Locdglory

How To Improve Hair Growth

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:30:39 +0000

Are your locs growing way too slow?

What can hair growth oils, shampoo and vitamins really do?

It's a long video because it's a big topic so stay tuned and learn when those remedy's might work, what will work better and when money is well spent. I know I couldn't cover everything but one big omission is sleep. Both lack of sleep and stress can both reduce hair growth as well.

Fitday

Designs For Health

For the best website (IMO) and book on using a paleo diet for autoimmune disease see Practicle Paleo

Locs Inbox: Moisture Protein & Breakage

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 07:11:36 +0000

I'm having a problem with my locs that i'm hoping you can help me with. I'm noticing that when i wash my locs or run my fingers though my locs that I'm coming back with lots of small broken hairs on my hands idk if my locs are going to get thin because of this idk if this is normal i've been loced for 6 months now i havent retwisted in 3 months idk why this is happening and it is starting to worry me is there something i'm doing wrong or should i not be condenser any help would greatly be appreciated

Locs Inbox: Why Sisterlocks Versus Traditional

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 07:09:14 +0000

Why do so many women choose Sisterlocks when they are so much more expensive that traditional locks?

Have you ever had a Locs Nightmare?

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 06:50:47 +0000

For three months I’ve been without a computer. While I considered posting from my phone, I knew my phones autocorrect would render posts illegible. So I went though withdrawals watching Loc’d Glory go dormant with deep sadness. Last week I finally took my tax return down to my favorite Mac Repair guy and began a five day wait. Each day I felt more anxious and excited. Hopeful that my data would be rescued, I planned which video or article to post first. The due date came and went leaving my excitement to turn to worry. I vented on my hair. Change change change, could anything be better. Sleep… that’s what.

In a deep warmth I contemplated wearing a wig over my locs to protect it from work energy and scents. Then somewhere I saw myself talking to another loc youtuber. “My scalp is acting up, what should I do?”

“Cut them off and wear them as a wig. You can reattach them later when your scalp clears up” Oh yes, that made perfect sense. Off I ran home to cut my locs. They instantly stuck together and formed against my head into the perfect hair piece. I wore them for days flipping my locs too and fro. One night I went to sleep and was overwhelmed by dread. OMG, what if they won’t merge with the new growth I thought! I woke from a sound sleep and ran to the bathroom and grabbed my scissors. Slowly I snipped each loc from the wig cap and then created my first part. I picked up the first loc to reattached and the loc turned green and slipped through my fingers. My chest tightened and I grabbed the loc again. It turned slimy and cold. Leaves sprouted and the loc turned to seaweed.

I picked up a different loc and stared in awe as it turned to seaweed as well. I picked up another and another watching a giant pile of seaweed grow before my very eyes. Tears fell from my eyes and the smell of salt water filled my nose.

I turned and ran to the nearest park where Nerissa Irving was sitting at a picnic bench with Mali in a stroller. I sat down and cried,

“What do I do? I cut my locs and they turned to sea weed so now I can’t re-attachment them!”

“Have you prayed over them?"

"no, I'm Buddhist"

"Then re-grow them and make them better this time. They will be glorious”

“But, I love my locs” I wailed. I blinked and felt my body rush through water. When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by seaweed waving under waves. I cried softly, blinked and woke up grabbing my locs.

I missed you

Loc'd Glory Sad Update

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:53:27 +0000

Looks like my computer died for good. No idea when I can record videos, podcasts or respond to youtube.

Have You Complimented a Little Natural Today?

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 05:48:42 +0000

Today I was walking past Safeway when a saw a beautiful little girl with a mop of micro ringlets to her shoulders. She was mixed and took more after her father than the pretty caucasian woman walking next to her. As I walk past I said, “Wow, look at all that beautiful natural hair. You are such a pretty little girl.” I always feel ambivalent about complimenting girl for their looks but with natural girls… especially the ones with white mom’s I feel a tug of remembrance.

