Interview: Meet Miss Charles who's 11 Years Sisterlocked

8:40 AM

Please meet Miss Charles with her 11 years old sisterlocks. I happen to run into her YouTube channel via a blog post by Sisterlocked. Can I say, I'm was very impressed with her locks, and I knew I had to interview her. So I asked her if she wouldn't mind being interviewed on my blog, and she agreed.

It’s so rare to have someone with her size locks + length to have an active YouTube channel, but she does. Check her out, and remember to show her some love. Below are the questions I have asked her, and her pictures of her sisterlocks. Some of her experience has be hilarious to say the least :).

How long have you had your Sisterlocks? 

I’ve had my sisterlocks for 10.5 years and May 24 (I believe that is my anniversary...don’t know where my installment paper/certificate is currently) will make it 11 years. Yes the answers was kind of long winded. . .LOL.

Have you ever cut/trim your Sisterlocks?

Yes I cut about 4-5 inches off hair 2.5 years ago. I was frustrated with the ends of my hair and didn’t like the look nor the feel of them. My ends were fat and hard compared to the rest of my hair. While sitting in front of the computer one day, I took a scissors and felt up the length of my lock, and proceeded to cut off the 4-5 inches of my locks. The original hairs at the ends were compact, fat, dense and hard compared to the rest of the individual lock. I don’t advise for anyone to do this. I later had to have a cosmetologist shape up my crazy cutting rampage.

Do you get ask about the size of your Sisterlocks a lot? What do you consider your size to be?

No not really. I consider my size to be small to medium. When I got them first installed, the back was noticeable different (larger) than the front. I was told however that the hairline or front of the hair was the most aesthetic and that the focus would be more in the front. My consultants were correct in my experience.

How long does it takes to wash and dry your Sisterlocks.

Depends on the season. I have quick washes and winter proofing washes. Actual washing takes about 20 minutes. I precondition so that adds another 30 minutes to my routine. My hair air-dries completely within an hour in the summer. In the winter, after washing, I wrap my hair with a towel for 10 minutes, then I blow dry for 5-8 minutes, and then I air dry. My hair is dry completely within the hour.

Yours Sisterlocks are really long. Do you still do braid outs and curl them? Is there a different method in how you would curl them since your sisterlocks are so long?

To be honest, I don’t like braid-outs on me. I just never did. I sometime do a big braid to get a little more volume. . .but a serious braid-out... no.

I have set my hair on pipe cleaners in a figure 8 pattern about 6 times since I’ve had sisterlocks. There is no really distinctly different method on how I do it now, now that my hair is longer.

Mind you, I have tried different curling tools in the past. The list includes: Caruso curlers, perm rods, waving rods, corkscrew curlers, and those big plastic curlers with the holes in them where metal clips are used to secure them, and sponge rollers, but I really just used them once in a blue moon.

Are your sisterlocks really heavy?

NO. Only while washing, and that is due to the water.

Are you a DIYer or do you go to a consultant? How long does it take to retighten your hair?

I am a DIYer when it comes to my hair. I took the sisterlocks retightening class six months into my locs, and I have maintained it ever since. If I sat down and did it all in one day, I’d say about 5-6 hours.

What products do you use to maintain your Sisterlocks? 

Oh wow. I like to keep my products simple. But I use a plethora of products depending on what I am trying to do.

Maintenance: I have used Suave Shampoos, Aveda Shampoos, Doctor Bonners Castile Soaps, Cheap Cholestoral, Happy-N-Nappy Shampoo, Taliah Waajid, Jane Carter, Zincplex, Trader Joes Shampoo and Conditioner, and so many more. It all boils down to whatever I can get my hands on.

Oils: castor oil (winter), grapeseed oil, rosehip seed oil, olive oil (very little since I find it to be stink), jojoba (on my scalp only), sesame, coconut. All other oils besides jojoba go on my hair.

Knowing what you know now, would you have done anything different while being locked?

