2 Shea Butter Recipes for Locs | DIYs for Dry Dreadlocks

Locs need moisturizing or they’ll become as dry as a desert. Anyone who’s ever had locs must know how frustrating dry locs can be. But fortunately, you can make yourself DIY shea butter recipes for locs. That way, you won’t have to use commercial products which contain alot of chemical ingredients that can leave residue when they build up.

1. Homemade Dreadlocks Cream for Dry Locs

What you need

• 1 oz shea butter
• 1 oz coconut oil
• 1 oz olive oil
• 10 drops lemon essential oil
• Pyrex measuring cup
• Double boiler
• Immersion blender
• Clean storage container
  

  Directions

  1. Place the distilled water in a Pyrex measuring cup then heat it up until warm. Do not over heat.
  2. Now add the shea butter and lavender essential oil.
  3. Pour the mixture into an amber spray bottle and shake well.
  4. Spray all over dreads and scalp for moisturized pleasant scented locs. Use as often as you’d like.

  Dreadlocks are supposed to be washed oftenly but to prevent growth of icky stuff (including mold!), wash them often. You can wash them every after one,two or three weeks anything that suits you.

  But during every wash, first do this DIY Wax/Oil Removing Deep Cleanse for Locs. Remember, when using the above shea butter recipes for locs, you must use this Deep Cleanse to avoid residue buildup!

12 Amazing benefits of henna for Hair growth and hair health

If you thought that henna can only be used to colour hair and give it a brown or blackshade…this info is for you.Henna is one of the hair beauty ingredients that India has shared to DE world over centuries..

Among the most commonly known benefits of henna for Hair is that it s anatural hair colouring agent and conditioner..but there are more unknown benefits as noted by chekidredi

1.Henna improves hair growth

2.Henna reduces hair fall

3.Henna acts as a deep conditioner (treatment)

4.Henna prevents dandruff

5.Henna helps control itchy scalp

6.its a natural dye

7.it repairs split ends

8.it maintains balance and keeps scalp clean

9.it makes your hair thick and healthy

10.makes your hair shinny, soft and manageable

11.it can be used for oily scalp

12.mehendi for dry hair..

A WORD OF CAUTION

👉👉make sure you buy organic or authentic henna..the market is flooded with products that claim to be natural but are filled with chemical 🔥. Also remember to use a mild shampoo before applying henna

CHECK OUT A COMPLETE HAIR GUIDE WITH AMAZING HAIRCARE DIY, TIPS,HAIRSTYLING IDEAS..HAIRSTYLE TUTORIALS HERE….stay tuned!!

Loc hot oil treatment guide

Many swear by hot oil treatments as the best conditioner for locs. When battling dryness, oil and water do mix when it comes to quenching your dry, thirsty locs. Many have written on what oils to use, how often to do a hot oil treatment, and why you should do one. Locs love natural oils. Olive oil is by far one of the closest oils to our natural sebum. It is also the most economical for the amount you’ll need, especially if your locs are long. Here in a nutshell is how to do a hot oil treatment

1.Do a hot oil treatment after shampoo .for shampooing ,we highly recommend a castile soap like .natural soaps…coz  they lather quickly without buildup, and is gentle..

2.After rinsing towel dry
3.gently warm a generous amount of your hot oil by placeng the oil in a bottle and immersing it in hot water to heat, but if your doing a DIY nevver use a microwave coz it will get rid of oils nutrients
4.saturate your damp locs with the warmed oil from scalp to tip..make sure that your locs are well saturated

5.There are a few ways to let the heat do its thing.

Do it naturally with body heat.

Wrap your locks with a plastic cap, or a bag if cap wont work..and let it sit for atleast 30mins.

Straw-Set Testimonial

Straw-Set testimonials.

               Over the past 7 years, my locs would go through many hairstyles as I was trying to be as dynamic or flexible with my crown as possible! In between visits from retouches and after my two-weeks wash routine, I noticed that my hairline was thinning and even lost three valuable locs to my dismay. The need to have a neat hairline was a cause of constant stress. I resolved to give my hairline a rest and sought advice for my loctician.

