This probably isn't going to be the longest of posts because not too much has happened in a week or so, but I figured it's best to write any kind of update for my little memory bank than nothing at all. So here's how my week has been after my first ever dread wash!

In a style so true to myself, I was really cutting it short in terms of time, as I got my dreads installed with full knowledge that only a couple of weeks later I'd be spending a week at my boyfriends house, as well as attending a family wedding! Luckily for me everything went off without a hitch, my dreads felt glorious the whole time and I managed to tame them into a cute half-up sort of 'do' for the wedding; my boyfriend refers to it as 'elf hair' which is where I take a small chunk of hair from above each ear and pull to the back of my head, clipping both sides in the middle. If you're unsure what I mean just google elf hair and that pretty much nails it! The wedding was super fun, my hair stayed in place all night (a first for me!) and I felt really good, which is all I wanted above everything as it meant I could relax a bit and enjoy myself without worrying. 

Naturally as time goes on my dreads are getting messier and 'poofier' but that's to be expected, there's also a lot of loose hair poking out here and there which again is totally normal as hair doesn't automatically dread and stay that way, it's a process you've got to work through. I'm planning to book in some maintenance with the lady who did my dreads in the first place so that they can be tidied up and helped on their way to knotting up properly.

Before I got my dreads I made sure I had everything I would need already stocked up, one of the most important things being a crochet hook (I bought a 1mm & a 0.75mm hook) as this is a really useful tool for dreadlock maintenance. I had a go trying to use a crochet hook to tuck in some loose strands after watching a couple of YouTube tutorials, I managed to but I found it very fiddly and slow going, which resulted in my hands hurting quite quickly.

After the wash I found it quite funny that the hair at the roots of my dreads (which isn't fully dreaded as new hair is always growing) didn't go 'poofy' afterwards but instead became smooth 'normal' hair, quite a juxtaposition in comparison to my little noodles! After giving the roots a massage they've fuzzed up and started to re-dread by themselves, potential crisis averted.

Drama then hit the news with fears of 'superlice', as if normal lice weren't a bad enough threat with any hair, let alone dreadlocks. Naturally I wanted to protect myself against any chance of this happening and I managed to find a really cheap tea tree spray from Quality Save (that's made up of mainly essential oils & is cruelty-free) that I spritz on after washing so that it absorbs into my scalp,  I also use it just before heading out. It's great to give your hair a freshen and can also help to prevent dandruff!

I still absolutely adore my dreads and it's honestly so hard to find fault with them; they're giving more confidence than before and I feel much less nervous about them in public. A lot of people do still stare, do double-takes, children look and make remarks their parents, some people smile back at me...it's normal really because I've experienced this most of my life. It's just hair but many view it as something strange or unique. I suppose it is quite unique perhaps?

They even seem longer already to me and I know that's most likely because they're settling down rather than sticking up all over the place, either way it's a sign that normal progress is happening. Part of me wished I'd done a blonde ombré to the ends of my hair before dreading but I really didn't want to damage my hair after getting it back to good condition took such a long time, plus hair can't be dreaded if it's in poor condition. I do have to say though months on now writing this diary entry up, my previous hair colour (which I matched to my own) is actually washing out or lightening, and the ends of my hair are becoming blonde! 

After washing not much else changed, the dandruff reappeared so I just re-salted and shampoo'd my hair a week later, other than that there isn't much else to report. My friends and family are getting more used to them, many people (including strangers) compliment them or are interested in them and these little beansprouts on my head are already impacting my life in a positive way. I'm that bit more carefree and spontaneous, I've gotten so much free time back that I usually would have spent blow-drying and styling my hair every 2-3 days, which in turn has eased the strain of my fatigue somewhat. All in all I'm still very happy with what I consider my 'life-changing' decision!

I hope you're enjoying this series so far and if there's anything you want to know then just leave a comment below! 

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Hey cats!

Here's the next instalment of my Dread Diaries and how I found my first two weeks, up until the point of washing...

