Wednesday, February 1st, marked my sixth retightening (reti), and I am thrilled with the progress of my hair. My hair is transitioning through the budding and locking process, and it is still providing me with the most hair freedom I have ever known. 

The pictures below represent my hair two days before my reti, after six weeks. Typically, I retighten every five weeks, but I wanted to see if there was an appreciable difference in my hair (shedding, smell, feel, oiliness) if I waited another week to reti. There were no significant differences, so I will probably rotate the 5-6 week cycle for retightens. Be warned…most of these photos are untouched and filter-free. 😁

Before Retighten:

My hair is thick…very dense. Still very curly on the ends.

My grid is not noticeable at all.

The photo below shows a great contrast between my sun-kissed ends and my darker roots. There’s even a peep of gray in my temples (on both sides).

For the picture below, the bundling and banding process is simplified…as long as the ends are secure, we don’t spend much time prettying up the results for my retighten.

After Retighten:

Sometimes, I’m still amazed by my growth over the past seven months and how my locs are transitioning. The top two pictures (maroon tee) represent the day of my completed install. The bottom two pictures (salon drape) represent my hair just under seven months post-install, after my sixth retightening.

It’s hard to believe just over a year ago I did the big chop and my hair was just over an inch long-all over. I loved my ‘fro because it represented so much more than the end of chemically straightening my hair. It represented the changes I was poised to make in 2016 in my career, my health, my friendships, and my well-being. I had to cut some things and some people out of my life. My hair was a metaphor of transformation.

Since my last retighten in December, I’ve been experimenting with Loc sprays that I really like from Tiffany’s Loc Jewels (www.tiffanyslocjewels.com). Each of the three I have tried has a distinctive spicy fragrance, and all remind me of winter, the holidays, and grassy smells. I typically spray my locs liberally before showering at night and donning my Loc Soc to go to bed. Tiffany, the company’s namesake, is quite responsive and will communicate with you from the point of sale, throughout shipment, and beyond. I’m looking forward to a mild spring and warmer months to purchase a few fresher, lighter sprays. Check out her website. 

One thing is true…I’m still enjoying my hair journey and what Sisterlocs mean for me. Everyday I notice something different about my hair, and I celebrate the freedom from hours of styling and the inconvenience of waiting to be seen, shampooed, colored, dried, or styled. Everyday I’m grateful for the ability to transform myself…still.