Tag Archives: haircare

Microlocs and Me: A Journey to Hair Freedom

Welcome to the Blog! My name is Bettye. I have 209 microlocs and today I am celebrating 3 years and 6 months of being loc’d!

WoW! Had I known at the start I would still be here enjoying and thriving on this journey I might have started a Vlog at the same time. Not because my journey has been free of obstacles but because I did not know how much this journey would mean to me above and beyond a way to style my hair.

It’s been two months since I have blogged. The first thing you might notice is the number of locs has changed. In recognition of having reached this goalpost on my loc journey, and because I did something really stupid in August, I felt it was time for me to count my locs. When I first counted my locs I used small black rubber bands to hold my 3 month old locs in groups of 20. I had 212 locs and I was happy. What happened? I am not sure. bundle each group. This is what I do remember. I combined 4 locs into 2 around my 3 month anniversary. I then started a new loc at the left side of my forehead. I thought the total was 212. In August, I decided to interlock my locs. I had not interlocked my entire head since February even though I had retightened the locs that make up my bangs during that time. I had been maintaining my locs by separating them and rolling or retwisting them. This method was working fine for my 4C hiar. It was not working for my 4 B hair as I was to discover. The 4B locs were thinning at the root. The strands of hair in the locs were compressing and forming a loose curl. I knew from previous experiments that tying a knot in the loc would result in slightly thicker locs from the point of the knot to the root of the loc. But, of the 3 knots I had made in thinner locs in August of 2024, I can still find the knots in those locs more than a year later. So knots were not my first choice to address loc thinning. I decided instead to interlock the thinning locs. I discovered a few things about my hair in the process.

First, the section of my hair that is 4B is confined to an area just below my crown across the back of my head. When I finished interlocking, I noticed this area is shaped like a rainbow across the back of my head. Very interesting. I have had this hair for decades now and never noticed this.

While I was interlocking the thin 4B locs I also interlocked most of the 4C locs as well. I missed about 30 of them. That’s fine. Those 30 will be the leaders in my new method for maintaining my locs.

Here’s the plan. I will be separating my locs daily. I do this automatically now. I separate my locs at the root after I spray them with water or finish a shampoo or when I sit in traffic. If and when I find a strand of hair lodged in the wrong loc, I tug on it to determine which end is in the scalp and which end is in the wrong loc. I pull the end that is in the wrong loc. I pull gently and I pull one strand at a time. This may sound tedious; but, when your hair maintenance routine takes maybe 5 minutes in the morning, you have time to pull one strand of hair at a time.

Occasionally, I will find a group of hairs sitting off to the side clumped near a loc. I use my finger tips to determine to which loc this group should be attached. Hallease, a YouTube content creator and traditional loc wearer, noted she always has an inch or so of new growth at her roots. She uses her fingers to interlock errant strands of hair in the right loc. I have used this technique with some success; so, I am not going to say I am no longer interlocking.

I also like taking the errant strands and separating them into two bunches and braiding the loc and the strands together. This technique is the maintenance technique Lola from Holistic Flo, also a YouTube channel content creator, uses to maintain her semi-freeform traditional locs.

Finally, my triumvirate of YouTube creators includes Lillian Okibe, who specializes in helping subscribers attain and maintain thick locs. Ms. Okibe has developed an online course which I subscribed to during my first year of my loc journey to get as many ideas as possible about how I would maintain my locs. Ms. Okibe, a microloc wearer, encourages DIYers to maintain their locs so they have roots that are thick without interlocking.

Whether or not I would maintain my locs myswelf has never been a question. I tried during the pandemic to get a loctitian to establish my locs but I was unsuccessful. Honestly, there weren’t a lot of hair salons open, so, I understand why no one got back to me for months. Fortunately, I had YouTube content providers to help me get started. Also, it helped that I choose to use two strand twists to start my locs. I had more shrinkage than if I had started with braids or interlocking; but, I also had confidence knowing I could easily change my mind with two strand twists. In fact that ease to removing the twists helped me to remove the first set I established in March of 2022. I had 96 locs and the shrinkage made me think I needed more locs. I am glad I let my self change my mind. The 200 or so locs I established in April of 2022 has been just the perfect number for me.

