It’s no secret that locs have a dirty little habit of collecting dust, lint and debris, that seems like it will never come out. As a loc wearer for close to 14 years, I know firsthand how absolutely annoying this is. Your locs, whether dark brown, black, blond or Auburn, the little dust and debris is always present and seems to stand out with a vengeance. No matter how the dust got there, no matter its make up or where it came from, it always turns white and dusty and it is absolutely annoying.
Years ago, when this first started happening to me, I used Clairol Semi Permanent dark brown dye to cover up the dust but it turns out that the dye started to damage my clothes.
Over time, it only made sense that I really studied and did my research to find ways to prevent dust, lint and debris from piling onto my hair. I knew I wasn’t going to dye it again so the search was on.
Here are some tips that have helped me over the years:
1) At all costs, AVOID products that are white and thick, unless you dilute it. For example: conditioners, souffle’s, butter’s even shampoos. (I have a video showing how I dilute and make my leave-in conditioner.)
2) NEVER leave the salon or your home with damp hair. If you want to pick up any and everything that will sit in and on your hair, go outside with damp locs – it becomes a dirt magnet.
3) ALWAYS go to bed with your hair wrapped with an emphasis on protecting the edges. Since I have been natural my entire life, with the exception of a three-year period, I have NEVER gone to bed without my hair wrapped.
4) I’ve noticed that a very many of my natural peers have become confessed “product junkies.” I believe it’s because this process is new to them and their still very unsure of what works best for their hair type. While there are hundreds of products on the market, oftentimes the best one’s are right in our homes. I cannot stress how important it is to be careful with the amount of products you use, not only at once, but over a period of time as well.
5) We are now in our Fall/Winter months and the challenge with natural hair, or for some an enemy of natural hair is fabric. Fabrics like wool, polyester, corduroys etc. can be so harsh and damaging to our growth process, our moisture and our edges. We welcome lint and debris when we wear certain hats, coats and scarves. Be mindful of what will harm your hair.
6) After that long-awaited wash, please put away the towel and grab an old t-shirt or go to Bed, Bath and Beyond and pick up a Sham-Wow cloth. Both of these are safe for hair, is gentle on the hair, takes out all of the water and will not leave lint balls in or attached to your locs.
Stay tuned for my next post: Trimming My Locs without Cutting Them
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