I wasn’t raised by my own mother and was given to my guardian when I was close to three. Bald, malnourished and un-potty trained. Her adult children saw a mess. She just saw a little girl who needed love. As I grew up I didn’t see a difference between black and white until I was about that little girls age. Right around 5 years old. Mom was doing something in the kitchen and out came those fateful words. “I can’t wait till I grow up and my hair goes flat like yours mommy”

“Oh, why would you want flat stringy hair like mine when you have such pretty fluffy hair?”

“Because I wanna grow up just like you!”

“Sweetie, your hair will never be like mine because you are black and I am white. You have pretty black hair baby and I think it’s beautiful”

No amount of convincing would work. I was adamant that when I grew up I would get light and my hair would go flat. Mom pulled sheets, blankets and her wigs off my head. She fluffed my fro and delicately placed bows, ribbons and barrettes. Pretty girly trinkets in the exact same places this little vision had her ribbons. No amount of trinkets or convincing worked until well into my teens. I spent an an entire weekend pampering and braiding my own hair. I looked in that mirror and finally saw what she saw.

All that flashed in my mind as I watched the pretty fro with the coils and ribbons bounce a step. Then I heard something that broke my heart.

“See baby, you do have beautiful hair” My heart broke because I knew that tone and the desperate tactic of a mom fighting and grasping for help. It was the convincing voice of the mother of a lovely child who already hates her hair. This is why along with compliments for being smart, clever, sporty… I will always compliment a little girl's natural hair. Have you complimented a little natural today?

Tips For Washing Starter Locs!

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 06:36:56 +0000

When I Started my locs, I kept hearing all these rumors that you can't wash your locs for the first three weeks, or you can't wash them for first month, and for my dandruff condition I have to wash my hair every couple of days. That's really important to the health of my skin as I have eczema anh Sebborhea Dermititis. Not being able to wash my locs for one, two or three weeks at a time just isn't an option at all.

I've talked to people who have literally gone months without washing their hair. It does a couple of things. A, it doesn't smell good. Even if you don't think it smells bad, trust me, the people around you think it smells bad. B, it's not healthy for your skin. Your skin gets dirt, and grim, and built-up oils that need to be cleaned on a regular basis.

Lastly, water actually helps accelerate the locing process as the hairs expand and contract with water. So, the more you wash your hair the faster your hair will loc. That's something that a lot of people don't realize. So as they spending all this time pasting their hair down and avoiding water they're actually making the locing process take longer.

For starter locs, the easiest way to wash your hair is going to depend on your hair texture and how you started them. If you have straight hair and you started your locs with the crochet method or backcombing, it's going to be a little easier for you to wash our hair right off the bat.

In general it's better to try to wash them. If it looks like they're starting to slip out a little bit just separate them out to maybe five to six pony tails on your head and put a rubber band around each one. Then wash through the pony tails. Make sure that you don't use too much shampoo and it's well distributed, I highly recommend using a nozzle bottle that's commonly used for coloring hair. You put a little bit of shampoo in that bottle, fill it up the rest of the way with water, shake it, and use that to wash your hair. You'll find that you use a lot less product and your hair gets cleaner in the process.

Now, if you don't have any problems with your hair slipping wash it as normal. If you have kinky hair and your hair naturally has a tight coil pattern and you start your with locs with comb coils, you may actually not have any issues washing your hair either. For the first wash, you may want to go ahead and use a stocking cap or a mesh cap over your locs. Then use the nozzle bottle to be able to aim the shampoo in all the different areas. Agitate the shampoo with the palm of your hand instead of your finger tips, and rinse well through the cap. That is going to get your locs and your scalp much cleaner than just avoiding water altogether, and it's going to prevent your hair from being agitated enough that your locs will come out.

