How to wash beginner locks

Hi everyone! As mentioned in Advice for Beginner Locks, people with starter locks shouldn’t be washing their hair too often. However, this doesn’t mean that you don’t wash it at all. You just have to be very careful when you do. Doing the wrong thing can cause them to unravel and slow down the locking process. Here is a step by step guide on how to wash starter locs. 

1. Massage your scalp before washing. 

This will lift all dirt and any dandruff from your scalp, which will make washing it out easier. Use the tips of your fingers and lightly scrape the scalp. If you have a hair pick with rounded edges, you can also use that.

how to wash starter locs scalp massage
 

2. Section out your locks 

You can use small rubber bands or hair ties. The number of sections depend upon how thick your hair is. When I had beginner locks, I used about 15 sections; however, the model in the photo below, who has thinner hair, used around 10.

how to wash starter locs

3. Dilute your shampoo 

It is important to do this until it’s half shampoo and half water, as locks don’t need such a potent mixture. Be sure to use an applicator bottle. It’s essential if you want to ensure that shampoo is applied to every part of the scalp, and it also makes applying easier.

how to wash starter locs - applicator bottle
 

4. Wet your hair and apply the shampoo to each section

5. Wash your scalp, section by section

Gently rub the scalp of each section, then rinse your hair. Note that the first time you wash, your hair won’t suds as much due to buildup.

6. Shampoo a second time and apply some to the shaft of your locks

After shampooing your scalp for a second time, apply some shampoo along the shaft of the locks and run your fingers gently down the lock. Remember to move the rubber bands down a little so that the shampoo reaches everywhere. Then rinse. You can then remove the rubber bands while in the shower and allow the water to run through your locks one more time.

7. Dab your locks with a clean towel to soak up the excess water.

Ensure that the towel is clean and doesn’t shed. Afterwards, let your hair air dry. That’s it for how to wash starter locs. Let me know in the comments below if you’d do anything differently.

 

Related Posts

Dos and Donts For Locks
Advice for Beginner Locks
What should I moisturize my locs with?
Hairstyles for Short Locks

 

Until next time!

~Jay

1 1 vote
Article Rating
Notify Me
Notify of
guest
14 Comments
Oldest
Newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Dufiekrapa

Very informative..Any remendation for the type of shampoo?

franciska

Do you recommend to retighten first then wash or the other way. My locks twist backward to scalp and it looks like it’s not growing

Welleh

How long do you recommend for the first wash after locking

WELLEH

THANKS!

Syd

May be a slow question, but would you recommend washing starter locs between retwist appointments if the appt is monthly? Or would that be considered too often?

Paul Mushi

Mine is very straight hair type,
I lock my hair nearly 9 months,
I do watch once a month,
But it’s unravel all the time n I twist it with stick again n agian.
How can I do to unravel again n again?
I use perfume when I needa urgently go out for meetin, could it be any disadvantages for my locks?

Bessita

This might be the “Uh Oh” question of the month……… I still use Sulfur 8 to grease my scalp. Before you give me the bizness, I need to say that Sulfur 8 twice a week somehow keeps my scalp clean of sebum build up, and prevents me fro being itchy. I’m an avid minitwist about to make the leap to a final install of minitwist that I’ve finally committed to interlocking instead of takedown and retwist.

Please give me a earful of if it’s ok to continue using my Sulfur 8 once or twice a week on my scalp only while taking on my new loc journey? Oh by the way I do plan to use Rosewater spray as my daily moisturizer followed by Paul Mitchell “The Conditioner” (a water based very light leavein conditioner) on my loose curly ends followed by an oil to seal in all that moisture.

Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top