This August, I decided to retighten my locs. I was going to my niece’s wedding and I wanted my locs to look as sharp as they were going to look. Let’s just say for me, sleek edges has seldom been a goal. I set up my retying tools and towel in front of the family room TV to watch football while I retied. I decided to have a drink because that’s how we were watching the game on that particular day.

Things were going fine until they weren’t. I had interlocked three (3) small locs together and I could not undo the tie. At first I panicked. Then I thought, give it a little time and you will be able to release the locs. Sure enough the following week before I washed ny hair, I was able to stick the end of a porcupine quill into the knot and worked the three locs loose. I believe a metal rattail comb would have done the same task.

I then decided to interlock the three separately but loosely as I had done the other 4B locs. The hardest part about interlocking the 4B locs is/was making the second entry into the side of the loc because the curl of the 4B locs is more flat and wide as opposed to curly and round like the 4C locs.

I interlocked the first of the three loosely so as to maintain as much width or volume at the base of the loc. In the process of interlocking the second loc, I tied both locs two and three together again. I thought, OK once again I will give it a week and see how my hair grows. I hoped the interlocked knot would come out as easily as the earlier knot.

I was not to be so lucky. A week later and I could not feel the separate strands making up the now two headed dragon loc. I tried, and failed and became frustrated. I noted that the root of the two headed loc was not much bigger than the one I had safely interlocked. I began to realize those two locs were supposed to be one. Eventually, I tied the two locs together very tightly down the length of both locs. One loc was at least an inch shorter that the other. I cut off the end of the shorter loc and teased some of the strands a loose. I then tried crocheting the loose strands into the new loc.

Crocheting the locs did not work for me. A day or two later the loose cut ends were sticking out of the loc. I tried to get the ends to stay inside the new loc but they wouldn’t stay. I washed my locs a couple times then noticed that there were spaces between the knots. I decided to try repairing the loc again. This time I took out all of the knots …all except for the knot that turned two locs into one. I wet both sides and twisted them tightly together. Once again I unraveled the ends and braided the bundles of hair and loc together. So far, so good. How do you repair your locs? New techniques are always good to learn.

Well, the reality that I have 209 locs and not the 211 locs I was anticipating, was a surprise. This time when I counted my locs, they were long enough that I could count out 20 locs, make a group of that 20, take one loc and wrap it around the group to make a bundle. Earlier, I must have miscounted. Obviously, I had 210 locs and not 212. I know because I recounted each of the ten bundles to make sure I didn’t miss any. That was tedious. In any event, I have not lost any locs in my 3.5 years as a loc’d girlie. I am proud of the care I have given my locs. Have you lost any locs ? Do you know how you came to lose them?

My maintenance routine has changed just a little over the past year. Last winter, I began using conditioner on the shaft of my locs to help keep them moisturized. During the spring and summer I have not needed to use conditioner. I am still using Dr. Bonner’s liquid castile soap diluted 1:1 as recommended on the bottle as my clarifying shampoo. One lather is enough. Cécred Hydrating Shampoo or Nexxus Hydrating Shampoo are the two shampoos I use after rinsing out the Dr. Bonner’s. In the spring, I applied a little oil to my scalp following my shampoo and towel drying my hair. In the summer, I stopped using the oils because I noticed that my scalp would itch on the second or third day after the shampoo. When I did not add oil, I had no itching. Now it is autumn, I will have to see what my hair and scalp need.

I have decided that I like the way my locs frame my face when I keep my bangs maintained at or just above my eyebrows. Earlier this year in February I cut layers into the locs along the sides of my face. This gives my locs a very finished look everyday. I have gotten used to having hair on my neck and shoulders. I also enjoy having hair on both sides of my face. This is a surprise because as a loose natural I often wore a side part. These are all new looks for me and I am enjoying the journey. Being able to wear my hair out and loose has been the easiest hairstyle for me. After three and a half years, I have yet to grow tired of it. What techniques have you discovered to help you style your locs?

I do style my hair for special occasions; but, often the weight of the hair on my head becomes uncomfortable. I usually take down updo hairstyles in the car on the way home from the event. Before the hair comes down, however, I am enjoying every minute of having long hair to play with and style. And to think it has only taken three and a half years.

