*~~~Dready Mamas 2010~~~* - Page 24

[barefootdoula]

Originally Posted by snugglebug14 

Hey Ladies! Joining this thread finally as a dready mama too! I'm about 3 months and am loving my dreads :)

So I work in a very earthy vegan restaurant/holistic center mainly as an herbalist and energy worker. But occasionally I serve customers too. So today I get into work and there is a letter posted on the bulletin board that among other complaints says "and there was a woman working there with a hairstyle that showed she clearly hadn't washed her hair in weeks or even MONTHS who was making my drink. Clearly you're employee's need to learn proper hygiene". It really shocked me because I've gotten so many positive comments on my dreads that it I forget how ignorant some people are. Some of her other points in the letter were somewhat valid but it's a shame that many people still believe that dreads = dirty, unclean or that I don't shower. It made me kind of mad (and embarrassed) at first but I have since let it go because I know it is only her ignorance. 

At any rate, just wanted to vent a bit to a crowd that would understand!

Oh...and what are your favorite site for dread beads and things. I know a woman somewhat locally who makes these amazing macrame/beaded dangley things to add to your dreads but she isn't making any right now that I know of and would love to know of other people who might make something similar!

Blessings!

Kristen

I'm sorry you had to deal with such ignorance, Kristen.I've been fortunate to only get dirty looks and have yet to receive any negative comments.

As for dread beads, I find etsy has a good selection. That is where I've gotten all of mine, so far!

[pacifica]

Originally Posted by snugglebug14 

Hey Ladies! Joining this thread finally as a dready mama too! I'm about 3 months and am loving my dreads :)

So I work in a very earthy vegan restaurant/holistic center mainly as an herbalist and energy worker. But occasionally I serve customers too. So today I get into work and there is a letter posted on the bulletin board that among other complaints says "and there was a woman working there with a hairstyle that showed she clearly hadn't washed her hair in weeks or even MONTHS who was making my drink. Clearly you're employee's need to learn proper hygiene". It really shocked me because I've gotten so many positive comments on my dreads that it I forget how ignorant some people are. Some of her other points in the letter were somewhat valid but it's a shame that many people still believe that dreads = dirty, unclean or that I don't shower. It made me kind of mad (and embarrassed) at first but I have since let it go because I know it is only her ignorance. 

At any rate, just wanted to vent a bit to a crowd that would understand!

Oh...and what are your favorite site for dread beads and things. I know a woman somewhat locally who makes these amazing macrame/beaded dangley things to add to your dreads but she isn't making any right now that I know of and would love to know of other people who might make something similar!

Blessings!

Kristen

Grrr!  Unfortunately, I was one of those people who thought dreads = dirty, before I had them (although I would NEVER complain like that about someone in a restaurant!!).  So, it was a revelation for me to find out dreads weren't dirty.  Sometimes you have to have patience with those who "don't know" and educate them.  Strangers, even my close friends and relatives, ask me how I keep dreads clean.  I literally tell people to smell my hair, so they can get it that they're NOT dirty, lol.  

Key factors to keeping your dreads healthy and clean.......NOOOO wax!  Wash regularly!  Use Residue Free Shampoo!     

[pacifica]

Chicky2, I love how you put your hair up!  I'll have to give it a try.  I also love your hair color.  

[Rainey Daye]

How hard is it to maintain the thinner dreads (you know, the ones that aren't much thicker than cornrows)? I think dreads of all lengths and thicknesses are cool, but I think the thinner ones would work better with my hair and personality. Plus, my hair kinda already does the thin kind of dreading on its own if I don't brush it for a few days...so it really wouldn't be as drastic a change. However, I'm just wondering if they require more maintenance...as I have a toddler going through a clingy stage and we are trying for another baby and already it's hard to get in grooming time now!!

Also, I haven't had bangs in about 15 years, but have always had a sort of tapered haircut so there was some hair around my face. I'm thinking I might want bangs though when my hair is dreaded to kind of soften and distract from the fact that I have a largish forehead. How difficult is it to keep bangs from incorporating themselves into dreads and should I make such a drastic change of cutting bangs when I'm already making a big change with dreads?

Couple more questions. I know wax is bad...but I've seen some dreadies talking about aloe vera gel. What's that for and is it something I'd want or need in my hair...or will that gunk it up?

Also, how long should I do baking soda/ACV washes to degunk my hair before I dread it? I did the no poo thing a few years back but got back into the shampoo and conditioner thing when my little dude was tiny cause it was easier for me than prepping for washing with BS/ACV in our little shower...and I know I need to do some serious degunking!!

[MoonStarFalling]

Pure aloe vera gel can help keep the frizzies down a lot like wax would but it's water soluable so it won't gunk up your hair. I used it during the new dread frizzy period without any problems. Also, about thin dreads, my dreads were thin to begin with they just seemed to eat each other over night!

Flat dreads: I've had issues with this. I palm roll in the shower while they're nice and wet.

[SamuraiMom]

[SamuraiMom]

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[SamuraiMom]

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[SamuraiMom]

i love justin bebare

[SamuraiMom]

WOOPS, Sorry ladies, 6 year old thought she was posting in "Testing"! If the mods can delete her posts, that would be great! Or you can keep them up! Whichever 

Edited by SamuraiMom - 3/20/11 at 10:27am

[meamoaristeyo]

Narn, MoonStarFalling & dinan6, thanks for your feedback! All of the posts on here have definitely given me more confidence to go forward with dreading. I figure my hair is short but maybe not having that much length could make it easier to start them up.....my thinking could be backwards though. I have the time now though before I go back to school so that I can really focus on maintenance and allowing them to "mature."