First Day Thoughts 

• The length is a shock after having longer hair but I like it & I'm happy to have shorter hair again 
• Being sideshow bob is annoying as hell and isn't my most attractive look 
• But they were comfy to sleep on; felt just like my normal hair which surprised me! 
• I forget they're there unless I pass a mirror, for some reason my hair feels weightless at the moment 
• Slightly worried about upkeep, doing everything right & the general responsibility, the thought is a little overwhelming 
• Brain is panicking over the change and commitment, one of my most common fears 
• I need to cut my fringe 
• Switching between love and hate, wondering what I've gotten myself into 
• Almost missing my old hair & only remembering the good stuff not the fact I have hated my hair for about 10 years 
• Not washing them for 2 weeks is going to suck 
• This is going to test my patience, I can't wait for them to settle

So now that I've gotten a few days under my belt my hair has settled a lot more (I love it) and so have I; I've even had quite a lot of compliments on it both from people I know - my boyfriend likes it and thinks it suits me - and complete strangers. I do feel quite paranoid at the moment being out as I get stared at A LOT which makes me anxious and uncomfortable but it's another personal hurdle that I think this hair can help me to overcome, I'm tired of being judged and shouldn't give a hoot what others think. As much as it shames me to say this I've been surprised at how accepting a lot of people have been with it considering it's not all that common a hairstyle, what's even more surprising is that many people don't always click on that it's my real hair that's dreaded! Now I'm on day 6 of no washing and it's itchy, warm & irritating but that's to be expected and I won't give in.

We're well into the second week now and I've adjusted very quickly, so much so that I'm astounded at myself with how much more comfortable I am being out & about however I have always been with someone and haven't yet ventured out alone. I forget that my hair isn't the 'norm' until I clock people staring at me! What helps is that I've been complimented whilst out and told it suits me, one person even came up to me and struck up a conversation about it which was so humbling and my anxiety took a back seat which was refreshing. I've not yet had any negative comments or heckles, most it's ever been is a few funny looks.

Holy hell I just want to wash my hair though, my head feels constantly sweaty and I'm even fantasising about standing in the shower as well as having dreams about washing my hair! What's stopping me is the fear of washing it wrongly/washing the dreads out, I'm excited but terrified for the day I can wash my hair again. I have a tonne of dandruff, which is to be expected but residue-free, anti-dandruff shampoo has been bought (CF of course) and is ready to get at me. I have to say the best thing so far is that I'm not longer fearful of the weathers effect on my hair, come at me wind and rain, you can't hurt me now! 

Summing up I'd say you definitely require determination and an amount of stubbornness for having dreads, of which I have endless supplies. Naturally a few loose hairs have made an appearance and I've been looking up how to do maintenance myself but I'm not incredibly confident or skilled with it so I'm booking myself in with Laurelle down the line to get it done properly! I love my little dread babies, I feel like I've got such a change going on in my life right now that stems way further than my fuzzy noodle head and I welcome it; my dreadies are settling more each day and yes they'll stick up after I've worn headphones or slept but it just makes me laugh, I feel like each dread has it's own personality and way of locking up. They're my lil beansprout babies, I adore them and can't wait to watch them grow and develop, I'm so happy with my choice and I feel like I've really put myself first for the first time in my life.

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*Original header image before text: DTTSP

Hey cats!

I was welcomed by the lovely lady doing my dreads (Laurelle) just outside of where she lived and I was taken to her awesome recently converted house van! It was so unique and surprisingly roomy, her fella was also there and was just as welcoming & pleasant as Laurelle; there was me instantly at ease! They also have two very friendly, adorable doggies and I was happy to have them around but if you're not keen on dogs Laurelle is happy to keep them in another room as long as you let her know in advance. I took some lunch, snacks, plenty of water and on Laurelle's recommendation a book too (I've read this book before and would highly recommend it if you want to read something a bit different), turns out I didn't end up needing the book after all but it was a sweltering day so I was glad of the water.

She has a huge chesterfield sofa for clients which was comfortable from beginning to end; we got started at 12 and the process took about 8 hours in total with a few toilet/food breaks thrown in. In the meantime we watched a lot of Netflix (Community & OITNB) chatted away and of course as it was a long day there was inevitable silence but it was more than comfortable. 

As far as the actual process of dreading itself I couldn't see what was going on and there are many different ways to install dreads. From what I could tell there was sectioning off into a 'brickwork' pattern, a lot of backcombing, twisting, rolling and the use of a crochet needle to loop and hook the hair into itself. As stated on her website "I have been working with dreads and alternative hair for over 8 years and have developed my own technique using crochet hooks and felting needles - NO WAX, LATEX, GLUE or any other quick-fixes that make your hair temporarily neat but cause long term damage to the development and maturation of your dreads. I have large amounts of experience & understanding about how hair tangles & what can be done to facilitate the process without causing damage down the road" She also will refuse to start dreadlocks on hair that she thinks isn't healthy enough to support them which I think is really professional. I also felt at ease reading through her website and seeing that she has her own way of dreading because to me that gives the impression of real knowledge, skill and passion for her trade. 

