Locs achieve their length because low-no manipulation, leads to no breakage, which leads to length retention. With this understanding, I adopted a very low manipulation regimen for our hair. This is the only thing that I am consistent with so I contribute our growth success to closely mimicing a loc regimen, meaning I leave it alone for extended lengths of time allowing our hair to grow. When I do refresh our hair, I do everything I can to minimize hair loss and breakage so that we can retain the growth we achieved during the extended time our hair has been left alone.
I've personally found box braids to be the best style for this kind of regimen. Having extremely coily hair, I found that I could not leave twists in our hair for really extended lengths of time because our hair would loc and we would lose hair in the detangle. Box braids de-coil our hair, stretching it smooth so that we don't lose hair that isn't shed hair in the detangle. I still do twist and twist-outs from time to time. I just can't let them stay in past two weeks.
This may surprise you but I never wear my box braids out, yet my hair is in box braids everyday. I will put 20 or more braids in my moisturized hair during the weekend. This gives me a defined braid-out that I can keep going for up to a month. The way I do this is I take those braids down the next day and braid them in larger chunks (10 braids) adding more moisture to my hair if needed. I don't comb, brush or part, I just grab large sections, add more moisture if needed and braid. I put on a satin bonnet and go to sleep. Monday morning, I take the braids down, finger through, shake and go. I repeat the process at night, never combing or brushing. Sometimes I will style my hair in an updo. There are many styles that I do none involve combing or brushing.
My scalp loves Aloe Vera and stays exceptionally clean and dandruff free when I spray my braids and scalp with Aloe Vera Juice. It must be the healing effect that aloe has on skin. I have Dermatitis brought on by the extremely acidic nature of chemical relaxers and Aloe has allowed me to heal my scalp and maintain the health of my scalp while keeping my box-braid regimen going for up to a month.
Hair does attract dirt so I clean my braids with a wet cloth during this phase if necessary and sometimes do very diluted ACV rinses while my braids are in (ACV can be very irritating if it's not diluted enough). ACV is also great for maintaining a clean, healthy scalp. Other natural ingredients great for cleansing the scalp are baking soda dissolved in water and witch hazel.
The key to this regimen is keeping the scalp healthy and the hair in a moisturized and stretched state so that when it is time to wash and detangle, it isn't traumatic to the hair. We want to maximize growth and minimize breakage.
I never wash all of my hair loose. I take one braid down, co-wash, finger detangle also using a wide to comb to help remove shed hair if necessary, rebraid and move on to the next.
As for my youngest seen on this blog, I simply leave her box braids up as long as possible using the same cleaning and washing techniques.
I am no product junky and am not loyal to anything. I just like anything that helps with moisture. The only thing I use on a consistent basis is Aloe juice and olive oil. I like my hair moisturizers thick. I also like shea butter because it's heavy and our naps like heavy products because our hair is naturally dry and sucks product in. Heavy products also help to smooth out our coils so that our hair can maintain it's stretch. I use cheap conditioner for co-washing and detangling. When I make my own, I use canned coconut milk, oil (usually olive), honey and sometimes an egg yolk when I think we need a protein treatment.
That's pretty much it. I hope you are finding success in cultivating your beautiful, glorious, natural hair.
