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
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!
Hey!
thanks for checking in again. so these last few weeks have been a little...crazy.
i found an opportunity to challenge the biggest wax hater and i won the challenge. even after winning the challenge, he still has continued to provide me with hate mail....and not just from him!
so i digress...i feel maybe showing the positive will negate all the negativity that he shows. so here goes!
as a previous blog states, i started my locks more like the knotty boy way. i had no idea. to quote a good friend of mine "it looked easy on youtube!". anyways, i got this garbage from sally's. it was petro based and slimy, nasty, smelled ... ok, yeah it kinda smelled too. anyways, after a few uses and more internet research, found that if i choose to use wax, i shouldnt use something with petro cuz it could cause slippage. i stumbled onto soaring eagles website. in my opnion, i have never seen a more negative website. in reading what there was, i found so much complaining, name calling, childish behavior that i stepped away. it was terrible. i landed on www.dreadheadhq.com and it was positive and friendly. i ordered the kit and began the journey for real. i used dhhq wax for a month and then switched to the a/b routine. in under 4 months, i was locked and things were amazing! i met some people that i though would change my life...encouraged them on their journey and now they are backstabbing. have i gone out of my way to publically tell what i know? nope. cuz that isnt the right thing to do on any level...but power to those that think bashing people is honestly a good way to go about things. i have turned the other cheek and figure if they want to make themselves look like the people they really are...well, thats on them. what amazes me is that they still claim they will use dhhq product...but why should they if their day is centered around bashing it?
anyways, i think my point to this blog it to tell people that the dhhq wax DOES work. i read on a forum its like toothpaste. in small doses its ok, in large doses its not. moderation is the key to everything except chocolate. chocolate must be consumed in mass quantities! anyways, if you misuse something, its not the companies fault when they even tell you to not misuse the stuff!
i am continuing on my dreadlock journey with my head held high and love helping others get the dreadlocks they wanted or maintenance cuz they got lazy. this journey has taught me so much about me and about other people. i must admit...being called a liar, troll and psycho cuz i believe what i believe...well, even God said that people will get made fun of if they believe him. im not saying jonny is a god (sorry man!)...but i am saying that his stuff has worked for me.
his most recent pic makes me giggle...so im enclosing it for your viewing pleasure.
peace love and locks (i like how ive been using this tag line for awhile and someone took it to make a group. glad to know my ideas are just that good!).
b
hey,
so ive decided i need to blog about whats on my mind. ive been given the most incredible chance to open a salon that is a dreadlock only salon and be one of the first to be certified by DHHQ as a dreadlock specialist. i mean, dreadlocks changed my life...i cannot even explain it..and when i do some get it, some laugh and others just think im crazy. well, crazy may be close but nevertheless....
i have made some very amazing friends along this journey. many thanks to facebook for this! the dhhq page is one i frequent often and LOVE helping people out with their dreadlock journey. even traveling to help people get work done has been a highlight. this journey is only third to the one i have with god and with my son.
i have learned that there are 2 types of people in EVERY stereotype. the first kind of person thinks with their heart and with what feels right. i dont always do lots of book research, i dont sit through countless lectures. i go with what is thrown my way and i decide how i feel about it. then there are those that study EVERYTHING to the n'th degree. i dont mind those kind of people, i just tend to not get along with them as well. i would prefer to learn from life than a textbook.
so in contact with the right people, this salon will be happening...just not as i was thinking. i will be doing it from here for now..then as soon as i am able, i will be relocating it. i will have a place for fellow DHHQ users to sell their things, local place for people to buy DHHQ stuff, my salted earth stuff...it should be pretty awesome. i mean come on, a life where you are helping people do something that means something to them. that is just amazing!
i am feeling raw over a set of circumstances that have transpired over the last few days...sitting here just gnawing on the fat and trying to figure out what i will do with what has happened. sigh. life isnt supposed to be so complicated...or is it?
im off to go hear the wonderful music of www.robinmark.com in syracuse. hes just amazing. and it will help me get myself centered before i head to philly with renee for the weekend. ooh, and im meeting marla! woohoo!
peace, love and locks
b
hey all
so yeah, i blew out my L5S1 for the third time. i knew i was in trouble cuz of some of the side effects. dawn took me into crouse hospital where a crazy week ensued.
so for starters, i have so many family members with diabetes that i am at HIGH risk. my dr decided to have me start glumetza so i can AVOID becoming diabetic. also, please keep in mind, my blood pressure is picture perfect :) when a body is in pain, the blood pressure goes up. makes sense right? haha, wait until you hear this.
