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| Hey kids! Shake off those quilted gangsta coats and horrible mukluk/mini skirt combos - summer is here already, most likely thanks to global warming! *sigh* But hey, regardless of the reason for the early season, the question still remains... how do I deal with all that summer lovin’ AND have fantastic dreadlocks? As ever, Knotty Boy’s got some answers and is here to help put some perk back into your heat-faded, wilting head. Read on for an exciting new Knotty apparel launch (woohoo!), some great summer product suggestions, and a plethora of helpful hints and tricks for caring for your dreadful head during the long hot days of summer. (Bonus points if you still know all the words to Summertime by Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff!) Roit, let’s get on with our latest launch FIRST, shall we? Knotty Boy is thrilled to announce our latest and cutest HAT addition to our lovely line of noggin-gear - the fantastic, and reversible poorboy caps! Specially designed with dreadies in mind, these locally-made caps of love keep dreads up, and the sun off your face, with just the right size hat and brim. Not floppy, not poofy - juuuust right, said the Baby Bear. Made from plush 100%-recycled velvets and corduroys, they are both reversible and tough enough to handle machine-washing, giving you so many options your head might just blow right off. But don’t let that stop you from checking them out.Available in army/denim, black/cream, brown/cranberry and grey/purple combos.
And while we’re on the topic of summer headgear, let us remind you that nothing keeps those hot locks off your face better than one of our great 100%-recycled-t-shirt dreadbands. They come in a multitude of colours, even rasta stripe, and are cheap as can be at $15 each. Keep the sweat off your brow with our recycled t-shirt dreadband! (But then make sure you wash it. You don’t want to be the blonde-afro-and-safety-glasses guy at the community center that smells like he hasn’t washed his rainbow-striped sweatband since 1975.)
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And, if you haven’t checked it out yet, get your hot head ready for the icy-cool...
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So, we all know that even when it’s hot enough to fry bacon on your face outside, you gotta get dressed to leave the house. Well, most of us. Those of you wearing diapers, don’t worry about it. Heck, I lived in Florida and didn’t wear a shirt until I was 5 years old - true story. But for those of us older than 5 /not living in FL, Knotty Boy has just the ticket. Our super-cool and comfortable unisex tanks and sassy, stretchy camisoles are here to keep you decent, but just barely. Add the shoes, and you’ll most certainly get some service... me-ow.
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| A few other noteworthy items you may want to check out on the knottyboy.com website would include the addition of a NEW Knotty Boy Product Ingredient Info page, detailing everything you could ever want to know about the ingredients we use in our products - by popular request! |
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| Now, let’s get to the... how you say...? Ah yes... the Summer Tips for Keeping Your Dreads From Becoming Simply Dreadful! Tres magnifique! Our first section comes to us from our reporter KnottyBrianna and her spiny sidekick Nappy the Knotty Boy Hedgehog, LIVE on location at the Knotty Dreadquarters in gorgeous and always-temperate Vancouver, BC. Take it away, Brianna! |
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| I mean ‘dreads’. So, we’re all planning out our summers these days. Mine will mostly consist of writing about YOUR dreads on YOUR summer adventures, you lucky little... No, the truth is I dig it. Makes me feel all-knowing... To start off my list of tips for caring for your locks in the summer, I want to stress the fact that our products are allllll natural. That means that leaving your gel out in the sun, lid off and fancy-free, is probably not a great idea. Knotty Sarah here keeps reminding me that "You just can’t fix ‘stupid’", but I’m here to try. Kids, leaving your KB products out to bake in the sun is like leaving juice out - as Napoleon D. so eloquently put it... ‘GhROSS!’. Leave those Knotty dread treats on your shelf or in the bathroom, but please don’t leave them outside with the lid off, hoping that all your bacteria-friends will like you more because you gave them a place to party, and THAT always ends up with puke in the fish-tank, meat on the walls, and generally a big mess that will make you want to close your eyes and have go away. I’m really getting side-tracked here, aren’t I? Bottom line - keep your Knotty Boy products in a cool, dry place as much as you possibly can during hot weather, with the lids tightly on. Your dread products won’t go bad, but you do want to keep out creepy-crawlies looking for a tasty snack! Next up - Going traveling? Camping? If you have a fresh set o’ dreads, and they’re still a little waxy, best bring along a spare pillow case to keep your dreads, and your bed/sleeping bag, wax-free. Also, remember that both our Knotty Boy shampoos are 100% eco-friendly and can be used for all sorts of stuff when running wild through the woods! Yes, we know that all you really want to do is find a nice mountain stream, strip down, crack