take a bath, you hippie!

"Wash! Cleanse yourselves!" Isaiah 1:16a
"According to their uncleanliness and rebellion I have dealt with them, and I (God) hid my face from them" Ezekiel 39:24
"When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it." Matthew 12:43
"Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hyprocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish but inside they are full of greed and self indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may become clean too!" Matthew 23: 25-26
"Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually" John 11:55

So, the Bible gives great insight to being clean. Given, in the Bible, they are talking more about being clean in spirit and heart than hair and body. However, they do give specific examples of both.

Forgive the soapbox for a moment.

UJ and I went to Buffalo, NY to do work on 3 sets of dreadlocks. All three sets had residue from improper cleaning. One, I can forgive as it deals with serious allergies. The other two, I am not sure exactly why they weren't cared for properly...my suspicion is lack of information.

Consider this your formal education on clean dreadlocks.

Case Study A

This is after one client's deep cleanse. His locs are 6 months old and he had only used over the counter "normal" shampoo. ooh, and cannot forget only washed them once every few weeks.

These pics are AFTER his deep cleanse. So we went and did some actual scrubbing of his locs for 30 min and then did some maintenance.

Case B

Dreadlocks are 6 months old and were cared for with a competitor of Dreadheadhq's products. She did a deep cleanse before we got to her. There was a sour odor that came from her locs. Once UJ and I realized how full of gunk her locs were, we did a massive deep clean for roughly an hour.

Case Study 3

He called me and said he needed work done on his locs. He came over for a consult and his locs were so full of stuff. He said he had been using "normal" over the counter shampoo for THREE years. To the sink we went. Here are the before and after pics from just washing his locs.

Here is some of the gunk.....

Case Study 4

This is a client of Amy (aka the dread queen)'s that used bar soap and a natural shampoo. the only problem is ... the natural soap is totally full of superfat and their website states it is NOT good for dreadlocks.

My dreadlock journey is a very spiritual journey. So for me to not wash my dreadlocks or to wash them with something that wasn't made for them seems a bit ... well, it doesn't make sense in my mind. No where in the Bible does it say "cleanliness is next to godliness" however God makes it very clear that we need to be clean.

For those of you thinking that dreadlocks aren't in the bible....

"All the days of the vow of his separation, no razor may be used on his head until the time is fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD. He will be holy, and he must let the locks of hair on his head grow long." Numbers 6:5

PLEASE NOTE: in this scripture, my mom (jennie) decided to grab Strong's Concordance and looked up LOCKS. She wanted to make sure it was about dreadlocks and not a loc of hair. The definition of this from hebrew is: (page 97 of the Hebrew Bible section ... haha, im punny!) reference # 6545 "the hair (as disheveled):locs).

I am going to let the pictures speak for themselves. One thing I would like to stress ... this is more common than uncommon. I hear so many people with locs that state they wish people would stop being ignorant about dreadlocks and them smelling. Sincerely, if everyone washed their locs properly with water and a good dreadlock shampoo, we wouldn't have the connotation that ALL dreadlocks are dirty and smell. If that is the look you are wanting, that's fine. But if you are wanting to have healthy, clean locs ... well, maybe washing on a more regular schedule is best.

If you need to bake a cake and it calls for baking soda and you use baking powder, what happens? Well, your cake doesn't come right. It doesn't rise and has a very, very weird taste. So why not just use what is needed to make the cake delish?

Same for dreadlocks. There are shampoos that are MADE specifically for dreadlocks. Although some have still shown to cause some issues. I have found so far, after trying several other dreadlock only shampoos, that the Dread Soap from Dreadheadhq is by far the best. AND their genius has pulled through again and they now have a new ORGANIC SHAMPOO! ahhhh, it's wonderful.

"Finally he (Samson) told her (Delilah)his secret. He said to her, "My hair has never been cut (or brushed), for I have been dedicated to God from the time I was conceived. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me; I would become weak, and be just like other men." Judges 16:17

forgive me....but i don't want to be like other people.

ch ch ch changes

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am sitting here realizing that its 2011 and the unlimited potential this year has!


This blog may not necessarily end up about dreadlocks. Just fyi.


I have noticed SO many people posting on fb that they are ALREADY disappointed with 2011. It makes me laugh because the new year changing...it's just another day. I mean it cannot say to itself, "Day, let's do something magnificent.". Nope, that is YOUR choice. If you want to have a better 2011, then what are you willing to give up or learn to make it a better year?