Throughout the day Laurelle always made sure to check in with how I was feeling and said to let her know if I was getting head sore at all. Quite honestly I didn't feel that way even once, she was super gentle and I'm one of those people that's always loved having their hair being played with, I'm surprised I didn't nod off! It was a long and draining day but also very enjoyable and totally worth it; when we were done she told me all about how to maintain my new dreadies as she encourages clients to learn but she also offers dread maintenance for those who need it.

Unfortunately I didn't have to the foresight to get before and after pictures but my hair went from around armpit length (this measurement makes the most sense to me for some reason) to shoulder length as you can see. My ends were really thin anyway so I don't really feel like I lost a lot of length plus when I did have shorter hair I really enjoyed it so I was pretty over the moon! Laurelle also said it was a pretty good length at which to start dreadlocks and let them grow in. Although my hair is fine there's quite a lot of it which made it a tad more difficult to dread than expected but I also ended up with about 48 dreads in my hair and the average is around 35-45 depending on your hair type, head size and preference. I went for thinner style dreads to suit my size & hair type, they'll also shrink as they mature.

For the next week or so I can expect 'Sideshow Bob' style hair until my dreads start to settle and it's best you leave them loose to do their own thing in this time. As for the my immediate future with my new dread babies, I'm not allowed to wash them for two weeks so that they can settle (plus if you washed them straight away they would most likely just fall out) and then it is recommended that you wash them in salt water at first in order to help the knotting process. I've been told to palm roll them about once a week - which is taking each dread and rolling it back & forth like making a play doh sausage - to keep them in shape and also to look out for any matting between dreads; they have a tendency to try and 'eat' each other so I have to pull them apart regularly in order to keep them separate. Apparently the first 6 or so weeks can be the messiest ever as well as the first 6 months but after that they start to take care of themselves and settle properly. 

Overall I was really happy with my experience and albeit a little daunted by the responsibility to start with I was looking forward to a new life & a new journey. If you're considering dreads I would highly recommend Laurelle, she's fantastic and really knows her stuff! 

Needle & Dread Website / Facebook Page

I'd absolutely adore hearing what you think about this process, is it what you expected?

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Hey cats!

Welcome to my newest running set of blog posts! I'm embarking on what most describe as a spiritual and character building journey that comes with getting your hair dreadlocked. My aim is to document each part of the process from beginning to end, logging everything I can about how I feel, what I'm experiencing and so on. These will be personal posts for me to look back on but if you're curious about dreads or are even thinking of getting them for yourself then I hope this 'series' can be helpful in some way!

I've liked the look of dreadlocks for around 5 years now and about a year or so ago, I actually had synthetic dread extensions braided into my hair on and off for 5 months to get a feel for them/see if they suited. I absolutely LOVED them and it was such a wonderful experience! Don't get me wrong they itched like mad at first and were shockingly heavy to start with but everything else was an easy ride. From this point on I decided I was going to grow my hair to a decent length, get back to my natural colour and achieve healthy hair so that I could finally commit to real dreadlocks with my own hair.

Here's a breakdown of why else I want dreads:

BUT I am aware that the settling in process does require lots of effort and attention, however I think the pay off will be beyond worth it.

So it's the night before and I'm a jumble of different emotions, all exacerbated by the fact my depression decided it would like to up the ante for today and make me feel lost, scared and alone for no apparent reason; fabulous.

However I'm prepared, I've waited for this for so long and I'm beyond excited. I've done all the research I can, I feel I know everything that I need to for now and I'm content with the choice I'm about to make. It's funny how being aware of a permanent change can affect the way you feel about something; this past week I've enjoyed my hair and been happy with it, I get little fuzzy butterflies looking at it and knowing it won't be this way again. I suppose it's a loss in a sense and albeit my hair has never satisfied me, it's still mine and I'll be a tad upset to see it go. There's also that worry of me getting bored easily & dreads are far from easy to reverse. But like I said, I'm happy in my decision, I think it's the right one for me and the loss I'm feeling will be far outweighed by the gain of my 'new' hair and the positive (hopefully!) impact it will have on my life & mindset.

How do you feel about dreadlocks? I'd be curious to know considering the recent focus on all things cultural appropriation!

Stay curious

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