Certified Sisterlocks Consultants: Worth the Risk?

I felt compelled to share one more Sisterlocks related story that I witnessed that may assist others in making a safe and informed decision.

I met another young lady who was seven months pregnant with twins.  She had just driven 1.5 hours to have her Sisterlocks tightened by a certified Sisterlocks consultant.  Unfortunately, the only certified Sisterlocks consultant in her city discontinued offering Sisterlocks.  I asked her if there was a Registered Sisterlocks Trainee in her city.  There was one, but she preferred a certified Sisterlocks consultant.  She was a cosmetologist herself and wanted only the best for her hair.  (Sounds familiar?)  I asked her "what was she scared of" regarding being serviced by a Sisterlocks trainee.  She worried about the technician not putting enough tension in the loops and leaving gaps.  (Please see my "learning about locks" article that I recently wrote to learn about tension and gaps.)

I told her that the tension can be taught, but she preferred a certified Sisterlocks consultant so she had made an appointment with the last Sisterlocks consultant that I had to retighten my hair.  I allowed this consultant to  pay a daily rate to work from my salon for one day.

This particular client had a lot of Sisterlocks in her head (at least 600?), and it took this consultant seven (7) hours to tightening this 7 months pregnant with twins client who still had another 1.5 hours to drive back home through Friday traffic.  This may not seem like a big deal, but I knew that this consultant took four (4) hours to tighten my own head of Sisterlocks at $30 per hour.  Within two weeks, it felt like they had never been tightened.  So for this pregnant client to be out of $210.00 USD, 7 hours of tightening time, gasoline, and 3 hours round trip commute, and I am willing to bet that her Sisterlocks were loose again within two weeks . . .

I am guessing that the Registered Sisterlocks Trainee within her own city is looking like a much wiser choice for future Sisterlocks services.  My concern is when people are risking their health traveling 7 months pregnant with twins for the sake of being serviced by a "coveted certified Sisterlocks consultant," only to realize that just because someone has the "certified Sisterlocks consultants" status does not mean that they are going to meet everyone's Sisterlocks needs.

Let me also add that I gently addressed my concerns to the consultant about her (slower) speed and (higher) pricing compared to other consultants that I have paid for Sisterlocks services, and she was not open to change nor further discussion.  Her response was that her speed is her speed.  She does the best that she can do and if people do not like it, then they can go elsewhere.  Of course for me, I told her that I will find other options for myself.  $25 per hour for 3 hours every six weeks is reasonable for me, but $30 per hour for 4 hours every 4 weeks (because she did not tighten with tension) was over my budget.  So I am going to allow my Sisterlocks to freeform until I decide what my next move is.

Sisterlocks: Consultant or Registered Trainee

 Well, I just completed my third retightening session.  For some reason, my session marked my first time where the consultant did not have to use clips. My hair is now long enough to gather sections and twist out of the way. Yes!

Now, for the not so good news, I can now see the differences in my parting sizes on both sides of my head.  They are maturing differently.  Can you see a difference in the sisterlock count and sisterlock parting when comparing the picture above with the one below?  I know that the title of this article is "Consultant versus Trainee." But bare with me, I have a reason for taking this tangent.  So as I was stating, my Sisterlocks are not consistent on the left side versus the right side.  Why? One side was completed at the top of the day on the first day.  The other side was completed in a hurry trying to finish up the first 12 hour day.  We were both getting tired, and I now see the results from that.  As you all know, I decided to have my SisterLocks installed by a Certified Sisterlocks Consultant versus one of the Registered Sisterlocks Trainee.  You  all also know that I had a "less than perfect" experience with the Consultant resulting in me flying to Boston to become a registered trainee so I can know what a more perfect experience should have been.

So my right side, pictured above was done at the top of the day. I like this side better than the left side.  I am going to have to live with the inconsistency now.  It may work to my advantage because I prefer a side part anyway.  When I achieve "BSL" (bra strap length,) I will have a fuller side and a skinnier lock side that will be easier to tuck behind the ear.  It will work out.  God has a Master Plan.