If your hair does not naturally coil that way, you may need to be a little bit more careful. What I recommend if your hair doesn't coil naturally and you still want to have comb coils, is to clip your hair and then shampoo through the clips. I've done it. It's not any fun. Your hair is not going to get spotless, but it's going to be so much better and your scalp is going to thank you the next day. If one or two locks come out don't panic. There's no need to re-twist your entire head if only two or three locs are loose. Fix those two or three locs and move on with the rest of your day.

If your hair doesn't naturally coil, there are so many other options that are easier to deal with in the beginning stages. Two strand twists, three strand twists, braid locs, latched locs and sisterlocks are all much easier to wash in the beginning. So, if your hair has more of a zigzag pattern or no pattern at all, or you're like me and have five different textures on your head, there's no need to start with comb coils when there are other techniques available. I started my current set with a three strand twists which looks a little bit like rope, and I love them. I washed my hair literally the day after I started my locs and not one loc came out.

Find the method that works best for you. Also, consider scheduling a consultation with a loctician. Having someone else look at your hair and tell you which way of starting your locks will be the easiest for you to maintain can be a huge help. Just remember, if you had to wash your hair once a week before you started your locs, you probably need to wash your hair once a week after. If you have a scalp condition and you had to wash your hair several times a week before, you're still going to have to wash your hair several times a week after.

A Loc'd Career

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 07:00:30 +0000

By Qochemist

I have often been asked what impact my natural hair has had on my career over the years and after all these years that question still makes me chuckle. Perhaps I have had a different life experience and perhaps I am disillusioned to the ways of the “real” world (as I have often been accused) but I have never been made to feel as though my hair has been an issue in the workplace.

My entire career (12.5 years) I have worked at fairly large pharmaceutical or biotech companies. Nine and a half of those years I have had natural hair. I started my very first position right out of college in 2000. I had a short relaxed style and I was meticulous about maintaining my bone straight tresses with the “creamy crack” (no offense to my relaxed pals). In 2003 I did my first big chop and began my natural hair journey. I thought about going natural for some time prior to taking the plunge and did a lot of research. Long before the days of YouTube videos and tutorials on natural hair care I found some blogs (glamazini being one of my favorites), two wonderful sites called Motown Girl and Nappturality, and a site where women of color posted their hair called fotki. I also looked to family members and friends who were natural and while they were few in number at the time and in many cases still finding their way, they did provide some support and encouragement.

One of the people I looked to for support was a fellow coworker who was among the first to transition to natural by wearing box braids. She was a beautiful and confident woman who at first got some comments concerning the professionalism of braids in the workplace. The comments did not come from her male, Caucasian supervisor or director, but instead from her female African American peers. In spite of that she carried herself with grace and was good at her job and has since advanced very far in her career and moved through several companies and currently has waste length locs.

Now as for my debut of natural hair in the workplace … I won’t say that I didn’t get some looks when I debuted my natural hair for the first time because of course I did and rightfully so. I went from several inches of hair to a Caesar cut overnight. But like my coworker, I too, carried myself with grace and performed my job well and while some had questions as to why I cut my hair, no one ever commented that it was not professional or an issue. And after my big chop I kept a short twa for several months before deciding to grow out my hair to see what my texture was truly like. And as I gained length…I experimented with my hair and styling and let’s just say I was not as adept with styling as I am know. There were days when I left the house looking….”questionable”… if you will, but I held my head up high and gave looks that dared anyone to question my decisions and over time I got used to my hair texture and got better at styling it. And the strange glances turned into compliments and praise.

In 2006 there was a reduction in force at my company and my position was eliminated and therefore, me, with it and so I was faced with searching for a new job. Of course this meant interviewing with my natural hair. I can honestly say I never once feared how I would be perceived during interviews because of my hair. I was more worried about how what I had learned at one company for six years would be valued at a new company. As a result of the reduction we were provided with services to help us transition and prepare for the workforce and I was assigned a coach who helped with everything from revamping my resume, to a refresher in interviewing, to helping me identify roles that matched my skill set and not once during the interview coaching was my hair mentioned as a point to consider. I was merely told to dress professionally and be well groomed (clean and with my hair neatly coiffed, not relaxed, not straightened, neatly coiffed). When I went on interviews I wore my own hair… either in a neat twist out or a low puff. I think at one point I may have had braids (extensions) but it was not for interviewing purposes, but a protective style I did on occasion to give myself a break.

