loc maintenance – Page 13 – 1Stop Natural Home Remedies

Oil and Water for Dreads: The Test I Did With My Locs

I have noticed that a lot of people are questioning whether or not they should use oil and water in their locs, if it’s safe or not. Well, I decided to take a slight risk to see if my locs would look and feel the same without my regular oil and water spritz.

Part of my daily locs care routine involved spraying a mist of water mixed with essential oils, and working it into my dreads. This keeps my hair moisturized and soft.

No Water and Oil Challenge on my Locs

As a test, I stopped spritzing my locs for a week, and was not pleased with the results. The first thing I noticed was that my dreads were becoming brown.

Then another thing I noticed was that my once soft, beautiful locs were not soft anymore, but instead had a stiff, crispy feeling. Also, my locs seemed to have gotten thinner.

They didn’t have the fluffy look they usually had. Image on left was before the no oil and water test. The image on the right was after a week without oil and water. Notice how my dreads were fluffier before and they were blacker.

After a Week Without Oil and Water

This is enough for me to stick to what I was normally doing, spritzing my oil and water mixture on my locs on a daily basis. If it works for me, that’s what I’m going to stick with. I don’t know about other people, but based on their hair texture, they may need to spritz every other day, instead of every day.

The Misconception of Having Dreads

Dreadlocks need love and care. Some people think that we who have locs are just lazy and don’t want to wash or care for our hair, but they are so wrong.

If you stop taking care of your locs, you will definitely see the end results sooner or later. It really shows. You can look at someone’s locs and tell if they take good care of them or not.

The Cons of No Oil and Water

If you don’t give your locs water or oil, they will get dry, brittle, and starts to break over a period of time. If you think about it, each strand of loc is intertwined with coils of hair.

If you don’t mist your hair regularly, the inner strands will not be moisturized, resulting in dehydrated hair, ending in weak, dull locs that will break easily.

Final Thoughts on Oil and Water for Locs

In conclusion, this test proved to me that water and oil is beneficial to locs. Our hair, just like our body, needs to be hydrated at all times.

A Quick Update For My Locs

Hey guys, I just wanted to drop by and give you a quick locs update, since I haven’t given you one in a while. As of now, my 3 1/2-year-old locs is doing great. There are no major changes.

My dreads are still looking thick and healthy as usual. The one thing I noticed is that my locs growth seem to slow down a bit. I must admit that I’m guilty of one thing. As of lately, I’ve been so busy over the summer, I kind of slacked up a bit when it comes to massaging my scalp with the Jamaican Black Castor Oil and coconut oil mixture.

Before the summer started, I used to religiously massage my scalp with the oils a couple times a week. I think one of the reasons why I don’t massage my scalp that often, is because the summer is so hot, so I try to keep my dreads in a hairstyle that will keep me cool. When it’s styled, I find myself not getting the chance to oil or massage my scalp that often.

What I do sometimes, is I will use my Afro pick comb to run through the roots of my locs. This is similar to finger massages. You should try this too. Massaging your scalp with this comb leaves your scalp feeling tingly and refreshed. It stimulates hair-growth, while giving you a much needed massage.

Coping With Long Locs in the Hot Summer Months

This year I had to figure out how to cope with my long locs during the hot summer months. Last year, my dreads were a good length, but this year they grew even more because I’ve dedicated myself to taking real good care of them, using Jamaican Black Castor Oil and other hair care regimen in my daily locs maintenance.

Keeping Cool in the Summer With Long Locs

It’s nice to have long locs, but when the time gets hot and you start to sweat more than usual, long hair can become a nuisance. It’s even worse for the guys who have a regular workout routine. Simply gathering your dreads in one and using a strand or two of locs to wrap and lightly tie them in place, can keep your hair away from your skin.

Trendy Locs Hairstyles for Summer

I’ve tried to make wearing long locs in the summer more comfortable by doing a variety of locs hairstyles that keeps my hair away from my skin.

Updos are perfect for the hot months or you can do big braids. Sometimes I do big braids and then wrap them around, using hairpins to keep them in place. The one below is just something simple I did to keep cool.

Sweaty Locs in the Summer

Another thing that comes with summer and having long locs, is having to wash your hair more frequently than usual. Some people sweat more than others, and sweating in your scalp can cause odor. The fastest solution to get rid of odor from your locs caused by sweating, is to wash your hair.

Keeping Your Locs Moisturized

It is common for many people to complain that their dreads become dry in the summer. This is because your hair is crying out for moisture. I use simple home remedies for locs such as natural Aloe Vera to keep my locs moisturized in the summer.

This simple, yet effective natural remedy locks in the moisture in each strand of loc, preventing dry, brittle dreads. Aloe Vera is also great for treating dry, itchy scalp, and promote hair growth. For more tips and tricks for summer locs hair care, check out my Dry Locs: Summer Hair Care post.