Well I did it!

I locked my hair.

This decision has been one that took me over a year to make. I had gotten faux locs last year, and really loved the look of them. I questioned whether or not they would be good for me and just continued with my normal wash and go style.

Often, Black women have chosen hair over health.

I’ve never wanted to sacrifice my health because I was afraid of sweating out my hair.

Let’s go back to how we got here.

Mom. Your Hair Is Different.

A Black girl’s hair has a long history with many layers of pain, culture and pride.

I didn’t grow up really understanding our journey until later as an adult.

See…my mom is bi-racial and her hair is fine and wavy. Combs glided through her hair. She used wig brushes instead of bristles ones.

When I was growing up, She choose to fix my hair in the two pony tails style with elastic balls on the ends.

As I became a teen, I begged for a perm (relaxer- straightens coarse hair textures). She really didn’t want me to get it, but by the age of 12, I was addicted to the “creamy crack.”

My hair was thick and long. I did not have a wavy texture like my mom due to my dad’s hair being very kinky. My hair texture had more weight and curl than my mother’s hair.

She Has “Good Hair”

“What are you mixed with?”

“You must have Indian in your family.”

“You got that GOOD hair.”

This is what someone with a looser curl pattern would hear in her community. As a light skinned black girl, it seemed to be second nature that I would get these comments from school peers to random black girls.

It became a statement that I had started to accept and believe. Living for years, hearing these comments makes a person accept these lies, because they live in a society where “white” is the default.

Now, let me say this… THERE IS NOT SUCH A THING AS GOOD AND BAD HAIR!

Now as a much wiser woman of color, I understand this statement is rooted in Euro-centric thoughts and conditioning.

Black girls have been told this lie and it actually still continues in our adult communities.

We must learn to accept that our hair is beautiful and good. Straight hair does not equate to “good” hair.

I honestly believe that black woman have the most versatile type of hair in the world.

I am grateful for my hair texture.

But Locs Tho??

At 45, I STILL had to battle these thoughts in my head about “good” vs “bad” hair. Before I decided to loc it, these were the thoughts going through my head:

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Locking your hair will make it look nappy.”

“What will your mom say?”

“My hair is a good grade, do I really want to commit to this permanent hair choice?”

“I don’t want to do it because it’s trendy”

Typing this really shows me that even though I know the truth about “good” vs “bad” hair and how it’s a myth, those thought that have been a part of my childhood experience still shows up 30 plus years later.

The Process

I found someone in my town- WIN!

Based off her IG page, I was impressed. I didn’t want to spend an arm and leg because I got other things to do with my money.

When I met her, she seemed very knowledgable and kind. She explained to me how to oil (using a spray bottle), the tips of keeping it moisturized (wrapping it up nightly) and explained the entire process as she was doing my hair.

She answered all my questions and was a delightful person.

She took 3.5 hours to coil my hair. She washed my hair first. Secondly, she made smedium parts and coiled each section with a rat tail comb. She clipped my roots and sat me under the dryer.

She asked me how I wanted it styled.

Girl…What’s that? lol

I thought that she was going to coil it and I would wear it down. She advised me that she likes to style it so that during the process it looks “put together” more.

After she was done, like I always do when I get a drastic hair change, I felt a little bit like- hmph.

Not that I didn’t like it.

This hmph feeling is 99% of my reaction immediately after a major cut, braids, color…It take me a couple of days to see myself in the new hair.

Today, I love it. I am so excited to be starting this journey.

My Hope For My Journey

I locked my hair because as a runner, mom, wife and business owner…it may bring me some ease of getting ready and feeling put together.

On a more deeper level, I do want to connect with my ancestors and by allowing my hair to loc, I believe I will find a connection to my African roots.

I know I will have an “uncomfortable” phase- I refuse to call it UGLY. Nope…you see how we’ve been conditioned!

I know I will have to allow my hair to loc up and mature and they may not look exactly how I want because it is a journey.

Hopefully, this experience will be positive for me and I will keep them long enough for me to experience transformation.

I will keep you guys updated here as I travel along this path.