. lolol

Other than that, week 1 has been filled with compliments from family/friends/strangers AND some slight shrinkage...which, by now, I obviously do not mind!

Here's a link to my YouTube Channel: BahamianSunflower

Please subscribe, comment and rate! Thanks!

xoxoxo

SunshineSisterlocks

Locked Up!!!! Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T19:35:00.008-04:00

New year, New style, New me!

I'm finally a member of the Sisterlocks community!

The installation process took 24 hrs over 3 days (Dec. 29-31).

I'm so excited...I can't keep my hands out of my hair :)

I counted and can proudly say that I have 436 Locks!!!

xoxoxoxo

Sunshine Sisterlocks

Hello World!

2008-10-08T13:11:00.005-03:00

Welcome to Sunshine Sisterlocks!

Pull up a seat and get comfortable! My name is Miss Jade on the natural hair sites. Feel free to check out my Fotki hair album here.

I've been natural (4a/b) for 3 years and relaxer-free for 4 years this December. I never imagined that I'd make a full year without a relaxer, much less four! But I couldn't help but fall in love with my natural hair.

At this point in my natural journey, I'm in dire need of a change. I've been experiencing knots like you wouldn't believe (See Exhibit A)! I swear I've done everything imaginable. From trims to loads of deep conditioning, detangling and protective styling - I really tried, but I can no longer prevent the knots. If you look closely at this particular pic, you'll see that the hair not only knots easily, but locks easily as well. Mind you, this is the morning after having deep conditioned, thoroughly detangled and set fatty twists in my hair before bed. So I figured, if my hair wants to lock on it own, I will no longer fight it. It was just a matter of how I'd want it to lock up.

Which brings me to sisterlocks! I'd heard about them 3 years ago from my friend's mother, who happened to be (and still is) the only sisterlocks consultant in the Bahamas. At the time, I was newly natural and enjoyed playing in and learning about my hair, so I was far from interested. I did keep them in mind though. Fast forward 3 years and I now have 3 friends, all sisterlocked, looking fabulous and enjoying their locks to the fullest! It only seemed like the most logical route for me to take. I've researched this off-and-on for 2 years now and I am finally ready to get my sisterlocks. I have absolutely no doubts or fears. My only obstacle right now is distance. I'm away @ university in Canada, so I won't be able to get my hair locked until I go home in December. So I'm using this time to stalk people's albums/blogs/videos on Youtube. lol

If you have any advice or comments, I welcome them all. I can't wait to officially be a member of the sisterlocks sisterhood!

Smooches!

xoxoxoxo

Sunshine Sisterlocks