It official, today is Happy Loc Appreciation Day!!!! Today day is The 1st Annual Loc Appreciation Day created by Qochemist on YouTube. I know many of us celebrate our own anniversary and that is great, but today is really special because we now can come together and just celebrate being locked and free! Whether you have sisterlocks, interlocks, braidlocs, free-form or just natural dreadlocks, today is our day to appreciate. So let your locks run free, because today is our DAY!!!! May this day stay strong in the minds of many and hopefully convert many as well.  As one great artist once stated in his music ~ One Love, One Heart.

I really wasn't going to post this, since I didn't think it was much of a style. I also didn't think it was a big deal, but I received so many compliments that I decided to share.

This style is super easy to do. I didn't brother doing a "how to" since the pictures pretty much tells it all. Since I had so much success with this, I'm going to see if I could find some cuter hair clips or bobby pins, then the ones on the pictures.

I was super lazy that day and I didn't smooth out my side, but if you plan to do this, I would suggest using Aloe Vera Gel to smooth out any loose baby hair.

Note: You can click on any of the images to enlarge. All image are copyright by me. Please ask for permission if you want to use any of my pictures.

I purchase two Flexi-8 for my sisterlocks, using a coupon code I found on Retail Me Not. These clips are wonderful for pulling your locks away from your face, while still giving your sisterlocks an elegant look. The version I got was the "extra large" and below are the pictures of them on my sisterlocks.

I just received them, but I must say the feel and material of these Flexi-8 clips are REALLY good.

Note: You can click on any of the images to enlarge. All image are copyright by me. Please ask for permission if you want to use any of my pictures.

This mixology is a little different, since the previous mixology talk more about the benefits for the scalp, and this mixology will focus on the locks itself.

I like the smell of Lavender and Grapefruit Essential Oils, so that is why I use Lavender and Grapefruit as an essential oil, but you can you use what ever oils you like the SMELL of. This mixture will also work fine without any EOs. As always, this mixture can be play with.

I made this for me, since I wanted to see if I can do a mixture spray without having to buy a moisturizer spray and it turned out GREAT (I must say, I’m very proud of myself).

The feel of this reminds me of using "Oyin Greg Juice" on my natural hair days. With proper storage, you can make 6 bottles ( 8 ounce) without any issues. Please note, I used Jojoba Oil, since Puritan Pride had buy 1 get 2 free promo going on, but you welcome to use coconut oil, if that is your preference. 

So once again, I have change my moisturizer for this homemade mixture. Since this spray is all natural, you will need to sake before you spray on your sisterlocks. If you follow this recipe to the "T", you will love it as much as I do. If you are looking for shinier sisterlocks, this mixture is not for you, and you should read this post about why our hair is not suppose to be shinny. Note: Please do not use on newly install sisterlocks!!!

Material Needed
8oz Amber, Cobalt Blue,
or Green Spray Bottle
Measuring Cups
Tablespoons

Recipe for Dry Locks
4 Drops of 100% Pure Grapefruit
Essentials Oil
8 Drops of 100% Pure Lavender
Essentials Oil
1/2 oz (1 tbsp.) 100% Pure Vegetable Glycerin
1/2 oz (1 tbsp.) 100% Pure Aloe Vera Gel
2oz (1/4 cup) Coconut oil or Jojoba oil4-5oz (1/2 cup) Distilled Water

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UPDATE 3/2/2013 - I use rosemary, sage, lavender, and vanilla for scent. I love the aromas of those combine scent (less fruity then above) and that is what I use to scent my spray.
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Lavender Essentials Oil is light medium body floral oil that smells light, and fresh. The smell is wonderful for soothing stress, depression, and anxiety. Other uses: Used to relieve an itchy scalp.
Grapefruit Essentials Oil is light medium body citrus oil that smells clean, light and has a wonderful pleasant fruity smell. Other Uses: Work as a natural preservative because of it antioxidant properties.
Coconut Oil is rich in it anti-fungal and antibacterial properties as well in vitamin and mineral. The oils in the coconut also contain proteins, which work well in helping hair retain proteins. Other Uses: Cooking. Stimulate circulation on the scalp and works well as a scalp moisturizer.
Jojoba oil is known to conditions your hair and prevents it from being brittle, shedding, and becoming dull. Jojoba is also non-greasy, colorless and odorless. Other Uses: Useful for Dry Scalp since it resembles our natural scalp producing oils and won’t clog the pores.
Vegetable Glycerin is derived from plant oils and is also humectants (meaning it binds to water). It mostly marketed in leave in conditioner, hair moisturizer, and lotions. As far as hair is concern, it is use to soften and prevent breakage (natural hair only) and can act as a thermal protection when using heat from hair dryer, flat iron, etc. There is no scientific evidence that glycerin absorbs water from hair, and should be very stable once mixed with water since that is what it prefers. A little goes a long way! Example: 15% Glycerin to 85 % Water Other Uses: Can be uses as a skin moisturizer, an eye shadow primer (mixed with water), a natural preservative at a ratio of 15-20%.
Aloe Vera Gel is a wonderful universal product and you should consider adding it to your collection of home items period. For hair, it detangles and moisturizes. It balances the pH Level of natural hair, and contains natural building enzyme for proteins. Other Uses: Scalp treatment for dandruff, seborrhea (dermatitis), psoriasis. Healing agent when applied to burns, scrapes and wounds and can also soothe pain and regenerate skin cells. Can be used as a gel to smooth back frizzy hair vs. using a black gel, etc... Great for stomach condition such as digestion if mix with juice.

