Loc Maintenance Tips

During my hiatus, I learned some valuable lessons and have since accumulated a list of useful tips for those of you out there who may be embarking on your own loc journey.

- Keep your hands out of your hair.

Similar to any loose natural, the more manipulation, the less moisture you retain.

-Embrace your new growth.

Want thicker healthier locs and roots? Stop re-twisting so often. Personally I try two at least 6-8 weeks between re-twisting. Ever see someone with locs who was all scalp, no volume? This is the result of re-twisting to much. So learn to love your new-growth. There is a freedom that comes with locs, enjoy it fully.

-Ocean water is Bae!

If you have fine hair that is resistant to loc'ing up, I suggest a dip in the ocean! Okay, so this may not be doable during winter months, but an alternative to this is a sea salt and water solution (click here for the recipe & technique) sprayed on locs.

-Let go & let god.

Because I'm not spending that extra 15-30 minutes before leaving the house to "do" my hair. If you are like me and still struggle with time management as an adult, you can appreciate the few simple things I get to do.

1. Sleep in a bit later- Not fussing with your hair means being able to hit the snooze a few extra times guilt free.

2. Eat a decent breakfast before work- They say it is the most important meal of the day, and now I have time to enjoy it.

3. Accessorize- Experimenting with different headwrap/earring combinations has added a whole new dimension to my wardrobe, and now thanks to some savvy thrift store shopping, I have quite the arsenal of prints and colors to adorn my crown.

4. Soul search- In the course of our fast-paced, modern lives, it can be hard finding the time to be still enough attain some level of peace in the madness. Taking 5-10 minutes a day to find your inner voice through yoga, prayer or meditation can work wonders for both your physical and mental health.

5. Say good bye to "Bad Hair Days"- Bad hair day? What's that? Rainy days and humidity are no longer cause for alarm. Scrambling for shelter, rain bonnets and caps to protect my freshly coifed doo from the elements is now a thing of the past. In fact, though I do not wet it daily, most days I allow shower steam to get to my locs for a bit of added moisture, which brings me to my next tip.

-Moisturize your scalp.

Keeping your scalp moisturized is much more important the shaft of your hair as the health of your tresses is heavily dependent on the health and condition of your scalp. I add a bit of oil once or twice a week to my scalp between and after washings (after the hair has dried of course) This ensures that my locs stay soft and pliable, which is the number one way to avoid breakage.

-Wrap it up.

Sorry ladies, but you will still have to protect your locs and wrap them with a satin or silk scarf (we love the Slap) before bed. This not only ensures your locs stay soft and moisturized, but it also cuts down on lint accumulation significantly. Anyone who has been on this journey can tell you lint not only makes your locs look dusty and unkempt, it is also a pain to loose from your locs. Keep lint and other debris from getting tangled into your hair, and wash day will be that much easier.

Many of these tips may seem repetitive or familiar if like me, you have been a loose natural for some time before embarking on your #locjourney, and most of them are common sense. However, many people make the mistake of thinking that growing locs means completely neglecting your hair, and while doing so will most certainly ensure that your hair locs together, it will not be any healthier or grow longer for it. Locs still need love and attention, but do yield some pretty amazing conveniences in the process.