                 My stylist advised me to resist from manipulating my hairline and cover my hair with a silk bonnet or scarf  when sleeping.  The dangers of constant manipulation or tightening of dreadlocs during styling ultimately leads to hair loss or the medical condition known as Traction alopecia. Traction alopecia is serious condition caused by traction (or pulling) that leads to hair loss . This condition is preventable and avoidable by being gentle with the hairline. The rule of thumb is to ensure comfort or ease after a retouch and styling. Speaking up when, one feels that their hair has been held up too tightly ,avoids unnecessary discomfort. If you see little bumps that eventually turn into white-head like pimples on your hairline, it time to let your hair breathe by removing the hairstyle.

          Dreadlocks offers one versatility  and other creative and unique ways to style your hair . I soon discovered the joys of scarfs, little bands in addition to the other styles available. My guy’ BenMohfaya” recently introduced me straw sets. After a retouch, the hair is put on a little straw sets,foam wrap applied  and 40 minutes later after sitting in a dryer lovely curls appear.

                       This hairstyle allows my hair to breathe and can last between two-weeks to a month. I moisturize the curls daily with some  water and oil. I prefer the coconut or olive which I find light on my scalp. Be careful to use as minimal water as possible to avoid detangling the curls. Fingers ca be used to manipulate the curl patterns .At bedtime, I tie my locs with a huge  band and then cover the with a silk scarf.

         In conclusion,remember to avoid over styling or manipulation of your locs. Avoid tight mohawks or pins ups. Let your hair rest after retouches and reduce on retouches once your hair locs. Moisturize, moisturize and use light oils that are easily available in the supermarkets and beauty outlets. Have a professional loctician advice on how to care for your locs as well as check the progress of your hair  over time. Maintaining a healthy balanced diet, proper rest and have a chill attitude help a lot in giving you great locs.

 #dreadlocs #mohfaya

#strawsetdreadlocs

Kassy

Loyal customer to Mohfaya Dreadlocks Salon.

 Our physical address is: Mondlane street ..former tuskys bebabeba 1St floor room F33

We are open from Monday-Saturday 8.00 am -8.00 pm. Feel free to reach out to us at 0720012397

Come and let us pamper you.

Dreadlocks trends in 2016 (pictures)

 1. Burns

 

 

2. Bowties & other playful styles

 

3. Frohawk

 

4. Straw sets:

5. Color: 

We would like to hear about any other fashionable dreadlock trends you have come across!

Gym Locs! How To Care For Locs After A Work-Out

So you want to maintain an active lifestyle and work out daily, but a sweaty scalp is becoming a huge problem.  Not only does it reek after a couple days but it also itches and having a dirty scalp with nail scratches from itching, is definitely a bad cocktail.

Swimming / Water Sports / Beach
Doing water sports with locs can be tricky.  Your hair gets heavy and it can absorb chlorine and sand and also become quite dry and brittle.  You can also get mold from having your hair damp over an extended period.  Locs is really not recommended if swimming is your thing but if you have free forms or on’t care much for constant maintenance or a manicured look then go for it!

1. You can get a swim cap.  Yes, they do have swim caps big enough for most length locs now available.  Just bear in mind that your hair may not remain completely dry but at least it wont be completely saturated.
2. Completely saturate your hair with water before entering a pool.  This way your hair will absorb far less chlorinated or salt water.5-8 days then that would be great.  Over washing your locs / dreadlocks can lead to a dry and itchy scalp and coarse brittle locs.  This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wash either but washing everyday will become a problem in the long run.  In between washing you can also simply clean your scalp with a scalp cleanser like
3. Wash as soon as you get out the pool.  If you do this daily it will be hard for you to wash and moisturize everyday but your hair will eventually become dry and brittle in the long run.  Try to moisturize at least once per week.  It may also become discolored and take on a chemical induced blond-like color.