Here are two recent photos taken in New York City at the end of September. My daughter, whom you have heard me speak of, is the beautiful woman with the very long Sisterlocks.

How long have you been loc’d? Please drop the length of time you have been loc’d and where you are located in the comments. If you’re not loc’d please consider this your sign to start your loc journey. Locs are not for everyone; but, you won’t know if they are for you if you don’t try them on.

Thank you for sharing the journey! See you next month.

Bettye

MicroLocs and Me: One Woman’s Journey to Hair Freedom

Living the Loc’d Life : Winter Edition 2025

We are halfway through winter here in the North Eastern United States. Punxatawney Phil was frightened by his shadow on February 2 and apparently predicted 6 more weeks of winter. I think it was an easy call.

The weather has been very cold and windy due in part to the polar vortex that seems to dip down from Canada more often than in years past. What I have done with my loc maintenance this winter has been really a game changer. Let’s call it my Canadian vortex loc response. Surprisingly, it has been a very easy routine to follow. My locs have grown and now sit thickly on my shoulders. I have gotten used to the warmth on my neck and the way my hair curls inside of my collars and turtleneck sweaters. Having my locs feel moisturized and soft against my neck has made the cold winds tolerable.

Winter Loc Maintenance Routine

I continue to wash my hair once a week. Depending on my daily schedule, wash day is either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. No stress there.

I usually apply Dr. Bronner’s diluted castile soap with a spray bottle in the shower. Usually, I will follow with a second lathering of hydrating shampoo by Cecred. During this winter I decided to combat dryness in my locs with conditioner after the shampoo. I have been using Cecred’s moisturizing conditioner.

I finish my shower then, rinse the conditioner thoroughly and squeeze the water from my hair. I do not wring the water from my hair. Twisting the locs together while wet causes loose wet hair to migrate into neighboring locs. Its much better to just grab sections of hair and squeeze the water out from root to loc tips.

I wrap my hair with a microfiber towel. While I dry off, the towel has time to absorb some excess water. At almost three years loc’d, it now takes two hours for my hair to fully dry. I don’t mind. While I am waiting, I will run my fingers through my locs to separate them. I take time to wrap loose strands of hair around the appropriate locs. I move my locs into the style of the day. My last wash day task is to apply oil. I don’t always apply oil immediately after shampooing my locs. Most weeks I wait until the next day and apply aoil after I have sprayed my locs.

There are a few oils I am currently using. I have my staple Black Jamaican Castor Oil, Cecred Hair Oil, a blend of oils I bought on vacation in St. Martin and a mixture of oils I concocted by blending Argan oil, rosemary and amla oil with a little teatree oil and peppermint essential oil. I do not use all of these oils together -simultaneously. I will apply a small amount of one or two oils in the palm of my hand and use my finger tips to apply in several areas around my temples and scalp. Most of this oil will go to the length of my locs to help keep moisture in. I will not apply oil again until after my next shampoo.

Using less oil allows my own sebum to do its job and I have had no dandruff since locking my hair. I had a lot of itching during my first 4 months wearing baby locs but I stopped applying oil for a month as an experiment and the itching stopped. Since this revelation, I use oils sparingly on my scalp and locs.

The biggest difference this winter is I am spraying my locs with water twice a day and using instant conditioner after I shampoo. This winter my locs have felt supple. They have also continued to grow. My first two winters as a loc wearer I noticed my hair growth slowed during the winter. I expected this. My loose natural hair would also stop growing during the winter… or so I thought. I am taking the same vitamins and supplements as the last two winters and yet this winter my locs have continued to grow. I can tell there is growth becuase I see the new growth at the roots but due to the shrinkage I don’t see longer locs until I retighten them. This year I will let my locs tell me when they need to be retightened.

