Whether you’ve had your gorgeous locs for years now or you’re new to the club, you can’t go wrong with brushing up on maintenance best practices. And, as the seasons change, it’s also a great time to have fun and explore new styles. Afterall, there are countless ways to rock locs. Take a look at our favorites—like Lisa Bonet, Shanola Hampton, Ava DuVernay, Chlöe, and Halle Bailey, for example— who personalize theirs often.
So, whether you’re opting for ponytails, buns, French rolls, Two-strand twists, cornrows, Bantu knots, or even adding cuffs and jewels to your strands, Laverne Amara, founder and owner of NVLX Labs breaks down her top five tips for keeping your locs healthy and flourishing this fall and beyond.
Ensure your hair is clean
Start with clean, freshly washed locs to ensure a smooth process. To keep your locs looking their best, shampoo them regularly to maintain cleanliness and a healthy scalp.
You can use water-soluble shampoos and conditioners that won’t cause buildup or unravel the hair. “You also want to avoid products that are too harsh, as they can leave your hair dry or irritate the scalp.” You can stick to a consistent maintenance routine and healthy diet to manage new growth and prevent loc breakage.
What to know about ACV rinses
You can definitely wash your hair with apple cider vinegar as it can help detoxify your scalp. But, Amara notes that you have to be careful when you wash it with this ingredient. “I recommend a 1:4 ratio of ACV to water to keep the scalp’s pH balanced and avoid dryness or irritation,” says Amara. “It’s also better to use products that won’t cause buildup in the first place, rather than trying to remove product residue after the fact.”
Use a leave-in
Mist your locs with water or a leave-in spray to make them more pliable. Amara also recommends using water-soluble, natural products with clean ingredients that do not weigh the locs down. “Avoid heavy products that leave behind residue, as this can build up within the locs over time,” says Amara. “Conditioner can be used as a leave-in after washing or diluted with water in a spray bottle for daily use and leave your locs soft to the touch without feeling oily or heavy.”
Detangle
When it comes to detangling, it’s a highly “debated topic.” This is likely because many people assume it means to loosen or straighten the hair. This isn’t the case, and Amara notes that it’s important to detangle the locs. “Regular detangling helps maintain the overall organization of your locs,” says Amara. She also recommends using the NVLX LABS Loc Comb as they can “be used for scalp massages and are easily sanitized to ensure germs aren’t being transferred into the hair.”
Style as desired
Create your desired loc style—be it updos, twists, braids, or curls—just as you would with loose natural hair. “The smaller the locs, the more versatile they are for different styles,” says Amara. Depending on the hair style, if you have short locs and you want to curl them, start setting your locs the night before by moisturizing and dividing them into sections. You can place each section as bantu knots or twists and secure them with a hair tie. Secure your locs with pins, hair ties, or accessories to hold the style in place.
Protect while sleeping
Last but not least, Amara notes that it’s important to protect your locs when sleeping or when they’re wet. She also recommends using a satin bonnet at night to “avoid lint, and friction and prevent the hair from drying out.” She recommends using the nvlx Knits Mudcloth Inspired Hair Towel as it is versatile and protects hair from lint and dust.
