A journey from Loc'd to Unloc'd

What’s your name and where are you from?

My name is Shanel L Adderley and I'm from The Bahamas.

Have you always been natural? 

No I haven't always been natural. In starting college and knowing the career I wanted to be in, I knew I would not be able to maintain permed hair. I started college August 2010 and in February 2011 I decided not to perm my hair anymore. 

Why did you start your loc journey?

In August 2011, after reading up on locking hair and talking to persons who had loc'd hair, I decided to loc my hair. But I can truly say seeing my aunt's hair loc'd gave me more confidence to go ahead with it. 

 What made you end your loc journey?

I ended my loc journey due to my hair being damaged after bleaching it the second time. It was shredding a lot and dropping off when it got wet. Then I also got tired of the locks, but now I miss them. Funny aye!  

 How did your family/friends react to you locing and unlocing your hair? 

 When I first started  loc'ing my mom had a lot to say. I remember her saying if this was something I was sure I wanted do and that she wasn't a fan of it. Everyone else  seemed cool about it.

What are your favourite products for loc’d hair? Are you using the same products post unlocing?

I was never the one to use a lot of different products for my hair. Washing my hair the majority of the time was when I went to my hairstylist and it was whatever she used. I was fine with that. If I did wash my hair at home I use suave shampoo and conditioner.  But I never had a certain product for it. I would kept my hair in the same hairstyle until I went back to my hairstylist. Lol...I am just one week into learning my natural hair so I do not have certain product as yet. I was told different hair requires different products

 Do you have any favourite Bahamian natural hair salons? 

Mmmmmm....I really do not have any favorite natural hair salons but I will recommend Lion of Judah by Toya, Rose, who is currently situated in Eleuthera and Sherilyn, at the Hair Clinic.

What advice would you give to other 242Naturalistas loc’d and unloc’d?

My advice to other naturalists lock'd and unloc'd would be, one, our hair is our beauty, two, we have to take care it because no one will, and finally, what will work for someone might not work for you.

Thank you once again for the privilege to express my journey and I hope it will be an encouragement to all natural, permed and bald.