There are a few things I hear about the Imani Locking Spray that I want to address — because most of the hesitation around it comes from assumptions, not experience.
Let me start from the beginning.
I created the Imani Locking Spray 14 years ago. At the time, I was a loctician — 20 years in the craft, based in Atlanta — and I was traveling across the U.S. to cultivate locs for clients. After I'd leave, clients would call me up asking the same question: What should I use at home?
This was during the height of the natural hair wave. New products were flooding the market — but they were made for natural hair. Not locs. There were a handful of companies offering something for the loc community, but people weren't buying them because they flat out didn't work. The products were too heavy, they left buildup, or they just weren't formulated with loc hair in mind.
So I did what I always do. I figured it out myself.
After trials and tests on my own clients — real people, real locs, real feedback — I finally perfected the formula. I named it after my oldest daughter, Imani. I wanted my kids to feel like they were a part of what I was building. And the Imani Locking Spray has been part of this brand ever since.
Now, Let's Talk About the Misconceptions.
"It won't work for my hair."
This is usually said by someone who's only ever used gel. The Imani Locking Spray isn't competing with gel — it was created as an alternative to it. If your concern is buildup, gel is working against you. Gel coats the loc. Over time, that coating accumulates. The Imani Locking Spray holds without leaving anything behind.
"I tried it once and it didn't hold."
Nine times out of ten, this is an application issue — not a product issue. The Imani Locking Spray requires heat to activate fully. You spray a section, clip the locs back, and sit under the dryer. The hold comes from the product drying completely into the loc — and that process needs time and heat. If you're applying it like a gel and air drying, you're not using it the way it was designed to be used.
Dria, who bought the 16 oz, said it best:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I honestly had my doubts at first but.... This spray exceeded my expectations. I'm sorry for even doubting if it would work lol. When I use to retwist my own hair, it would barely hold up past 2 days. It has been almost a week now with this spray and they are still holding!" — Dria, Verified Buyer
That's exactly what happens when you use it correctly.
"Locking sprays are all the same."
They are not. Most of what's on the market still wasn't made with the loc community's real concerns in mind. The Imani Locking Spray was built from the ground up for locs — specifically for locticians and clients who are serious about keeping their hair clean and buildup-free long term.
Here's What It Actually Delivers.
It's lightweight. It smells like lavender. And it holds without the crust, without the crunch, and without the heavy residue that builds up on the shaft over time.
For locticians: if you have a client who is concerned about buildup — and plenty of them are — the Imani Locking Spray is your answer. It's what I reach for. It's what locticians across the country are choosing over gel for exactly this reason.
How to Apply It (This Is Where Most People Go Wrong)
The Imani Locking Spray is not applied the same way as a gel — and that distinction matters.
- Spray an entire section — not loc by loc.
- Clip your locs back and sit under the dryer for 25 minutes.
- Take the clips down, put your hair in two pigtails, and go back under for another 25 minutes — so the ends and the back of your locs dry completely.
- Squeeze your locs. If they're not fully dry, go back under.
That's the process. Spray, clip, dryer, dry. The hold is real — but it has to be activated with heat.
The Imani Locking Spray works best alongside one of our Moisture Mixes:
Jinan Moisture Mix or the Island Breeze Moisture Mix
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Imani Locking Spray cause buildup? No. It's buildup-free by design. That's one of the primary reasons it was created — as a direct response to the heavy, residue-leaving products that existed in the market at the time.
Is a locking spray better than gel for locs? For clients concerned about buildup, yes. Gel coats the loc and accumulates over time. The Imani Locking Spray holds without the residue, which is why locticians across the country choose it for their clients.
Do I need a hooded dryer to use it? Yes — heat is part of the process. The product is activated as it dries into the loc. Air drying alone won't give you the hold the spray is capable of delivering----unless you're able to dry completely via air drying.
Who is the Imani Locking Spray for? Anyone with locs who wants a lightweight, buildup-free hold — whether you're maintaining your own locs at home or a loctician looking for a cleaner option for your clients.
How long does the hold last? Results vary by hair type and thickness, but many clients report hold lasting close to 3 weeks with proper application.
Fourteen years of locs don't lie.
Shop the Imani Locking Spray → https://drlocs.com/collections/loc-hold/products/imani-locking-spray-8-oz
Pair it with our Moisture Mixes (the Imani Locking Spray does not give you moisture):
Jinan Moisture Mix or Island Breeze Moisture Mix
Chimere Faulk, Founder — Dr Locs
