Dreads, beach and sun...

Sunny days are coming, we can already smell churros, sun lotion, and fragrances of sea breeze.
We can't wait to be there and many of you take advantages of summer holidays for hair eccentricities.  And a lot of you ask me if synthetic dreadlocks require maintenance or special care at the beach.

Some advices are thus necessary, before leaving for adventure in bathing suit, armed with a pair of flip-flops and a flower patterned beach umbrella.

Sand and salted water are not incompatible with a mop of dreads, there is not any specific upkeep, only some useful tips to spend great holidays without worrying about your dreads ! Situations below are exaggerated on purpose, so that you can be ready to face everything but don't worry and be happy, there is usually no problem at all, you can leave peaceful ! 

Summertime, and the livin' is easy...

... but be careful though when you lay down on the sand. If your dreads are loose and wet, as on natural hair, some tiny bits of sand or shells may slip in. And shaking your head won't be enough to remove it : your braids are tight and could hold back all that dust.

You must rinse carefully with freshwater, and before the next day ! Otherwise beware of irritations or itching, especially if your scalp is sensitive. A too superficial or rough rinsing could spoil your holidays and advance the removal of your dreads.

It may also occur that your rubber bands (bought in a mall or installed by a non-professional), be thin and breakable, that they may be damaged faster in case of long baths in salted water. Don't hesitate to leave with a bag of bands, not very cumbersome and useful to strengthen the ties if needed.

The best thing to do: on the beach as in water, the best is to style your hair in a high bun, and to wrap a light scarf around, which won't stop you dreads from being wet or your head from being freshened, but will filter salt, sand and all small impurities that could slide into your hair. Even if it doesn't seem to be windy, don't forget there is always a slight breeze and that sand always finds its path to unpleasant places !
Discover how to style your dreads with a video collection on our website.

Lazing on a sunny afternoon, in a summertime...

... responsibly because though we love the sun, it could be the arch enemy of your skin and your hair when prolonged exposure. It might modify your pH, which favours the appearance of dandruffs and damages roots.

Don't be late to remove your dreads after a big beach session like everyday for two weeks. Even without dreads, hair is often weaken and dried out after suffering from sun, salt and sand. And with your braids wrapped around dreads, your hair deserves to be untangled, a good shampoo and probably a nourishing mask or for dry hair. You will be able to install them again after some care and at least one week break.

You can find protection sprays and conditioners you can use on your roots (especially on front because the rest of your hair will be protected from the sun thanks to your mass of dreads), in order to nourish and protect them from external aggressions. Give priority to a product sold in pharmacy, with fluid texture and easy to rinse.

This summer I swam in the ocean and I swam in a swimming pool... 

... salt my wounds, chlorine my eyes, as well as my hair which didn't appreciate at all ! Like into the sea, you will have to rinse thoroughly. First, chlorine is a chemical element, which not only stinks, it also kills thousands of bacteria and disinfects pools, it is not good for us either.

Chlorine may, on bleached hair (even without dreads), create the alien syndrome : honourable women have already been seen with green reflections after a long bath in a pool. Yes they have. It is slight and may be rectified at a hairdresser's, but it can be avoided : you can find large swimming caps  (dread shaped), don't hesitate to buy one in a sport store or on line, on a specialized site.

If you don't plan to splash around in a public pool (where caps must often be worn), you can simply like into the sea, make a high bun and spray your roots with a care made from oils, or directly with pure oil which will protect your hair from chlorine (you can find almond or argan oil sprays in malls. Read well the ingredients before buying).

Of course, rinse with freshwater is imperative in order to get rid of pools chemicals, and a shampoo  would be useful to get rid of persistent smell of chlorine.

Well, here were the potential risks and difficulties you may encounter, and their solutions, don't be hesitant to participate with your questions or your answers !

To sum up...

As long as you don't roll your dreads into the sand, they shouldn't be damaged and you shouldn't feel any itching. However, if you can't help burying your head under a layer of wet sand (we won't judge you), remember to rinse your dreads carefully and thoroughly in the closer shower, and to remove them as soon as you're back from holidays in order to provide all care needed.

Now you are ready to go and play like a mermaid (or an octopus ?) with a total peace of mind, and enjoy your holidays !

Titles credit
Summertime - George Gershwin
Sunny afternoon - The Kinks
The swimming song - Loudon Wainwright

New store !

I am proud to announce the opening of my new store in April 2015 !

It is only five minutes far from the first one, at 14 rue des Greffes in Nîmes, and is twice the size! Hooray! Moreover, it's in a pedestrian street with a lot of restaurants and shops, joining a large boulevard to the City Hall.

Right now, I'm jumping for joy on my keyboard, but honestly, this choice hasn't been easy to make. My lease was about to end, and I had to make a decision quickly : renew my lease in the first boutique ? Seek for a new one ? Close my business and look for a job ? It got messy and fuzzy in my head for a couple of months, and at one point I had decided to stop everything and I was starting to think about what do do next...

