How did you start your locs?

happyface · 01-06-2012, 10:46 AM

I am thinking about locing my hair but i want to go the diy route as much as possible. So to all my loced friends: How did you start your locs? How big/small were your parts? Any pics? Do you maintain them yourself or do you go to a professional?

I was thinking of starting with box braids since my texture wont really hold twists for too long, but i would like to see what others are doing.

-on this phone that makes it too hard to capitalize letters.

Yltnelis · 01-06-2012, 11:55 AM

I don't currently have locs, but I was locked for 7 years and cut them off in 2010. I will be locking again later this year though. I did everything myself from beginning to end. I started with two strand twists and maintained by latching with my fingers, I didn't use any other tools. Sorry, I don't really know how big my parts were, but here's a picture that gives you an idea of what size my locs were after they fully matured. They were about 6 years in this picture.

happyface · 01-06-2012, 01:03 PM

what do you mean by latching with your fingers?

luvmylocs · 01-06-2012, 01:33 PM

i posted this on another thread here but it is exactly what you're asking here...

i started my traditional locs with two strand twists. i didn't section and part. i went a little smaller realizing that locs plump up. honestly i don't remember what product i used way back then. i know i didn't use beeswax. i do know at the end i was using aloe vera gel and that worked great. my hair loves to be loc'd though so i didn't need products to speed it up.

now that im in sisterlocks i like the idea of interlocking even with traditional locs but i think it would have been hard for me to start that on my own and maintain on my own. it can be done. there are tons of youtube videos but i think it takes a little more experience than palm rolling/twisting. also you could interlock for maintenance but you would have to get the hair that is loose into a loc formation through two strand twists, braids or perhaps a coil to start. in sisterlocks there is a crochet pattern done with the loose hair, i guess you could do that with loose hair but again it would be challenging to do on your own.

also i retwisted about every 5 weeks. i could have done 4, 6 might have been a little too long. that seems to be my same schedule for sisterlocks so just keep in mind you don't want to overtwist. you want to have a strong root/foundation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaturallyCJ

what do you mean by latching with your fingers?

it is possible to take the loc and send it through the interlocking pattern without using a tool. check youtube for videos. you basically put your hair through the loose base from, 9 to 3, 6 to 12, 3 to 9 and finish with 12 to 6. think of the numbers as the times on a clock. you can also think north, south, east, west. tons of blogs and youtubes do a far better job at explaining than me. check out kalia-dewdrop.blogspot.com

Yltnelis · 01-06-2012, 02:33 PM

Yep, what luvmylocs said. When I say latching with my fingers, I just mean that I don't use a tool to latch (or interlock) my loc into the loose hair at the root. It is kind of awkward to explain in words. Here's a youtube vid that shows the method pretty well. She uses a tool for hers but, again, I just used my fingers. I chose latching over palm rolling for maintenance because it was just easier for me and I didn't have to worry about my roots not staying tight or using heavy product to hold it. I only used oil and water. But it's all about personal preference.

Retighten with Nappylocs - YouTube

happyface · 01-06-2012, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yltnelis

Yep, what luvmylocs said. When I say latching with my fingers, I just mean that I don't use a tool to latch (or interlock) my loc into the loose hair at the root. It is kind of awkward to explain in words. Here's a youtube vid that shows the method pretty well. She uses a tool for hers but, again, I just used my fingers. I chose latching over palm rolling for maintenance because it was just easier for me and I didn't have to worry about my roots not staying tight or using heavy product to hold it. I only used oil and water. But it's all about personal preference.

Retighten with Nappylocs - YouTube

Oh that video explains things perfectly. Her locs look lovely and she does them herself. I love it. I need to look into that tool.

luvmylocs · 01-06-2012, 04:47 PM

i bought the tool to maintain my sisterlocks but i'm going to keep going to my consultant until i have a reason not to. it is good to know the process though and lots of girls say it's totally doable even if it takes a long time. my one girlfriend didn't have a sisterlock consultant after hers were installed so from the very beginning she has maintained hers with the nappy locs too. they are down her back. gagurl8 was one i looked at a lot when i was researching sisterlocks.

Yltnelis · 01-06-2012, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaturallyCJ

Oh that video explains things perfectly. Her locs look lovely and she does them herself. I love it. I need to look into that tool.

I'm glad the video was helpful. Yes, her locs are quite lovely. She actually started out with sisterlocks, but she took them down after a few months and replaced them with braids. She kept the parting as it was when the sisterlocks were installed, so her current locs look very similar to sisterlocks even though they were started from braids.

BlackAngelPlayah · 01-15-2012, 04:12 PM

I tried with braids, but after much arguing with DH, I realized I had to sneak and lock. So I just stopped combing my hair. And my freeformed locs were born.

And I was in LOVE with them. Kept them almost 6 years. If I locked again I would do them exactly the same way- just no sneaking.

Jen

😜🍸Sent LIVE from my JPhone 4 using some CurlTalk app. 😜🍸

http://AfroCurls.wordpress.com

happyface · 01-16-2012, 07:32 PM

how did you sneak and free form loc your hair? that is so funny to me. when did he finally catch on?

RichieRomanHairStylist · 01-23-2012, 11:23 AM

I started mine 12 years ago with just twisting my tiny fro into hundered of coils. I wrapped them at night to sleep every night. I cleansed my scalp once a week but would put on a stocking cap before cleansing over the cap to not unravel the baby locs. Once a week I would also use sea breeze on a cotton swab to cleanse the scalp area followed by moisturizing my scalp. After about 6 mos of this they were locing. I only have used Organic root stimulator loc and twist gel on my locs over the years. I LOVES IT!!! To determine the size of the coils in the beginning I just twisted sections and held them tight to see how fat the twist would be once it settled. Once I liked the size i never un-did them. I highly recommend when you re-twist in the beginning to use a lot of roller clips to hold the new twist down at the base until they dry. Then remove clips and shake. Hope this helps...RR

BlackAngelPlayah · 02-26-2012, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happyface

how did you sneak and free form loc your hair? that is so funny to me. when did he finally catch on?

When it finally got all matted up and I couldn't comb it. I was like, well it's all locked up so I'd have to cut it. Might as well just let it stay like this.

My hair locs really quickly I discovered. I had baby locs the first month. By month 5 they were locs. He came around once everyone started saying how much they loved them. He's still not a "fan", but he "liked" mine in the end.

Jen

😜🍸Sent LIVE from my JPhone 4 using some CurlTalk app. 😜🍸

http://AfroCurls.wordpress.com

Zirzi · 03-09-2012, 05:27 PM

Hello All,
I'm happy to see that NC finally has a locs board, so I signed up.

I've had locs on and off for about 15 years now. This is set #4. Each set has been progressively smaller. Most of the women in my family also have locs and some are also repeat loc'ers but I think I hold the record for the most sets.

I always start locs with braids. I learned about latching/interlocking about 10 years ago and that's been my preferred maintenance method since then. I like braids and latching because they're affordable and can be washed as often as you want. If you want thinner locks the interlocking method helps to keep them strong over time. I originally wanted sisterlocks, but when I first looked into them there were no sisterlocks consultants in my area and then later on it became a question of price. After I figured out braidlocks they were an acceptable alternative to sisterlocks for me.