So now that I have been in SisterLocks world for over three months, I have learned a lot, and I am quite certain that I have more to learn.  For those who are trying to decide on a Sisterlock Consultant versus Registered Trainee, ask yourself these questions:
1) Do you need someone to assist you with styling? Find a trainee or a consultant who is also an ACTIVE Licensed Cosmetologist.  Hair styling is legally only to be performed by licensed cosmetologist.

2) Do you want to eventually have your Sisterlocks highlighted or permanently colored?  Again, seek out a trainee or a consultant who is a licensed cosmetologist.

3) Do you want a customized regimen for your particular hair type? Again, seek out a trainee or a  consultant who has a track record for healthy hair with a diverse clientele.  Some women have scalps that produce a lot of oil naturally and some women have scalps that do not produce lot of oil.  The latter category of women really need to use a special hair moisturizer that does not attract dirt and lint.  Only a cosmetologist would possibly know what to recommend for your individual hair needs.  Sisterlocks teaches one way for everyone.  I make sure that potential clients understand this.

4) Now, for the million dollar question, consultant or trainee?  Find the one who you are willing to stick with through thick and thin.  I have not met a perfect Sisterlock consultant nor a perfect Sisterlock registered trainee.  Women often compare their Sisterlocks.  Your hair texture dictates how "slick and stringy" they look versus how "fluffy" they look.  If your Sisterlock installer gets tired, then you may get some inconsistencies, but they should be within the scope of the grid and partings set forth by the Sisterlocks company.  My Sisterlock consultant is constantly beating me up whenever I tell her that I use lightweight moisturizers on my hair.  She literally drives me insane and gets under my skin, but I know that is her personality, and I just deal with it.  We understand each other.  The funny thing is that she never know that I used moisturizer until after she is finished my whole head.  She couldn't tell without me telling her. So as far as I am concerned, the products that I am using are working.  They are not too greasy, not too sticky, not too heavy.  So I will probably just stop telling her that I am moisturizing my Sisterlocks so she will not get on her soapbox lecturing about not putting anything on my locks.  My Sisterlocks are growing, and I know my hair and scalp better than she does.

5)Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, The Sisterlock consultations usually require a consultation fee.  So if you have to interview three Sisterlock "installers" you may be out of $25 per interview.  The Sisterlocks installers that are exclusively Sisterlocks all day everyday may be faster with installing Sisterlocks, but again, it does not guarantee a perfect experience.  It is a long procedure, and we are all human.

If I had to prepare for my SisterLocks installation again, I would have already detangled my extremely kinky coily hair and made sure I had a perfect middle part with four sections across the front from ear to ear.  If you do not have extremely kinky hair, then try to let it "kink" up as much as possible.  My consultant told me not to detangle my hair, and it made it an extremely difficult first day.  So against her orders, I detangled the back of my hair on the second day prior to going.  Because my hair was naturally able to lock, it made both of our lives easier on the second day.  She could tell that I detangled it, but I was lucky because of my hair texture.  It did not mess up my installation.  Someone with "loose, hard to lock" hair may have made the installation of Sisterlocks more difficult.  Hopefully, everything that I am saying makes sense.

There are not a lot of choices in my area for people registered on the Sisterlocks website.  I am surprised that I do not get more phone calls for the Sisterlocks service.  The few that I do get want a huge discount because I am a registered trainee.  I have a solid "non-Sisterlocks" clientele.  I am not going to reduce my revenues to install Sisterlocks which can be a two or three day procedure.  I can promise people that I will follow the Sisterlocks grid  for installations, partings, and sizes.  I just may be a little slower, but I am not going to be cheap. I am a full-time licensed hairstylist within a Grade A salon.  God will have to send the right people for Sisterlocks services in His own time; in the meantime, I am will be dedicated to practicing Sisterlocks installations on one of my mannequins.