Steam Your Locs

For Christmas my daughter gave me a steamer. I have used it four times since then; so, every two to three weeks. I used it first with only water on my locs. Next, I applied a leave in conditioner. Finally, I applied the conditioner in the shower and used the steamer with a goal of seeing what changes if any were apparent. The steamer softened my locs with just water. My locs felt supple for the rest of the day. I did not reapply water during the day. When I applied leave in conditioner I did not notice any difference from applying just distilled water. When I used the steamer after applying conditioner in the shower my locs were supple for two days. I did spray water on my locs the next morning but I could have gone without. My experiment with a steamer shows me that a steamer is a good tool to use on my locs at least during the winter. The steamer does help keep my locs supple and moisturized.

The Knotted Locs Experiment

If you recall, at the end of August 2024, I installed 10 (ten) knots at the base of what I felt to be thinner locs. I had not retied or interlocked my hair in more than 3 months in keeping with Melissa Blake’s Knotted Locs. During the first night I removed 7 of the knots. They were too close to my scalp and caused too much tension, In other words, I felt they were too tight. I left 3 knots in and they remain in place to this day.

My observations have been: tThe knotted locs experienced less slippage. I did not have to retie the knotted locs when all of the other locs were retightened. As time passed the new growth between the knot and the scalp had very few loose strands. In February, when I retightened my locs I was able to use my interlocking tool and interlock the three knotted locs. That was six months after the knots were installed. I can still feel where the knots are on each loc. Due to there being only 3 of them there is no real change in the way my locs look.

I am finally beginning to embrace interlocking as the loc maintence method I want to use on my hair. From around six months on this journey I have been afraid that interlocking is stressful on the roots and scalp. I now think that infrequent reties without trying to catch every millimeter of new growth are a healthy way to maintain my locs. Also, retying or palm rolling locs is fine for me for maintenance between retightenings, because I wash my hair once a week, retwisting my locs doesn’t last very long. Sometimes I am happy with just separating my locs after a shampoo.

Wearing Bangs or A Fringe

I have followed the loc trimming instructions Pauline Walker, En Toi Beauty gave earlier in December 2024 on her YouTube channel to trim your locs. I don’t know if I can describe the technique here as well as she demonstrates. Basically, you determine where you want your locs to stop and where you want the bangs to start. Comb the locs forward that will make up your bangs. Going from the top of your head to the bottom of your bangs pick up one row of locs. Cut the lowest one so it ends where you want your bangs to stop. The loc immediately on top of this one is cut next. It is cut slightly shorter than the lowest loc. Make sure each cut is made at an angle, not straight across. Continue to cut each loc in this row making sure the top one is a little shorter than the one before. Then go to the next row and cut those locs the same. When you have finished cutting you need to go back to each loc, spray water and palm roll the loc to close the end and keep hairs from escaping and making a ball at the end of each loc. This advice was given to me by Lillian Okibe.

After I used this technique to trim my bangs, I parted sections down the side of my face and trimmed those locs as well.

If you have not signed up for the Lilian Okibe Locks course, I highly recommend it. The cost is $59.99 US Dollars. Currently, you will have one year’s access to the course at that price. As a bonus, Lilian Okibe adds modules to her course and you will have access to the new information as it rolls out. I was recently made aware there is a loc cutting tutorial in the course. After reviewing that section, I picked up my shears and cut my bangs a second time. Please note that my bangs had been trimmed 6 to 8 weeks previously and I had no need to cut the locs framing my face. Lilian Okibe’s cutting instructions are similar to Pauline Walker’s. Since they are both trained hair stylists that should be no surprise. Ms. Okibe’s focus however is to keep your locs looking fuller after your cut. Ms. Walker’s focus is to cut the locs in a style. Both work!

Really excited to be approaching three years on this microloc journey!

Any thoughts or concerns about trimming your locs? What is the worst thing that might happen? Please note that I am only asking about trimming not cutting off locs. In fact, I hope you

Stay loc’d!

Bettye

Microlocs and Me: A Woman’s Journey to Hair Freedom

Chapter 2 January 20, 2024

Gentle Reader, this blog post is being published late because I have not been able to attach pictures. i have decided the information is relevant even without the visuals. Today’s date is May 7, 2024.

Expriments in Microloc Maintenance

Welcome to the blog. I’m Bettye. I have 212 microlocs which I established over 21 months ago. My second anniversary of being loc’d is coming up in a few months. I am surprised at the growth and length retention of my locs over such a relatively short period of time. I continue to be obsessed with my locs.

