Gah. I'll try to find them again. I had a feeling I should have bookmarked them. I was wandering around looking at the horror shows a few days ago from that crocheting maniac in a Taiwan(?) shop and got lost from there. I'll try to track it down.
It's funny, but in a way, your questions are helping me exercise my mind for my chem test on the 9th
*smooch* I aim to please. lol
I just can not believe some of the crud on YouTube with dreadheads. That's a basic highschool chemistry no-no and this lady is just happy as she can be listening to that shit sizzle on her head.
I started letting my hair lock up to get AWAY from the chemical nonsense, not to buy into it. Or the rampant stupidity. Soooo glad this community exists!
Same, I can't believe I didn't know about this place for as long as I've know Eagle. I guess I must have still had short hair when I first met him. I was planning on growing locks, but they hadn't started looking like anything yet.
And yeah, that is basic HS chem. I'm in my higher level college chem class now, but It still helps. I can look at the formulas and read more into them than they teach you in HS. Every little bit helps.
I started my locks, as well, to get away from using harsh chemicals, and to make life easier. I'm pretty lazy. I like to be able to just get up in the morning and go. No more looking in the mirror and worrying about how I look. I look the same everyday. And after 5 years I still haven't gotten tired of it. Well, not the same for 5 years. They have grown and matured, but you know what I mean. Plus there are so many ways to decorate your locks, and tie them up
Being forced to carefully read labels and research ingredients due to recently discovered allergies also forced me to take a hard look at what I can live with and what I can toss in the trash can as purely expendable and an unnecessary expense. But once I started making the link between my shampoos and the breakage going on in my hair I was obsessed with finding out what it was in my products that was giving my hair such issues. Cetyl alcohol. That's the culprit right there. It's in everything. A nuisance to consumers and the hair care industry's favorite baby. Think about the vicious circle they perpetuate. It's sick.
I think the saying that 'you can make your dreadlocks and low maintenance or as high maintenance as you want them' holds true. The more time goes by the lazier I get with 'em! (Besides separating) I love it. Before locks I used to be high maintenance with special butters and oils and snobby shampoos and shit. Now I am so much happier. And yup, I know what you mean about not having to look in the mirror. REFRESHING!
It's hilarious to me that my husband still maintains that he hates my locks. But every now again again he'll stick his hands in my hair and twiddle a bead like its a new toy. He hates to admit it and I don't think I'll ever get him to, honestly, but I think he's enjoying watching the show as my hair morphs into some new beastie he's never seen before. A freeing and gratifying journey.
Oh and back on topic: how long should we soak our hair in clean fresh water to get the chlorine out before we can deem it safe to let it dry? I know that chlorine itself is drying to hair so how long before a 'shampoo'? One day? Two?
I never go in pools anyway but this little convo is some good knowledge! I have no urge to go in one anytime soon now either. lol
That's a shame that he hates them. I think, if he plays with the beads, he doesn't really hate them anymore. Just doesn't think they fit the ideal of beauty. But as long as he's ok with you having them, that's all that matters. He's thinking about yourhappiness.
The only maintenance I do to mine is using that locking gel from dreadlockshampoo.com. I'm getting married in June. So I was thinking that if I could do anything for the new babies growing in on top of my head, I'd do it. Mainly for the pictures. I just want them to be a little more tamed. Just enough to get them out of the way and not stick up like devil horns.
Once the wedding is over, I'll give up on the gel.
As for washing. If you rinse really well before using shampoo, I'd think you could use a normal soap like Dr. B's or dreadlockshampoo. If you're using dreadlockshampoo stuff, I'd worry a little about the liquid stuff because one of the ingredients is beer. The chemical makeup of beer might react with the chlorine. The bars don't have beer in them, so I'd think they'd be safe to use. Just rinse for a little while before you add the soap. And if you normally use sea salt in your wash, skip it for the next wash or 2
I can't go in our community pool because of allergies to what's in sunblock(the oils float) but my kids go in and sometimes Momma gets splashed soo..... good info to know. I think if I was to find safe pool with no sunblock to swim in I'd make sure I take a ten gallon bucket with me. After I get out I can fill it with fresh water, lay with my head hanging off the lounge chair, and let my head soak in the water.
Man, why can't we have salt water swimming pools!!???
Mama, neither do I, but for different reasons. I don't like being weightless. Makes me nauseous. I don't like flying, or amusement park rides, for the same reason. If I go near a pool, I just dunk my feet in or walk up to my waist. No swimming.
I don't really even like the ocean for the same reason. I go in for my girlfriends sake, but I load up on ginger first to try to combat the sick feeling. I do like the sand, though. I like playing games in it and building things