I know people (and I admit to having been one of them) that just couldn't do things without someone else, had to have LOTS of people around to be happy and didn't really appreciate myself enough to enjoy me time. People always tell me I'm the most positive person they've ever met. That makes me wonder why. I mean, it's not THAT hard to tell someone good things about themselves or encourage others to be better or to just avoid negativity.


I did a serious inventory of my life after my relationship ended with Marshawn. I was a mess. Given, it was an abusive relationship...still, I KNEW I was gonna need some time to get back to the Betsy I was. Then a lightbulb went off. Why do I have to be the same old Betsy? I mean, if I'm gonna change, why not change all of me? Who said I had to stay how I was? And who said that I had to have all the same friends? The friends of mine that caused drama, turmoil, stress, headaches in my life...well, I've said goodbye and thank you to all of them. I used to watch Young and the Restless daily. I even would dvr it. It was something I shared with late Grandpa Art. After he passed, Grandma Ellie and I kept asking ourselves, "It's the same story line recycled, why do we watch this show?". Well, I decided that it was too much garbage in. No one on that show portrays a healthy relationship, everyone is OVERLY demented and its always someone else sleeping with someone else's husband. It's just plain garbage. I stopped watching it. Family members (this one has proven to be a bit more tricky but I am doing it.) were in the same boat. Some people in the family NEVER respond to anything yet they expect you to be there for Christmas so they can give the appearance of being better or more loved. And then the promise to keep in touch...it lasts for about a few weeks and then you are back trying to have a relationship with family. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. But why should I sit there and ware myself out for no good reason? I have had several family members reach out this last year and honestly, it has been wonderful. Mainly thanks to fb where you cannot HELP but be connected.


But any relationship is better than none....right?


WRONG!


I would rather be alone (although I am never really alone as I have God!) than have friends/family that tear me down, are negative to me or take advantage of my HUGE heart.


So how can YOU make the switch from an unhealthy life to one that has great meaning and purpose? Well, God. He's the main constant in my life. Without Him, I am nothing. For those of you that aren't into the whole God thing ... there are still things you can do to help yourself out!


Take a hard look at your life and who you surround yourself with. I know someone that I thought I was friends with until yesterday. Her comment was something like "i keep people at a distance and don't let them get close so I cannot get hurt.". YIKES! So am I not considered a friend even though every time we are online together we talk, we talk at church, birthday parties etc. I would be so sad if I didn't have my close friends. I rely on them as much as they rely on me. It doesn't take much to re-evaluate your friendships. It's what to do when you have identified the bad apples.


How did I do it? I started slowly. Those that kept calling and asking for a favor, the answer turned into NO. When they finally had been turned down several times, they asked why. When my response is that I felt like they were taking advantage of me it caused a small pause. Some hung up on me never to be heard from again, some apologized and said they would try better (And some of them actually followed through with that!). It was hard to grieve friendships that were years old. But I would rejoice in the fact that I would have less drama.


Another HUGE change I made....I have a rather bad potty mouth. I admit it. It can be so bad sometimes. One of my FAVORITE kids in the world's favorite song is "give you hell". When I asked him why, he said "because I can say HELL and mom won't get mad". It made me do some thinking about what we put into our kids. (i'm not saying that parent is a bad parent. she's one of my closest friends. just using this one statement to prove a point.) I stopped listening to mainstream radio. I was sick of everything being overtly sexual and sneaky. What 10 year old REALLY knows the meaning of "i wanna lick your candy stick"? (sorry for those that offends) But let's get real for a moment. If they hear it, sing it and figure out the meaning...are they to think that the behavior is ok for their age? This past New Year's Eve bash in NC someone had their ipod on shuffle. I mean, some REALLY great songs came out. Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Touch of Grey, Bohemian Rhapsody...just to name a few. There were a few tweenagers and they were singing and dancing and it was fun....then I realized my son didn't know most of the tunes that were being played. (luckily he DID know bohemian rhapsody....it would be an epic fail as a parent if he was THAT clueless.) And I felt sad for a moment because he couldn't enjoy it like we were...then I realized I was thankful. Not that music is evil or whatever. But if you sing and sing and sing it...it becomes more acceptable and then other artists / lyricists can take the boundary further...at first, there is shock....then over time it's more acceptable. I keep pandora on the John Denver station or listen to Klove in the car. Honestly, hearing my son sing Robin Mark or Paul Baloche or Audio A....just makes my heart happy.