Time passes. While it’s passing, we live and we learn. Several maintenance practices have changed from the ways I maintained my locs when this journey first began.

Washing locs is the biggest task in maintaining locs in my opinion. You want to keep your locs clean and not let dust or lint settle inside the strands. Starter loc wearers are told not to wash your hair for the first 4 weeks, or 6 weeks of having your locs established. I washed my locs at 3 weeks. I had to. My scalp was itching so much I had to try something.

On starting my loc journey, I had been ready to wait 4 weeks to wash my locs. As a loose natural, I regularly washed my hair every 4 weeks or so. In my mind, the advice not to wash my locs was solid. I didn’t even give that advice a second thought. It was 3 weeks after my microlocs were established, that the reality of my itching scalp, made washing my locs and scalp imperative.

Apparently, not everyone experiences itching. On my journey however, my scalp began itching about the third day after I had finished the final two strand twist. At first, I searched YouTube. I had not heard about the itching issue or maybe I had glossed over it in my loc research. The prevailing wisdom was to apply oil. So, I applied oils directly to my scalp. The oils I used (and continue to use) included Jamaican black castor oil, argan oil, grapeseed oil as well as peppermint, tea tree, lavender, sweet orange and eucalyptus essential oils to calm the itching. In retrospect, I now think I was applying too much oil to my scalp and the oils may have clogged pores in the scalp and caused additional itching. Why? Read on.

During the sixth month of my loc journey, I decided to experiment with NOT using oils on my locs and scalp to see how my locs would respond. After three weeks of not applying any oil to my scalp, I noticed an oily substance on my scalp. It was sebum! My body was producing sebum and oiling my scalp. I was surprised to say the least. As a loose natural I had never experienced my own sebum. Nor had I experienced my own sebum in all my many years as a permed hair girl.

Discovering my own sebum was an eye opener. I began massaging my scalp to distribute the sebum every day. I know. The generally touted rule is “keep your hands out of your locs”. This has been impossible for me. Let me explain. Massaging my scalp is one of the maintenance steps I do every day. To massage, I apply a very little bit of pressure through the balls of my finger tips while moving my finger tips in small circles against my scalp. I like to massage my scalp while watching Netflix or YouTube in the evening or when I am driving. This massaging may have encouraged hair growth. It certainly has not led to thinning of my locs, yet. Honestly, I hope I am not setting myself up for problems down the road but I love the feel of my locs.

Eventually, after almost 2 months of not applying any oils, I decided that a small amount of oil would not be so bad. Besides I had these bottles of oil sitting in my hair care drawer. I don’t like to waste products or money. I had given away all of my conditioners and setting gels when I loc’d my hair. I didn’t want to give away the oils I had bought for my locs. So, I poured JBCO into the well of the palm of my hand and rubbed my hands together and distributed the oil through my locs. Just this small amount of oil made a difference. There was more shine in my locs. It occurred to me that oils used sparingly could enhance the appearance of my locs.

Today, I usually apply oil after washing my locs. I pour a small amount into my palm, rub my palms together and distribute the oil around my the hairline with the ball of my fingers. I then run my hands through my locs to distribute a small amount on my locs. I have been using the same oils mentioned above in combination with a few fragrant essential oils, specifically a Black Oud and Rose mix to maintain the healthy appearance of my locs. I do not apply oil to my locs on a daily basis. I do not apply oil to my scalp other than to run my oiled palms through my roots. Also, I wash my locs every one to two weeks. Itching is no longer an issue for me.

Keeping Locs Separate or You’re Too Young to Marry

One piece of advice I wish I had followed was to braid and band my locs before washing them. Let’s be clear. My starter locs were too short to braid. I think that is not unusual. At first, I could only band them so, I banded my locs in about 12 groups when I washed them. “Banding” simply means placing a rubber band around a group of locs to hold them together while you are washing them. Banding helps keep hair from coming out of your locs while the locs are being manipulated, washed and rinsed.

I admit it. I have “hand in hair syndrome”, I do so love the way my locs feel. It will come as no surprise to learn that I run my fingers through my locs every day…. ostensibly to search out and separate any wayward strands. It’s a Win/ Win. I use my roaming fingers to keep me informed of any locs trying to marry – that is, two locs trying to become one.

