Foolish, foolish, foolish, foolish, foolish, foooolish girl. This song phrase epitomizes what I think of my recent decision to color my hair. LORD, HELP ME! Y'all I got my hair colored last Thursday. If you've read my blog you know I been waiting to do this for my 2 year anniversary. Now let me start out saying that I loooooove the color and I give props to Camille "The Loc Doc" Robbins for hooking me up. I've added a link to her site so that you can check out more of her work. My feelings are not towards her. It was my decision and my hair is my hair. Maybe I should blame my mama & daddy for passing on the type of hair I have. I thought I'd done all the right things waiting for my hair to settle and fully lock. Letting a professional do the job as well. BUT, I'm currently disappointed in the texture change of my hair. I had warned ladies not to color their hair until their locks were completely settled. Knowing what I now know, I'd suggest that you leave the dye alone. I know, I know. Colored hair and locks are beautiful. But is it worth the sacrifice? I'm hoping and praying that this is just a phase and that my hair will get back to its normal thick texture. I chose the color when I went for a consult with Camille on the first of March. When I went in on the 20th, she explained the procedure. Yes, she had already told me that it would change the texture but I wasn't prepared for this much change. She put on the base color, which we decided to name Merlot. And, because this was so dark I decided that I wanted her to do a few hilites. She showed me the results after each step, no problem. And she thoroughly washed and conditioned my hair afterwards. Now before getting my hair dyed, I had only tried conditioner a couple of times and I must tell ya that I'm not a fan of it because frankly it scares me. It makes my locks feel light and fluffly, which I like, but thinner which I don't like. Now I also need to say that I'd had a retightning on the 1st of March and I hadn't washed afterwards because I knew I'd get it done after the coloring. I'm a little scalpy after a retightning but this goes away after 3-5 days. Pictures were taken right after the coloring as well. So, I'm happy and excited while driving home and then I look in my visor mirror and notice all this scalp. Lord, did my countenance drop and it hasn't lifted since. I've worn my hair out but only while it's pulled back because I'll be honest. In my opinion it looks as if I have major thinning aka Alopecia. Prior to coloring, my hair was thick, full and luscious. Not any more! I just can't put my finger on it. Was it the color, the conditioner or a combination of both? Camille has also told me that since I've colored I have to condition regularly now. I soooo don't look forward to this! I've been on Spring break so none of my coworkers have seen my new look. But, this is my plan. I've braided the front of my hair to the back and I plan to wear wraps hoping that as my new growth comes in it will fill in the scalpiness. I'm sooooo depressed about this. I keep asking myself If I should've gotten a semi-permanent color. Now as I've shared before, I do have thinning at the temples. I've been reading on Nappturality that some Sistas have had good succees with Bountiful Tresses for hair growth and using it in the temple area. I'm going to order this, use it for 2-3 months and see what happens. But, even with the thinning temples my hair was thick enough to cover it so that it wasn't so noticeable. Now with the new color unh unh. It really looks as if I'm balding in the top. I also notice that the locks in the back and on the sides are not as they were. I can extend my locks out and below them I'm scalpy. If you come across this post and have a suggestion or encouragement I'd surely appreciate it. Check out my pictures and tell me what you think. If I'm still like this in a month, I believe I'm going to have my locks combined to make them thicker.

http://www.noiredesignconcepts.com/robbins.html

Do you know what 2DAY is? It's my 2 year Sisterlock's anniversary! Two years ago today I sat for about 10 hours including lunch and breaks and I got my locks did. Lord I can hardly believe I've had them this long. Time it seems has flown by. To all you newbies out there be patient and wait I say on the Lord and before you know it one year will become 2,then 3 etc. etc. I've shared many thoughts along the journey so I'll try to add something new or should I say different. Many people say if I would've known I'd love my locks this much I would have done it 10 years ago. I can't say I wouldv'e because getting locks and more importantly keeping them requires a certain type of mindset. Yes, 10 years ago I would've been younger but I can't say that I was mentally ready to have locks. I can certainly tell ya they were the furtherest thing from my mind. Back then I was singing "SAY IT LOUD! I'M PERMED AND I'M PROUD!" I think I was mentally almost similar to Don Imus with the Nappy Headed Hoe mindset. Thank God for maturity. I can also say that although I want women, particularly black women/females, to have healthy hair I don't encourage any to lock unless they inquire because as I've told many get your mind ready first before you complete the act. Why? Because depending on where you live geograpically, people will stare, laugh and might even point atcho head. You gotta be mentally grown to shake the haters. Other advice I have is that if you have new locks "Let Go and Let God" do HIS thing to your hair. When you look at blogs your hair probably won't look xactly like Ms. Things, especially right away, because beautiful locks take time. Those buds and bumps in your locks are like a butterfly's cocoon. They must make the complete metamorphis process in order to be healthy and gorgeous. I do encourage you to periodically look at blogs and magazines when you need a bit of encouragement. I know this really helped me when I would and sometimes still do have the hair blahs. Although my hair has grown it's still not long enuf to do some things I'd like so I whip out a back issue of the Sisterlock's magazine or go blog cruising to remind my self to let patience have it's perfect work. You know what? I recently bought the big book titled Dreads. I loooooove looking at this book. I've wondered what my hair would be like if i would've started with a different method, specifically freestyle. I love this look so much that I'm even considered doing it in the future. If ya don't have this book get it at your local Barnes & Noble. I'm still lovin the freedom locks have brought to my lifestyle. I wouldn't take nothin for it. I think my hair is pretty and healthy. I'm trying to put the right things inside of my body so that it will reflect on the outside of my body. Hey, I'm one of those females who has hereditary thin temples. Wearing Microbraids didn't help this either. But, although I don't have a full hairline all the way across it's much better now that I've gone natural. In one of the pictures I'm wearin the top portion of my hair in a basket weave. Y'all I used to look at those lockers with longer hair, and I still do and drool over this hair do. I was kinda skeptical or shamed to wear this because of the hair line issue. One day I took my time and just braided or weaved a group of hair on top of another until it was all done. I was peachy proud of myself and my hair. And guess what I didn't need to put a rubberband at the end to hold it. I've worn it out and about hairline issue or not. The down side of this experience is that I haven't been able to do it this well since. Boo hoo. Well, I can't think of any more new or different things to share. If you have a question you'd like me to answer, write it in the comments section and I'll answer it to the best of my abilities. Also, check back in about a week or so and you'll see a big change in my locks.