ok, so im at one of the BEST hospitals in syracuse. the nurse came in and said "hey, it's time for your finger stick." now, i am under the influence of their best pain meds (diulated) and knew i was mentally numb..but i also knew i didnt do finger sticks ever. so i told them no. you would think i killed the nurses dog. then, another nurse came in and said it was time for my insulin. i have NEVER taken insulin EVER in my life and want to keep it that way. so after arguing with them for almost an hour, they left me alone. this persisted for 3 days. i finally had enough and requested to speak to the dr that ordered these things. after an HOUR of talking with the dr, i got him to cancel the insulin AND finger stick. i had to give him ONE stick and if it was ok, he would cancel it. well, guess what? i hit it right on the nose :)
a day of "peace" goes by and they start asking me if i would like to take my blood pressure medicine. i can only imagine the look on my face. i have NEVER in my life ever taken blood pressure medicine. it is always 120/80 pretty much like clockwork. after 4 days of refusing it, i again ask for the dr that prescribed this. in walks this little woman with a indian name. i wish i could remember. i was being discharged and she showed up. she says she will give me some motrin to deal with the blown disc (yeah, cuz THAT is gonna help). she says she doesn't want to send me home with anything stronger cuz of my blood pressure issues. i started to laugh. i told her i have NEVER had bp issues not have i EVER had bp meds. my family dr is pretty amazing and she would have had me start them if she thought i needed them. i explain to the dr that i refused the meds everytime...she says she even lowered the dose....i couldnt help but laugh cuz she had NO IDEA i NEVER took the meds she prescribed. she says she will call my family dr to clarify things. i tell her i will save her a step and called my dr. in 4 min i had my family np informed to what is going on and she asks to speak to this dr at crouse. the dr was no where to be found. 15 min later, she is in the o.r.. so in walks peter sinatra. he is a pa i guess...i cannot really remember. i just remember i liked his bedside manner and his name made me think of my dad's love of FRANK SINATRA. he tells me he has cleared up the mess and apologized.
the nursing staff was only 25% with it. the night staff was so loud that you couldnt even get sleep with the door closed. my best sleep was 6am-10am cuz the shifts were changing and the morning shift wasnt really awake yet!
i DO have to thank ALL Of you that came to visit, sent cards, emailed, called, text messages. SUPER COOL kudos to Jonny and Sloan for using their status message to canvas for prayers. that was super cool. and hey, little brah, johnneh, i'm assuming you told them so kudos for lookin out for me!
the weirdest thing at crouse was my 2nd night there. i woke up with my hair being played with. i though i was dreaming. i woke up and looked and there was a nurse checking out my dreadlocks. apparently the fact that i was white and knotty spread through the floor like wildfire. haha. she said she had to see for herself cuz another nurse said they were really awesome. she and i talked dreadlocks for about an hour. her bf has them (twisties) and we discussed the pros and cons of ethnic vs white hair. i gave her (yes, cuz i keep em on me) my dreadheadhq card so that her bf could try the shampoo :) yes, even in sincere pain, i gave dhhq props. lol.
many many many thanks to michelle for getting noah to camp aldersgate and for bringing him in for daily visits...it was a NICE change from the norm. i asked noah how it was hanging out with michelle and dawn with me in the hospital. he announced it was SO awesome cuz he got to see me every day. that was awesome. it helped me more than i could ever tell...so thanks michelle and dawn.
surgery will be in about a month after the complication is taken care of. then im looking at 2 months of recovery. for now, im walking with a foot brace...but could be worse!
well, i gotta go get michelle's boys and then catch up on emails and maybe figure out how to make a dhhq video...lol. we'll see what happens.
peace, love and locks!
betsy
Noah, Scotty and Aidan goofing around
Amy and Phoenix workin on my locks
Hey!
wow, i had the best weekend! i got to meet up with Amy, Meg and Melanie! it was so much fun. we met up at northwest park in hartford and enjoyed the beauty. we all brought food to share and the kids got to explore this awesome park. amy didnt waste anytime diving into my dreadlocks. i didnt think she would go ALL THE WAY through ALL my dreadlocks...but i must confess, her work is outstanding! between amy and jenn my locks look amazing! i still want to go meet up with the knotted empresses at sometime.
i am looking forward to meeting up with other dreadlocked folks.
i traded some of my dreadwraps and salts with meg for a skirt she's making me...and its STUNNING! i also gave amy salts for the goodie bags she is using :)
the fellowship was so easy. you would think meeting up with "strangers" would be awkward but it just flowed like we saw eachother the weekend prior!
i'll post pics individually as posts as this uploader is making me crazy.
i'm looking forward to meeting more dhhq dreadheads and have sent a proposal to jonny and sloan...here's to hopin!
peace love and locks,
b