Because in one hand, all of my responsibilities, the paperwork, or some cooler months were tilting the balance to a fatal decision. But in the other one, I couldn't help myself thinking about what I built, of course not a business empire, but a world I loved, my clients loved, and I thought back of all the time spent on my website, on communication, on improving my skills and taking care of your orders... "All that for nothing ?".

Then I started to explain my situation to some faithful customers who supported me and were wishing me to carry on. Their many kind words made me think again... "After all, if I find a new and interesting shop, why not ?". A little while after, my current landlord contacted me and told me about one of his other real properties : a shop which was twice the size of the first one. " Is it well placed ? Will my customers follow me ?". After some advices from my relatives, the conclusion was obvious : it was a new chance for me to follow through with what I intended to do :

THE WORKSHOP.

And it was love at first sight with this place ♥, because I wasn't looking for a cold and sterile space, but one with character and a story behind.  I had a crush on my first shop because of its purple walls, its grand vaulted door and forged iron gate....

At the beginning in may 2013, it was quite empty !

Then it got filled up progressively....

The second space, in an other style, has vaulted stone walls, with a huge mirror in the background.

 

Okay, these are pictures from the agency, you will see more soon !

So, the concept is about to change a bit, of course it will still be free entrance but it will be more of a workshop and a salon than a shop. As a matter of fact, synthetic dreads are the main part of my work and your orders are increasing; delivery times are inevitably longer.
There will still be some jewels and the option to customize it, and still some low prices piercings, balls and expanders though.

Up to now, I was making your orders home, where I also used to store all my stuff and braiding hair, because of lack of space in my first small boutique (about 10 square meters), and not only it all took a lot of space, but besides back home at night, I found back all my orders in progress, therefore hard to distinguish professional and personal life.

I had to dedicate matinees to the creation of your dreads, in doing so I couldn't open my shop in the morning.  Likewise, I couldn't take benefit of cooler afternoons to progress on your orders : all supplies needed were home.

Anyway, it all ends in April ! This is what is going to be better from now on :

1/ The workshop will be open in the morning.

2/ I will be able to dedicate ALL DAY to the creation of your dreads.

3/ Delivery times will be shortened.

4/ I will finally, in addition to your custom orders, make ready-made full sets, ready to install or send forthwith. 

5/ I will also be available for artistic partnerships and photo shoots, which I care a lot.

I would like to set so many things on, but longer is my list getting, more I realize in fact, 20 square meters is not that large !

- A nice and comfortable place to install your dreads, with chairs for your friends whom often come with you.
- Coffee and tea, warm drinks so that you can really be relaxed and at ease.
- A large table where I would be able to scatter all my beads and charms when I am blessed by inspiration.

- Shelves where I will stock all my boxes full of craft supplies, ribbons, beads etc, as well as packs of braiding hair - which will also allow me to control my stock in real time, once you confirmed your order at the shop, in order to estimate properly your delivery time. I could also store more hair, and rarely be out of stock !

So let's push the walls to make everything fit in !

I would like to make clear that despite significant increasing of charges from April, there will not be any price rise for your dreadlocks, because this relocation was my choice and I don't want this to make any impact on your orders (impacts which are finally all positives !) .

See you soon then, at 14 rue des Greffes, in Nîmes !

Shoot Report "Winter"

It started in December when my friend Paule Monset called me to talk about a crazy proposal. Which is totally normal coming from her. She explains she met a photographer : Mr Cana, and his partner with whom he started a collection of photos staging the four seasons, beginning with autumn. The next set would of course be winter, into the snow, an enchanting scene based on blue and white tones.

I take a look at their Facebook fan page and discover gorgeous pictures, including a few I had already seen before without knowing the author.

"Fall Lady" by Mr Cana

Paule tells me she thought about me for a synthetic dreads hair dress, and that they were all excited about the idea of adapting the character of Frozen with dreadlocks and unusual clothing and jewellery. The shooting would take place by the end of January, at Mont Ventoux (south of France).

Le Mont Ventoux

The time limit seemed very short, but I was really motivated and couldn't wait to learn more about this partnership, and most of all : meet the whole team.

First appointment on Sunday at Paule's, with Mr Cana and his partner. The image gets clear : the model has to be tall and skinny, with blue eyes and pale skin. Paule will be in charge of making different dresses, and Mimi (Mr Cana's partner) will deal with the make up.

We agree on a blond wig, with some white and polar blue dreads. I also offer to make a set of jewels with aluminium and steel wire : the watchword is a cold and metallic aspect, with a tip of light blue according to the hair. The wig will have to be quite thick to create volume, because the dresses will be very long and look like "tubes".

Once the outfit is set, back to work. Fortunately given the period to make all of this, I had already done a blond wig a little while before. I just had to make about ten more dreads and install them on the wig, and adjust some blond dreads on front so that the fringe would look more natural, thinner. I also had to shorten some braids on top.