To bring this into the dreadlock world for a moment. I used Dreadheadhq products in my hair to get locs that I am BEYOND in love with! There are people out there that scare others into thinking products will ruin your locs or tell you synthetic dreadlocks are fake. Come on. There aren't THAT many folks with dreadlocks. Give up the bickering and just LOVE and accept each other. Your dreadlocks aren't any better than mine due to the method you used. They are still just dreadlocks. To some it's a spiritual journey, for some it's just a hair style. Either way, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter. Don't use product because there is SLS or SLES...it causes CANCER. well, let's get real for a moment. Almost everyone washes their hair with shampoo. FACT. Most every shampoo has SLS or SLES. FACT. How many cases of skin cancer from the scalp are there? Don't have an answer? Neither do I. WHY? Because the minute traces of SLS or SLES in shampoo isn't enough to cause cancer. You can get it from EVERYTHING. Cancer is an unhealthy cell. People are quick to go to McDonalds or Sonic (Etc) for a quick meal. Those meals are (although sometimes they taste good) BAD for you. A poor diet doesn't produce healthy cells...and therefore you get cancer. So can I make the deduction McDonald's gives you cancer? I guess if you are following the SLS-SLES mindset...the answer is yes. Drop the stigma and just LOVE your fellow dreadhead.


For those of you on this journey with me, thank you. It means a lot to me to have such amazing people in my life. I promise to encourage you, push you to be better and to simply love you unconditionally. That is just how I am.


If the rest of the world took the time to re-evaluate their life and to put more positive practices into play, then complaining 4 days into a fresh start wouldn't be happening. I CHOOSE HAPPINESS and POSITIVE thinking...as opposed to the other.


Care to join me in this new adventure?
Peace LOVE and locs,
(the new and improved)
BETSEH

McDonalds isn't the ONLY place with SUPERFAT....

This is a MUST READ if you have dreadlocks or debating dreadlocks.

I received a call from a man (we'll call him Bob) in California that has dreadlocks that are 18 YEARS old. I mean honestly, that is nuts! He said he's frustrated because he has to wash his dreadlocks every day.

EVERYDAY?!?! is that what I have to look forward to? If so I need to rethink this journey! Not that I am opposed to washing that often...but the drying time HAS to be forever. I digress...

So I start questioning him as I do anyone that has dreadlocks. He then announces that for 18 years, he's used Dr. Bronners and Neutrogena.

Problem solved.

Why? Well, for one simple fact.

THEY SUPERFAT THEIR SOAP.

What exactly is superfat and WHY is it bad? Buckle your belts...

When companies / people make soap, sometimes they add extra oils so that you, the consumer, get a more moisture rich soap. The extra oils don't have the ability to mix with the lye and saponify. In theory, do your skin, should be ok. In fact if you have dry skin, it is pretty nice. But for dreadlocks? Not so good.

According to http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/17779/1065/2 this is what they say about how to superfat the soap...so this way you can ask the correct questions when attempting to use something handmade.

"There are three ways to superfat your soap:

1. Use oils which have higher percentages of unsaponifiables. Oils such as Avocado oil and Shea Butter contain oils which will not combine with lye and will remain in your soap for a more nourishing bar.

2. Reduce the amount of lye in your soap (also called discounting the lye). This essentially raises the level of oil in your soap above that which is necessary to combine with the lye for saponification. The excess oil will not saponify and will be available in your soap for a more moisturizing bar. Most soapmakers superfat their soap by 5% automatically. Some superfat as high as 8%.

3. Add certain oils at trace. Adding more expensive and highly nutritious oils at trace, after most saponification has taken place, will results in these oils remaining in the soap. Add oils such as cocoa butter and wheatgerm at trace for dry skin bars. For each pound of soap, add about one tablespoon of warmed/melted oil.

Remember, too much oil in your soap could results in a bar that is too soft to use or in excess oil oozing out of your bar (not a pretty sight). Most recipes from books and on the web have already been superfatted at 5%."

Why isn't it so good? (gosh, my science teacher in highschool would be so proud of me...as would my english teacher!) Well, for starters dreadlocks + oil = a hot mess. The oil traps the daily nonsense in the air and environment around us. Then when you wash with a superfatted soap you think you got it out, right? WRONG! All that garbage STAYS IN YOUR DREADLOCKS! Then, when your dreadlocks are dried and you palmroll (because lets face it...a good palmrolling session is pretty darn amazing) you compress all that junk left in your hair. If you don't get your dreadlocks dry in a short time, all that garbage will turn to mold or a murkey brownish discharge that will seep from your dreadlocks. This is EXACTLY what happened with Bob's dreadlocks.

