A lot of people have been asking me about my locs, so I decided to share with you my loc journey experience. Come follow me on this adventurous journey I’ve been on over the last 3 years, while learning a few tips and tricks along the way.
How I Got Started
I started my locs by doing coils, which is similar to comb coils. I didn’t use a comb, but instead twisted mine. I permed my hair over the years, but after a while my hair although was growing long, was getting thin at the same time and I also had breakage. I decided that I was going back to my natural hair, and that’s just what I did.
Going Back to Natural Hair
I grew out my hair and went natural for about a year. During that time I tried so many things to tame my hair. I braided it, used a hot comb to straighten it, or just simply wore it in a ponytail.
After a year of wearing my natural hair, I came to the decision to grow locs. I must say that it took me on a journey I never expected. I knew nothing about starter locs or maintenance. I just took the plunge and went ahead and did it. I did some research along the way and learned from trial and error, and applying what I learned.
No Big Chop Before Locs
Most people who are transitioning from perm to locs usually do a big chop. The benefit of growing out the perm is that you can get starter locs with a good length of hair without having to cut it too short. I started with a fair amount of length, but it eventually shrunk as my hair started to lock.
Washing Starter Locs the First Time
Washing your starter locs for the first time can be a bit tricky. You want to have clean hair, but at the same time you don’t want your dreads to loosen. I’ll tell you what I did. Other people may tell you otherwise, but this is what worked for me.
How I Washed My Starter Locs
I washed my locs 2 weeks after I got them. You just have to wash them gently. Actually, you should concentrate more on the scalp than anything else. When washing your baby locs, you should gently massage the scalp. You can’t wash them like how you would normally wash non-locs hair or matured locs.
The Secret to Locking Dreads Faster
Everyone including myself always want to know what home remedies makes hair lock faster.
Believe it or not, water helps your hair to lock faster. Spritzing your hair every day with water and a few drops of natural oils will keep your dreads moisturized and help the strands of hair to intertwine and tighten.
Do not soak your hair because you want to avoid mold and mildew. Just lightly spritz it, using a hair spray bottle.
Shrinkage in Young Locs
Another surprise I experienced during my locs journey is how much my hair shrunk. My dreads also got fatter. When I just started my journey, my hair was thin and lifeless, so I was surprised to see how much they got bigger. I would assume it’s the result of not combing the hair and the natural curl pattern of the strands of hair during the locking phase.
Locs Growth Spurt
After the ups and downs of my loc journey, as my dreads started to mature more, I gained some length. My hair steadily grew longer as I applied some of the techniques I learned. I shared many health locs tips in my previous blogs, that helped me achieve a healthy head of dreadlocks.
My babies are now 3 years old, and I’m still learning. It’s been a pleasure sharing my knowledge with you, and I will continue to include you in my locs journey. Here are some of my most recent photos.
