Trying Something New: Microlocs (with Two-Stand Twists)

Hi Curlfriends,

How are you? Good and well, I hope.

I've missed this platform. As usual, it has been a while since I've been active on the blog.

This year June marked my 10th big chop anniversary. Technically, December 2020 marked my 10th-year natural (without a relaxer). I started the blog to document my journey - sort of as a journal, capture, reflect on, and share my experiences of what I was learning about natural hair care. Over time, this space has evolved into a sort of personal hair care time machine. I've come so far from my product junkie, trend-following days. I barely watch YouTube videos about hair care, and when I do, these days, it's more for entertainment than education. Occasionally I'll watch a short styling video. I've tried to get back into my own video-making, but it's just not working. I don't feel sad about that though, in fact, it feels good to be letting go of something that doesn't fit into my life right now. There may come a time in future, where I decide to try again, and it just clicks. We'll see!

My hair looks and feels very different now - for starters, I have microlocs (installed 1 March this year - I will tell you more about that soon). But even before I got my starter locs, my hair texture was really different: more course, more brittle, kinkier, less curly than when I first grew out my natural hair. I am sure that, in part, this is because I wasn't spending as much time on my hair as I did 10 years ago as an unemployed student.  

Microlocs

I had my microlocs (637) installed at home in Lagos on the 1st March 2021. The whole process took 11 hours with two stylists.

Loctician: EniBraids

After my fourth re-tie today, Sunday 18th July 2021.

I'm reading/listening to Gabrielle Union's first biography, 'We're Going to Need More Wine' this month. Reading Gabrielle’s memories about relaxer burns in one of the early chapters made me laugh, made me a little nostalgic, but also made me sad. There's a lot we've all endured in the name of beauty. To think that we were often willingly subjecting ourselves to pain, chemical burns and scarring to conform to a set beauty standard is…well, it's really sad. In general, I still lean towards neutral women when it comes to discussions about natural hair vs relaxed hair. We should go for what improves our quality of life and incorporates more ease into our lifestyles. Sometimes that will mean choosing the creamy crack. I don't miss relaxers in terms of hair texture, but I still sometimes miss the 'convenience' of straightened hair. The last time I straightened my hair was several years ago, so in truth, I only partially remember that. I'll save my musings and deeper reflections for a longer post, but I wanted to share this brief update.

I am still firmly standing with "#TeamNatural" (I haven't used this term for a long time), but I am on a different path. I am enjoying the lifestyle that I've eased into with my locs, but also with age. I was 21 when I started this blog, and I am 31 now. A lot has changed. I am glad I've chosen ease, low maintenance, and a relatively pain-free journey. I love the versatility that comes with having microlocs. I started a podcast: The Natural Hair Podcast, last year for those who don't know this already. In the latest episode, I talk about my experience so fair with locs. I hope to follow up soon with a second episode that explores the history of locs in and beyond Africa today, including the origins of the Rastafari movement/religion in Jamaica.

Blogging is hard work but writing this felt like catching up with an old friend. 

I'll be back soon, Curlfriends.

Until then, stay healthy, happy and blessed.

Love, Cookie x