After living the majority of my life in the south I eventually landed a job in the northeast. And I arrived at that company with natural hair and no one thought anything of it. I progressed just the same as my peers, based on my performance. Eventually however there was another reduction in force and my position and I again eliminated and I was thrust back out into the world of the unemployed seeking a job. And guess what?! I was still natural and I landed several offers with my natural hair… Go figure! And I settled on another position with a company and was there for two years until I decided that I was not growing in that role and decided to pursue a position at another company. And when I went for that interview… no one was concerned about my then newly formed locs that I could barely get into a bun, they were only interested in what I could bring to the organization. And I am currently with the same company.

And what is the moral of this story? My hair has not once been an issue and I have been on my natural journey for almost 10 years. When I got feedback on my performance or had conflict in the workplace my hair was never a part of the discussion. I have had so many friends who want to transition to natural or big chop and they often have the same fear about how they will be perceived in the workplace. I tell them, if you are good at what you do then that is all that matters. It is not just your hair that reports to work every day. You are an entire person.

Often time I feel the things we are most insecure about are what we focus on and therefore assume others are focusing on it too. Transitioning to becoming natural is called a journey for a reason. You go though many phases and often time we are gaining confidence even as we are navigating the way. Getting feedback that is less than favorable is a blow to our slowly improving self-image. Please be clear…I am not saying that discrimination does not take place but sometimes when we have insecurities it is difficult to take honest feedback. If you go for an interview but don’t get the position perhaps it was simply because you were not a good fit or that position wasn’t a good fit for you and not because your hair is kinky, coily, curly or loc’d.

Qochemist is a natural hair vlogger and lover of life who’s interest include but are not limited to natural hair care, fashion/thrifting, crafts/jewelry making, travel, music, wine tasting, and various cuisine (foodie). She has been natural for almost 10 years.

Contact Qochemist

Twitter: @qochemist

Facebook

On Fotki

Video Response: I don't want to lose locs!: My 49th video

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:12:55 +0000

Proud2banurse is afraid she's losing a dreadlock even though she free-forms. Here are my suggestions of reasons even freeformed locs can thin and break with time.

Why I Love Headwraps

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:29:32 +0000

I began wrapping my locs daily a month ago and am reminded that emotions change when I keep my locs covered in public. This isn't the first time I've kept my hair wrapped. I began wearing wraps occasionally in high school and eventually went two years with my hair covered.

I was sitting on the couch talking to my sweetie about why so many women and men wrap their hair and what I get out of it. Head coverings are common in many religions from Jewish and Christian to Muslim. In some Buddhist sects, women also cover their hair if they do not shave.

On it's surface, coverings hold connotations of modesty but how does that relate to religious women's who wear immodest or stunning head wraps, and what of people who practice the art for cultural or personal reasons.

Yes the hair is covered, but with more beautiful styles or fabrics, the eyes and cheekbones are enhanced and the wrap becomes a focus of admiration. So I wondered, what other purpose does wrapping the hair hold and surprisingly, for myself, I found many benefits.

The first thing I notice when I wrap my hair, is that my locs retain more moisture. This only holds true if I avoid moisture sapping fabrics but it is a significant difference I see within 24hours.

Next, I stand taller and feel less affected by the negative emotions of others. Some attribute this to retaining more of your personal energy. This is an old belief with roots in several ancestral religions. Others attribute it to the daily meditative practice of wrapping and feeling beautiful. I call it, feeling grounded and protected.

I get insulted and accosted less in public. I am convinced head wraps give off some subconscious signal of respect. Both men and women treat me differently what I wrap. The coworker I can't stand still less rude and I get less invasion of personal space when I'm downtown.