the ice with your big toe, jump in and get all lathered up with the minty Knotty Boy shampoo bar. Man! How much fresher could you get, really? Just like an Irish Spring commercial - but instead of that raunchy chemical-smell wafting through the trees, it’s only the clean, icy pep-o-minty freshness of our natural shampoo... Ah, there I go again! But seriously, when I’m traveling, my ‘must have’ items are the Knotty Boy Cooling Peppermint Moisture Spray for those "How many days has it been since I showered...?" moments, and the Knotty Boy Shampoo Bar used as a general body/dishes/everything wash so I only have to worry about trekking around with one easy thing. On to - sunshine, swimming and dreads! When the sun comes out, if nothing else, use your dreads as an excuse to go swimming. Even if you’re not by the ocean, swimming outdoors (lakes included) really helps tighten dreads. It’s like tangle-central with your hair able to float around in the water like octopus arms and find new ways to tangle itself up. Drying your dreads out in the sun is great, too, because sunshine is great for killing any kind of bacteria or mildew that may be in there due to leaving your dreads damp (so always get them ubber-dry before wetting them again). I also find your hair dries ‘drier’ when you let the sun do it, and ‘drier’ is what you want with newer dreads. This is also a perfect time to start palm-rolling. Just jump out of the ocean, whip the water out o’ them dreads like you’re putting out a fire, then start whisking each one back and forth quickly between your palms. Voila! Nice, tight, roundy dreads! OK, kids, that’s it for me. Have fun a-plannin’ for your summer, and if you DO have any bacteria parties, let me know. My costume is rad, and I’ve only used it once. Ubber-Knotty Brianna |
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| Also, last year about this time we ran a fantastic and in-depth Knotty Boy eZine piece on dreadlock care that included a ton of info not found on the Knotty Boy website - exclusively for Knotty eZiner eyes only. We’ve determined that it is worth running this piece again for the benefit of both those of you that missed it AND those that have seen it already because, let’s face it, you can never really get enough help with dread care - and ‘tis the time for dreadlock Spring Cleaning! Get ready - here is some GREAT ADVICE on keeping your dreads super clean and tidy all summer long, courtesy of KnottyJervais! |
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The most valuable dread tip I can offer you is...(drum roll)... to find what works best for you and your dreads. Lifestyle, time considerations, hair/dread type and the current condition of your dreads are all things to consider when deciding what works for you and what doesn't. You are the number one authority on what is best for your dreads (no, not even us, we're just dreaducators - here to offer help, advice and rockin' products!). With all that out of the way, here are some things you can try - see what works best for you! Whatever you use to wash your hair, remember that you don't always need to wash the length of your dreads. The most important part is to wash your scalp! Using your finger tips, gently massage your scalp - your goal here is to loosen all the gunk, pollution, oil and other crap (we know your dreads encounter some weird things at times) from your scalp so it can be rinsed away, never to return again! So yes, lightly massage your scalp with your finger tips - no need to use your entire hands or lather up your entire head like you're covering yourself foam from fire extinguisher. Mashing your palms around on your head will only make your dreads frizzy and give you that halo of scalp fuzz! Don't worry about the length of your dreads - when you rinse, the shampoo will flow down your dreads cleaning them of any residue or smells.  This isn't said often enough, so I'm going to pound it in! When you think you're done rinsing, rinse some more. Rinsing is your friend. It helps keep your scalp healthy and itch-free, stops oil and shampoo residue from building up in your dreads and keeps your dreads smelling great. I recommend people rinse for 3-5 minutes for maximum benefits! Rinsing is especially important if you've used any dyes or bleaches on your dreads - rinse for 5-10 minutes to make sure it's all gone.  A lot of time smells are caused from not rinsing properly or from keeping your dreads wet for days at a time. Making sure your dreads are dry before you tie them back can seriously prevent icky mildew smells from occurring. Also, try rinsing for longer (see above) if you find an unpleasant odor visiting your dreads. Okay, so you're dreads don't smell bad, but you know they could smell sweeter? I totally suggest our nasally nice Knot-Teas. My personal favourite smells are the Texada Island Twist and Lasqui-Tea Island Chai. Yum, yum, gimme some!  