At first, making the blond wig already took me about twelve hours of work : making the dreads one by one, install them in a specific way (quite different than directly on hair), for a natural and homogeneous aspect. And all the little modifications to do still took me three more hours, but it didn't matter : I was really satisfied of the result, the wig was transformed, it was a completely different hairstyle.

And after having a look around a craft shop, I equip myself with aluminium wire of different gauges, metallic blue, silver and white, and some transparent beads of different shapes. I make different styles of necklaces and bracelets, which could go hand in hand with each other in order to create volume. Easy to set on and move if needed, depending on the rendering.

Before

 After

The week after, new appointment, at Paule's again, with Camille the model this time. Fitting starts and the project materializes. Paule gets her measures and will pick later different fabrics for the dresses. Then, she tries with wig and jewels : everything stick together. We have been announced that Sonia, the owner of a beautiful Saarloos wolfhound, will participate with her animal Enyeto. And then, it becomes even more magical.

After some pancakes to get over our emotions, the afternoon ends with the make up. If the weather is okay, the shooting will happen next Sunday, at Mont Ventoux. Not to forget : a tent, snow boots, woolly hat... Our day promises to be physical and tiring, but we were in a sunny mood !

Meanwhile, we decide to leave the day before, and to find a rental on the spot, in order to start preparing, try the whole outfit, and most of all : spend a good evening together !

Few days before we leave, we discover the dresses made by Paule, which perfectly correspond to the project. Such a work ! Especially when we realize the period she had to think of it AND make it !

Finally on Saturday night, we arrive on the spot. We are about ten and there is Enyeto : love at first sight !

A splendid animal, impressive but extremely sweet and patient. We also meet Nausicaa who studies cinema and who will film our adventure and make us a making of !

The very evening : fitting of the different dresses, last modifications, installation of the wig and jewels, and finally make up. And we all can't wait to see the final rendering on the spot with the photographer's eye !

 

The next day morning, after a rich breakfast to be prepared against the temperature, we load up the cars and here we go !

The model is dressed up, only the make up is missing : it will be done once we will have settled the tent.
The roads are sinuous and grow up to the summit. The view is beautiful, first a pine forest on both sides of the road, which become more and more snow covered. Such satisfaction to see the snow again ! Citizens and living in the south of France, my partner and I are not used to see so much !

Once everyone is parked, Mr Cana and Mimi go to explore and find the best place, about ten minutes far, on foot, into the snow, with a climbing part. Everybody start to carry the equipment (tent, electric generator, photo equipment) to the chosen spot, by doing several trips : let's just say we needed a couple of days to recover !

Enyeto had nothing to do with all of this, and had fun playing into the snow !

Then, we settle the camp, and have a quick brunch while the professionals prepare camera angles and set the scene.
Enyeto steals the show : walkers are amazed to see such an unusual pet !

Installation of the tent

First shots

At last, the time comes to start shooting. Every action must be quick, because Camille, in light clothes, can't stay outside for too long. Enyeto is invited to participate and acts very well as a model : it's not the first time he has his picture taken as a guest star !

Backstage

At last, the photos !

It was finally the fastest part. Mr Cana shows us some extracts on his camera, the result will be awesome, without doubt.

The wind picked up in the middle of the afternoon, everybody is numb by cold, and we must dismantle the camp and go back to the cars. Each of us uses his last strength in order to pack as quick as possible.
Anyway, we are finally in the warm of our respective cars, we all drive back home : Tarascon, Arles, Montpellier, and in our case Nîmes, about one and a half hour far from there. We were dying to sit on our couch with dry socks and a hot coffee !

It was hell of an adventure, the result is beyond my expectations, everyone was motivated, stuck together... Thanks to Mr Cana and Mimi for trusting me in this project, to Paule for introducing me to them and for her lovely dresses, to Camille for playing along in the cold, to Enyeto for his hugs...

Thanks everybody ♥

Waiting for the rest of the pictures and the making of ;)

The whole team :

Mr Cana : Photographer

Mimi Martin : Make up artist

Camille Basset : Model

Paule Monset : Fashion design

Psycho Lily : Synthetic dreads wig and jewels

Sonia Poinsard Martinez : Owner of Enyeto

Nausicaa : Making of video

Guillaume, Mickael et Gillian : Extra arms and happy mood !

Thanks to Sonia and Mr Cana for backstage pics, and Paule for the pictures of her dresses.

Best of 2014

I don't know for you but here in France we wish a "Happy New Year" to each other until march, so I'm sure it's not too late to publish a best of 2014 with extra layers of awesomeness !

I have chosen my favourite pictures or productions, of dreadlocks, custom orders and jewels. Enjoy and don't hesitate to share or comment !

Dreads installed in my shop :

Mail order selling :

Events :

Le Défilé de Ouf !

Festival de la Meuh Folle

Photo partnership :

"Freaky" by Happy Shoot with Blandine

Me by Happy Shoot + jewels made by myself

Jewels :