Things I wish I knew before I started locing.... by Kosdetermination

I occasionally go through the #locs tag and read all the apprehension of loc wearers from 2 days to four months in. I mean, I’m still sort of a newbie too (20 months in), but I’ve made so many mistakes since I started. So… if I had to do it all again, here’s some things I wish I knew 20 months ago.

1) I wish I listened to everyone when they said your locs will end up being thinner than you think. When you start, you should determine what size you want, part it and then double the initial part and that’s about how you’ll want it to look a year or two later. Your hair goes through all these changes in size in the beginning from small baby locs, to puffy budding locs, to thinner real locs. If you’re up to seven or so months in, it is so easy for you to combine. Just twist them together and in no time they’ll merge. But for me, now I have to twist it at the root and live with the dreaded double-headed dragon.

2) Your roots do not have to be super-perfect clean and parted all the time. In fact, that is no bueno because each time you twist, you’re pulling the hair from your scalp. Eventually, your hair will thin out and the parts will get wider and wider or your hairline could recede. Once a month is good enough.

3) I wish I didn’t stress about the curly, open ends in the beginning that just wouldn’t seem to loc. Especially since they never fucking loc’d. At about 10-11 months in, I said, “fuck it,” and cut them all off. And they never unraveled again.

4) I wish I didn’t waste so much time researching about the perfect product, oil, head scarf or whatever. It really doesn’t matter that much.  A few rules I live by are 1) no wax 2) no detanglers and 3) no creamy moisturizers like shea butter. After that, do you.The longer I stay on this journey, the less products I use.

5) The biggest enemy is build-up. Not neat parts. Not unraveling. Not even frizz. Because eventually that’ll all take care of itself or you just won’t care that much anymore. But build-up is a mother. That’s why I stress 1) no wax and 3) no creamy moisturizers. Stick with gel, oil and really good cleansers. And DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT listen to people who tell you not to wash your hair for the first few months. Wash. your. hair. Rinse it with baking soda if you’re worried about unraveling. But please, wash it.

6) Last, and most importantly, I wish I was more patient. I wasted too much energy comparing my hair progress with others on the internets, I should’ve realized, it will loc eventually at it’s own pace. It will also grow, at it’s own pace. And there’s no amount of product or wishful thinking that will speed this process along. I should’ve enjoyed my hair at each stage and length instead of obsessing over how I wanted it to be.
That’s all I got. Any veteran loc-wearers have other tips?

**received permission to use in book March 22, 2012**