Lastly, I think headwraps are just beatiful. I never stop being amazed at how many different looks you can achieve with just a peice of cloth.

This boils down to simple but dramatic benefits. I feel more like me, stronger, prettier and more safe in the world. Why do you like headwraps?

Trapped Dandruff and Anti-Product Propaganda

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 06:39:33 +0000

With SD, condition your locs don't oil your scalp and listen to your inner voice. It is almost always right.

Hear the Snoop Lion Roar

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 03:12:08 +0000

Snoop Dogg performing in Norway in June. (Tor Erik Schroder/NTB scanpix, via Associated Press)Imagine my surprise when I opened my Google alert braced for police reports telling the tales of deadlocked felons, only to see Snoop Dog has come out. Out of the Rastafarian closet that is.

I admit that while I follow Snoop Doggs twitter, I haven't heard his music in months and only glance at his twitter sporadically. That said, I have a soft spot for my first teenage celebrity crush. Months ago I spotted a photo of him in a locticians chair in Jamaica and was excited. He looked great. He looked... relaxed and happy. I posted a congratulations. But when the picture was pulled and he stayed mum I respected the silence. I wondered if he'd changed his mind or if it had been joke.

It wasn't and I am happy for him. Most think the name change is silly and I'll admit, he feels like Snoop Dogg to me. Names do have significance though, so I'm trying to picture him as the Snoop Lion out of respect.

Spiritual journeys and realizations don't just happen in ones youth. Snoop was ripe for a change between age and his daughters sickness. He already has the hot wife and sports cars so even the most basic of midlife crises would probably hold no comfort. The fact that he's turned his back to gangsta rap for his new album says as much as his well covered baby locs and new name. He's opened himself up to major critisism and universal panning. I'll respect him for that.

So while I read comments about Rastafari being more than just smoke and I know this may not last... I wish him luck and take him at his word. I also appreciate his very human attempt to find meaning and growth.

Here is the first single to his reggae album... I'm reserving judgment until I hear more. I hope he doesn't don a fake Jamaican accent and gets enough time to find his voice within this very new medium. Reggae music with his smooth west coast vocals has potential IF... he stays true to who he is.

Professional Appearance?

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 21:14:41 +0000

I am lucky that I've always had the types of jobs where as long as I looked nice and worked hard no one cared about my locs or even my stretched ears. I work in educated mostly Caucasian sales or corporate workplaces. In my opinion, as a black woman, I run into far fewer issues than many whites or black men with locs do.

Freeform or twisted, my bosses honestly wouldn't know the difference. I live in a liberal city where people are too polite to be rude and... Too afraid of race/religion based lawsuits to tell an employee to change his or her hair. This isn't the same everywhere, but I do believe the problems with acceptance are not universal and in many places are exaggerated. I also believe black men and whites, in corporate jobs, will most likely have more negative stereotypes to confront.

The one time I did have an issue was right after I was laid off from a mortgage bank and looking for work. It was 2007 and I was willing to take anything lol. I found, with locs, I was able to find work thay required higher education but could not get a job at a grocery store or restaurant to save my life. I also found, during interviews, other POC would stare at my hair while Caucasian employers either wouldn't notice or would compliment my locs. I've come to believe that in many areas internalized racism and education level will play a huge part in whether locs are resisted in the office. To young people I always say, the more educated you are and the better you work the more freedom you get to look outside the norm.

I found this video interview on YouTube to be interesting because it's probably a lot more common experience than mine. The sense that "you can have locs IF..." isn't something I've experienced. It's well done and I hope you enjoy it. When you're done watching it please tell me, what is your experience with employers, bosses or schools?