Okay first - scroll up and read the rinsing info if you skipped it. The number one cause of dreads being itchilicious is not rinsing for long enough. Just shampooed? Swam in the ocean or a pool lately? Rinse, rinse, rinse. Rinsing is your friend. So what if you're rinsing well enough? Well, you have a few options. They break down like this: 1.) Rinsing (okay, I think you get it now - whew!) 2.) Try changing shampoos - our Knotty Boy Dreadlock Shampoos contain tea-tree, rosemary and peppermint essential oils. All brilliant for scalp care. 2.) Knotty Boy Peppermint Scalp Spray - it tingles those itchies into oblivion 3.) Knotty Boy Knot-Teas - I specifically suggest Lasqui-Tea Island Chai created with conquering itchies in mind. 4.) I will only tell you about this one if you promise to rinse well after you do it. Promise? Okay then... A good old fashioned vinegar rinse. Take one part plain white vinegar and mix it up to ten parts water. Again - 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water. Pour your lovely concoction into a big jug and go stand in the shower, slowly pour the entire contents over your head, making sure to concentrate on saturating your scalp with the stuff. No need to shampoo it out (in fact it's better if you don't), simply rinse it out until you can no longer smell vinegar. This can be done 2-3 times a month, but really... with all the previous options, itchies should be a thing of the past! Whew, do you love me or what?! Got some things that you've found useful that aren't mentioned here? Send them in! We love hearing about what works for you and what doesn't. Alright, that's it for now... Happy maintaining! |
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| Thanks again to Jervais for this! That’s a lot of info - hopefully you’ve learned something new today about taking care of those lovely locks! | |||||
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| Hey, everyone, we’ve now got some fresh blood in the form of newly sponsored kids featured on our Sponsorship page, so be sure to go and check these extraordinary Knotty kids out there, including Andrea Heins (guitar goddess), Shawn Denny (extreme biking maniac) and Noella Nykyforuk (rockclimbing monkey-girl extraordinaire)! We are also always accepting new applications for next season’s new group of Knotty kids wanting to, in the immortal words of KnottyAndrew, "Git yer nappy ass sponsored here"! So if you are a Knotty kid (regardless of your actual age, of course) and doing something that you get no respect for, check out the Sponsorship page for all the details, then send us all the info you can about you and just what the heck you’re spending all your days and nights doing! Lawd knows, we’ve had some amazing kids apply for sponsorship, but don’t let that stop you from sending in your stuff because, seriously, we’re interested in it ALL. Deadlines are as follows: August 1, 2005 is the official start date for next season’s call-outs (but you can send us your stuff sooner - the early dread sometimes gets the knot!). Submissions are due by September 15, 2005 and we’ll announce the selected Sponsored Knotty Kids by October 15, 2005. |
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| Since there’s been so much hubbub about dreadlock care in this here eZine, we’re pleased to offer a FREE Knot-Tea Combo Pack with every purchase of our NEW Knotty Boy All Natural Liquid Dreadlock Shampoo! This deal is as hot as Hades, and is the perfect combo of products to keep your locks deliciously clean and very sweet-smelling. To take us up on this dreadful offer, place your order as usual using the shopping cart at www.knottyboy.com, include a bottle of the dreadlock shampoo in your order, and enter into the Comments field of the order form the following line: "Thus saith me, ‘Summer hath no hold upon me! Let the harsh rays of the sun blast down upon my nappy head, for I am an eZiner and my dreads will be staying fresh and cool with my FREE Knot-Tea Combo Pack!!’" And verily, so shall thy dreadlocks stay fresh and cool all the days of thy life, and thy locks shall prosper and fill the land, and shall dwell in the House of Knottiness forever. Amen. Thus ends our time together for this Summer issue of the Knotty Boy eZine - and thanks for reading! Join us next time for our Fall issue with all kinds of ideas on staying warm, fed and clothed for the fall chills - plus anything other silliness we think of to include for your viewing pleasure. And as we always say, if you haven’t taken a moment to fill out our quick Knotty Boy 5 Minute Survey, please do us a huge favor and tell us what you think about all this Knotty Boy craziness. We already know we rock (well, we do!), but nothing beats actually hearing it from our Knotty kids. AND just as importantly, tell us what other stuff you’d like to see from Knotty Boy and how we can be even better for you. We make most of our decisions around here based on what our Knotty kids suggest, so speak up and let us know! Ta-ta for now, enjoy those fleeting days of summer and see you again in the Fall! Love, The Knotty Crew |
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| PS. By cracky, we almost forgot!! Calling all dread heads!! We need your help! We’re looking for dreadful Knotty kids with style, pizzazz and flare to feature in a new Dreadlock Styles page we’re developing here at knottyboy.com! You know the ones - special-occasion or rockstar styles for dreadheads going to the prom, first dates, weddings, performances, or bat mitzvahs. We’d love to know how you tied, arranged and rocked your dreadlocks for that special occasion. If you or anyone you know has any pictures of dread fancy ‘dos, email them in with a brief description of how you did the ‘do to Knotty Sacha - sacha@knottyboy.com and we’ll include you on our page. Show the world that dreadheads CAN clean up good! |
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