5 Things You Should Never Put In Your Locs Unless

With the advent of YouTube we can pretty much learn how to do anything including maintaining our locs at home.  This is great, you can end up saving some money in the process but you have to choose the advice you take carefully.  Everyone is an expert on YouTube and you will find great advice as much as you will find advice that will lead to nothing but headaches pretty quickly.  I can’t begin to tell you how many emails I’ve received from people asking how to reverse something they’ve tried based on advice they have received from social media videos.    As a loctician for over 10 years and an instructor for half that time, I can give you a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t.  My parents have also had locs for over 40 years so their knowledge combined with mine will definitely help you on this journey.                                                                                                        Aloe – Aloe is great for your skin and also your hair. Aloe has over 75 nutrients, 20 minerals, 12 vitamins, 18 amino acids, and 200 active enzymes and has been used for centuries in hair care as a conditioner.  You can use aloe in your dreadlocks.  However, the best way to do this is by soaking the pulp overnight or boiling it and then straining it to remove the pulp and gel before adding it to your hair.  Removing aloe pulp and gel from your dreadlocks is not an easy task.  It sticks on to the hair shaft and is extremely difficult to remove. Try avoiding this by straining the pulp or using pure aloe oil                                        Shea Butter – Everyone loves shea butter.  It’s packed with vitamin E and is a moisturizer and cure-all for almost every skin ailment.  I don’t recommend shea butter on locs because it promotes build-up and is a bit oily and heavy.   I’m sure quite a few people may disagree with me, but based on clients that I’ve seen over the years and emails I’ve received from people asking how to remove shea butter build-up, I think it is safe to say stay away from it.  The issue with shea butter is that though it usually melts at body temperature, your hair is not body temperature and it usually doesn’t dissolve before it gets to your locs.  Shea butter is what I refer to as a sealer,  it can seal existing moisture into your hair, but it-is actually never absorbed and instead stays on the hair shaft coating it.  This can also seal moisture out of your hair.  If you insist on using shea butter use it in moderation or blended with another ingredient that your hair will absorb.               Lemon Juice – Lemon juice is a question I usually get from people who have young or baby locs.  Most ask if spraying their locs with lemon juice will help it to loc quicker.  Why are you in such a hurry, there are thousands of us who came before you and didn’t use lemon juice and still have locs that were sealed with 3 months.  On a lighter note, lemon juice has it’s benefits.  It can help to balance your natural oils, exfoliate your scalp/ dandruff and can also be used to lighten your hair.  However, lemon juice can also leave your hair dry, coarse and brittle if you use it for too long or too frequently and this is why I recommend you let your hair loc at it’s own natural pace                        Sea Salt – Sea salt is also something those with starter locs ask about.  Spraying your hair with sea salt water to make it loc faster is unnecessary.  Though salt water like everything else has it’s benefits, like lemon juice I would avoid it as too much, too often can make your dreads dehydrated, coarse and brittle.  I suppose some would argue that removing some of the oils from the hair is what makes it lock faster but considering the downside of having coarse, breaking locs, I would avoid this on a whole.

Best tips for colored dreadlocks

Coloring of natural dreadlocks offers you a chance to change how your dreadlocks look from time to time. You can color your hair with permanent & temporary colors, henna or lemon & sand.

It is possible to be allergic to hair dye and hair dye can cause breakage. It is okay to take a break and if it helps with your thinning, you can go ahead and switch brands or adjust how you care for your color treated hair

How to take care of dreadlocks before coloring them

• Always prepare your locs months in advance. Do at least 4 hot oil treatments a few weeks before coloring your hair. Use a strengthening oil blend like (eg Moisturizers) or a coconut oil base and Rosemary oil to strengthen and condition your hair before coloring.
• Only color hair and scalp that are healthy. If the hair is already thin, weak or damaged, do not color it until it is healthy again. Coloring damaged hair is a recipe for disaster.
• Give baby locs a chance to bud and grow out before coloring them.  This is because new locs are usually a bit thin therefore some time to thicken and loc before coloring is encouraged.