I would have paid more attention to what my body was telling me, and complying with it, instead of fighting its own knowledge. Would have saved myself a lot of self-depreciating drama with the force-feeding of products that my body just did not agree, which I had researched somewhere that’s supposed to work for me like it did for someone else.

There were times I knew certain products weren't working out for me, but I became frustrated because I felt since it's a normal practice within the black community, I shouldn't stray from it. An general example was greasing my scalp but with natural oils.

Hello!! Not all of the natural oils agrees with my scalp. Also, my scalp doesn't like to have excess oil sitting on it. Yeah but as the saying goes, if we don't use oil, our hair wont grow?. . . right? All myths. Your hair will always tells you what you need with its feedback. We just have to pay attention, and tweak your behavior accordingly.

What has been the weirdest experience while being Sisterlocks?

One time I was in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, wearing my Nefertiti updo, and an art college student from England ran me down, she tapped me on the shoulder (I jumped because she startled me. . .felt like I was swooped down on) to take a pic. She was polite and apologized for startling me. I gave her permission and she took three pics, then she thanked me and ran back to her group.

Another weird experience, which was indicated by me, and my really long hair, which can sometime be a hazardous. I was walking in the subway station one day, and the corridor was packed. Now you know something when we are walking, we sometimes tend to swings our arms . . . right? It just so happen at the same time I had swung my head forward, while rearranging my bag since it was slipping off my shoulder, a woman must have been swinging her arm at the same time, since my hair all of sudden got caught under the underarm of the woman walking in front of me.

She had no idea what was happening. I was forced to follow this woman wherever she was going in order to get my hair back. I didn’t want to say, "miss...my hair is under your arm, can I have it back...please?", So I had to ease my hair out little by little, without tugging to hard, and starling her in the process. LOL

Any weird question get ask by total stranger etc.

1) Is that my hair real?
2) Can I or do I wash it? How often?
3) When am I going to cut my hair?
4) Is it heavy?

These are the question compete strangers tend to ask. They also ask in the weirdest places too. Sometime it be across the dinner table in a restaurants, across the aisle, a couple seats down in a airplane. On the subway, out loud in front or across others. LOL

Since your locks are so long and healthy, we can say having micro Sisterlocks is not damaging to your hair nor does it cause breakage. Is there any other myth you have come across that you like to burst about Sisterlocks?

The hair system of Sisterlocks itself doesn’t break your hair. It’s your maintenance, styling, diet, handling, and none grooming that can break your hair. Every one of us has different needs, and it varies from people to people.

No matter the size of your locks you have, you have to be meticulous and be aware of how you handle your hair care needs. From how often you retighten, to washing, to what kind of styling tools you use, to even what you eat and drink. Even the products you apply, the season you are in, plays a role. All these things affects your locs.

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Below is a live view of her really long sisterlocks. I hope my locks become as healthy as hers one day.



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6 comments

  1. I know how you feel!!! I absolutely love P.R. Charles. I follow her on YouTube and her info is very helpful. I intially heard about her from "Sisterlocked" blogsite as well. P.R.'s sisterlocks are absolutely beautiful. I think what is so eyecatching is obviously the length, but also the uniformity because they were taken care of so well. Her sisterlocks are impeccable, as well as her edges. It gives all of us motivation and encouragement as it gives us a peek into what our hair will look like in years to come. You did a great job on asking her excellent questions. Take care Kreyola. Keep the excellent info coming.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks!!! She is truly amazing. Loving some of the style she has on there too!

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  2. I follow her as well on youtube...she has a lot of useful information for sisterlocked sisters like us!

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    Replies
    1. Yes she does. I'm happy that I found out about her. Thanks for the respond :).

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  3. Hi Kreyola! Great post...I enjoyed reading it! Ms. Charles SL's are absolutely beautiful!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks!!! It was a pleasure doing this post ^_^.

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Blog Archive

Hair Status

Big Chop - January 24, 2009
Install - August 18-20 2009
Retighten Time - 4 - 4 1/2 hr
Total Locks - Over 750
Pattern - Double 3
Texture - 4 A/B (Thick & Coarse)

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