Hair Care For Locs

Okay I’ve been on this loc journey for one year now and I’m no loc expert but through my own trial &  error and reading up about caring for your locs I’ve rounded up few hair tips that will benefit anyone on this journey. As I said, I’m not an expert so any feedback from those of you who’ve been on this journey much longer, feel free to add your own tried & tested advice in the comments box below

• Re-twisting locs: A lot of sistas twist their locs at least once a month to keep them looking neat and to maintain the round loc shape. However, some people tend to over-do this and that’s when you end up with very thin looking roots and sometimes the locs can even break off. Re-twisting and styling constantly also causes a strain to your hair, thus affecting your hairline. So try to keep re-twisting and hairstyling to a minimum. Personally I like my locs thick, but that’s just a personal preference but I know locs can come in all different types of sizes.

• Moisturising: Keeping your locs moisturised is very important as they tend to get very dry, especially if they have been dyed. It’s best to avoid using heavy-based creams on your locs like shea butter, as these tend to coat the locs and cause build-up over time. Rather opt for light oils like your usual olive oil, coconut oil and jojoba oil. These are best used as a sealant (to seal in any moisture). Do not apply oil to dry hair, this wont moisture your locs. What you can do is lightly spritz/dampen your hair with water and then seal with the natural oil of your choice. Alternatively you can make a mixture of part water, glycerine and a favourite oil and just spritz that on your hair to keep it soft.

• Washing: Avoid too much co-washing (washing your hair with a conditioner only) like you would when you have an afro. The best is to use clarifying shampoos (e.g ORS Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo) and use light conditioners (e.g. Tresemme’s Naturals Conditioner). Try to air-dry your locs after washing them, rather than using a hair dryer and do not sleep with wet locs. Locs take a long time to dry and constantly sleeping with wet locs might cause them to build up mildew.

• Getting rid of build-up: Applying too much product on your locs can cause build-up in the long run. This is when your locs feel greasy, or when they have those white waxy/greasy particles on them. You can get rid of this build-up by using an ACV rinse or a clarifying shampoo.

• Colouring your locs: I enjoy putting colour in my locs but try to keep dye to a minimum. Perhaps every 4-6months should be fine. Hair dyes can be harsh on our hair since most hair colouring products contain ammonium peroxide, except for your semi-permanent hair dyes and henna. So it’s very important to do a protein treatment (deep conditioning) just before you are going to colour and straight after putting in colour. And remember to use a shampoo and a conditioner that is specifically made for colour-treated hair. Tresemme’s shampoos and conditioner for colour-treated hair are great.

• Healthy lifestyle: Basically what you put inside your body is what you get out. So drinking lots of water and eating your fruits and veggies can ultimately contribute towards healthy locs.

Hope the above points helped I would also like to hear from you, so please do share some of your own advice on how you take care of your locs.