Forum Activity for @arkynstone-gypsyfae

Advice for soft fine hair

General Talk

Hi!  I have soft, fine hair also and have been in the natural/neglect process for almost two years.  Your story sounds very similar to mine, so I figured I'd give some info on what I've done and tried so far that seems to have helped. 

First, it's going to take time.  I still have a couple of small loose sections that haven't locked.  But at the same time, I had my first dreads starting within the first week.  I recently found about four baby dreads that formed without me realizing it.  LOL  For the first year or so, I was washing with a low-residue shampoo every other day or every two days depending on how my hair and scalp felt.  I would do a quick squeeze dry with a towel (no rubbing, just a basic pat-down of sorts) if I was in a rush, or just wrap it up in a towel while dressing for work.  Try to keep your hair down and loose as much as possible, but don't stress over putting it up if you need to for work. Just let it down again as soon as you are able.   

After about four or five months, I started with occasional salt baths, soaking my dreads for up to 30 minutes in 7-10 minute intervals.  I've used both Epsom salt and Sea salt.  Not too much of a difference other than the Epsom leaves my hair feeling softer, which may not be the best thing for trying to dread.  My scalp always feels fantastic after either salt soak.  I did this about every month and a half to two months just to get rid of any buildup.  Earlier this year, I cut back to washing only every three or four days because my dreads had started to dry out.  I also switched to the dreadlocks shampoo offered by http://www.dreadlockshampoo.com .  I have to say, I immediately noticed a difference in how my dreads felt and how they were progressing.  I kinda wish I would have used their product sooner to help the process, but that's just the way things go sometimes.  

Oh... and a word about beads.  They are fun and all, but definitely don't leave them in too long while your dreads are young.  I have one that is permanently in the base of a dread that grew around it.  I have another one that I thought was doing really well with the beads (2 of them) in it but then realized that only the bottom of the section had dreaded and about 4-5 inches had not.  I removed it and the dread is slowly recovering.  

Other than that, just let them be free!  

Are they supposed to look like this?

Help! Save My Dreads

Totally normal for freeform/neglect method, especially if you have fine hair.  Most of mine wound up doing something like that, tails and all, then formed medallions.  Many of the medallions have narrowed out over time (they'll be 2 years old in December) and some still have tails that are slowly dreading up in to the base of them.  

If you absolutely don't like them, consider palm rolling your dreads while they are damp after washing to help them along.  I've thought about it and done it once or twice, but I feel that it defeats the purpose of letting them just be natural.  Remind yourself that it's part of the process. It's a lesson in patience.  <3

Dreadlocks Shampoo Bar

Dread Products

Hey-oh!  

On my natural/neglect journey for a year and eight months now, and a couple of weeks ago I was curious about what to do to help my juvenile dreads.  They were feeling like they were starting to become dry and straw-like.  I was washing about three times a week with a low residue shampoo (generic).  Soaring Eagle recommended I try the shampoo from dreadlockshampoo.com along with my idea to drop down to only two washes per week.  

Oh baby, does it make a HUGE difference!  I ordered the Sage Sweetgrass and Cedar bar as well as a Tea Tree and Rosemary bar.  The lovely people who make the soaps sent me a sample of the Sandalwood and Tonka Bean as well.  I started with the Sage Sweetgrass and Cedar.  It lathers up wonderfully in your hands and feels delicious on the scalp!  It rinses clean and leaves my dreads feeling fresh and soft and smelling yummy - but not overpoweringly so.  They are tightening even more and really starting to define themselves.  I've used it about six times so far and still have the same results every time - happy scalp, happy dreads, happy me!  I can't wait to give the Tea Tree and Sandalwood bars a go and then move on to other scents!  :)

If you're thinking about trying it, do it!  Your dreadies will thank you!  :D

updated by @arkynstone-gypsyfae: 01/22/20 09:33:16AM

Moisturize?

Dreads Hair and Scalp Health

I have been using a generic, low-residue shampoo with zinc, no conditioner, no additional moisturizers of any kind, no hair products.

I'll look in to switching shampoo.  That might be just enough in itself.  Is there any in particular you would recommend, or should I look in to making my own?

Moisturize?

Dreads Hair and Scalp Health

Hey hey,

I'm about a year and a half in to my natural journey and just have a quickie question.  I know the best method is to just let those babies be, but I've also seen some info regarding dreads sometimes needing to be moisturized if they start drying out and feeling prone to breaking.  Mine don't feel like they would break, necessarily, but they do feel very dry.  I'm thinking maybe I need to back off another day between washes to let the natural oils get in there a bit more.  I'm down to only two or three washes per week depending on what I'm doing and how much I'm perspiring - I work outside on the weekends from August through October.

My question is: Is there anything in addition to reducing the number of times I wash per week which might help with the issue?

My First Compliment From a Total Stranger!

Oops....sorry. Thought I did that.  O_O 

My First Compliment From a Total Stranger!

Seems silly, I know, but a few days ago I received my first compliment on my dreads from someone totally unknown to me.  I'm a little over a year and a half in to my journey and was totally surprised when a guy who was going in to the convenience store held the door for me and then as he was following me in said, "I love your dreads!"  

It took a second for me to realize he was talking to me.  My unruly juveniles were up in a loose scrunch (temps have been in the low 90s for several days and I wasn't down with having my hair on the back of my neck that morning) and they were just hanging out whatever way they were.  After I thanked him he pointed out that he has dreads too and pointed to his head wrap.  I told him that was awesome and we went our separate ways.  It totally made my morning brighter and put a happy vibe on the rest of my day.

This got me to thinking.. what is your first (or favorite) memory of getting complimented by a stranger?

Solace of the Solitary

General Talk

I couldn't have said it better.  I was just thinking much the same thing over the last couple of weeks.  I've noticed that while I haven't been 100% carefree, I've been able to better deal with the daily junk and work stress.  I've stopped worrying about what people think when they see my dreads in a medical office and worrying whether something will be said.  I still have plenty of the journey to go as I am only 16 months in, but the changes inside are happening in synch with the visible changes on the outside.    

updated by @arkynstone-gypsyfae: 04/21/15 09:34:56PM

Hey guys!

Introduce Yourself

Sweet! Welcome! They're looking great already! Don't be discouraged by them unraveling a bit (or a few of them unraveling all the way). Fine hair like ours will do that and it will just redread the way it wants to. Can't wait to watch your progress pics!

Day 3 and need advice.

Introduce Yourself

Jasper's response is correct.

Also, your hair type is a big factor too. I have free-form/neglect dreads but tried a couple TnR dreads in the sections by my ears that weren't wanting to lock up. My hair is naturally fine. They stayed in for a few days, but totally unwound themselves within a week and a half to two weeks. I redid them and the same thing happened. Now they're just doing their thing naturally (still mostly loose but starting to get a few little knots).

Just be patient with them and enjoy the journey! They're going to change often and in different ways for a long time. A friend who did the TnR on her whole head has had hers for over 3 years and she said they are still changing all the time.