Oyin HandMade: Honey Hemp Conditioner

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:52:39 +0000

WebSite:

www.oyinhandmade.com

Advertising:

Oh, Honey. It's a natural humectant... nature's gift for glowing, supple hair. Ah, Hemp Oil. With an incredibly rich array of Fatty Acids to ensure well-nourished tresses. Oh! Ah! Oyin's Honey-Hemp Conditioner! How could it possibly be improved? Perhaps by adding just the smallest touch of Silk Protein and a generous dollop of Aloe Vera Gel... just to take the succulence over the top. ;o)

Ingredients:

purified water, organic aloe vera gel, behentremonium methosulfate (emulsifier derived from colza oil), honey, virgin hemp oil, , coconut oil, vegetable glycerine, hydrolized silk, citrus essences, fragrance, optiphen (preservative)

Price: $12.00

Pros:

Amazing smell

Lightly Moisturizing

Easy to dilute

Great Ingredients

Light Protein

Cons:

Can Be Sticky

Makes hair hard in dry weather

Not heavily moisturizing

Not heavily repairing

Review

Since my locs have been colored this moisturizer wasn't strong enough. Is needs to be diluted to avoid buildup and with over use buildup can also be an issue. Because Honey Hemp Conditioner is a humectant it works best in the shower or as a leave in when the weather is humid. The smell is amazing and after 2 years of trying to love it... it's just not for me. If you have locs that need light to medium moisture give it a try and tell us how it works for you.

Rating Out of 5 Stars

Nubian Kinks Locing Pomade

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 18:59:17 +0000

WebSite:

Nubian Kinks

Advertising:

This lite pomade is easy to penetrate through your locs smoothing together the frizzy hair and it dries moist with a solid hold. This pomade contains no mineral oils, beeswax, or petroleum that will cause build up on locs and residue. With key ingredients such as Aloe Vera gel, Jojoba oil, Soy Protein and Olive oil just to name a few.

Ingredients:

Water, Aloe Vera, Wheat Protien, Hemp Oil, Soy Bean Oil, Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Vitamin E.

Price: 15.00

Pros:

Medium Hold

Moisturizing

No flakes

Amazing smell

Gorgeous Sheen

Washes out easily with sulfate free shampoo

Cons:

Can Be Hard to find

Sells out quickly

Not many online retailers

Review

I found Nubian Kinks Locing pomade in 2009. No matter what I test or fall in love with, nothing has replaced Nubian kinks for pipcleaner sets and those times when I want a perfectly salon level twist. The Pomade is the loose consistancy of pudding. Absorbs easilly, washes out with the most gentle of shampoos and leaves a gorgiuos sheen. It's also very gentle. While a can't use for every retwist as there's just enough Aloe to make me itch (I'm allergic) I just can't let this product go. Even before the shipping and stock issues where resolved, I'd happily wait weeks for a box of this holy Grail.

My Video Review Here

Rating Out of 5 Stars

Taliah Waajid Lock It Up

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:46:46 +0000

WebSite:

www.naturalhair.org

Advertising:

This light non-greasy formula has natural ingredients that enhance the curl of chemical free hair. This makes it easer to start and or maintain locks. Gives a great alternative to bees wax or other such products which can build up and weight the hair down. Excellent for retouching the roots of locked hair during lock grooming.

From: www.headlinesbeauty.com

Ingredients:

Deionized Water (aqua), Carbomer, Yarrow Roots (Achillea Millefolium), Rosemary (Rosmarinus), DMDM Hydantion, Indian Hemp Extract Cannibis Sativa), Nettle (Citrus Aurantium), Triethanolamine, Fragrance (parfum).

Price: 7.00

Pros:

* Light Hold

Moisturizing

No flakes

Smell dissipates over time

Washes out easily with sulfate free shampoo

Can be found at many drug stores, Target etc

Cons:

* Light Hold

Smells like herbal cough drops

High shipping when ordered direct

Not many online retailers

Review

I found the product easy to use and light to the touch. Is isn't a tight hold, so my hair was able to move and wasn't prevented from meshing. My locs looked good for the full two weeks. At the end of the second week they looked a little frizzy but for me that is preferable. My hair felt light and moisturized. I also loved the jelly like non sticky texture. All that said, I hated the smell. It reminded me of horrid black herbal cough drops with a faintly sweet herbal smell. Luckily, the smell didn't last.

