Dreadlocks are a great way to add texture, volume and style to your hair. But if you’re looking for a more permanent solution than a temporary dreadlock extension, this article is for you. The aim here is to explore how to lock your hair with a simple crochet hook to embark upon a new journey in your life.
First, wash your hair!
You should never wash your hair with regular shampoo. Instead, use a shampoo that is made explicitly for dreadlocks. Look for one that is made especially for your hair type and has the word “moisturising” in its name. You can also use conditioner if you want to keep your dreads soft, but avoid using too much of it because it makes them slippery and difficult to comb out later on.
Wrap your hair into a long, flat twist and pull the ends through.
To start, you’ll need to create a flat twist—a style that looks like a rope twisted into itself. To do this, take your hair and divide it into four sections.
- Starting with one of the sections, hold it up and away from your head so that there’s tension in the hair.
- Then, twist the section clockwise as you pull on your ends to create a flat coil of hair at least 4 inches long or longer (this depends on how thick of strands you have).
- Keep twisting until you reach the end of your strand, and secure it with an elastic or rubber band. You can also use these to pull your stops through later.
- Take another section of hair and repeat this process until all four sections have been twisted into one long rope-like coil. This will ensure there aren’t gaps between each strand when they’re finally braided together.
You can secure this first round by tying another elastic around its base if necessary––make sure it’s not too tight.
Backcomb each section and use a dread wax to make it stick.
Now that you’ve made an extensive bald section at the root of your hair, it’s time to add on dreadlocks. First, comb each section gently with a wide-toothed comb or pick (you can also use your fingers). Then rub in some dread wax and use a rubber band to hold it. Make sure not to overdo it with this step: Too much product will make your hair look dirty and greasy, and too little will result in knots that won’t get knitted entirely together.
Dread wax comes from beeswax mixed with herbs like chamomile or lavender oil; this kind of product is excellent for sensitive scalps because there’s no petroleum involved.
Roll the dreadlock once or twice with a crochet hook
You can start locking when you have very short hair (which turns out best). But that is not to say you cannot make dreadful long hair. Given the time required for the locks to stay and having adopted the right approach, long natural hair looks great in dreads without any extensions.
- Roll the dreadlock once or twice with a crochet hook.
- Apply wax to the dreadlock, then leave it for about 30 minutes before taking it out.
- If you can’t get the dreadlock to stay in place, try wrapping it around something cylindrical and stiff (like a pen), leaving a hair tail at the top while you do this.
That’s all there is to it!
You can have dreadlocks for years altogether.
So, you’re ready to start dreading your hair. That’s great!
Dreadlocks are a commitment, but the process can be surprisingly easy once you get started. And once you’ve got them, they’ll look fabulous and last for years, as long as you maintain them properly.
