Nairobi — "Had l known how convenient "Sisterlocks" are l would have installed them way back." Miss Jackie Gathoni confesses.
Dr. JoAnne Cornwell from San Diego created "sisterlocks, a tiny and uniform technique of naturally styling hair in 1993. Sisterlocks has certified associates in over 30 states.
Introduced locally less than a decade ago Kenyan ladies have not been left behind with the 'Sisterlocks' craze.
However, very few people then could afford the cost of installing the tiny locks, with only a handful of hairdressers with the knowledge of this technique they cashed in on it.
Miss Gathoni has had this protective hairstyle for now five years. She tells me when she first installed them she paid ksh.60,000.
"That amount seems hefty but if you consider the amount of work that goes into perfecting the art it's worth every cent." She admits.
Caren Sisterlocks is a salon located in Nairobi Central Business District. Caren the proprietor prides in delivering quality services to her clients. She has been in the installation business for the last four years. Not revealing what her charges are Miss Caren says price per head depends on texture, length and volume of hair.
I find Miss Lillian at the salon she has come for consultation which am told is key before installing fresh Sisterlocks. Deciding to lock your hair is a huge decision, not to mention permanent one. Here she is advised about her hair type, length, charges and the pros of having 'Sisterlocks'.
The 'Sisterlocks' community worldwide has a slogan 'Trust the process'. In my research l realized it's because the hair transits from babylocks to teenage phase and finally fully locked . Miss Edith Muli confesses she had thin textured hair but looking at her hair one year after she made this bold move she is amazed at how voluminous it has become.
"Sisterlocks is the way to go. It does not involve chemicals which harm and weaken the hair and once it is installed it is a low maintenance hairstyle since all you do is spray your scalp with rose water or just ordinary water shake and go it does not like manipulation. The installation charges have tremendously come down. With ksh.15000- 20000 you can find a good locktician." Miss Muli says.
Sisterlocks installation can take anything between a day or two depending on the volume of the hair. Hair may take anywhere from 2 weeks to up until a year for your Sisterlocks to settle in.
Sisterlocks will increase in thickness after a few washing by about 100%. The ends will always remain a little thicker than the root which signifies the start of the locking process.
Caren prefers to do fresh installation by herself despite having well trained assistants. She allows them for retightening. Retightening is maintenance done after 4 - 6 weeks to keep the hair locks looking fresh and neat.
Lucy Akoth says her boss trained her with dummies for months before allowing her to attend to a client for retightening. She has nothing but praises for Caren. It is evident their working relationship other than business is also cordial.
Unlike fresh installation of 'Sisterlocks' a retie will take 2-3 hours. A follow up schedule is important for your locks to thrive. Miss Gathoni revealed that having spent ksh.60,000 on her hair which she calls an investment, she has gone a notch higher to ensure utmost care of her locks. This fully locked sister as she refers to herself says for healthy 'Sisterlocks' she takes Collagen which nourishes her hair, skin and nails. She also drinks plenty of water and exercises this she attests has made her 'Sisterlocks' the center of attraction wherever she goes.
Nairobi ladies have embraced this hairstyle with many saying it's the best decision ever made. When professionally installed they look amazing.
Most women are transiting from chemical hair and traditional locs to 'Sisterlocks'. Traditional locks are most commonly created through palm rolling (or matting) medium to large amounts of hair, using a balm or wax. Sisterlocks are installed using a special tool and much smaller portions of your hair.
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Miss Caren however warns potential clients to carry a background check on a locktician before settling on one.
Sadly she says they have had to undo many badly installed locks by people purporting to be professionals in the industry out to make a quick buck from unsuspecting people.
The Sisterlock community has gone further to form a forum on all social media platforms for interested locked sisters to join where they encourage members, share their experiences etc.
Just like any natural hairstyle, sisterlocks can be undone. Typically, you can get the style removed successfully during the first six months. However, after that initial period, it can be pretty tedious to un-install.
