Nice Dreads by Lonnice Brittenum Bonner

Dear God, (and anyone else out there reading...)

Thank you for creating people who took the time to figure out how to care for our natural hair and then took even more time to explain it to the rest of us.

Table of Contents © 2005
Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself... Again
1)Getting Started: Fruit of the Nappy Root
2)How Do You Wash Them?
3)The Wind in You Hair: Drying Your Locks
4)Tending Your Garden: Locked Hair Care
5)Locking 911
6)Coloring
7)Working Up a Sweat
8)Manchild in the Dirty South
9)Love and Nappiness: Hair Inspiration
10)Your New Life as a Locked-Hair Diva

Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself... Again

In this chapter she shares her initial thoughts and apprehensions about locking her hair. She explains how she wanted her dreads to look pretty and attractive. And she describes how she started her own dreads and the mistakes she made and the lessons she learned. I think the most important point made in this chapter is to lay the proper foundation for your locked hairstyle.

Getting Started: Fruit of the Nappy

I say the biggest questions answered in this chapter are "Do I need to cut off my perm?" and "Can you take them out?" She gives details on the parts that make up a lock. There is also a section offering instruction on how to get started with locks. I quote, "The ideal situation is to have a loctician or braider start your locks for you". In otherwords, a professional.

Here is my plug for Sisterlocks™. The consultants must be certified, see the links to the right for the Official Sisterlocks™ website.

Root How Do You Wash Them?

She talks about the perception of "Nastiness" vs. "Dirtiness". There is a proper way and number of times to wash locked hair so that is will not smell, mildew, unlock, get flat, and more. She talks briefly about acidic rinses and hot oil treatments and conditioners.

I personally did not know you could do all of these things to locked hair. When I wore my braids all I did was wash them with Optimum Care shampoo. I was afraid the conditioner would build up and cause "matting" at the point where new growth came in and my hair was connected to the braid.

The Wind in You Hair: Drying Your Locks

A good tip I got from this chapter is: If you use hair dryers, only used them to help dry the locks, never to dry them completely.

Tending Your Garden: Locked Hair Care

Lonnice provides a "Basic Gear for Locked Hair" list. I also saw this when I visited Creyole's and BlaqKofi's blogspots. Their blogspots are very educational. She explains "The importance of Poppin' Your Locks". I love how she explains how to massage your scalp. I do this now and it actually takes away stress points, and stimulates growth. There is a section in this chapter on "Nighttime Lock Care". It is not just enough to just go to sleep on your locks, you must provide care to protect your locks and the moisture to your locks.

Locking 911

Problems can occur with locks, however many of the problems can be "headed off before they are irreversible". Have you lost a lock? It can be reattached. Do you have dandruff? It Maybe the products you are using on your hair and scalp. What about buildup? Weakened Locks? Lint? Mildew? If she does not answers all of your questions about these issues, at least she starts the discussion. You now have a point of reference to talk from with your consultant or loctician.

Coloring

It is possible to color locks. There are some methods out that are less invasive. She recommends to "try simply enhancing your hair color".

I love BlaqKofi hair color, she does it herself. On her blog, she does not recommend that you color your locks. I want to color my hair, a bronze golden like color. I have never had my hair colored before in my life. But I want this color because I want to have visible contrast so I can watch my hair 's growth progress. Is that weird.? Well, anyway, I called my future consultant GIGI and asked her opinion, because I don't want to mess anything up to keep me from getting my Sisterlocks™. She said that color combination will compliment my skin tone, [SHE HAS READ MY BLOG, LORD!!! WOW!!! I am so humbled.] and definitely do it before I get my Sisterlocks™. If I do color, it will be the only time I do, in the future I may do some "natural" based coloring. Thank you again, Creyole for getting me hooked to bloggin'. Thank you BlaqKofi for "raving" about me.

Working Up a Sweat

She included an very strong section on how to wear proper ponytails to prevent "traction alopecia which is marked by a gradually receding hairline". I laughed out loud at the following part of her description, "...with great care not to pull the hair so sleekly and tightly against the skull that you get a nonsurgical facelit" .

I was delighted with the visual her description created for me. Because I actually did this to myself. I can laugh about it now. I am loving the Sisterlock™ hair and lifestyle, because I workout at least 4 days per week for at least 2 hours. I give God all of the glory for that discipline and wisdom in the areas of exercise. I saw Creyole in aerobics class with her beautiful Sisterlocks™ not missing a beat and gettin' her sweat on. At the end of the workout her hair was still well put together, "tamed". That is when I knew, Knew, KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Sisterlocks™ ARE for me. I am addicted to Jesus Christ, My Family, Working Out, Bloggin, and this list is growing each day.

Manchild in the Dirty South

In this chapter she showcases her son with dreads, the challenges with maintaining this style on her son, and deeper "psychological perceptions" she had to overcome.

It is my opinion that men and boys' hair, should be low cut and different from women's. But that is just my two cents, and everyone has their own feelings and thoughts about that. I am just glad my husband is bald--his hairline is... let me just call it "interesting" . He might read my blog and think I am talking about him, I'm not, I'm only telling the truth. We keep our son's hair low on the top and low fade into bald on the sides. But he has the coolest swirly wave pattern right in the front of his crown. The barbers have to be real careful or they will end up putting a "plug" in my son's head.

Love and Nappiness: Hair Inspiration Your New Life as a Locked-Hair Diva

There are lovely pictures of inspiring women of locks throughout this whole chapter, with a variety of careers. I am kinda of partial to pages 130 and 131, this mother and daughter are Sisterlocked™. One thing I like about this chapter is she does not force one style of dread on your or another style of dreads on you. She just shows you and assortment of pictures with different styles and you are able to make your own decision.

In my opinion, That is the way is should be.

She lists resources at the end of the book.

Lord, I want to be used in this post to help anyone who thought about reading the book, but have not. I recommend it as a must read and have for natural hair care. I enjoyed it, it did not take up too much of my time, and I learned so very much. I thank you God for Lonnice Brittenum Bonner and her books, specifically "Nice Dreads".

In Jesus' Name, Amen

God's Humble Servant, Sis. RJQueen10

If anyone out there besides God is listening, feel free to share and post a response