The 2013 Spring/Summer coupon is here!
New customers can save $15 on their first Wednesday appointment now through the end of the summer.
Make your appointment for a Wednesday, print and bring the coupon and save $15!!!
Click here to print your coupon.
At Just Locs, we use a liquid soap called Dr. Bronner’s to wash locs prior to any other hair care process.
Dr. Bronnars is an all natural, organic all-in-one liquid soap, shampoo and moisturizer. I have used this product ONLY for all of my washing needs for over 20 years. This soap is able to penetrate locs for a full and complete clean. It removes residue, oils, and (of course) the dirt that bonds to and through locked hair. For clients who dye their hair, this is the only product I have used that is able to completely remove excess dye which tends to sit on outer layer of locs during the dying process. After washing dyed hair with Dr. Bronner’s, I don’t have issues with access dye on clothing, face or hands.
Clients comment regularly about my use of Dr. Bronner’s. With it’s scent and cleaning power, clients are most impressed with the way their scalp tingles during and locs feel after washing.
Dr. Bronner’s is a castile based soap with an added combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, as well as pure essential oils. It lathers well, and cleans the scalp and locs thoroughly. You can learn more about Dr. Bronner’s by visiting his website: www.drbronner.com.
Holding gel is an important part of the maintenance process for locs. However, a mistake commonly made during this process is the application of this gel throughout the length of the loc. This action (applying gel throughout a loc) will lead to issues with locs that can be avoided.
Once hair is locked, nothing else needs to be done for locs to remain locked. Locs are permanent – although there are some who claim to be able to undo locs – they are created by strands of dead hair knotting together. Once this has occurred locs will stay in place and do not need any chemical, cream, or gel to stay locked. What every person with locs needs to understand is the pores of locs are small. They are so tiny that gel cannot penetrate into the loc and instead rests on the outside of the loc, leaving a residue. This residue eventually turns into a grayish film, causing locs to look dirty.
That all said, gel can be used on new growth when palm rolling locs for maintenance. Only a small amount should be used on clean hair. Be mindful, this gel is really just to hold new growth into place as it begins to lock. As I have said so many times on this blog – it is not the gel that makes the loc, it is the dead hair which knots together that will cause new growth to loc eventually. So don’t overdo it and do not damage locs by applying gels, creams or chemicals that are not necessary.
Maintenance is an important factor in having healthy locs. Part of loc maintenance is the regular palm rolling of new hair as your hair grows. In order to ensure hair continues to loc, new growth must be rolled. The coals created when new hair is rolled is how your hair continues to loc as your hair grows.
The process of maintaining locs may seem to be a simple one, and if done properly it is. The problem is the methods used to manage new growth can vary by loctician. This means, a loctician who does not know how to properly palm roll locs will do more damage than good.
So what is the proper way to new growth? Any good loctician will tell you the only way to maintain locs is by palm rolling new growth. Palm rolling allows new hair to properly coil without pulling the hair too tightly at the root.
It is important that hair not be pulled too tightly while grooming because doing so will pull strands from the root and weaken the loc. Any process that causes hair to pull tight, or break from the scalp will result in locs that are weak at the root – leading to locs falling out.
I got a call the other day from a potential client who asked me if it was true that she could use beer and salt water on her hair to help with the process of starting her locs. For those readers who are not locticians, this may seem like a strange question – but it is not. I get calls all the time about what should be used to help hair lock. The answer is much simpler then many would believe. Nothing. Literally, there is nothing that will help hair to lock.
Let me take a moment to explain how hair locks.
Everyone’s hair sheds daily. When your hair is twisted, those strands of hair that would normally break and fall away get caught in the coil. That dead hair is what causes the hair to eventually lock. Locs are formed by the hair that sheds from your head daily. This fact means you do not need any chemicals, creams, lotions, sprays, etc. in order for your hair to lock. The products that are commonly used during the re-twisting or grooming of locs are used in an effort to make locs look neat. They initially help to keep twist tight, but the hair will lock itself without these products.
So, if you are considering starting locs or looking for products to maintain your locs, it is important to understand that the only thing you need for hair to loc is hair. Any natural remedy (beer, saltwater, vinegar, etc.) will result in drying out and eventually damaging your hair. Making your hair dry and brittle will not help and is actually unhealthy for the hair and locs. When considering what products to use for healthy loc maintenance, get a product that is going to be light and will not leave residue behind that can eventually make your locs look dirty.
Combs are commonly used on new locs, meaning to begin the process of locking natural hair. In order for new locs to form properly, a comb has to be used as it is the only way to hold the hair as the new twist is being created.
After hair has started to actually loc, a comb is no longer necessary for twisting. In fact, once your hair has locked it becomes harmful to your hair to continue to use a comb. After locs have formed, it is always best to retwist using only the hands – palm rolling.
The reasoning behind discontinuing using a comb after hair has locked is quite simple. Once the hair is locked, a comb will actually pull the new growth of your hair too tightly. Doing so will eventually pull hair from the root, essentially weakening the loc. The end result, locs that are thinner at the root, leading inevitably to breakage.
Experienced locticians are aware of the dangers of using combs on locked hair (especially lengthy locs) and will stick to palm rolling to ensure healthy locs from root to tip.
Just locs is having a summer special! Every Wednesday, full loc maintanence care for $74.99.
Locs cannot be below mid back. Treatment will include a wash, condition/hot-oil treatment and twist.
Longer locs and additional styling will be extra.
Just locs provides the best loc care available in the tri-state area. Call for an appointment or to schedule a consultation. 718-953-8072.
I’ve been repeating this information over and over and I hope the readers are hearing me. These gel and cream formulas that are being sold to lock are not good for your locs.
The real problem with heavy creams and gels is that the pores of your locs are tiny. They are so small that these products only serve to weigh down and clog the pores of your locs. In fact, in time, you will begin to notice a white build-up on your scalp as well as within your locs, eventually causing them to look grey and unhealthy.
In reality, hair locks naturally and does not require any type of product to do so. Your hair can lock without any of these products. For maintenance, a simple natural styling gel will hold the hair after re-twisting and will not flake or build-up on the locs.
If you are interested in starting or maintaining your locs without the use of these heavy and unhealthy locking creams and gels, let me service your locs the natural and healthy way.
Call Just Locs for your appointment or consultation, 718-953-8072.
I got a new client the other day… When he walked in, I knew starting his locs was going to be a task. Long, fine and thick all at the same time – the amount of hair he had was unbelievable. That said, the loctician that I am was thrilled for the challenge. It took some time, but in the end, his hair looked great and he was happy with the results.
I thought I would share the before and after pictures of his hair as evidence that when you are dealing with a real loctician, there is very little that you can present that cannot be worked with. As long as you have at least an inch of hair, doesn’t matter the hair type, I can loc it. All it takes is patience on your part and the time your hair needs to completely loc.
Enjoy the pictures and I will provide more before and after pictures when I can!
I have become aware of a disturbing trend in loc repair – there are some locticians out there who are knotting locs as a method of repair for weakening locs.
This is not a good method for loc repair. Knots will only serve to weaken locs more, increasing the problem that you are trying to solve. Knots create additional weight on the loc, causing more stress on the loc. If your locs are becoming weak, there are things that can be done, that will not make the situation worse.
Starting locs with knots will also damage your hair and create stress on the loc. There should be no time in which knotting the hair is acceptable for loc starting, maintenance or repair. If your hair or locs are being knotted for any reason, come see me for a consultation. I will take the necessary time to determine what the issue is with your locs as well as the best solution to get you on a path to healthy, maintained locs.
