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BUILD UP ON YOUR LOCS
To keep your locs healthy, a good routine is essential.
Build-up on your locs can be avoided with good washing rituals and the use of clarifying shampoos to remove the build-up. I have only recently started getting my build-up routine together. If you don't use many products and leave-ins in your locs, you won't need to do this often. However, it is alwasys good to use a clarifying shampoo once in a while -even when you claim that your locs are clean.
I have started no-pooing now (from 22 months of locing). I still use shampoo once a week and it is usually a clarifying one.
At the early stages, I feel that clarifying shampoos should be used every time you wash your locs with shampoo. This is so that your new locs will form with minimal build-up. This is just a suggestion.
Experiment and find out what shampoos work for you.
*BEESWAX AND THE PROBLEMS IT CAUSES
Some words from the forum:
"Pure beeswax causes buildup. I used to use Shea Butter and had a white residue build up. Took me three days to wash the Shea Butter out. After that you could not even get me to think bees wax."
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"The ladies speaketh truth. My former braider could never remove the buildup and she only used beeswax for a few months. She eventually cut her locs as well. (And her locs were sooooo pretty -- I wish she had just dyed the buildup.)
Many of us don't use any products. Some freeform or twist the roots with just water and a little oil, or use tools to crochet the roots (latchhook, Sisterlocks). In all cases, we did and do experience much fuzziness in the beginning stages."
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"I don't have locs, but I do have 100% chemical-free hair. I've noticed that when I've used products with beeswax and shea butter, I'd get build-up, too. Carol's Daughter products were notorious for causing a tacky build-up in my hair. It would take several clarifying shampooings to get it out.
My girlfriend has 6 or 7-year-old locs and no matter how much she washes her hair, no matter how hot the water, if you sqeeze hard enough, you can see beeswax build-up from several years ago come through her locs. It looks gross. So, that's why some people say stay clear of beeswax."
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I think the above statements that I've gathherred from forums are enough for me to say that Beeswax-natural or petroleum based -are harmful to locs. The frizzies -no matter what your hair texture is -is part of the process and it is a normal thing to experience. Often people use beeswax to try and stop this from happenning. As the locs mature, your locs will calm down -in some textures (like mine) the locs might never be completely rid of them.
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ACV AND LEMON JUICE
What you will need:
ACV - Apple Cider Vinegar
Lemon Juice-from freshly squeezed lemons
I have been reading a lot about these rinses in the forum sections. I
I still need to give it a try -but here are some instructions from the forum to help.
From the forum:
"Well today I bought six lemons and a bottle of apple cider vinegar. I took a 12 oz bottle and put 3 oz of vinegar and 9 oz of water (found that online somewhere) and I squeezed six lemons into 1/2 cup of juice and added two cups of water and put that in a pot.
After I washed my locs I squeezed the acv mix onto the scalp and locs. Right away my scalp loved it. My scalp was a tad itchy and that went away really quick. My scalp feels cleaner than ever. So I let that stay in a few moments and then rinsed. The acv mix is suppose to clean your scalp and I give it thumbs up.
I then followed the instructions from the Naturally You ezine on the lemon rinse and rinsed my hair a few times. You are suppose to collect the rinse and re-rinse and the rinse is suppose to get cloudy as it release build up. Sure enough the water gets more cloudy with each rinse through and the residue is released. This stuff is a good clarifying rinse. I then put my head back in the shower and gave my locs a good water rinse and the locs feel good. Another thumbs up.
I'll do the lemon rinse once a month and the vinegar rinse once a week."
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"What you have to do is have one bowl with the rinse in it and another bowl to catch the rinse coming out of your hair. The instructions say do this in a bath tub but I did it in the sink. You just pour the rinse over your locs and catch the rinse in the bowl. Pour the rinse again over you locs and catch it again in the bowl. You are reusing the rinse. I did this four times.
Lemon juice will lighten hair if you leave it in and let the sun get to it. I water rinsed the lemon rinse out and I'll only do this once a month so I should not have any lightening of my locs."
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UPDATED: OCT. 2004
One thing I have learned throughout the process is:
KEEP THE LOC ROUTINE AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE!
After all the experimenting with commercial products, I feel my locs have become dull - In the beginning, the urge to go out and buy every commercial product with the word 'loc' in the label was tempting, now all the things I have bought are on the shelf collecting dust.
A few simple rules to keep locs healthy:
*Wash very regularly
*Do an ACV rinse often
*Keep them covered at night
*Try to stay away from commercial unatural products
*Keep your loc care very simple -it will pay off in the long run! |
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