Maintaining Locs at Home

Maintaining Locs at Home

Greetings Loc Stars, so many of you have asked the infamous question:

“How do I maintain my locs at home?”

Well its very simple. DO THE LEAST.  

Yep that’s it that’s the answer to your favorite question.

Well, you say, “What does that mean?”

Here are a few simple things that even the novice of loc maintenance can do.

1) Wrap your hair up

Yes even men & boys to.

Utilize a satin or Spandex like material to wrap your luscious locs, dreads, dreadlocks, dreds, starter locs, braids, 2 strand twists, brotherlocks, sisterlocks, or loc extensions up. It’s as easy as wrapping your hair up at night, working out, when playing sports, or even doing house chores.  Keeping your hair wrapped keeps your loc or dread style in place. It also prevents breakage from your cotton pillowcases (which we will discuss later). Wrap your hair even after you have taken down your style, this just helps to keep the moisture in your hair and not on your pillow.  If you are sweating from working out or playing sports, please remove wrap and allow hair to air dry.  Not doing so will cause your hair to mildew. (Ewww are those stinky locs? face frowns up to indicate a foul smell)

2) Oil your hair and scalp with only natural oils

What are natural oils? You ask.

Natural Oils are oils that are not diluted or mixed with other carrier oils. Usually these oils are found in your local grocery store, health food store and herbal shops. 100% pure oils: Examples include; Olive, Coconut, Avacado, Almond, Apricot & Grapeseed are just a few that I use on my clients and myself. You’ll want to oil your hair at least once a week, or a little more for those with extremely dry hair. Keeping your locs moisturized makes them pliable and soft.

3) Drink more water and eat a healthier diet

Yes you have heard this a million times.

This is so very true. The more water you drink the more your hair, skin & nails will be nourished. What you put in your body comes out through your hair skin and nails. You will see better overall results when you improve your diet and increase your water intake.

4) Sleep on a Satin Pillow Case

Night Night Sleeping Beauties and Beaus

A satin pillowcase reduces the amount of friction you cause by tossing and turning or from a wild night after the club. LOL. Cotton pillowcases, which most people sleep on, dries hair out and makes it brittle. Friction from cotton causes breakage to the hair. For those of you who may have had a long day at work and are just to tired to wrap hair up will gain an extra 5 seconds of sleep by opting to just go to bed. Satin helps to keep moisture in your hair because it’s a much more softer fabric than cotton.

5) Get regular loc maintenance from a professional

Yes, that means Budgeting your Master Loctician into your finances.

Seeking the help of a professional will cultivate healthy beautiful luscious locs. A professional will use natural home made or professional products on your hair to keep it soft, pliable & fragrant (the smell good kind, that puts a smile on your face). Trims are required to keep locs looking neat and even. (Who wants to have scraggly looking locs, ewww gross) For those of you who have softer, wavier curl patterns, you will need loc shearing. This process removes the frizzy hairs from your locs. It gives your locs a much neater appearance.  Also interlocking is great for those that sweat a lot, work out, play sports or swim. This method is also great for pulling in those runaway hairs and strengthens loc bases.  So by scheduling your appointments as much as once a month or as little as twice a year, you will see a huge difference in the health of your hair.

Welp, there you have it a few simple tips to maintaining your locs, dreads, dreadlocks, dreds, braids, starter locs, sisterlocks, brotherlocks, 2 strand twists, or loc extensions at home. See now, that wasn’t so bad or was it? Just make sure that you are seeking the expertise of a professional to do regular loc maintenance throughout the year. In doing so will ensure a life long healthy relationship with your crowning glory of locs!