Coloring options

• Permanent color requires the hair to be stripped using chemicals such as peroxide and ammonia. While this gives a range of beautiful colors that can last for a long time, there is a down side of damages if the coloring procedure is not done professionally and the hair is not well maintained.
• It is better to go natural if you can. Using Henna is a great option as it not only colors but also strengthens and conditions your hair. You can also find other all natural or semi natural coloring products on the market. The less chemicals and stripping your dreads have to endure the better.
• You can use lemon juice combined with sunlight to lighten your hair.  However, it can be a very drying hair experience.  Lemon juice is acidic, therefore the use of deep conditioner after each lightening process is essential. The downside of using this method is that you will have to do this several times for a significant effect to be noticed and that darker hair may not show significant changes

How to take care of dreadlocks after coloring them

• Rinse well after dyeing your hair, to remove each and every remain of the color, else be prepared for hair fall and breakage.
• Color treated hair can become dry and brittle from being stripped by peroxide. You  must therefore moisturize often and do hot oil treatments bi-monthly or monthly to prevent loosing your locs to breakage.
• When you washing your dreadlocks, make sure you use a shampoo and conditioner that does not drain off the color so as not to tamper with the color.
• When sleeping, make sure you cover your dreadlocks. This will prevent dryness, thereby helping both the color and the shine remain intact. You can either go for a cap or a scarf. If that is irritating your sleep, you can use a silk or satin pillowcase would be fine.
• Eat a variety of vegetables including several different colors each day to ensure you get enough vitamins. Protein is important! Therefore include meat, fish and fowl. If you’re vegetarian, make sure you eat beans, greens and lots of iron rich foods and don’t be afraid of good fats rich in Omega-3’s and medium chain saturated fats. (Fish and coconut oils are great for your boosting the health of your hair.)

If you wish to color your dreadlocks, we welcome you to our saloon at the Reinsurance Plaza (Ground floor) here in Nairobi, Kenya. We offer the best advice and also best service. Feel free to call us on 0720012397 to book your appointment today.

Wedding styles for Natural Hair and loc

Every time I see a natural bride straighten out her gorgeous curls, or, worse yet, cover them with a weave or wig just for the sake of looking more “polished” or “feminine” for her wedding, a little piece of me dies inside. But I understand how those who are new to the ”natural hair community”may be a little unsure of what to do with their hair on their wedding day.  There are quite a few photos out there of curly natural hair styles, and I wanted to provide some inspiration for the loc’d ladies as well.  So cancel that sew-in appointment, and check out these ‘dos:

If your current dreads don’t really go with your wedding dress, sew a cover for them. A cover is long and tubular and say about a foot long or so. Maybe make it out of material that matches your gown or instead of a regular veil, concoct a way to wrap your hair in veil leaving only the hair at your roots and the very end visible.

Just be sure to practice before the big day. And remember not to fight what your hair wants to do, work with your dreads not against them.

HOW TO PREVENT LOCS TANGLING AT THE ROOT

I have received numerous questions about the best way to prevent locs from tangling together when you’re not retwisting often — the solution is lock popping                                                                                                Loc Popping — A technique to effectively separate locs that have meshed or tangled together without causing any damage to the locs.

How Do You Prevent Locs From Tangling Together

The technique of Loc Popping, or separating the base of the locs, can be done with Traditional locs, Sisterlocks  and Semi-Freeform locs. The only type of locs that do not, or should not, use loc popping is freeform locs because that would disrupt the organic growth of the locs. I personally have been popping my locs since my first set of locs ,because it ensures that the locs do not fuse together. You only want to pop your locs when they are wet. The most ideal times would be right after shampooing /treating your locs or after misting your hair with your daily refresher. NEVER separate your locs while they are dry. Wet hair is more pliable and elastic than dry hair which will minimize any discomfort and reduce breakage and/or thinning of the locs.

How Do You Pop Your Locs?

To pop your locs, on wet hair, use your index finger to follow the natural partings of the loc and lift up any stray hairs that are not apart of the loc away. As you remove your finger, the loose hairs may get caught and “pop” away. Loc popping is a really quick and easy way to prevent your locs from tangling together.                                                 Loc Popping is a great technique to master, in full effect, to keep your roots looking fresh with defined parts and it’ll help to prevent your locs from tangling together.