1 BradeLocz A Guide to Growing a Beautiful, Healthy Head of Locs from Simple Braids Featuring the Author’s Personal 12-Month Locking Journal Cherie King 2 CGNH Publications Olympia, WA www.Bradelocz.com Copyright © 2012 This document protected by copyright laws. All rights reserved. No portion may be duplicated or distributed without the expressed, written, authorized permission of the author. This ebook is not to be given away nor sold without expressed, written permission from the author. Violators will be persecuted to the full extent of the law. Disclaimer Neither Crowning Glory Publications nor Cherie King assume any liability or legal responsibility for any damages or problems incurred by starting your locs with the Bradelocz method, for using the “latchin” method of tightening your locs, or for any negative reactions to products suggested. This document is meant to be a means of sharing information and the contents therein should be used at the reader’s sole discretion. 3 Introduction Congratulations on your decision to start “permanent braids”! This guide will help you get started and learn everything that is needed to grow a healthy head of Bradelocz! I want to start out by saying that… your Bradelocz will NOT look identical to mine! Your hair will not look identical to anyone else’s, for that matter. They will look like YOUR locs. Often times we tend to see someone else’s hair and we say to ourselves, “I want my hair to look just-like-THAT!” But our hair patterns and textures are uniquely our own and although we may see similarities between our hair and someone else’s, it will not be an exact replica. I am stating all of this as sort of a disclaimer so that you won’t come to me later and say, “Hey! I thought my Bradelocz were gonna turn out just like yours!” I can still remember some years back when someone asked me how I made my locs “fro up” (after having seen my locs during the third month or so). But there was absolutely NOTHING that I did to create that effect, it was just due to my hair texture and how thick it is! Yours may lie flat or it may stand up in a sort of “loc fro” as mine did…it’s all in your hair type, amongst other things. I’ve found out over time that there is no, one, sure-fire rule to locking the hair. We can glean things from others but we have to find our own way and our own process to make this journey truly our own. I have received some very good advice on locking my hair, but I did not follow any one person’s total regimen. I have taken bits and pieces from many different individuals and resources and put together what works for me and my hair and most of all…my lifestyle. You must do the same! Having said that… This Bradelocz Guide is just that…a guide, NOT a hair-locking “bible”! I’ve noticed that in some material I’ve read that talks about locking the hair, the writers sometimes come off in a “this is the one and only way to do it” type of tone. I know that there are some things that are important to do (or not to do) regardless, but some things are just a matter of individuality. For example, most of the people who start their locks by either organic or free-forming methods agree that you can and should shampoo your hair rather frequently with NO twisting. But in the area of manicured, cultivated locks, there is much controversy about how frequently one should shampoo. 4 Some say don’t shampoo for the first month; some say don’t shampoo for the first three months; and some have even gone as long as a whole YEAR without washing their hair but instead, do scalp cleanses with astringents! But then, you have those who say you can and should shampoo a week or two after the initial starter locs are put in and then a couple times per week or once per week thereafter. So, in some instances, you have to do what works for YOU and the shampooing thing is one of those instances. I personally believe that one should have clean hair and a clean scalp and if one method won’t allow you to wash your hair for months to a year, then perhaps a different approach should be taken. But that is my personal view and precisely the reason why I chose to start with braids. As you read this guide and as you begin your own journey into the wonderful, freeing world of locking, please keep in mind that locking is going to cause you to learn things about yourself and your hair that you never knew existed! It is going to be a lesson in patience, diligence, commitment, and learning to take a good hard look at yourself in the mirror and say, “This is ME…I LIKE me!” It won’t always be pretty according to our Westernized view of beauty, but you will be beautiful if you can look beneath the surface and see what lies under what we have kept hidden for so long. If you don’t quite understand the previous statement now, don’t worry…in time, you will! If you are new to the concept of locs or locking, then you’ll want to read the first 3 sections as to gain a bit of insight. However; if you are NOT new to locs or locking, then you can skip those first few sections if you choose! 5 Section 1: Common Questions about Bradelocz ere are some commonly asked questions about starting locs with braids based on my personal H as well as professional experiences from working with clients. 1. Will the starter braids always have an appearance of braids? Do my own locs still have the appearance of braids? No. Have I ever seen anyone’s Bradelocz that kept the braid appearance for a long time? Yes. For the 4 ½ years she was locked, my oldest daughter’s Bradelocz still looked like braids on the ends. The portions that had grown out and been tightened, however, did not. I equate those ends to looking like braids for so long to two factors: 1) Her hair was when we started her locs and… 2) Her hair texture, which is not course or straight, it’s “wiry”. But the more my locs matured, the less they looked like braids. I think that the size of the Bradelocz and the length of the hair determine this. It seems that perhaps larger ones may keep that “braided look, but I’m not exactly sure. I just know that MINE don’t look like braids anymore! 2. Are locs started with braids are usually flat? I’ve heard some people say that locs started with braids are flat as opposed to cylindrical like palm-rolled locs. Well…I noticed one or two of my locs feel flat to the touch, but the majority of them are indeed cylindrical. I believe this is in part due to the fact that I finger roll (twirl with my fingers) down the length of my locs after I shampoo them to help smooth them a little. But…it may not be due to that finger rolling because my little baby girl’s locs are nice and round and I don’t do that to hers. So…to be on the safe side IF flat vs. round matters to you, finger roll them gently while still damp after shampooing and applying a small amount of oil. 6 3. Do the ends eventually lock up? This often depends on hair texture. Some people have locs that are fully locked and then the very ends are curly. Then, you have others whose ends are very tight and firm. There are also those who have some of both! Currently, I have both. Some of my locs are still curly on the ends and some of them have locked up. Notice the ends in the photos are firm and locked! 4. Can Bradelocz be started on relaxed hair or natural hair that has relaxer left on the ends? My experience is with starting locs with braids on all natural hair. I have, however, come in contact with a few women who started their locs with relaxed ends. My concern is the stringy look of the permed ends and unraveling issues. But some of them used rubber bands on the ends while others just braided the hair up and dealt with unraveling accordingly. You can call around to natural hair care providers in your area to ask if they start locs with a “tool” or a “crochet/latch hook method”. 5. Can Bradelocz be started using extensions? I have never personally done Bradelocz on anyone using extensions, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. I have read about some who use extensions to begin locking and this has been done with other methods besides Bradelocz. My biggest concern would be making sure there is even tension on each braid and that not too much hair (or other extension fiber) is used on too small sections of your own hair. We don’t want the root beds of your hair to become weak and break off due to the braid/lock being too heavy from too much weight. If you do, I recommend using either yarn (yes, the yarn used for knitting and crocheting) or Lin fiber as they are both very light and most close to the natural nappy texture.