Forum Activity for @gabriella-smith

Dreads breaking off at the bottom.

Help! Save My Dreads

I wouldn't suggest coloring and bleaching your hair to anyone at this point of my life. I mean to each their on but from my person experience it's very damaging. I used to dye by hair a lot growing up it's probably been every color of the rainbow by now. It was when I decided to dread my hair I stopped using unnatural products on my hair actually so around four years now. I've been noticing it's very hard for me to grow my hair out. It is so brittle at the ends! I've also noticed that I have tender spots on my scalp now that some times itch and burn and the hair is a little thinner there. I am almost certain it is from the bleach but haven't found much evidence to back that up. Anyway I put oils like olive and coconut oil into my hair from time to time but maybe I should do this often. Any suggestions for other things to add in my regimen? Especially for the scalp pain. Thank you.=)

updated by @gabriella-smith: 01/13/15 09:57:58PM

I have done everything 'wrong' and my dreads are awesome!

Dread Maintenance

To each their own. =) <3

Over dying...

Help! Save My Dreads

So, will admit here that I have slight addiction to dying my hair.It's been every color of the friggin rainbow, and them some more...:-p. The dye isn't really what I feel is harming my scalp and hair but mainly the bleach! Seriously, my scalp is really tender and I've noticed a few scabs. As cool as ocean blue and turquoise looks on me I think it's time to move on with dying it. I'm wondering if me bleaching it so much may be the reason why my hair has barely grown in the past 8 months. Also, is there a good way I could get back some of the moisture I used to have, my hair is awfully dry. I was thinking I cold do a deep conditioner using hot oil? What oil would work best for this??
updated by @gabriella-smith: 01/13/15 09:06:11PM

How Long Does Your Dreads Grow In the first 7 months.

Introduce Yourself

Wow, 21 years and barely past his shoulders. Damn I hope that doesn't happen to me. I want my hair to grow out so badly. I feel so naked and less feminine with my hair almost to my shoulders.

Lots of new growth.

Dread Maintenance

It's been a while since I had my hair touched up so I think it's time. Last time I did a family member insisted I go to a Locktician. I asked her to please not wash my hair with anything that would leave behind a residue yet she did anyway. She also did twists and had to put EVEN more chemicals in my hair. A week later my scalp was itchy so I did an apple cider rinse to ease the pain and dandruff build up. Also I took those silly little twists out and each one had this disgusting white build up of the product. Yuck!I really hate twists and was wondering if there was a way to touch up my hair from the growth starting from my scalp with something besides beeswax and another method other that twists....suggestions anyone?

updated by @gabriella-smith: 02/14/15 09:16:46AM

Ello

Introduce Yourself

Thank you lovely! Wwoofing around the country would be fun annnnd around the world. A friend of mine I worked with on the farm had a brother who was wwoofing in sweden, man I don't think I'd ever come back to the states. haha. =)

Ello

Introduce Yourself

The one I lived on was up in Cambria, CA. There are so many different oppurtunities to do what I did through word of mouth or through WWOOF http://www.wwoof.org/ . I just so happened to be living in the woods with my love and a friend suggested us stay on this ranch he knew of and fell in love. Though a lot of people came in and had found out about it through the WWOOFing program. We were there a little over a year before moving on to work on another farm in San luis Obispo that was much smaller. The one in cambria was 180 acres and was BEAUTIFUL. =)

Definitely check it out.

Ello

Introduce Yourself

With the baby coming in all I might not be able to make it this summer but I'll definitely be there in spirit and in the future. =)

Ello

Introduce Yourself

Thank you, you're very kind. =)

Ello

Introduce Yourself

Hello there, my name is Gabriella but people call me Gabber. I'm really happy to have found this site dedicated to locs. It was so nice to finally dread my hair after years of wearing extensions/weaves like a majority of african american women do, especially in Cali. It's as if main stream media depicts good and beautiful hair as straight and silky and so women of color go through hell trying to attain something that just isn't natural to us. Having my hair dreaded has a lot of symbolism behind it to me. It's a way of standing up against these standards and showing the world how beautiful and freeing it is to wear my hair naturally. Now I can do the thing I enjoy most in life which is swimming, without having to worry about an 300 dollar weave, ya know? Now I find myself wondering why the heck I didn't do this much sooner!? =)

A little about me: Currently reside in Cali but hopefully not for long. Lived up north on an organic farm where I learned a lot living a self sustaining life style and low impact housing. Met my fiance there and we are having a beautiful baby girl this summer. I love going to festivals and use to be a raver (untzah untzah) music fuels my soul and I have to dance even when there is no music playing! Agnostic pagan and very open to learning about all aspects of religion/spiritual pathways. I'm black and Native American and quite proud of my heritage and wouldn't trade it for the world. Scorpio Sun, Capricorn moon, and Ascendant in virgo. =)

Anyway, feel free to ask me anything, add me, or whatever just try to keep it positive. Lots of love and light!

updated by @gabriella-smith: 01/13/15 09:01:23PM