Starter locs can be very delicate and after spending several hours and so much money getting them installed you want to be sure that they grow well to maturity.
Therefore, in this article we will focus on Starter Locs Dos and Dont’s to help you get it right, the first time.
Before we go into that, for this article to make sense, make sure you’ve read these two articles first: (i) The Best Starter Locs Guide you will find, (ii) All About Two Strand Twists Starter Locs
Starter Locs Dos
Here are 5 things you SHOULD DO once you have installed your starter locs
1. Protect your locs when sleeping
Whenever you are sleeping, use a satin bonnet or satin scarf to protect your hair.
Satin is very friendly to your starter locs as it helps in retaining moisture. It also prevents your hair from breaking off as you toss and turn in your sleep.
Additionally, using satin bonnets or scarfs reduces the chances of your starter locs collecting lint from your blankets. (Which we know is very annoying and difficult to remove from the hair)
2. Use light oils on your scalp
While oils and other products are great for the hair, when it comes to starter locs, you need to go light.
This reduces the chances of product build-up.
Some great light oils you can use are; Peppermint oil, Jojoba oil or Grapeseed oil.
3. Protect your hair when washing
Starter locs are delicate at the beginning stages and therefore need to be protected when washing.
Have a mesh cap on or you can use elastic bands when washing. These act as a protective measure on your locs and prevents them from unraveling.
4. Protect the roots of your starter locs
When starter locs are young, they will be looking for a direction to grow towards. It’s therefore important for you to separate your roots occasionally.
Separating the roots helps the starter locs get direction as they grow out and avoids tagging and pulling when you are having your locs re-twisted.
5. Style your starter locs gently
Professional locticians recommend styling your starter locs as this helps prevent you from touching them a lot and they also keep your locs intact and separated.
Maintaining your starter locs when they are styled is also easier.
Do not style your locs if your hair is short and cannot be held together. You want to avoid tight styling as it can be unhealthy for your scalp and your hair.
Starter Locs Don’ts
Here are 7 things you SHOULD NOT DO when you have starter locs
1. Don’t wash you starter locs too frequently
Washing your starter locs frequently decreases the speed at which your hair would loc together naturally. It also denies your hair the opportunity to thrive in the natural oils they would produce which benefit your hair.
2. Don’t re-twist the locs too often
Wait at least a month before you retwist your starter locs after installation.
Re-twisting (a.k.a re-tightening) too soon reduces the chances of your locs thickening up and locking together as they should. It also makes your starter locs weaker and prone to breaking.
3. Don’t style your starter locs tightly
After installation, your scalp and hair will be adjusting to a new hair style and therefore there is some tension going on.
Styling your starter locs tightly adds more tension to your scalp and this is unhealthy.
Tight styling of your starter locs could also cause damage to your locs by making them lose or weaker and therefore you would have to go through the hassle of redoing them.
4. Don’t use heavy products on your starter locs
Locs are better when they are lighter, fluffier and you can freely move them around.
When you use heavy products on your starter locs, they build up on your hair making them heavier.
Additionally, as your locs start to get longer, it gets harder to remove the built-up products.
For that reason, you can avoid products such as bees wax, coconut oil, olive oil, and any hair butter that does not completely melt when applied.
Consider using products that have a water base in them, such as rose water or aloe vera gel to moisturize rather than using heavy products.
5. Don’t go without moisturising at all
Even though your hair is locked, it still needs to be moisturised and nourished to grow healthy. Go light and consistent with moisturising.
6. Don’t stay too long without re-twisting
We said don’t re-twist too soon and too often but also staying too long without re-twisting will hurt your locs.
Staying too long may put shorter locs at the risk of unravelling, the roots may also begin to combine and it will be more difficult separating when you eventually decide to retwist.
7. Don’t expect your locs to look like someone else’s
The way locs grow and mature is so unique to everyone, I can almost compare it to the uniqueness of finger prints.
Therefore do not expect your locs to look like someone else’s. You will end up being disappointed.
It’s OK to get inspiration from other people as you decide on the size and type of locs, but just don’t expect the same results.
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