Note: During winter time, they are talk that Glycerin doesn't work as well. If your mixture contain enough water (which Glycerin attractive to) then you shouldn't experience any issue.

I wore this hair style to a Zouk/Kompa Club called ATRIUM. I used the second version of my pipe cleaners to receive this result. Below are the pictures and the materials I used, as well as the "how to".

The "how to" for Pipe Cleaner II can be found here. The default "result page" of my pipe cleaners can be found here. This post is a series of three post as well, since I believe this would make a great start for my style edition series =).

Material Needed
Bobby Pins
Pipe Cleaners
Spray Bottle

1) Apply the pipe cleaners to your locks. Keep in mind where you want to have your spiral of curls to fall. Mines was on the right side of my head.

2) I first did three big twists in the back, and then proceed to pin them down with bobby pins.

3) Then I did three more twists on left side of my scalp, pining them down with bobby pins as well.

4) Make sure, the side you going to leave your Shirley Temple curls, are as small as possible. This is achieved by taking small section of your locks with the pipe cleaners. My example once again, is on the right side of my head, where my curls fall. I separated the Shirley temple curls for more volume.

5) I used Aloe Vera to smoothed out my sides instead of gel.

Warning: Your sisterlocks will look like it is fake. LOL for some reason, a lot of people didn't believe that was my hair. Go figure right.

Note: You can click on any of the images to enlarge. All image are copyright by me. Please ask for permission if you want to use any of my pictures.

Result came from 2 packages. I really needed 3-4 packages, since I had to take the back a little bigger. Below are the pictures showing off the result of the pipe cleaners. I still find Pipe Cleaner I had the longest lasting curls for me, but my hair was shorter then, so maybe that was it. The "how to" for this version of the Pipe Cleaners can be found here.

Shirley Temple Curls - Silver Hair Band	Length Reduce But Still Cute
Pictures Does No Justices To The Curls =(	Release of Shirley Temple Curls
I went out to a Zouk/Zompa Club during memorial weekend, and I did a pin up style with my spiral curls (with version II of pipe cleaners). You can check it out here. That post is the beginning of my style edition series.

Pipe Cleaners period still win as far as the longest, tightest lasting curls. I will not retire the Pipe cleaners, since these curls are different from the perm rods and spike curlers.

The fastest install of the Pipe Cleaner is still Version I. If you want to know how to create the pipe cleaner curler click here. I still found Version I having the tightest curl of them all. So if you looking for a much tighter curl definition, then Version I is it.

Material Needed
Pipe Cleaners
Setting Lotion
Spray Bottle

Step 1) Lightly sprays your locks with your spray bottle (please don't drench your locks, a light spray will do). I found my curls lasted, without a settling lotion, but if you feel the need for one, apply it here.
Step 2) Using the hoop area as your base & guide, slowing start wrapping a small amount of locks around the pipe cleaner. Make sure you are warping it upward covering the pipe cleaner as much as you can.
Step 3) Once you have reach the end of your scalp, you will bend the excess end.
Step 4) Do step 1-3 throughout your head. This will take about 1 hour to 2 hours to complete. I did this while watching TV, I suggest you do the same :).

To remove the pipe cleaners is simple. Latch on to the bend hoop area, and pull it through your locks. Note: I did a big hoop on the pipe cleaners on the picture as a sample. It doesn't need to be that big, and if you sisterlocks/dreadlocks are longer then mines, then you will need as much you can get from the pipe cleaners. To view the result of this version of Pipe Cleaners, click here.