All the advice on here is really great, and love all the pictures! Glad to see the thread got revived, it seemed like for a little while there there wasn't a lot of action going on, lol.

From this thread I have now learned that wax is a no-go (thanks for the advice!).....are there any other "dread products" we should avoid or does anyone have something they use that they recommend? 

[majikfaerie]

I got DH to take some pics of my hair - 15 years and counting!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/majikfaerie/5540287166/

[Chicky2]

Beautiful, Majikfaerie!

Texanromaniac and Meamoariste, I only use bs/acv once in awhile.  I didn't use it before I dreaded, either, but that's because I just all of the sudden decided to dread up.  I use nothing when I wash.  Looking at some essential oil options for myself, though.  I just wash each dread well under running water and scrub my scalp really well.

I use aloe once in awhile, too.  I like the way it smells.  I have 46 dreads now, last count.  I think I started w/43?  Something like that.  A few have sprung babies, and several have tried to congo, but I ripped them apart when I found them.  They could at least invite me to the party before they do that!  As far as thinner dreads (which mine are probably considered), they take alot of work at first, but that just depends on the person.  I did lots of maintenance at first and now don't do much at all.  I wash, separate, palmroll, and that's it.  I do straighten up the roots when they need it.  FarrenSquare posted a video about how to do that somewhere upthread.  Works like a charm, esp. when your hair is wet.

My dd is going to experiment w/a new dread sleeve for me.  She got the idea from ancient Mayan bead work on bags.  She'll string beads and then knit a sleeve.  Gotta get her some new tiny, tiny needles first, lol.  She said it would be a bit stretchy.  I told her if it looks like I think it'll look she can sell them.  One of my fav. dread ornaments is a friendship bracelet that she made out of embroidery thread, and then sewed it into a sleeve.  It's in the pic i posted upthread. 

Dinan, still waiting to hear about the ends of those dreads....  :o)

[dinan6]

Hi there Mama's

Chicky 2 some of my ends blunted themselves, but the ones in the back underneath I had a friend round out. I also like those ones. I love your bun, your dreads are beautiful.

Welcome to all the new Mama's..

Majikfaerie, love the picture. Glad to see you post it's been a while.

Samuraimom, loved the posts from your daughter. To cute, especially the "I love Justin Beiber" one. made me laugh.

Kristen, sorry for the ignorance of people. That is the question that most people ask me, How do I wash? So, silly I usually say I wash just like you.

I was going through all the previous posts the other night it being my one year dready birthday I was looking back and just wanted to say how thankful I am for this thread. I don't have any other dready mama's or anyone with dreads in my real life and this thread has been extremely helpful. I'm thankful for the experience shared here and the encouragement. Thank you ladies, really happy to be a part of this.

[majikfaerie]

I just posted to my blog about my dreadlocks - I've had them for 15 years now! Read it here: http://majikfaerie.blogspot.com/2011/03/fifteen-year-dreadversarry.html

[yippiehippie]

Originally Posted by majikfaerie 

I just posted to my blog about my dreadlocks - I've had them for 15 years now! Read it here: http://majikfaerie.blogspot.com/2011/03/fifteen-year-dreadversarry.html

Love it...thanks for sharing, especially for us newbie dreadies--I can use the inspiration:)

[Chicky2]

Ok, just got a couple of 8 month dready pics.  Excuse the comfy flannel--it was a bit chilly this morning. 

[meamoaristeyo]

Chicky2, your dreads are beautiful! They look great for 8 months, it seems like people who have dreads always talk about how they don't usually look good until after a year or so, but you have definitely inspired faith in me! Lol....your hair must have been pretty long when you started them, huh? If you don't mind I think I'd like to save one of your pics so I can refer to it for "dreadie inspiration" when I'm a little frustrated with my baby dreads. :)

[Chicky2]

Aw, thanks.    Somewhere upthread I posted pics of my dreads a couple of months ago.  They were definitely more loopy, although I still have quite a few.  I think I may want to seriously go ahead and backcomb my ends again because I think they will look much more 'finished'.  I did a couple today and like it alot.  When I started mine, my hair was right to where my bra hooks in back.  I have a couple of dreads on the nape of my neck that are really short (5") all of the sudden.  Then the top ones are about 15" long, lol.   I can already tell they've grown, which most people don't seem to notice until around 2 years, I think.  If I were undreaded, my hair would be almost to my waist.  My oldest dd did quite a bit of messing w/them for the first few months, and then they started to get easier to separate (plus I learned to do it in the shower and it is SO much better) and I haven't really done much to them other than wash, separate, and occasionally I'll do the method that FarrenSquare posted a link to upthread (it's a youtube video and it is a great maintenance method!  Esp. when your hair is wet). 
 

I think I'll have her do some more wrapping w/embroidery floss, though.  I want a couple done all the way from top to bottom.  And a friend wants to make me some wool dreads to wear once in awhile. 

Go ahead and save my pic, lol.  Not like it's my property anymore anyway.  ;o)  I found that out yesterday when I saw a pregnancy pic of mine on a website that had "weird pregnancy pics".  Um, I thought it was pretty, not weird!  I think someone actually must have gotten it off of MDC, lol.

[dinan6]

Chicky2 they look wonderful. I also want to wrap more of mine. I love that look. I found a girl in a salon that has maintained dreads before so I went to her and had her clean mine up. I need to take a picture. But before I had her do them they were really crazy, and lots of loose hairs. So they look a little less crazy now I really don't know if I like it better. Anyways I don't have much time, so love the pictures.