How do you fix this? Well, you really cannot if you have been using these kinds of soaps for years. Once you get to this stage, you have basically ruined your dreadlocks. There ARE things you can do to help remove this mess but it will take more patience and some extra work.

I have suggested that Bob do a deep cleanse. Mix 1 tbsp of Baking Soda to 1 cup of hot water (typically i suggest warm water but let's be honest...there are 18 YEARS of stuff trapped in his dreadlocks! I also typically suggest 1 tsp but again, time to call out the big guns!) into a large bowl / plastic bin / sink....whatever. Then I instructed him to let his locs soak 15 min and then to change the water out and do it again. After 30 min of soaking, I instructed him to take a full cup of room temperature Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar into a gallon pitcher and then fill the rest with warm water (or you can mix it in the same container you used for your bs wash) and soak 3-5 min. Next step, hop in the shower and RINSE RINSE RINSE RINSE well. For Bob, I suggested he do this 1-2 times week to help break as much of this gunk down as possible. I also told him about the Dread Soap by Dreadheadhq.

The other way you can do a deep cleanse is WITH the Dreadheadhq Dread Soap. Add 1/2 cup of Dread Soap to a bucket / bowl / tub of water and scrub. If your locs are not locked, I would suggest doing this with a stocking cap on to help the dreadies during their fragile state.) Then you rinse really well :)

It's been 6-8 weeks since I talked to Bob and I'm hoping no news is good news. Was hoping he would share what the water looked like to prove this point but he DID say he was way too embarassed.

What if your locs are younger and you have been using superfatted soaps short term? Good news! By doing the SAME rinse on yourself you should be able to stop the damage before it's a permanent issue.

Ok, so far, here is a list of soaps that DO say they superfat their soaps and if you have dreadlocks (or are on the fence as to getting them) you SHOULD stay clear away.

Dr. Bronners (all varieties)
Neutrogena (all varities)
Maylee's Garden Vegan Soaps (I haven't yet gotten a clear answer whether or not she does superfat but from the residue that is left from the soap, it makes this a not-so-good choice for locked hair.)
ANY shampoo that claims its moisture - rich or has moisturizer or moisturizing in the name (or in the description)

Other things to consider when looking for a good shampoo. I know, I know all the flavors smell wonderful! However, a smell left behind in hair is really just an oil and that will lead to residue and that will lead to rot. So, here is a VERY simple test to see if a soap leaves a residue.

Ready?

I mean, it IS really simple.

Take the soap you would like to use in your dreadlocks and wash your hands with it. After you wash your hands, smell them. How do they smell? If you smell anything then that soap WILL leave residue. If there is no smell, how does your hand feel? A lot softer/smoother? Then its a 95% chance that soap is superfatted and you should run away.

What can you do with all the extra soaps? Give em to your friends that don't have dreadlocked hair :) I'm sure they would be glad to get some free soap / shampoo. Food pantries LOVE donations so you could check with them and explain why you are donating them. Some will accept the donation, some won't. Cannot find a local food pantry? Find a local United Methodist Church. They tend to have food pantries in them.

There are very VERY few shampoos that are actually residue free. Even if a bottle states that it IS, do your research.

If you are thinking I might be making this up, here is what it says at http://www.drbronner.com/soapmaking_overview.html

"Soaps have been made for millennia. Aside from making fire and cooking food, "saponifying" oil and fat into soap is one of the oldest and simplest chemical reactions known to humankind. In fact, the first soaps were accidentally made by fat dripping into the ashes of cooking fires.
Soap is made by saponifying a fat or oil with an alkali. A fat or oil is a "triglyceride," which means that three fatty acids of various carbon lengths are attached to a glycerine backbone. The alkali is either sodium (for bars) or potassium (for liquids) hydroxide, made by running electricity through salt water."

and here is where they ADMIT to superfatting....

"Unlike most commercial soap-makers who distill the glycerin out of their soaps to sell separately, Dr. Bronner's retains it in their soaps for its superb moisturizing qualities.
We superfat our soaps with organic hemp and jojoba oils for a milder, smoother lather."

...

