What is your name and what do you do?
My name is Candace, but I go by Janay (middle name) as well. I work as a gate inspector for Union Pacific Rail Roads.
How long have you been growing out your locs?
I just celebrated 4 months this month on the 13th.
Who is your loctician?
My loctician is Adriane Lee of South Los Angeles.
What is your regimen for your locs?
Seeing how Jae–my locs have a name–is still a newbie, there is not much I can do without wondering if I may later regret it.I wash my locs every 1.5/2weeks.
I have now started using an apple cider vinegar rinse for my dry and itchy scalp. At first I was wearing a silk head wrap to bed but that flatten my locs and kind of made them look together, matted, I guess. So I now wear a bonnet. Jae is able to move and breathe at night without a problem.
I used to use a spritz type spray bottle to spray a little water on my locs so that my permed ends would curl. But my loctician, Adriane told me that my locs were looking more together like a fro rather than individual locs. She put me on punishment and timeout and told me that I cannot use water outside of washing anymore. Lol.
I wear colorful stretchy headbands when I go out or to work. Because they are stretchy and majority of the time still a little tight, I make sure to take them off when I get home so that no added stress/pulling is being done to my locs.
Have your locs ever hindered you professionally?
Actually, my locs have not hindered me professionally at all. My job is in the industrial category so my uniform, equipment consists of a hard hat. A person will only see the back and the side of my locs when they glance at me.
Any advice to someone just starting out on their journey
It is worth it. I didn’t take care of my hair when I was getting relaxers and I now take time and pride in my hair now. I enjoy the freedom and the new outlook on life my locs have given me.
Be patient. My locs are different lengths, ranging from 1.5-4inches in some places. I started out in February, a winter month, and I several times I wished that my locs were longer. But it is now summer and I am grateful for my short locs. Versatility of my locs is what I’m waiting on.