My Video Review Here and Here

Rating Out of 5 Stars

How To Use Leave In Conditioner On Locs Without Buildup!

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 07:23:45 +0000

Here are my list of tips for using leave in conditioner on dreadlocks without buildup.

Use Leave In Conditioner Only When Needed:

Many people spray their locs with leave in conditioner every day. They don’t wake up and look at the nature of their hair before deciding what it wants for the day. Most leave in conditioners coat the hair strands to help them retain moisture so from one day to the next, unless you’ve shampooed, the leave in conditioner is still present from the previous day. On those days, refresh your leave in with a little water from a spray bottle to regain moisture and reduce buildup.

Rotate Your Leave In Conditioner:

Using the same product every day will not only allow excess product to buildup but, it doesn’t recognize different needs based on hair and weather. On a humid day, you may want a humectant. Before blow drying you may need a protectant. Different products do different things and using them accordingly provents you from layering the same ingredients on your hair repeatedly.

Dilute Dilute Dilute:

A spray bottle can be your best friend when a leave in from your loose hair days hates your dreadlocks. I use lots of things on my locs that would cause buildup when slathered full strength. Surprisingly, diluting a creamy leave in hasn’t reduced the effectiveness in my experience. I use this technique with both Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner and KMS Moist Repair.

Only Layer With A Reason:

I make a point to only apply one leave in per application. My only exception to this is when I am freshly showered. Since I have Color Treated locs I use both a moisturizing and a protein conditioner at those times. There should never be a need to layer multiple moisturizing or multiple protein conditioners at one time. If your products aren’t working for you…. Find something that will.

Use Shampoo!

If you use leave in conditioners with cones or oils or creams, a sulfate shampoo or scientifically designed sulfate free shampoo with comparable ingredients will remove cones better. Example:Sodium Lauryl Sarcosinate versus Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. They are related ingredients that both clean well but if you are sensitive to sulfates like me or just against there use, the alternative cleans well without resorting to soap or irritation.

Find a clarifying routine that work for you:

Clarifying is like stripping paint or starting over. A good clarifying shampoo will remove any residue left behind from products and the world at large. That said, you shouldn’t clarify every time you wash your hair as it can be drying. Find the interval that works for you. I like to clairify every 6 weeks or so… depending on how my hair looks, act and feels.

For more information on the types of conditioners, see:

CONDITIONER ON LOCS AND DREADLOCKS?

How to Swim Daily and Not Damage Your Locs

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 07:07:00 +0000

Dear Quotidianlight,

I will be going on a 10 day vacation in 2 weeks. Lots of swimming in the pool and getting wonderful sun. Any suggestions for quicker ways to dry my hair. I don't want to spend half my time with my future in-laws fussing with my hair. Also considering chlorine, which shampoo/conditioners work the best for locs.

Sherri

Chorine is rough on hair but following chlorine with sun damage is even worse. Chlorine disrupts skin and hair's natural oil and mineral balance leading to itchy dry skin and damaged hair. Chorine can cause hair color to change or fade. It also strengthens the suns natural bleaching of virgin hair. Lastly, chlorine causes the ends hair to break off, protein loss, loss of sheen and increased frizz. Sun can make all those effects happen faster and be more pronounced. There are things you can do before, during and after swimming to protect your dreadlocks.

Before swimming soak your locs in cool clean water for 5-10 minutes. This plumps the hair strands and saturates them with water. Adding a good, conditioner to the water is best especially if it has cones.

This is one time I recommend cones for everyone. The combination of water and cones fills and seals the hair shaft so less chlorine can enter your strands. The added moisture from the conditioner also reduces damage from post swimming shampoo.

Keeping your hair away from chorine as much as possible should be the next mode of protection. This does not mean that you have to avoid the pool. It does mean, swim in ocean's and lakes as much as possible and when using a pool protect your hair with a swim cap after braiding or securing your locs.

