Taking care of your locs is a sort of religious ritual in some ways. It’s something many of us take pleasure in, while the rest of us need to learn to enjoy the process. We’re on the side that says if you have to do it, you may as well find the positive in your self-care routine and learn to love it.
It’s a big day when it comes to washing your locs, especially for young locs. Let’s have a look into five wash day mistakes you want to avoid at all costs.
1. Washing Locs Too Frequently
Are you sure you’re not rushing it? Washing your locs too frequently, especially young locs, may cause your locs to unravel at the root or ends. Washing your locs all too often may cause your locs to thin and take longer to loc. If you’re in the mature phase, you probably already have a smooth washing routine, but washing too often may cause your locs to dry out, which leads to breakage, nuh uh, no thank you!
2. Waiting Too Long
Some of us wash too frequently, while others wash too infrequently. It’s important for your scalp and the condition of your hair not to wait too long between washes. Waiting too long can cause build-up from your natural sebum oils, the dirt and debris in the air, and potentially from the products you use. It’s really important to take care of that scalp and the inner matrix of your locs as they grow. You definitely don't want to start off your locs with dirt or build-up in the heart of your locs.
3. Not Thoroughly Rinsing
Once you’ve massaged that shampoo into your scalp carefully, but thoroughly, it’s important to make sure when you rinse, to rinse out all that residue and shampoo. You really don’t want to leave anything behind, especially if you’re only washing once a week or less. After washing your locs, make sure the water runs clear, this way you can be sure you’re on the clear! Here’s a Dr Locs Tip: When washing your hair make sure you get the back of your head. It’s the area most people forget about and most buildup is often in this area.
4. Not Conditioning
We love moisture and so do your locs! It’s really important to condition your locs after carefully shampooing your scalp with deep gentle massaging. A leave-in conditioner works really well at sealing in that moisture your locs need to grow in long and healthy. We hope you’re avoiding beeswax and moisturizing your locs carefully and generously. Our Jinan Leave-In Conditioner does not have to be rinsed out and it serves as a perfect conditioner everyday for your locs, without the buildup.
5. Not Drying Your Locs Properly
When you’ve deeply clarified your locs, or went for your favorite natural shampoo and conditioner made with love for locs, it’s so, so important to make sure your locs dry well. Imagine going through all that love and care and letting it all go to waste by not drying your locs correctly. We want to avoid mildew at all costs, just as much as we want to avoid buildup. Making sure your locs dry before covering them, or putting them up in a protective style will ensure your locs smell and feel fresh and clean. A few ways we recommend to dry your locs is under the dryer or blow drying. If you choose to air dry, be sure that they dry completely.
