Nice! Yeah, yesterday I just left my windows down on the drive to work. They werent even damp when i got in, and it felt great the whole way! haha.
Another thing... Would it hurt or help my baby dreads to wear a full-face motorcycle helmet?
Awesome guys, that help me out a lot! Whats the best way to go about drying my locks?
Alright, I apologize for my attitude. I'm still new here and had no idea who is who. Obviously you are respectable in the community and i will think more about your guidance. Thanks thusfar for any advice, and Im sure ill be posting (more politely) again in the future!
Apologies again!
Also, the man who gave me this advice im so sceptical about had very sloppy, rattly looking dreads (nothing like how i want mine to turn out) that have grown together, and split apart in multiple places. I find it hard to believe that his advice would work well for the style I am trying to achieve. I dont want to look like a homeless man.
So ive gotten many opinions on how i should and shouldnt approach letting my hair lock. Im trying to narrow it down to consensus rather than individuals with strong opinions based on personal 'triumph'.
First off, I'm a white guy with naturally very thick, and very curly hair, so I figured dreading wouldn't be too difficult. Lets hope Im right.
A cosmetologist friend came over 2 days ago, separated my hair into sections, rubber banded the roots, back combed each section, and put a very small amount of non-petroleum, water soluble wax on the roots. She then told me not to touch them for the next 2 weeks, keep them covered when I sleep, and as much as i can when Im awake, and to only use spray-shampoo designed for dreadlocks every 2-3 days. She said that in 2 weeks, she will come back by, and cut the rubber bands out.
By one user here, I was told to immediately wash my hair, and do what I can to unravel them, and start over completely, lettnig them dread naturally. (i know this wont work, because before i started the process, the entire back of my head would become one giant lock when i woke up in the morning, and would take 30 minutes in the shower to detangle.) For obvious reasons, I strongly dislike this idea. I have friends with great locks, that are evenly-sized, lump free, long, thick, and hard, all of whom have used a small amount of wax to get the hair to lock.
I was also told by the same user that i need to cut out the rubber bands immediately, because they are just pulling my hair out, and will dry up, break into tiny pieces, then rot in my hair. (the bands are nto tied too tightly, and my roots have some wiggle-room, so they are not being pulled by the rubber bands).
I ultimately want evenly-sized dreads that are not super fuzzy, and are lump-free. I want dreads that would look presentable in a business suit, and whenever possible, I'd like to avoid the stereotype stigma that dreadlocks carry of 'being a hippie.'
Since I just started 2 days ago, should I keep with what my friend told me, or is there anything else I should do/try to ensure I get good clean tight locks?
When/how should I go about washing. I dont want to risk unraveling them, so ive been advised to use the spray shampoo, is this okay?
I actually like how the half-helmet flattens out my roots, as it 'calms' them down. They aren't too thick, dense, or heavy yet, so left unchecked, tend to get a bit unruly, fluffy, and frizzy at the roots. I'll see how it turns out in the long run, but for now its definitely helping me keep a tidy appearance.
TheSchuberth is a 3/4 helmet with the chin bar. It looks like it wouldnt be any easier to slip on over dreads though.
I try my damndest to be a daily rider unless its raining or 30+ mph winds, so I ended up pulling out the hideous half-helmet I got for free with an olf Vulcan 750 I bought years ago. Its always fit alright, but its chrome with bad-looking orange flames, and a skull, and the words 'Death Threat', lol.
Needless to say, I wear it anyways, because Im not going to ride 50+ miles daily without a helmet. I have noticed though that it fits just fine over my dreads. I also wear a satin night cap ove rmy hair to keep the roots under control, since my dreads are still new. Its designed for hair of people of African descent, and can be found in any beauty supply store. A dew rag would also work.
Thanks for the feedback guys! Looks like the best idea ive found do far is go bump my helmet size up one notch, and line it with satin using spray adhesive. Until then, I'm using a douchy-looking half helmet (chrome with flames- oh boy :-/) and underneath, I wear a satin night-cap I found at Sally Beauty Supply. The cap keeps the roots from becoming unraveled, and I've definitely noticed the wind doing wonders for the dreads.
I've noticed that occasionally, soaring eagle tends to go on a tangent, and avoid the question being asked completely to prove a drastically different point, so ill address the question u actually asked...
Ive got 1-week old dreads and an '05 Yamaha VStar 1100 Classic, and I was wondering the same recently.
Depending on how long you've been working on the locks, ive encountered a few ideas to try...
If they are new, id think that letting them fly could end up tangling the roots together, resulting in a lot of work later to separate them. Its been suggested to wear a wool cap underneath a helmet. I haven't tried it yet, since I only have one acrylic and polyester cap. The hat and my dreads were both really thick, so i coudlnt fit my helmet on over them, but Ive been told a wool cap WILL help to knot up your roots under a helmet. Now that my dreads are starting to tighten up a bit, I need to give it a try with a wool cap.
Aside from that, I've been riding short distances with that sameacrylic/polyester cap, just to keep my hair down. In turn, its done a great job with knotting up the ends (which helps keep them separated after I wash them).
So yes, it would help them mature faster, but if they are new, I'd stick with wearing a cap to let just the roots get knotted to avoid more work than is necessary.
As a fellow rider, I can only plead that you do wear your helmet as often as you can. Get a wool cap to help the roots develop, and the hair hanging out will still knot up in the wind. Of course I'm guilty of not wearing my helmet every ride, and goddamn it feels so good right after a baking soda wash, but like Soaring eagle persistently mentioned, its never a bad idea to wear your helmet!
I've heard that salt water helps tighten dreads up faster, and I dont doubt that after seeing what it does to non-dreaded hair. What I'm wondering is how you would put this into the mix of the BS / ACV wash... Any input? Soaring Eagle, any thoughts?
