The Promised Land: Two years and Eight Months

 Can you believe it?  I made it to my Sisterlocks "Promised Land!"   It took two years and eight months, but I am finally there.  I was literally the only Black woman wearing my own hair in my last hair class that I attended.  The other four Black female hairstylists all had some sort of weave or extensions.  I was in the 20 percentile.  Can you believe how extension hair is ruling?  Amazing.

So what is the "Promised Land of Sisterlocks?"  

The moment when your Sisterlocks stop feeling like a "bad haircut" that is taking FOREVER to recover from. Laughing out loud.  

It is also the moment when you never have a bad hair day. In addition, for me, my Promised Land was to get well past chin level whether I am wet or dry.  So that moment is finally here.

I keep making heads turn.  I even tightened up my hairline before this quick mini-photo shoot for this special posting.  I can even get my Sisterlocks to sway when I rock my head some.  Yeah, my wait is over; I foresee sunny forecasts in my future even if it is raining outside.

So enough about me!  I need to dismiss some more myths about Sisterlocks.

Myth #1:  Sisterlocks ends are supposed to be loose.
Once you get your hair Sisterlocked, your ends do NOT have to be left open.  If your hairtype buds at the ends, do not allow anyone to cut the buds off or pull the buds off unless you want them removed.  If you remember one of my blog posts about the third certified Sisterlocks consultant that I went to, she went through ripping as many buds off my ends as she could before she started the tightening process.  I lost some length from that session because some of my relaxed hair gave away one and two inches deep.  I recently read on a Sisterlocks forum that some consultants believe that the ends must be loose for them to be Sisterlocks.  Apparently, I ran into one of those consultants.  Consumers are so vulnerable when they put their trust in the Sisterlocks.com listing. I look back, and I wonder where would I be if there was no list.  Anyway, consumers should be aware if consultants try to force them to conform to one set of rules.

Myth #2: You can not put any type of oils or creams or serums on your Sisterlocks.
If your hair needs additional hydration then make sure that the product does not cause the hair to unlock or unravel.  If it does not interfere with the locs' integrity, then you have a right to use the product.

Sisterlocks founder Dr. Cornwell's hair according to her training video, is "short and shallow."  This means her natural oils flow more easily down her hair shaft which is why additional hydration of her locs may not have been necessary for her hair type, but the regimen that worked for Dr. Cornwell, may not work for everyone especially if their hair is deeper and more resistant than Dr. Cornwell.

If you are wanting to try a new product before your Sisterlocks consultant says that your Sisterlocks are settled, then just experiment with the product on a few Sisterlocks at a time to make sure that there is no slippage before tackling the whole head.

Myth #3:  You can not call your locs Sisterlocks if you don't follow the Sisterlocks rules.
If you paid for Sisterlocks, and you have your Sisterlocks "birth certificate," then you have Sisterlocks.  Now, if you become "parting challenged," then that does not mean that you do not have Sisterlocks, but it does mean that some Sisterlocks consultants may not want to accept you as a client if they see a lot of problems with your locs. Or they may not be familiar with your hairtype, and they may not want to be liable for working on your head of Sisterlocks.  Even if your Sisterlocks consultant did not follow the rules for your Sisterlocks locking session, your Sisterlocks birth certificate still stands.

Myth #4:  Interlocs and Sisterlocks are the same.
Some Interlocs and Sisterlocks can look exactly the same especially if the Sisterlocks consultant did not follow the Sisterlocks sizing grid.  However, without that Sisterlocks birth certificate, I would say that you do not have Sisterlocks. Sisterlocks is a trademark.  It is a special type of Interlocking process. Consumers pay extra for the name, and the perks that come along with it.

The bottom line is this:
Sisterlocks rules are made for the consultants not the consumer.

Happy Sisterlocks "Promised Land" to me!!!!!