So now what? Well, the choice is yours. I suggest Dreadheadhq's Dread Soap as it truly IS residue free. It leaves no scent, has no color and is perfectly clear. It lathers well and rinses away very nicely. If you find your scalp is a bit itchy, use less shampoo per wash OR rinse in it cooler water.

The other thing you can do....I did this in the beginning of having dreadlocks. I added some of my bathsalts to the shampoo (a tsp) and then washed them that way. If you do use these bathsalts once a week, that will help keep your dreadlocks clean, healthy AND helps your skin too! (if interested, www.saltedearth.etsy.com)

My friend Violet (www.knottybynature.org) puts Dreadheadhq shampoo and some baking soda into a spray bottle and that helps with the SLS sensitivity. (Violet, please post your recipe for others!)

I hope this blog will help you make smarter decisions on about the care of your dreadlocks. I do recommend washing 2-3 times a week and then doing a monthly deep cleanse just for an extra safe measure.

Until we dread again...
Peace, Love and Locs,
Betseh

happy birthday

12/6/09 Day 1 with Dreadlocks




12/6/10 Day 356 with Dreadlocks

















So it's been a FULL YEAR! I just am at a loss for words.


When I started on this journey, I had NO idea really what to expect except that I would have dreadlocks. Never expected to learn about patience, forgiveness, God's grace / love / humility, friendship, effects of negativity and did I yet mention patience? I have gained some powerful and amazing friends along this journey and to each of you (you know who you are) I am humbled to share this experience with you and looking forward to the next year!


If you would have told me 10 years ago (shoot even a year ago) that I would be making a living on doing dreadlock work and helping others on their journey, I probably would have laughed at ya. I mean, lets be honest. I would have never expected to travel as far as Ohio (to the west), Ct (to the east) and SC (to the south) all in the name of dreadlocks! I would have never expected to open a studio and a second location in Jacksonville, FL...and then a third in Denmark all within 6 months! Knotted By Knature, although still needing a website...i am just not creative enough to make one....is booming and it feels great! I feel confident that the people that are working with me actually KNOW what they are doing and can help people with the correct information. It's just amazing. And knowing that I am able to help more people then just those that want maintenance or dreadlock work...I am able to have products from others in the dreadlock community for sale in the store front we will have in January in Jacksonville!


I've always been the girl that fits into most any clique as I get along with almost everyone. I don't care what you have or don't have...I care about your heart. And I think that is the right way to be. The ironic thing is...I feel like I have found a community that is as loving as my church community. Between my family at Christ Community UMC and the Dreadheadhq Community...the amount of love, respect and positiveness that come with them...I am just uber blessed. Words just cannot even begin to describe this. I pray that everyone reading this can find a place that just accepts them for themselves and unconditionally loves you.


Please, don't get me wrong, it's now all daisies and strawberries...there have been bumps and there will ALWAYS be bumps. You stand up, brush yourself off, thank the God the Creator for the chance to learn valuable lessons and walk forward onto your next adventure.


I feel this blog is going to be turning into more of what I am learning in doing all this dreadlock stuff than anything. I have taken some calls for Dreadheadhq that STILL are with me and I will need to blog about. This will include (with people's permission) pictures and such. I would be VERY interested in knowing (feel free to comment on this so I can keep it all in one place) why YOU got your dreadlocks and what YOU have learned. It doesn't have to be anything profound or whatver...sometimes the simplest things ARE the most profound.


So here is to another 365 days where we can all grow together in knowledge and wisdom and love. I will be making a more conscious effort to blog more often. I am sorry that I have slacked GREATLY in this area. I would like Tuesdays to be the day that I blog as it will be right after the live chats I host (www.tinychat.com/dreadheadhqlive) on Monday nights!


Here are some of the people I would like to thank...no particular order...and if I leave anyone out, I apologize from the depths of my soul!
My son Noah, Michelle McAlhaney, Dreadheadhq (Jonny and Sloan), John (H.) Dreadman - Kobb, Dustin Camper, Amy Schile (and Phoenix for all the kisses!), Jennifer Rose, Violet LeHew-Fletcher, Jason Robinson (and Aurora for being so darn cute!), Toni Rase, Mikkel Kirketerp, Kate Kamphausen, Luz Williams / Junglemama, Melisa Sword, Beth Laquay, Alyssa Beardsley, Beatlebaby Glassworks, Preach Freedom and the countless others that have given support and encouragement. I really wouldn't be here without you!


Peace, Love and Locs,
Betseh the Crazy Salt Lady!