About 3 months into my loc journey I stopped banding my hair. I thought the water would make my locs mature quicker. I don’t think it did. You see, I wash my locs in the shower. The shower spray pulled hair strands out of quite a few locs though. Sadly it took about 3 weeks before I realized what was happening. Fortunately, this gave me an opportunity to discover a maintenance technique I call “the Bettye”. I use a stainless steel yarn needle to thread loose hairs back through the loc where they should be.

I like to wet my hair in the shower; but, I do like to have my locs contained to keep down the incidence of locs “marrying”. Now that I am almost two years loc’d, I still band my locs when washing them. I have fewer hair strands leaving their locs and eloping with a neighbor. Banding really does help keep the locs intact while you shampoo them. My current practice is to separate my locs into 7 or 8 sections with a ponytail elastic, before washing my hair. I use the brand that advertises no hair breakage. This helps keep the hair inside of my locs. This also reduces frizz, but frizz is not an issue with me. To the contrary, I learned early on to embrace the volume frizz gives your locs.

I continue to shampoo my locs with Dr. Bronners soap. I dilute it one to one with tap water. I wet my hair fully under the running water and then apply the shampoo onto my locs with a spray bottle. I rinse and then lather a second time. I, again, rinse well. I squeeze out excess water from each of my banded groups of locs. I then use the same microfiber towel I bought at the beginning of my loc journey from Amazon to squeeze the water out of my locs.

More Changes in the Maintenance Routine

In my spray bottle which I still use most days, I keep distilled water. It is winter here and humidity inside is about 30% so, it’s dry. Occasionally, I will spray rose water and glycerin after first spraying my locs with disttilled water. I do not use rose water two days in a row because i feel a slight build up on my locs. Even though I will wash this build up out within a week, I don’t like to think of it attracting whatever might be in the air into my locs. Often, however, I will add some essential oils to the water. I like the way it makes my locs smell.

I always sleep with a satin bonnet or a silk scarf covering my locs. Last winter I was careful to wrap a silk scarf around my locs before putting on a light colored hats. This winter my locs are longer. I am not wearing light colored hats. I am wearing light colored sweaters though. At the end of the day, I shake my locs over the sink to see what, if anything, shakes out. I have tried brushing my locs but I don’t feel comfortable with this. For me, at this point in my loc journey, shampooing once a week and sleeping with a bonnet seems to be keeping the lint out of my locs. Next time I will talk more about wearing a sleep bonnet.

I have experimented with not intertlocking and let’s face it, I need control. Even the illusion of control can be calming. I have gone as long as four months without interlocking, trying to retwist instead. I have come to terms with my hair and my need for control. I interlock about every 8 weeks. I use a two point rotation usually. It depends on how much new growth I have and the number of passes I can make with the interlock needle. No matter how I loose I leave my retied locs they always seem to tighten up after I finish and remain tight for about a week after. The last two times I retied my locs I retightened on dry hair. The premise being wet hair stretches so your locs feel tight after you interlock because when they dry, the locs shrink up some. On dry hair there’s no shrinkage. This may be true, however, there is still a feeling of tightness art the base of the loc. This tightness fades in about a week.

Finally, I have to trimmed my bangs three times. At first, I felt some kind of way about losing the little curls at the ends of the locs across my forehead, but those little curls were blocking my vision. They also gave me a somewhat shaggy appearance which was new because my locs have been short. Trimming my bangs is a small but important maintenance task that I hesitate to give to anyone else. I don’t mind being mad at myself for cutting bangs too short. i don’t want to be mad at someone else because i let the cut my bangs too short.

As I get closer to my two years locaversary, I now find myself able to pull off more loc hairstyles. I have been content wearing basically one loc style for almost two years. I have used loc jewelry to create different looks. If you have started your loc journey, when did you start styling your locs? What types of styles were you able to achieve? Have you worn any loc jewelry? If so, what was your experience with styling your locs and with wearing loc jewelry? I will talk more about loc styling and loc jewelry in the next chapter.

Be well. See you next time.

Bettye