Never fails

Just a quick flick of my fresh braid out, it never fails even when the curls do!
-Gigglz

Still here...

I am still knee deep with busy season at work and just life in general so I haven't had time to blog far less think about a topic to blog.  I'm just dropping a line to say I still love my locks and I'm starting to try different styles no pics yet because the jury is still out.  One thing is that I was trying to let my kitchen grow in, but changed my mind and shaved it off!! Can't do the in between stage, I have over 550 locks I don't need 2 new ones at my nape!! LOL!!

Till next time...

10 Months In

My 10 month anniversary has come and gone on the 18th and I did nothing special to celebrate.  10 months, not all that special just 2 months shy of a year.  I will harp more on that on my actual loc-a-versary!  Here I am at 10 months with a list of 10 issues and/or lessons learned:

1. Locks still not locked yet, budding yes, but not locked
2. Since I stopped B&B around month 7 I have experienced some bunching. To combat the bunching I have been pulling it loose, that led to a lose of a lock (BIG OOPSIE)!!!
3. I have woken up days telling myself like I'm tired of looking like this and want to cut it off!  To combat this I pull my hair into two ponytails and put on a headband, its working so far.
4. I do have to use a clarifying shampoo about once a month.  The lint from sweaters and any material is ANNOYING.
5. Overall I lost 3 locks, all my own doing.  1 was from trying to pull the bunching out and I popped it.  The other 2 were from retightenings.  1, I popped too much hair and it was hanging on for dear life, the other other I joined and tried to cut the budding of another one out and cut the joining (OOPSIE).
6. I don't have to retighten my whole head within 5 days.  I now retighten over the course of a week or two. 
7. I can't go longer than 4 weeks otherwise my hairline looks very untidy and my locks seem to shrink up. 
8. Although I don't suffer with dry scalp, I need to give my locks some moisture in this cold weather.
9. I don't feel the need to seperate my locks after a wash because after a wash I style either braid out of rolling so I'm manipulating my hair.
10. Sleeping with a satin cap and satin pillowcase is best. In case your cap comes off you still have the pillow. 

Retightening Tools...Try the Latch Hook

I've been swamped with work because its year end. Anyone in the financial industry understands that means the closing of the books, audits, financials, and tax work and I'm responsible for it all.  Needless to say the busy season has started and with a bang.  With all that going on my blogging has definitely suffered from the holiday season and now busy season so let me try and catch you up on some things.  Over the holidays I got curious, yeah I know whats new!!! Hehe!  I went to the local arts & crafts store and purchased the latch hook that so many DIY'ers talk about.  Before I give you my review on it recall that I purchased the NL tool about two weeks before taking the official sisterlock retightening class.  I then took the retightening class and received the official SL tool, at that point I fell in love with the official tool and ever since the class I've been only using it.  Now 4 months later I have purchased the latch hook.

See my pros/cons of the SL tool to the NL tool here.  Now that I have the latch hook here is my review:

HATED IT!!!!

I can't even do a review, seriously it is so cumbersome and doesn't exactly make retightening small locks easy.  Mind you I only tried one on my hairline and it was just really hard to manuever in comparision to the SL tool.  My clip wasn't flipping up and although it made my lock tighten closer to the root than the SL tool I actually see that as a con, because I could overtighten and weaken the root.  I will be leaving this tool in the drawer, hoping it will be easier to use down the line when my locks are longer.  I doubt it but I'm going to remain optimistic.

Disclaimer:  This is my opinion on the latch hook and I know many DIY'er swear by this.  I don't knock there opinion but for me this is a no go.