If your locs are long, look for a cap made for long hair. Swim caps stretch and fit most people with mid back length locs or shorter.

Swim caps protect but they aren't perfect. After swimming is the last time you can prevent damage to your hair. Do not hang out in the sun directly after chlorine exposure. Use a hat or hair wrap to protect your locs from the suns rays intensifying chlorine damage if you can't rinse your hair immediately.

Spray your locs with a post swim chlorine neutralizer like Swim Spray

Shampoo with a good daily swim shampoo every time you swim in chlorinated water. Regular shampoo will not remove all pool chemicals so a chelating shampoo is best. Don't skimp on quality as they are all strong and can be drying so you really do want quality. I recommend Lanza Swim & Sun HPF 30 Daily Chelating Shampoo which can be found in better swim shops or Aubrey Organics Swim Shampoo which can be found in the Loc'd Glory Store or health foods stores locally.

Follow with a strong moisturizing conditioner that also contains a small amount of protein. Many swim shampoos have a conditioner mate but it isn't absolutely necessary. After rinsing with cool water (cool water closes the cuticles and is more gentle) dry your locs with a good micro fiber towel or you can sew several shamwow towels together for an inexpensive solution.

Spray your locs with a sun protectant leave in conditioner and let the sun do the rest of the work.

A hand dryer might be handy in case you need to speed up the process.

With Good Before during and post swim care, you can end your summer with locs as beatiful as you began it.

Look at our excited winners!

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 23:50:39 +0000

I had so much so much fun doing the Loc'd Glory LAD giveaway. I expected it to be fun but didn't guess how wonderful and excited people would become. In addition to gaining powerful suggestion on how to make Loc'd Glory better, I got to hear from readers and subscribers I rarely hear from and in the end the contest spawned a new youtuber! Meet Sharsopretty! LAD Giveaway winner, newbie loc'r and now, NEW youtuber!!!! Her loc's are beautiful and her video made me glow.

Also, a few of you may have missed the video of youtub'r proudtobeanurse as she found out she was a winner while stuck in Napfaya's car right after an amazing Loc Appreciation Day meet up. Skip to 3:35 for happy hilarity

Here she is with the booty and wearing her new Tomoka Twist!

In short, thank you for helping this giveaway be a success and stay tuned for future giveaways on both youtube and the Loc'd Glory Website itself.

Conditioner recommendations for white dreadlocks?

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:05:04 +0000

Dear Quotidianlight,

I was just wondering if you had any product recommendations for a Moisturiser/Conditioner for people with non-afro textured locs. I've had mine for about 3 months, and they're feeling a little lifeless and dry from time to time. There are spray's that I have seen on the internet, but I'm not sure if I should trust them. What should I look for in particular?

My recommendations are the same for any type of hair. A good shampoo and conditioner will go a long way to healthy locs. Remember... loc'd hair it just hair and hair gets dry without moisture.

I recommend looking for sulphate free and less-toxic shampoo and matching conditioner. Look for Ph balanced and something that says moisturizing without being marketed as detangling. Any words that end in -cone should be at the bottom and few and far between. Then go light with the conditioner by diluting first. This will most likely take you longer to loc, but your hair will be healthier. Natural soaps and shampoo bars are not the correct Ph for hair and can often be drying.

When looking at a Leave in conditioner ask yourself, "what do these ingredients do?" Oils seal in moisture but do not provide moisture so daily use may lock moisture out. After conditioning a little jojoba oil can hold moisture in your hair. For a daily spritz, I love plain water. If it's humid or I'm about to take a shower without wetting my head I love, Gregs juice by Oyin Handmade. It pulls moisture from the air into your hair. Tea spritz's can be nice as well.

There are also many good commercial leave in's treatments such as Infusion 23, Pravana intense leave-in or It's a Ten. These are my personal favorites. I use a one of these heavier leave-ins after I shampoo and condition. They are usually available locally but they're also in the Loc'd Glory store.