Hi everyone! Washing your hair is an important part of your haircare routine. While everyone does things differently, there are some hair wash steps that you shouldn’t skip, so I figured it was best that I create a post showing exactly how I wash my locs.
Watch the video or read the text below:
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1st shampoo
I wet my locs thoroughly then apply the shampoo to only my roots. For the first wash, I focus on the roots of my hair, in order to get rid of the excess oil and buildup on my scalp.
Note that I typically transfer whatever shampoo I’m using to a squeeze bottle and I always dilute the shampoo with water, so that it has a very thin and watery consistency. With locs, it is better to dilute the shampoo so that the product sinks in more easily; while with loose natural hair, the texture of the shampoo would be easier to manipulate without needing to dilute it. Also, the squeeze bottle makes it easier to control where the product goes.
2nd shampoo
I start off by applying the shampoo to my roots once more. However, now that the excess oil and buildup is gone from my scalp, the shampoo creates more suds. So I push the suds down along the shaft of my locs to cover all my hair.
I usually take this opportunity to go in with my scalp massager shampoo brush, to thoroughly clean my scalp and remove any remaining buildup.
Since my hair is so long, I will also have to add some shampoo directly to the hair shaft in order to cover all my hair.
Once I’ve shampooed my entire head, I thoroughly rinse my hair. I make sure to part my hair horizontally and vertically and let the water run through to ensure all the shampoo comes out.
3rd shampoo/conditioner (optional)
If it’s been several weeks since I last washed my hair, or my locs are really dirty for some reason, I will do a 3rd shampoo. I’ll cover my entire head from root to tip and massage in the shampoo, before rinsing it out.
Note that I don’t typically use conditioner on my hair unless it’s winter. For my winter haircare routine, check out my post: Winter Locks Wonderland: Essential Winter Haircare Tips
Dry and Oil my hair
After I’ve rinsed my locs for the last time, I use a microfiber towel to dry off the excess water. Then I oil my locs with our Peppermint Rose Hair Oil.
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I will take small sections of my hair at a time and rub the oil into my locs. After I’m done with each section, I lightly twist it to not only push more oil into the loc shaft but it also helps to keep the hair out of the way as I proceed.
After I’m done applying the oil to all my locs, I apply some oil to the tips of my fingers and do a scalp massage to spread the oil over my scalp and seal in the moisture there. Scalp massages also have the additional benefits of increasing hair thickness, and improving product absorption, since they stimulate blood circulation and bring more oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles.
Then I leave my locs to air dry, to avoid any heat damage from blow drying my hair.
What steps do you take in your hair wash routine?
Related posts
Winter Locks Wonderland: Essential Winter Haircare Tips
Dos and Don’ts for Locs
What should I moisturize with?
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Until next time!
~Jay
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