FAQ's
How can you get sisterlocks™?
Sisterlocks™ are offered in a package of 3 visits:
First Visit: The Consultation
During this session we will discuss your personal hair history, your styling preferences and your
lifestyle in order to determine if Sisterlocks is right for you. Your hair should be cleaned and free
of any grease, gels , conditioner, ect... We place tester locks in your hair which you should keep
for at least a week or one shampoo wash. At that time you will be quoted a price. We ask that
you reserve 2 hours for your consultation.
Second Visit: The Locking Session
Your second visit is your locking session. For the installation of your locks, based on the length
and density of your hair, we generally break your installation up in 1-2 day segments from 10-13
hours. We start as early as 7am. We take 2 half hour breaks for lunch and for dinner. We ask that you bring your food, a good book, and or several DVD movies while you get your hair locked. Once your installation is complete, you will be given a complementary Sisterlocks Kit complete with starter shampoo,
hair bands and Sisterlocks instructions. Once your installation is complete, we schedule your 3
week follow-up visit.
Third Visit: Follow up
Your 3 week follow-up visit is a way to monitor the progress of your locks. During your follow-up
visit you will receive a complementary mini-retightening and be placed on a retightening
schedule. Please set aside 3 - 4 hours for your 3 week follow-up.
Our Guarantee
Our guarantee is simple: If your on time, you don't have to wait to be serviced . Because we
value your time and appreciate your continued business, we make it our business to provide our
services to you on time and on schedule.
What are Sisterlocks™?
Sisterlocks is a natural hair-care management system that allows women with tightly textured
hair take advantage of a wide range of hairstyles without having to alter the natural texture of
their hair.
How long does it take to install Sisterlocks?
The initial install can range from 16-18 hours, sometimes longer depending upon the length of
the hair. Installations are broken up into 2 - 3 day increments. Your installation is the 1st and
only time you will sit that long for Sisterlocks services because unlike extensions, the hair does
not have to be taken down - only the new growth is retighten and that usually takes anywhere
from 3-5 hours each 4 - 8 weeks. Retightenings schedules are equivalent to touch ups for
people that have relaxers.
How much do installations and retightenings cost?
Prices are set based on geography and by the suggested price range set by the Sisterlocks™
home office, so prices will vary.
Can I wear different hair styles?
Yes, any hair style that you can achieve with loose hair, you can achieve with Sisterlocks. You
can curl it, braid it, style with roller sets, bantu knots, flat twists, you name it. You can even add
spray or moose to hold your hair style longer.
Can I get Sisterlocks with relaxed hair?
Yes you can. Transitioning clients can start Sisterlocks with as little as 2 inches of new growth.
We simply install Sisterlocks on the new growth portion of the hair, not the permed portion.
Once installed, you style as you normally would. As your locks grow, you slowly cut away the
permed portion of your hair. This way you do not have to start your locks with a very short length
of hair.
Can I wash my hair?
Yes. In fact, it is recommended that you wash your hair with our specially formulated Starter
Shampoo at least once a week. Our starter shampoo roughens the cuticle encouraging the
locks to (mature) settle. We do not use gel, grease, beeswax or any softening agents to start or
maintain your locks so you can technically wash your hair the day you are installed.
Can you take Sisterlocks down?
Yes you can, but it is not encouraged, for it is a long and tedious process. Dr. Joanne Cornwell
states that you should consider Sisterlocks in the same way that you consider relaxers in that
you do not relax your hair to unrelax it at a later time. So although taking down Sisterlocks can
be done and their are unbraiders who take down locks, it is not recommended.
I have traditional locks; can I start Sisterlocks with my existing locks?
This is not recommended for many reasons, here are a few: the exquisite look of Sisterlocks is
due in part to the way Sisterlocks are started. With Sisterlocks the hair is sectioned according to
preset parting structure. Parting for most traditional locking methods are not as detailed, and
may not produce the same results. In addition, when you change locking techniques within a
single lock, for example going from a twisting palm role method to a woven interlocking method,
you create a vulnerable area at the transition point. This weak area will tend to open up over
time, exposing individual strands of hair that are prone to breakage. The weak area doesn't
show up right away, but will begin to show from 6 months to 2 years down the line! · With
Sisterlocks, the hair is pulled into the lock formation more tightly than with most traditional
locking methods. This means that the size of the traditional lock will decrease noticeably at the
point where you begin the Sisterlocks method. Also, because the parting size for traditional
locks is too large for Sisterlocks to begin with, this shrinkage results in too much scalp showing.
Can I add extension hair to my Sisterlocks?
This is not advised and you will not have Sisterlocks™, technically. When you add hair to your
natural hair, you are impeding the natural locking process. Because the hair matures from the
tip to the root, by attaching other hair, the natural settling process is disturbed and may render
undesirable results. And as the locks mature, fake hair tends to look dull and unnatural
compared to your real natural hair.
Will Sisterlocks damage or thin my hair?
No! Sisterlocks incorporates a woven pattern that makes the hair extremely resilient. Because
there are no chemicals, beeswax, or gels used to install or maintain the locks, the scalp and hair
have the most ideal environment to thrive and restore itself naturally. With Sisterlocks you may
actually experience hair growth in areas that had once stopped growing altogether.
What is the difference between Sisterlocks and Traditional locks?
Generally, traditional locks tend to be larger and may require gel, or a softening agent to palm
roll. These soften agents require the client to wait several months before washing the hair in
order to encourage the hair to lock. With this procedure the locks also tend to attract lint in the
lock itself. With Sisterlocks, nothing is used during the locking process except a patented tool.
Sisterlocks are generally smaller (around 400 locks) and are installed using a detailed parting
structure that allows endless styling options. If you do not have this parting structure, then you
do not have Sisterlocks. And finally, because Sisterlocks do not utilize gels, grease, or shea
butter, the hair remains very light in weight, unlike traditional locks where the hair gets longer,
the hair gets heavier.
What is settling?
Often times you may hear the phrase, “your locks have not settled yet.” Basically what this
means is, when you have Sisterlocks installed, your locks will have a beautiful woven pattern
that may be mistaken for braids. The hair can slip and slide within the structure or framework of
the Sisterlocks pattern causing an undesirable look called slippage. After several months the
lock will settle (mature) and be less prone to slippage. Signs of settling is when your locks starts
to look more like uniformed matted locks and less like a braid. The settling phase is different for
each individual but can range from 3 months to a year, sometimes longer.
Should I color my hair before I get Sisterlocks?
Always color your hair before you get Sisterlocks because you can not color your hair again until
after your locks have settled.
Should I cut my uneven ends before I get Sisterlocks?
No, unless there is so much dead hair that it impedes the installation, but even in that case, let
your consultant make that assessment. For the most part, uneven ends helps your consultant
catch your hair quicker and makes Sisterlocks easier to install. In addition, uneven ends are not
aggravated and do not continue to split, unlike relaxed hair where dead ends should be trimmed
in order protect against further splitting and unhealthy hair.
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